Page 52 of The Cowboy's Miracle Baby

Twenty minutes later, Shay pulled her newly licensed son aside after he and Tara arrived back in the pickup truck he’d driven her to town in. Sarah made some tea and a plate of actual food and offered it to Tara who seemed overcome with emotion. Maybe it was fear. Cami imagined how hard facing all of them must be after what she’d done. But, somehow, Ryan had become her advocate and rescuer.

“What in the world, Ryan?” Shay said, standing across the room from Tara with her son where she couldn’t hear. “Where did you find her?”

“In the loft,” he said. “In the small barn. I found her there a few days ago.”

“What?” Cami practically croaked. “She’s been here? While we’ve been trying to find her? The whole time?”

“Not the whole time. Just a couple of days. I heard somebody moving around up there so I went to check. She was up there hiding, trying to work up the courage to talk to you, figure out what to do, and I helped her. She asked me not to tell. She was scared. Because, let’s face it, in her shoes, I would be too. You all are a lot.”

Shay and Cami exchanged slightly offended looks. “Says the boy who just kept the biggest secret of his life from us.”

“You would’ve done the same,” he told Cami, puffing up his chest a little.

When had he become man-sized in body and heart?

She started to argue that of course she wouldn’t have done that but stopped. Maybe he was right. Maybe protecting the girl who’d had nothing but heartbreak in her life until she got brave enough to face it was what Cami would have done. The question was, what should she do now?

“And you’ve been feeding her up there?” Shay asked. “Hiding her?”

“Just with some extra stuff,” he said. “We can spare it.”

“Like cheese?” Sarah said dryly, leaning in. “And my missing loaf of bread?”

His cheeks reddened. “Yeah. But mostly from my own meals. I just saved some for her.”

Cami touched his arm. “That was very kind of you, Ryan. I’m proud of you for taking care of her. And I’m glad you finally convinced her to come out and meet us.” She glanced over at the girl, kissing the top of Lolly’s head.

The baby reached up and touched her mother’s face.

“I didn’t really convince her. I just told her she didn’t have to be afraid of you. That you’d figure things out. She decided on her own.”

“What has she told you?” Shay asked him. “About the baby? About what she did.”

“She better tell you all that.”

Cami nodded. He was right. She needed to hear this from Tara herself. Right then, Ella was telling Tara how Lolly liked watching Poppy and Pippa, and how she’d gotten to hold Lolly when Cami was there.

Gus intercepted Cami on her way back to Tara. “You okay?” he asked quietly.

No. I’m not.“I’m fine. Really. We just need to get to the bottom of this.”

“No,” he said, “I meant I know you’ve gotten… attached to her.”

“Attached. That sounds much more clinical than how I feel right now. But we’ve all wanted what was best for Lolly. She belongs with her mother. And if that’s what Tara wants, then we have to make sure that happens.” If was the big question. Maybe she’d only come back to explain herself.

“You’re right. But I know that doesn’t make it easy.”

She shook her head, emotions clogging her throat. “We’d better get this over with. Let’s find out her intentions.”

“Maybe Ella and I should go—” he began.

She grabbed his arm. “No. Stay. You’re part of this just like I am. Stay.”

“Okay.”

“But I’ll get Liam to take Ella out to see the horses. Shouldn’t be here for this.”

*

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