Page 40 of The Texas Cowboy's Lady

“YES!” she shouted. “I love you right back, Jaxson Hawkes.” He caught her in his arms in the nick of time to steady them both or they might have ended up in a pile of hay. The arms around his neck were not moving and he shifted his stance to lock his arms beneath her as her long legs encircled his middle. “Yes, cowboy, I am going to make you the best rancher’s wife slash media mogul that you ever saw. I can multitask with the best of them. And who wants boring? It’s highly overrated.”

Her luscious lips were so close to his that he could already taste their hint of strawberry gloss. Her eyes sparked fire as they met his. “Very true. Boring is definitely out.”

Her voice softened. “And this is for a lifetime contract, so don’t think you’ll be getting rid of me anytime in the next sixty years or so. You’re about to be stuck with me like glue, cowboy. Best hold on for the ride of your life.”

Their contract was sealed with a kiss then that made the horses turn heads. Laurel was home at last. It was right where it had always been waiting, in the arms of her cowboy, and Jaxson had the lady love of his life safe in his heart forever. Another Aces High legacy was just beginning.

Epilogue

“It is stillcoming down in buckets out there. The south fork of Rattlesnake Creek is two feet over the road and rising. The same with Palmer’s Branch Road. I’m calling the ranch and having Tom get the girls into the high-water truck and get them in here to town. I don’t want Sammi Jo stuck on the wrong side of all of this and being due in two weeks. That’s cutting it too close in my mind.” Beaudry was already out of his seat in Coffee and a Chat, cell phone stuck to his ear. He stepped to a quieter spot among the tables of others, seeking a dry port in the early spring storm. While he and Jaxson had arrived in town earlier for a meeting with Matt, it was clear that the rain had only worsened.

“I don’t blame him for not wanting to take any chances when it comes to this unpredictable weather patterns of late.” Matt accepted another refill of his coffee and smiled his thanks at their waitress.

“Well, Laurel is keeping a keen eye on her sister, but last time we spoke, she sounded a bit concerned as well. The last thing I wanted was for her to attempt to strike out on her own to drive them into town in one of the pickups. So, Tom was a safer bet with the big water truck we use for fires. It’s still higher than the last reading from the main crossing and has the weight with it. But they need to move out now.” Jaxson’s voice was calm and steady as usual, but concern was evident in the lines of his body and the way his fingers gripped and ungripped the mug in front of him.

“Well, you Hawkes boys look out for your ladies, and that is as it should be. We need to see that Sammi Jo brings another fine strapping young Hawkes into the world. And we all know that Laurel and Lacy are tough and will get it done on their end. Besides, I’m looking forward to getting the baby here and then seeing your sorry bachelor carcass bite the dust. The confirmed bachelor met his match and went down in flames.”

Jaxson shook his head. “You just love saying that. And you know... it doesn’t bother me one bit. Go ahead... boast as to how you are the last lone wolf left of our trio. I’ll just smile and gladly give up my spot. Because one of these days, you are going to hit the same brick wall we all have. When that thing called love comes for you... you don’t stand a chance. Then Beau and I will just shake our heads and say, ‘we told you so.’ Mark my words.”

“Well, so far, I’ve sidestepped those arrows of cupids. That fat little fellow will have to speed up quite a bit to catch me.” Matt’s words were a lot of false bravado both Hawkes men were well acquainted with. They all pretty much knew that Matt Matteo had met his match a long while ago. But she had walked away, never to be seen in Burkitt again. And so far, no other female had come close to replacing the one that got away. Jaxson could understand the pain that went with an unrequited love. But he and Laurel had found their way to each other, and after they celebrated the birth of Jefferson Samuel Hawkes, he and Laurel would have their wedding.

Beaudry turned and strode toward the table, a frown and a genuine look of concern turning his usually passive features into dark ones. “They’re cut off. The crossing rose too high, too fast. Tom said it is even with the floor of the truck. He’s turned back to the house.”

“Okay. Tom’s got this. He did right not to chance that crossing. All is okay. They’ll be safe and okay in the house until the water goes down. There’s no emergency and Sammi Jo is okay. Laurel texted that they are going to fix some lunch and then she’ll see that her sister gets a nap. So, if everyone around her stays calm, then that is the best thing right now.”

Beaudry gave his brother a long look as he took his chair again. “So how did you get to be so smart about pregnant women?”

“I just equate it to one of our high-strung mares about to foal and how we handle them.”

Matt grinned. “Wait until I share with Sammi Jo how her brother-in-law compared her to a high-strung horse. This should be good.”

Jaxson didn’t smile. “Shouldn’t you go chase an ambulance or something? Get more business to keep you busy and in your office?”

Matt was nonplussed. “Sorry, wrong lawyer. That would be a personal injury attorney with the ambulance. I go after bad criminal types and rich crooks. With the occasional rancher needing expert legal advice tossed in the mix—present company included.”

“You both are not helping,” Beaudry reminded them. He had been glued to his phone. “The latest report is that this will get worse before it gets better.”

Jaxson’s phone rang. He answered but didn’t get very far into his greeting.

“Do what you need to do, and I will alert Tom with a plan. Take care, and we’ll get moving on our end. Love you.”

Beaudry sat still as stone. “What’s wrong? Is it Sammi Jo?”

Jaxson was pushing to his feet, his gaze meeting his brother’s. “We need to move this to a more private place like your office, Matt. And Laurel is on the phone with Dr. Damian at the hospital. Sammi Jo is okay right now. But she’s having some cramps that aren’t going away. Right now, we will see what the doctor says. He’ll be calling you when he hangs up with Laurel. Let’s go.”

The next twenty minutes felt like twenty years as far as Jaxson was concerned. He ached inside as he watched over his brother. Beaudry had moved into a deadly calm that had never boded well in the past. That usually meant he was strung as tight inside as a rubber band about to snap. But outwardly, he still functioned. He had to stay in control as he spoke to Sammi Jo and keep her away from the creeping fear on his side. The doctor was beginning to give options and speaking to Laurel about what she might need to do if things kept going as they were. And when Jaxson managed a quick call to Laurel while Beaudry was speaking with Sammi Jo on his phone, he could hear and feel the underlying concern bordering on controlled fear in her tone.

“You’ve got this, honey. You know what to do, and you’ll do it if the time comes. And we are working on a plan to get to you as we speak. Once we have it ready, we’ll let you know, but the doctor is on this and so are others. Hang in there.”

“Right. We can do this. No problem. Remind me to write all this down when it is over so I can pitch this in a script. I’ve always wanted to do a medical screenplay.”

“That’s my girl. Looking on the bright side—lemons into Laurel’s lemonade. Get back to your patient and I’ll get to mine.”

“Yours? What happened?”

“The father-to-be is my patient. So far, so good.”

Beaudry hung up from the doctor just as Jaxson ended his call. “Load up. We’re headed to the hospital.”

---