Page 31 of The Cowboy's Unshakeable Love

Callie met her gaze. “Did you wear yourself out making dinner?”

She chuckled. “Maybe, but it was worth it – unless you’re going to tell me that it wasn’t.”

Callie came and perched on the edge of the sofa next to her. “You know I’m not going to say that. I can see that you’re doing better, getting stronger. I just don’t want you to overdo it.” She laughed. “And even if you did – the dinner was well worth it. You know how much I love it.”

Retta took hold of her hand. “You know, it’s been so long since we’ve been around each other like this that I wasn’t even sure if you’d still enjoy it.”

“Pft! You never need to doubt that. I might have learned to eat some fancy stuff over the years, but nothing can touch your cooking.” She squeezed Retta’s hand. “Are you really going to stick around? I’d love to think that we might get to cook together. You can teach me some of your recipes, and we can hang out in the kitchen just … doing, you know?”

Tears pricked behind her eyes as she nodded. “If I had any doubts left, you just cleared them up. I’d love that, Callie. I’d love for us to hang out and cook and just spend some time together, you know. I just … I need to … I’m going to have to go back. I’ll need to sell my house before I can …”

Callie held her hand tighter. “Don’t get mad at me, but I’m going to say it.”

“No, Callie. I …”

“Yes, Mama. Please! You have no idea how much it hurts my heart that you won’t let me help you. You know that I have more money than any one person could ever need. Why won’t you let me …”

“You have no idea how much it hurtsmyheart that I couldn’t give you what you needed. I still feel so guilty, Callie. I couldn’t give you enough when you were a girl, I’m not going to take from you now that you’re a woman.”

Callie blew out a sigh. “Will you stay here then? Stay with us until you sell your place in Georgia and find something here?” She shook her head. “I don’t even know what kind of place you’d be able to buy yourself here. I …”

They both looked up when Kolby cleared his throat.

Retta gave him an apologetic smile. “It’s okay, Kolby. I’m not going to take her up on that offer. It’s bad enough that you’ve been landed with your mother-in-law for this long. I won’t drag it out any longer than I need to. I’ll go home and sell my place, and then come back when I’m in a position to look for something here.”

“I enjoy having you here,” said Kolby. He gave her a rueful smile. “I’m not saying that I’d want to move you in on a permanent basis, but I don’t want you to go back to Georgia. You don’t know how long it might take to sell your house, and don’t forget that we’re expecting the baby to be here soon.”

Her heart felt like it filled up and overflowed at the mention of the baby. Her heart had broken for her daughter when it seemed like she wouldn’t be able to have children. But as with everything in life, Callie had found a way. She’d never be able to carry a child, but she wasn’t worried about that. It made sense to Retta that she and Kolby had chosen to adopt a baby from a young girl. By the sound of it that girl, who lived at the shelter in Nashvillewhere Callie used to help out, was a lot like Retta had been – too young to become a mother.

Callie gave her a sly smile. “You really want to miss out on getting to know your grandbaby from the get-go?”

“No. I don’t – you both know that. But can you honestly tell me that you want me here in the house with you when the little one arrives?”

Kolby met her gaze and shook his head slowly. “You know I love you, but …”

She chuckled. “You wouldn’t if I were still here in the early days of bringing your little one home.”

Callie blew out a sigh. “So, will you let me …”

“I’ll figure something out.” No way did she want her daughter buying her a house. She might be able to afford it without blinking, but that wasn’t the point.

She gave Kolby a wary look when he started smirking to himself. “What?” she asked. “You look like you’re scheming, young man, and I don’t think I like it.”

He laughed. “Now, I feel like we’re really starting to become family.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“You didn’t even notice that you called meyoung man, in the same way that you call Callieyoung lady.”

She had to laugh. “Think of it as my version of the gloves coming off – and tell me what you’re smirking about.”

Callie grinned at him. “Yeah, go on – tell us. I love it when you smirk like that; it means that you’ve had one of your supersmart ideas.”

He pushed away from his spot in the doorway where he’d been leaning and came to sit on the coffee table in front of them.

“Didn’t you already tell Travis that you’re going to stay for a while and help him with the cabins?”

She frowned. “I did. Why? What’s Travis got to do with it?”

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