Father for Her Newborn Baby (Cowboys, Doctors...Daddies)

by Lynne Marshall

  “Ready to go, sir?” The driver was behind the wheel checking his watch.

  “Yes, yes.”

  “Okay, then.” She didn’t have a clue what to say next. I forgive you? I love you?

  “Oh, there’ll be another chauffeur in Boston. He’ll have a sign with your name at the baggage-claim area. He’ll take you to your resident quarters.” He stepped back to let the limo pull out.

  “Okay. Thank you for everything.” I’ll never forget you!

  “Just be you and knock that hospital on its ear.”

  She couldn’t help but smile at the implications of that comment. “And take care of your father,” she called out the window as the car drove off, but not before she glimpsed a look of devastation on his face. He did care.

  *

  Cole stood watching the limousine drive off with the woman who’d changed his world as the corners of his life turned in on themselves, making him feel empty and dead. If he’d been hit by a car it wouldn’t have hurt more than he did right now. But he had to let her go. It was for the best. For Flora’s future.

  Lizzie deserved better than him. He wouldn’t stand in the way of that. Maybe, with this coveted residency in internal medicine, she’d finally put her life on track and become the huge success she’d worked diligently for all these years.

  Maybe, with time, the crater in his chest would heal without her.

  Tiberius and Gretchen instinctively knew better than to go near him just then. They’d waved goodbye to Lizzie from the porch as she’d driven off. Now they’d disappeared inside.

  Cole stepped slowly into the ranch house, then found himself walking toward Lizzie and Flora’s room. He could still feel her here, but knew this too would fade with time. He curled in his lips and pressed hard, damned if he was going to let himself react to the roiling deep in his chest. He hated that she could make him remember how impossibly hard it was to lose someone you…loved.

  He inhaled, hoping for one last whiff of her before she vanished forever, then glanced toward the opened closet. Empty except for one item.

  She’d left behind the blue evening gown. So she wouldn’t have to remember their one night together?

  Or to make sure he’d never forget?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Two weeks later. San Francisco.

  COLE MADE A SMALL incision near the premedicated handpicked patient’s groin to gain access to the femoral artery. The surgical nurse handed him the special sterile catheter. Cole took the stainless-steel stent with its attached trileaflet equine pericardial valve with fabric cuff and threaded it through the vein, using fluoroscopy to follow the venous path on the X-ray screen. It was a long and tedious process traveling from the groin to the heart, and it required meticulous technique and total concentration.

  Several minutes later, once he reached the diseased valve in the patient’s heart, Cole advanced the sheath from the femoral artery, steering around the aortic arch and through the stenotic valve. He made it look easy, but this was his specialty and he’d trained for years, perfecting the technique long before becoming a TAVI evangelist.

  As instructed, the surgical team used rapid cardiac pacing to reduce cardiac output while he introduced and inflated the balloon that delivered the special prosthetic valve. He carefully positioned the new prosthetic valve adjacent to the calcified natural aortic valve and secured it in place. Then waited for the new valve to take over.

  Angiography and echocardiography were performed to assess the patency of the coronary artery and the new valve competency. All checked out as per his plan, and he began to remove the catheter. Once completely out of the patient, he surgically repaired the access site in the groin. When he was done, the surgical RN placed a pressure dressing over the incision and a five-pound sandbag over that to prevent bleeding or hematoma formation.

  As the team finished the procedure, Cole discussed the success with the head cardiologist.

  He’d just saved a man from open-heart surgery and the hospital thousands and thousands of dollars with a minimally invasive procedure that required a short recovery and little time in the hospital. It was a win-win situation and the way of the future and, most important, he believed in it.

  He stepped out of the surgical suite and changed clothes. Later he’d meet with the team to discuss the procedure and to offer time-saving techniques, as well as a critique on their performance.

  He’d spend the next few days here teaching the procedure to the few qualified cardiology staff members. Once he was positive they could perform the percutaneous aortic valve implantation on their own, he would certify them and his job would be done.

