Page 10 of The Cowboy's Miracle Baby

No, she’d walked away from Patrick for lots of other reasons, all of which had made her gun-shy about dating again at all. His consuming ambition, determination to live halfway across the country in some big city, but mostly the fact that there were moments—awful moments—when he reminded her of her father. Territory she’d sworn never to wander into with any man.

It was a miracle, in fact, that her brothers, Will and Liam, had managed to become the good men they were, despite their father’s ham-fisted fathering. And given all the other stuff they’d uncovered since his passing, it was indeed a miracle their family was still intact at all. No, she wasn’t in the market for a man at all. She was too busy for all that. And now, with Lolly, that went double for singledom.

Except that…

Several times during the night, her thoughts strayed to Gus Claymore, and the gentle way he had with Eloise in the middle of all that chaos. The way he’d stuck by Cami after finding the baby without a question. Even saying he’d check in on her later today. Well, maybe it was only words. But there was a moment in the kitchen when she’d stopped ignoring his quiet charm and actually allowed herself to take it in.

Yes, he was handsome with chiseled features and sandy-brown hair—hair that wasn’t even thinking about receding yet. And the way smiles found his mouth in a reluctant sort of way, as if smiles and Gus Claymore were uneasy friends. And his eyes… a deep brown with a tinge of sadness.

She gave herself a mental shake. Looks aside, under the circumstances she supposed he was only doing what would be expected of any decent human in that situation. Maybe. On the other hand, no. She could think of a handful of men right off the top of her head who would have made a quick exit to stage right at the mere sight of a complication like a lost baby. And he hadn’t strong-armed her into calling the sheriff. Not at all, even though she suspected he disagreed with her choice. She had to give him props for that.

Not for the first time tonight, she wondered about Eloise’s mother. Where was she? Were they divorced? Had he always had custody of Eloise? Raised her on his own? And how did his brother Luke and that other woman named Rebecca figure into their living arrangement? Eloise had referred to her asRebecca, notMomorDad’s girlfriend. But she had seen the woman once or twice picking up Eloise. She was maybe in her late thirties, blonde, pretty and definitely in charge when it came to Eloise.

The baby stirred and blinked up at her.

Cami smiled. “Well, hello,” she murmured, leaning over her. “Good morning.” She picked her up and tucked her against her shoulder.

Lolly bunched up against her, then stretched.

“I guess we might as well call it for this night. Are you hungry? Let’s go get you changed and get something to eat. What d’ya say?”

Downstairs, Cami found her mother already making coffee with Saturday morning cinnamon rolls in the oven.

The sweet fragrance made Cami’s stomach growl. “Oh, that smells so good.”

Wiping down the island countertop, Sarah grinned. “I figured you’d need a little sweet fortification after the night you had.”

“You heard?”

“Pretty sure the whole house heard.”

She groaned. “Shay and Ryan, too?”

“Well, it’s only one night. We can survive that. Itisonly for one night, right?”

Cami shrugged and reached for the bottle fixings. “Probably. I mean, sure. Most likely.”

“That sounds a little less certain thanyes.” She reached for the baby and Cami handed her over to free her hands up for the bottle.

After mixing the formula together, Cami popped it in thebottle warmer. “I’m just trying to figure out what’s the right thing to do here. What if the mother comes back? What if she changed her mind and she shows up today? Then what? I’ve already given the baby up to the system and maybe she never gets her back?”

“But none of that is up to you, Cami. It was the mother’s choice to leave her, not yours.”

“You’re saying I should just… brush my hands together and let the pieces fall where they may?”

“I’m saying there are protocols for this sort of thing. For a reason.”

“I know. And on Monday, I’ll… probably… call the powers that be and turn her over. I mean, I’m the last person who’s ready for a responsibility like… like her.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Sarah allowed, staring down at the child in her arms. “She is pretty adorable, isn’t she?”

Cami arched a brow. “Oh, what’s that?”

Lolly grabbed her mother’s fingers in her tiny fist and clung tight.

Sarah’s words devolved into baby talk. “Oh, yes, you are. Yes, you are pretty adorable.”

Cami tested the bottle temperature on her wrist and handed it to her mother with a hopeful look.

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