Page 71 of Saved By the Mountain Man

“You’re going to be a great mom, Rae. And with Tanner by your side, you two are going to be unstoppable. You have nothing to worry about.”

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. “Thank you, Laken. You’re right. He’ll be such a great dad, and he’s so invested in this whole journey. I feel really lucky to have him.”

She nudged me playfully. “Lucky? Girl, you hit the jackpot. You two are perfect together. I don’t know what happened between you before…” She glanced at me, hoping I would say more.

“Nothing we couldn’t fix,” I said with a smile and looked at a stuffed toy, flipping the tag to look at the price.

“Come on, Rae. Spill the beans,” Laken said with a groan. “I’m so curious I could die. What really happened between you two before you came to Silver Ridge?”

I hesitated, not wanting to dredge up the past. There was no good reason for it. It was in the past, after all. When I’d told Tanner I’d forgiven him, I meant it.

“It was just a misunderstanding,” I said easily. Technically, it was the truth. A very simplified version of it, but I wasn’t lying to my best friend. “We’ve moved past it, and that’s what matters.”

Laken nodded, sensing my reluctance to delve deeper. “Fair enough. But I can see how happy he makes you. That’s what counts.”

I smiled, my whole body warming at the thought of him. He reallydidmake me happier than I ever thought I could be.

“Have you thought about, you know, tying the knot?” Laken asked.

I laughed, shaking my head. “We’ve talked about the future, but I know Tanner. He’ll ask when the time is right. I’m not worried about it.”

“No? You don’t wonder secretly what’s up with him waiting and when he’ll ask?”

“Did you see the size of my belly?” I pointed at myself. “I won’t look good inanythingfor a wedding day like this. Seriously, I’m okay to wait.”

Laken rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to get marriedright away. You need time to plan, and tell me I’m the maid of honor so I can make it perfect.”

I threw my head back with a laugh. “You’re right, we do need time for that.”

Laken laughed and squeezed my arm.

I loved having her in my life. From the day we’d met, I’d liked her, and she hadn’t given me a reason to think anything ill of her. She was just a solid person, someone I could always lean on and confide in.

We continued shopping, picking out more baby clothes and blankets. As we moved to the checkout, Laken changed the subject.

“So, what about your family? They’re coming soon, right?”

I sighed. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, that soon?”

I nodded. We had a spare bedroom, and that was where my mom and sister would stay. They’d wanted to be here by the time the baby was born, so I’d told them to come a little ahead of time with the idea they could help out with a few other things I didn’t get around to. But a part of me wondered if I should have reached out to them again at all.

It had been years since I’d spoken to them. But since we’d been mending bridges between me and Tanner, it had seemed like the right thing to do.

I’d realized when I’d arrived in Silver Ridge, knowing no one, how important it was to have people on my side. And family was family, I guess.

“Yeah, that soon.”

“How do you feel about it?” Laken asked carefully, looking at my worried face, obviously gauging my reaction.

The same worry that had plagued me since I’d told them they could come came back in a wave. “I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to my mom and sister in a long time. They were always against the men I dated, and when I met Tanner, I cut them off. I wanted to make my own choices, you know? It sounds stupid now, but at the time…”

Laken placed a comforting hand on my arm. “I get it. Really, I do. But maybe it’s going to be the best thing that ever happened. They should be part of the baby’s life.”

I sighed, nodding. “Yeah, exactly. That’s why I reached out. It’s the right thing to do. I just hope they can accept Tanner and be happy for me and not make a mess of things again. I need happiness and support all around me, not people who are against me, people who make life hard for me.”

“I’m sure it will be okay,” Laken said confidently. “They love you, Rae. And they’ll love your baby.”

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