  The first doctor on the list was a female cardiologist who reminded him of Lizzie. He’d thought of her every single day since she’d left the ranch. He’d started to call her several different times, but left well enough alone. She probably hated him, and, after the way he’d detached himself from their relationship, he couldn’t blame her. She’d never understand it was for the best. Her best. Which reminded him: he’d gotten a disturbing message from his bank, saying that his automatic payment to Massachusetts General Hospital for Flora’s child care had been returned. He needed to find out why.

  First he called his bank to clarify the message, then he called Linda Poles at MGH for an explanation.

  “She left,” was Linda’s exasperated response.

  “What? What happened?”

  “She changed her focus and took a residency at another hospital.”

  “Where?”

  “Wyoming. Cheyenne.”

  Cole needed to sit down. He’d bent over backwards to accommodate her and she’d turned her back on the prestigious placement for…

  He scratched his head; the only resident program he knew about at Wyoming University Hospital was for family practice, not internal medicine. His brother, Trevor, did his residency there. They were always searching for more residents.

  What in the hell was going on? With trepidation, he called Lizzie, amazed by how moved he was just hearing her voice on the mobile answering system. He’d missed that fun accent. Her. God, he’d missed her, cursed himself every single day for letting her go. But he’d kept telling himself it was for the best. For her and Flora’s future.

  Maybe if he kept repeating it, he’d eventually believe it.

  “Hi, Lizzie, this is Cole. Just got some surprising news and wanted to verify it with you. Call me when you can.”

  A few days later, it was almost time to board the plane back to Baltimore. Lizzie had never returned his call and it was driving him crazy. Was this her thumbing her nose at him or had she strategically put herself in Cheyenne to be closer to him? Laramie was only forty-two miles away. He’d spent enough time kicking himself for doing the wrong thing, and now, as illogical as it seemed, he needed to set some things straight. To finally do the right thing.

  He stepped up to the gate counter to make an inquiry with the booking clerk.

  *

  Lizzie promised this move would be the last. Thank heavens she didn’t own any worldly goods beyond all of Flora’s things. Wyoming University Hospital agreed to let her rent a furnished room in the dorms for the married students. The apartment was tiny with one bedroom and a galley kitchen, but by her standards it was perfect, and she could walk to work every day. Also, the university had a child-development center that accepted Flora into their care program at a steep discount. If these weren’t all signs she’d made the right decision, she didn’t know what other proof she needed. She was back in Wyoming, and this would be home to her and Flora for the next three years, and after that? Well, she couldn’t even predict day-to-day events, so that would be anyone’s guess.

  She hadn’t returned Cole’s call, couldn’t, because she’d almost gone weak in the knees just hearing his voice. Obviously he’d found out about her abrupt change in plans. Well, it was her decision and she’d do what she felt best for her and her daughter.

  She’d taken Tiberius’s words to heart abou
t his state needing more doctors. She’d had a long conversation with Trevor Montgomery over the phone about the pros and cons of switching from internal medicine to family practice, and he’d given a great endorsement for this program.

  The oddest thing had happened when she’d flown back to Boston after spending her summer in Cattleman Bluff: she’d felt completely out of place. She’d been born and raised there, yet a little over a month in Wyoming had opened her eyes to a different kind of life. A life with big skies and clean air, miles and miles of wide-open land, ranches and horseback riding, where life slowed down and the people were down-to-earth. She felt cramped back home, but here a girl could stretch out and breathe. She liked it here.

  Check that. She loved it here. She hummed contentedly while putting away the last of Flora’s clothes as her baby napped.

  There was a tap at the door, and, eager not to disturb Flora, she rushed over to open it. Her stomach dropped to her knees when she saw Cole on the other side. He’d cut his hair recently and looked tan. He wore a brown Western-style suit with an expensive-looking white polo shirt. From the tips of his boots to the top of his head, he looked all man, and his brown, cutting eyes nearly sliced through her. Yeah, he was angry.

