Page 49 of Wrangling Nash

I opened it, staring down at the photo as the image registered in my brain – a sonogram.

“What’s this?” I asked, my heart raced, and my eyes widened.

“I’m pregnant, Nash. You’re going to be a dad.”

“Shit!” I exclaimed as I hopped up from my seat on the booth and ran around to scoop her up into my arms. I held her so tightly and kissed her so hard that I suddenly got worried I might be hurting the baby.

“When did you find out?”

“I wasn’t feeling well earlier this week and got concerned when I threw up my breakfast. Thought I’d gotten food poisoning, so I went to the ER in Austin, thinking they’d just run a quick test and give me some anti-nausea meds. The nurse said I was about two months along and did a quick sonogram for me to surprise you.”

“I’m so happy right now, I don’t know what to say,” I said, unable to wipe the grin that was physically hurting my face as I kissed her lips hard again.

“Wait, there’s more.”

“What?”

“I found out the gender.”

“You did?”

She nodded, “It’s early, but they could tell... well… it’s a boy.”

“Damn right it is.” I shouted again, lifting her up and twirling around.

“Wait, wait,” she chuckled, “there’s one more thing, well two…”

“Twins!?” my mouth dropped open as she nodded excitedly again.

“You know you and Wylie were Irish twins, just a few months apart. I’m hoping these two are just as close as you and your brothers are.”

I kissed her again as my mind reeled at the possibility of the two little lives growing inside of the woman I loved.

“I was thinking… what do you think about the names Cody and Wilder? Keep in tradition with the cowboy names your mom gave her sons?”

“My mom would have loved that, but are you sure?”

She nodded, “I just wish I’d had the chance to meet her all those years ago. This makes me feel a little closer to her.”

I smiled. I couldn’t help but think that it was my mom who sent me Jovie and my new sons.

Jovie had saved my life when all I’d felt was darkness and I would spend the rest of mine making it up to her.

Chapter 42: Nash – Epilogue

25 years ago…

“Nash, why don’t you go play outside while Mrs. Ashwood, Mrs. Vector, and I finish setting up dinner?” my mom asked.

I grumbled in response, setting my Hardy Boys book down. Reluctantly, I stood up and headed out to the Ashwood’s backyard. The book was just getting good, but I understood my mom’s desire for us to get some fresh air before the holiday gathering that included six adults and Mr. Ashwood’s two granddaughters.

Wylie was off somewhere, zipping around on the golf cart that Mr. Ashwood insisted he could handle, though I harbored doubts about his driving skills, so I had no one to play with.

I strolled to the edge of the expansive yard and peered down at the pool, still closed for winter. Suddenly, a glint of pink clothing caught my eye from the small treehouse Mr. Ashwood had erected the previous year. Although Wylie and I weren’t regular visitors, the last time being when my dad assisted him with a tractor issue, I recalled some of the cool wooden toys he’d put in the treehouse and felt compelled to investigate.

Climbing the long ladder to the top, I swung my legs up and noticed a small girl huddled inside by a toy fridge.

“Hey,” I huffed as she turned around, her big green eyes and long brown curly hair was blowing from a slight breeze that reached us in the sky. She was so tiny; I wondered if she would even reach my shoulders.

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