Page 64 of River Wild

As he sat back down, he smiled at the people smiling at him and wondered how he’d ever be able to eat his meal when it came. He’d pulled this off, but at what cost? How could he ever ask Bailey to marry him for real now?

With a jolt, he was reminded why he was doing this. He would never have the chance to ask her for real if his plan didn’t work. It all hinged on keeping her alive. He looked across the table at the woman he loved. Bailey was staring down at the ring on her finger. When she looked up, her blue eyes shone with tears, but not of joy. Clearly, she didn’t like being surprised. She didn’t seem all that happy about being engaged either. He worried that she’d convinced herself she had no future. He hoped to hell he could change that.

He poured her some wine and himself more as well. “I’d let you do the toast, but I think it’s better if I do. To us, Bailey. Come hell or high water, we’re in this together.” He raised his glass. She did the same, clinking hers a little too hard.

They were engaged.

At least until after the barbecue her father was about to throw for them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

PICKETTWASWORKINGat the house when he got the call from his sister-in-law. “Tilly, if you’re looking for Cooper, he’s right here,” he said with a chuckle. His friend looked up from where he and some of the other crew from the McKenna and Stafford Ranches were helping hang sheetrock. He was determined to get this house finished before winter.

“I was calling you, Pickett,” Tilly said, and quickly told him what had happened at the baby shower. “Oakley’s headed home. She’s devastated.”

He looked down at the floor and groaned in pain for his wife, for himself. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll go find her.”Oh, Oakley, he thought, his heart aching. And to have it happen at her sister’s baby shower. Pocketing the phone, he turned to Cooper. “I need to go.”

His brother-in-law came over to him, looking concerned. Pickett whispered, “Another miscarriage.” Cooper put an arm around his shoulders for a few moments. They’d always been like brothers since Pickett had come to work on the McKenna Ranch when he was a teen.

“Go. We’ll keep working,” Cooper said. “You need to get your woman into a decent home. Could change everything.”

Pickett nodded. “Thanks.”

He found Oakley in the stable, saddling up a horse as if nothing had happened. His wife had always been happiest out riding. “Want some company?” he asked from behind her.

She didn’t turn but did stop what she was doing for a moment. “I thought you were working on the house?”

“Was. Cooper is keeping the crew going until I get back.” He desperately wanted to turn her around, pull her into his arms, make everything right.

“Well, you should get back. We need walls in our house. I’m fine. I’m going for a ride.”

Pickett wasn’t fine. “I need a hug.” They’d heard somewhere that to have a happy marriage, they needed to hug for twenty seconds every day no matter how busy they were.

“Please don’t,” she whispered, emotion making her voice break.

“Twenty seconds, Oakley,” he said. “I really could use one. I hit my thumb with a hammer. It hurts like the devil.”

She dropped her head for a moment before she turned. He saw the anguish in her eyes as he quickly pulled her into a hug. He didn’t want her to see how badly he hurt for her, for them. At first her body was stiff, but slowly she began to soften against him. She buried her face into his neck, leaving wet tears as she clung to him.

He never wanted to let her go even as he felt his own heartbeat slow. They stayed like that, well over twenty seconds, before he was the one to pull away. “Best get back to that sheetrock and let you go on your ride.” Their gazes met for a moment.

Oakley sniffed and wiped at her cheeks, avoiding his gaze. “Watch that thumb,” she said, and turned to swing effortlessly up into the saddle.

Picket would have gladly stood there and watched her ride off into horizon, but Cooper was right. He needed to complete their home. One of these days they would have children to fill it—even if they had to adopt.

Turning, he walked back to his pickup. He heard the jingle of the horse’s tack as Oakley spurred her horse. Once he was behind the wheel, he finally looked to see her riding across the pasture, silhouetted against the golden leaves of the cottonwoods, a woman in her element.

He told himself that she was going to be all right. They were going to be all right. They had to be.

HOLLYJOHADbeen excited but also anxious about her very first dance, especially after the way Buck had been acting. She’d made excuses for him insisting she leave the gym before they were finished decorating. She hoped they would have fun tonight and that he might kiss her again and this time it would be better. She was determined to have a good time. She’d be dancing with the cutest boy in school.

But when they arrived at the school, Buck had taken the time to refill his flask from a bottle he had behind the seat before they went into the school gym.

The moment they entered, he spotted his friends and left her standing in the doorway. She’d been looking forward to their first dance. Nothing was going like she’d thought it should. Buck was still angry about HH getting him in trouble with his dad. He’d hardly said a word on the way to the dance. She could see him now passing his flask around to his friends and laughing, not even looking in her direction.

She was fighting tears when Tana joined her. “You look so pretty,” her friend said the moment she reached her. “Everyone’s over here. Wait until you see Claire’s dress. I think it was her mother’s when she went to school here.”

The night became a blur with her gossiping and dancing to a few songs with her friends. She tried to have a good time despite Buck avoiding her the whole night. By the time the DJ played the last song, she was ready to go home. Her feet hurt in the dress heels she’d worn, and she was pretty sure that Buck planned to break up with her after tonight.

---