  “Don’t get mad,” were her first words, even knowing it was way too late for that. “I listened to my heart and this is where I needed to be.”

  He shook his head and stepped through her door. She got the message he wasn’t the least bit glad to see her, but if that was the case, why did he come here?

  She’d totally messed up his efforts at finding her a residency, she’d essentially spit in his eye, rather than show gratitude, yet not for one second did she fear that he might manhandle her. He wasn’t anything like her ex.

  “Does this have something to do with my father?”

  “If you had any kind of relationship with your father, you wouldn’t need me to answer that.”

  He cocked his head, narrowing one eye. “Are you saying he did have something to do with your decision?”

  “Contrary to your assuming you can call all the shots, I make all my own decisions. Your father just pointed me in a different direction.”

  “Are you aware Laramie is only forty-two miles away?”

  “I thought you spent most of your time in Baltimore, and, besides, your living one town over shouldn’t be a problem since you’re always traveling. No worries about running into each other.” She raised her hand in an oath. “I promise to stay out of your way.”

  He stepped closer and she couldn’t budge. Nor could she breathe. All she could concentrate on was the face she’d missed so deeply; she had dreams about it every night.

  “Forgive me for being cold to you,” he said. “I never expected to—” He stopped.

  “To what? Try to control my life? Use me to prove your Wonder Boy status?” Yes, she was still angry.

  Not listening to her jeers, he studied and reached for her hair, lifted and dropped it back onto her shoulder, as if reacquainting himself with it. That simple act sent an avalanche of chills down her body. She prayed he wouldn’t notice.

  “To fall in love with you,” he said, low and grainy, as if coming to this conclusion had worn him to the bone. “I never expected to love you.”

  She let the magic words settle in the air. She breathed them inward, savoring the feel of them, trying them on for size, deciding they fit perfectly with her feelings for him. But he didn’t deserve to get off that easily. He’d thrown her life into chaos, then let her go without lifting a finger.

  He’d broken her heart! “You wanted to get rid of me—you forced me to leave. Didn’t even have the decency to drive me to the airport. How can I believe you?”

  With nothing less than an agonized gaze, he dropped to one knee, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ring. “This was my mother’s engagement ring, and her mother’s before that. I’d like you to wear it, to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

  Wait, wait, wait. None of this made sense. He loved her and wanted to marry her? She must be hallucinating. “You kicked me out of your bed and sent me out of state. Why the change?”

  There was that agonized expression again. “I’d gotten too used to being around you. I still needed to hear your voice…see your face…hear Flora coo.” He started to stand up, but she pushed on his shoulder to keep him on that knee. So distracted by his confession, he didn’t notice and stayed where she’d put him. “I want you with me. I have to be with you.”

  She wanted to stay angry at him, wanted him to hurt as much as she had when he’d let her leave. But he’d just as much as told her he’d been miserable without her, had missed her enough to come after her, knowing how angry she was, and ask her to marry him. He loved her.

  Realizing she wasn’t jumping right in with a yes, he added more. “I just cancelled my flight from California to Baltimore, to fly to Cheyenne, then drove out to the ranch to get this ring to ask you to marry me. What more proof do you need? Can you at least give me an answer?”

  Okay, she wasn’t imagining this. Cole was reverting back to his usual demanding self. But not before he’d begged her forgiveness and admitted how he felt. Thank God!

  Seeing the big man on his knee, risking his pride by asking her to marry him completely out of the blue, and knowing without a doubt he meant it, undid her. She dropped to her wobbling knees before him and cupped the hand that offered the beautiful, delicate antique ring. “You can’t keep messing with my life, Cole Montgomery.”

  “I promise to stop if you say yes.”

  She laughed through her tears. “Like hell you will.”

