Trace (Bachelors And Babies Book 1)
Page 14
But the carriage house was the last to be built for the Goldwaters, and he’d be glad to see it done. The house was finished, inside and out, to Lila’s approval and Stan’s gratitude. Soon, LeRoy and his crew would be moving on to the next job.
Trace took the tool belt and would’ve clasped it around his waist if not for the folded newspaper in one of the pockets. Someone had circled Calvin Lombardo’s ranch sale notice with a pencil, and Trace grunted at the oddity.
He tossed the newspaper aside, buckled on the tool belt and went for his flask, intending to bring it with him while working on the carriage house. Damned if there wasn’t another newspaper beneath it, same ad circled.
A slow grin formed.
He headed to the water pump to fill the flask, and sure enough, there was another newspaper, right there in the grass, held in place with a brick.
His grin broadened.
A little wiser now, his curiosity riled up but good, he headed to his lunch box, sitting in the shade with LeRoy’s and the others’. Yep, another newspaper with it. Another ad.
Seemed someone was trying to tell him something, and wasn’t that interesting?
After filling the flask and helping himself to a long drink while he debated what to do about that interesting something, he headed back toward the carriage house to help LeRoy get that roof done.
“Trace?”
He halted. Turned. And found Morgana in the yard. She was so beautiful standing there, flanked by the green from her parents’ well-groomed lawn and sunlight glinting on her hair like black diamonds. Took him a little time to remember where he was and what he had to do.
“Do you have a few minutes?” She pushed the baby carriage closer. “I’d like to talk to you, if you don’t mind.”
Mind? Hell, no, he didn’t mind. Besides, he needed to talk to her, too. He turned toward LeRoy and slid a sharp whistle through his teeth. LeRoy’s gaze found him.
“I’ll be right back,” Trace called.
“Go ahead. I ain’t going anywhere.”
Trace lifted his arm in thanks, swiveled on his boot heel and unbuckled the tool belt he’d just put on. He dropped it back on the workbench. The water flask landed next to the belt.
He strode toward Morgana. Noted she looked a mite nervous, and that pulled at him. But if he said his words right, the way he’d practiced again and again in his head, she’d feel better.
He hoped.
He halted at the baby carriage, squatted down some and looked in. Harriett stopped sucking on her stuffed doggy’s ear and blinked up at him. Trace could tell the instant she recognized him; her little legs kicked, her arms flapped, and she gifted him with a wide, toothless grin.
If that didn’t make a man love her even more, he didn’t know what would.
He lifted her out and held her against his shoulder, kissing her cheek. Morgana reached up and tugged the hem of Harriett’s yellow dress, which he’d inadvertently crushed.
“Another new one?” he asked wryly.
“I’m afraid so.” Morgana re-tied the ribbons beneath Harriett’s matching bonnet.
Trace had a pretty good idea who was responsible for Harriett’s spoiling, but it wouldn’t do any good to tell Lila she was. She’d just do it anyway.
“She has enough dresses to fill her own mercantile,” he muttered, taking Morgana’s elbow. Morgana grabbed the stuffed dog and an embroidered linen blanket before falling into step with him.
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s a bit much, isn’t it?” she said. “Where are we going?”
“My horse first,” he said. “Some papers I need to get.”
Seemed to Trace some of the color slipped out of her cheeks, but she didn’t question him on it. They walked toward the hitching post where his sorrel was tied next to LeRoy’s and the others’. Flipping open the saddle bag, he withdrew a sheaf of papers and tucked them under his arm.
“Lila have a good luncheon today?” he asked, glad to see the drive in front of the house empty of all the ladies’ rigs. He urged her to keep walking, past the house and toward a nearby bluff.
“Yes. They couldn’t stop fawning over Harriett.” She glanced up at him from beneath her lashes. “Or making assumptions about us.”
“Us? Meaning you and me?”
“Yes.” Her mouth tightened. “You and me.”
He considered that. Might be the ladies’ assumptions were bad. Could be good, too. “What kind of assumptions?”
“I’d rather not discuss them.” She swung her head and gave the horizon her intense scrutiny. Until whatever she was thinking about so hard flipped over to him, and she faced him again. “Trace, you may as well know that I love Harriett as if she were my own daughter.”
“Known that for a while now, Morgana.” He nodded, somber as she was.
“Therefore, whatever your plans are to go to Nebraska, or anywhere else you want to buy a ranch, I simply cannot let you take Harriett with you.”
“Nebraska.”
“In fact, it would break my heart.” As if to punctuate the words, her eyes welled, and her chin quivered.
“Would break mine, too, if I were you.”
She exhaled, and her composure fell back into place. “Should you choose to leave us, I will do whatever I must to assume her guardianship. I will even marry someone. Anyone.”
His brow arched. “Yeah?”
“Only because it’s highly doubtful any judge would give guardianship to a single woman.”
“You’re right on that count, Morgana.” They’d walked as far as they needed to reach the bluff. He guided her up the rise toward a shady spot under a young maple tree. “Spread the blanket out, will you?”
She complied. He knelt to lay the little girl down and give her the stuffed dog, which she eagerly took to her mouth. He rose again.
Morgana’s throat moved, but she kept her gaze unwavering. What did she think he’d do? Ignore everything she’d done for him? Just toss aside all the selfless love and caring she’d given to not only Harriett but himself, too?
“If anyone has made assumptions, Miss Goldwater, it’s you,” he said roughly.
She stiffened. “Oh?”