  His slow smile broadened, forming those natural brackets on either side of his cheeks. She loved that grin.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you.” He freed his hand from hers, reaching for her shoulders so he could tug her closer and share a kiss that felt as if he’d been saving up since the day she’d left Cattleman Bluff.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss he’d never forget either because that was what a girl did when she loved a man with all her heart.

  Moments later, she tore away from his mouth. “But first you’ve got to promise to have that talk with your father.”

  “Now who’s messing with whose life?”

  “You needed a kick in the ass on behalf of Monty.”

  “Before I hold you to marrying me, maybe you should know that I’m giving up the TAVR teaching. Already talked to Trevor about joining his practice. I won’t have nearly the prestige I do now.”

  “Wow. You really have changed! That’s the best news evah!”

  “So you love me, then?”

  “You know I do.”

  She dove for him and knocked him backwards, then picked up the kiss where they’d just left off. After wrestling to get her hand, Cole slid the ring onto her finger, and it fit surprisingly well, as if it had been made for Lizzie. “I love you,” he said, again.

  “I love you, too.” Thrilled to the core, she stopped and admired the platinum, gold and diamond ring with those dewy eyes. He looked on with pride, love surging through his veins, just as Flora woke up from her nap with a shriek.

  Cole’s brows shot up. “Mind if I get her up?”

  “Be my guest.” She rolled off him.

  “You think she’ll remember me?” He squeezed her arm affectionately as he got up.

  “It’s only been three weeks,” she said as he helped her stand.

  He walked lightly into the bedroom, Lizzie following behind, and he spoke softly. “Hey, little Flora bear, it’s Cole.”

  The baby squealed with delight when she saw him, and relief circled his body. “Hey, she’s sitting up—when did that happen?”

  “Last week. Look a little closer.”

  He did, and with the baby smiling he saw her first tooth. “Look at that—you’re growing up!”

  Lizzie came up beside him, stretching her arm around his back. “Since we’ll be getting married, maybe from now on you shou
ld call yourself Daddy?”

  Cole lifted Flora, kissed her chubby cheek, then turned his megawatt smile toward Lizzie. “I like the sound of that.”

  *

  The next night Cole sat down with his father in the living room at the ranch. Lizzie had blackmailed him into doing it by refusing to sleep with him until he did. But as she said, there was no time like the present, and he really couldn’t argue with that advice. This conversation was way overdue.

  “Can I get you some tea or something?” Cole said, hoping to steal more time to gather his thoughts.

  Tiberius scrunched up his face. “You got something you want to talk about or not?”

  So that was how it was going to be, but, honestly, did Cole actually think things might be different? He sat and leveled his gaze on his father, trying not to notice the butterflies in his belly. “As a matter of fact, I’ve got a lot of things to talk about. First off, I’ve asked Lizzie to marry me and you’re the first to know.”

  The shocked double take almost made Cole laugh. “Well, that’s the first display of good sense I’ve seen from you in years.” His old man smiled and shook Cole’s hand, after delivering the backhanded compliment. “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks. I’m glad you approve. And I think you already know you played a role in it.”

  “I didn’t want that filly to get away. She’s a real catch. And you’re way past your time to get married.”

  Rather than take offense, Cole focused on what really mattered most. “She reminds you of Mom, doesn’t she?”

  Tiberius nodded thoughtfully. “She’ll be good for you.”

  “Agreed.” They sat in silence, enjoying the rare truce.

  His father cleared his throat. “You know, neither of us ever wanted to admit it, but we’re a lot alike.”

  Cole shook his head. “Don’t I know that. Mom had her hands full trying to keep peace in the house.”

  “That’s ʼcause you were always trying to prove how tough you were.”

  “And you never did that, right?”

  Tiberius nodded mildly, a small smile creasing his lips spawning an expression packed with memories. “I’d come off the rodeo circuit and survived, assumed you would, too. Didn’t your momma call you Wonder Boy?”