“Thinking I’d go to Nebraska without even discussing it with you.”
“You have discussed nothing with me the whole week about these—these meetings you’ve gone to. I mean—"
“No. But I intended to. When the time was right. I needed to get my affairs in order first, which has required consultations with my banker, the sheriff, an attorney, LeRoy and last, but not least, Calvin Lombardo. So, yeah, I’ve had a few meetings.”
Her chin lifted. “I see.”
“I love you, Morgana. I’ll turn this town upside down to earn me the right to have a life with you here.”
She didn’t move. But her breath caught. Like her heart had stopped its beating and needed some air to get going again.
“Oh, Trace,” she whispered finally. Her fingers trembled against her lips. “I love you, too.”
Emotion careened in his throat. Took some doing to be able to talk again.
“Then you might be interested in these papers.” He held out the sheaf. “You’re affected by them as much as I am.” He pulled out the top one. “Billy has signed his rights away to his daughter. I needed to make sure he wouldn’t come after her if he ever got out of jail. Or so his kin wouldn’t.”
She blinked fast.
He pulled out a second paper. “An adoption application. All that’s missing is your signature next to mine.” He hesitated. “Of course, being married would ensure the adoption happens. The judge likely won’t give a child to a man alone.”
Her head cocked, and a glint of amusement sparkled in her eyes. “Are you proposing, Trace McQuade?”
For all his careful rehearsing and planning, he’d fumbled the most important part. Asking her to marry him. With a growl, he pulled her into his embrace, holding her tight against him.
“I need you like I’ve never needed anyone e
lse before, Morgana,” he murmured huskily into her silky hair. “I need you, and I love you. I want you as my wife, and if Harriett could talk, she’d say she wants you as her mother, too.”
Laughing softly, Morgana drew back. “I can’t think of anything that would make me happier than the three of us as a family.”
“Forever,” he said fiercely, cupping her face. He took her mouth and kissed her long, hard, with a fervency that revealed his love ran deep. So deep it would never die.
He held her for long moments, until he remembered the reason for bringing her out here. He gently turned her around and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Her hands came up and curled around his forearm, keeping him close.
“Look out there, Morgana,” he said quietly. “As far as you can see.”
“Yes,” she said. “Kansas. Land, with grass and water. And one burned cabin. Calvin Lombardo’s ranch.”
“Not anymore. It’s all mine. I bought it so fast he didn’t have time to cancel the sale notice.”
She twisted to stare at him over her shoulder. “You mean I didn’t need to buy all those newspapers to show you?”
“Old news by then.” He turned her around again. “The ranch will be close enough so your mother can visit.”
Her mouth softened knowingly. “But not that close.”
He took care not to agree too eagerly. “I’ve already talked to LeRoy. I’m hiring him to help me build you a house as fine as you want it to be.”
“But nothing like my mother’s, I promise you.” Her green eyes twinkled.
“Nicer than that old cabin, though?”
She laughed. “I think so, yes.”
“When your trust matures, you can set up a place to give music lessons. Harp, piano, maybe both.”
“Hmm. Maybe. Unless a little McQuade baby joins us before I can. Or two.”
He chuckled. “Then you’d better make sure we have plenty of bedrooms to put them in.”
“Yes, lots of little McQuade babies!” She flung her arms around his neck. “Oh, I’m so happy right now, I could nearly burst.”
He drew back, bent and picked up Harriett. Morgana snuggled close, sliding her arms around them both. Together, they gazed at the vast Kansas horizon, alive with beauty and promise.
Their new home. For a lifetime.
The End
Did you enjoy TRACE?
Please leave a review on Amazon!
Books in the Bachelors and Babies Series
Trace
Book 1 ~ Pam Crooks ~ June 1
Logan
Book 2 ~ Margaret Tanner ~ July 1
Carter
Book 3 ~ Cynthia Woolf ~ August 1
Barclay
Book 4 ~ Charlene Raddon ~ September 1
Dallas
Book 5 ~ Cyndi Raye ~ October 1
Sawyer
Book 6 ~ Winnie Griggs ~ November 1
Jared
Book 7 ~ Charlene Raddon ~ December 1
Grayson
Book 8 ~ Linda Carroll-Bradd ~ January 1
Kendrick
Book 9 ~ Zina Abbott ~ February 1
Stuart
Book 10 ~ Caroline Clemmons ~ March 1
Zach
Book 11 ~ Hebby Roman ~ April 1
Chase
Book 12 ~ Charlene Raddon ~ May 1
Gilbert
Book 13 ~ Carra Copelin ~ June 1
Tanner
Book 14 ~ Cheryl St.John ~ July 1
See all the Bachelors & Babies Books on our Amazon Series Page:
https://amzn.to/31ks9XC
About Pam
While expecting her first child (more years back than she cares to count), Pam Crooks read her very first romance novel, and she’s been in love with them ever since. She grew up in the ranch country of western Nebraska, and it was inevitable she’d eventually write lots of books about cowboys. Pam still lives in Nebraska with her husband (who is not a cowboy), four married daughters and a whole slew of perfect grandchildren.
She’s a long-time member of RWA and RAH, her local chapter. Pam is also one of the founders of Petticoats & Pistols, a popular blogsite for western romance. She loves to cook, hang out at her lake cabin, and decorate birthday cakes for anyone who will let her.
To see more books Pam has written, visit www.pamcrooks.com
Or visit her author page on Amazon and follow her!
Or check out her page on Bookbub and follow her!