Page 105 of Samuel

“Hi, Jellybean,” he whispered. “I’m keeping you and your mama forever. Is that okay?”

An enthusiastic thump landed against his hand. “I knew I could count on you to be excited. Okay, what book should we read tonight?”

Twenty-Eight

Picking the last of the old record boxes up and setting it onto her desk, Evie rubbed the spot on her side where Jellybean was busy pressing her foot against.

Her eyes itched, the boxes filled with dust that seemed to set her allergies ablaze. She just needed to get the last few documents scanned and filed away in the redundant records cabinet. Then she’d be able to go take a shower and get ready to go into town with Sam.

“You are going to be the death of me, woman.” Sam’s growling voice startled the budding sneeze away. “Stop lifting those boxes.”

“Oopsies!” Evie felt her face flush.

“Yeah, there’s no ‘oops’ about it.”

“It was more for the fact that you caught me, Cowboy. But don’t worry, this is the last box I need to sort through. For today, at least.”

His boots stomped loudly across the floor, and before she could breathe out, his hand was snaking around her back, pulling her into his chest.

“Good. I’m sick of keeping track of how many times I’llneed to put you over my knee once the baby’s here for disobeying me.”

“Samuel Cooper. You can not say things to me like that in the office.”

“Aw, Bluebell. You want me to lay you down over a bale again and?—”

“Hello! Your sister and brother-in-law are walking into the office so whatever you two lovebirds are talking about please make it PG,” Abby laughed as she strolled into the office.

“What are you guys doing here?” Evie asked as she embraced Abby.

“Well, it seems like my hubby-to-be wants to spend the day being a cowboy, and Katy is off at her grandparents’ house, so I’m here to spend some time with you!”

“Fun!” Evie paused, her eyes closing slightly as she evaluated Sam’s face. “But if you’re only here to make sure I don’t lift any boxes, I’m going to kick you out.”

“Not at all! Although, I will be doing any lifting. John is the one certified to catch babies in an emergency. Not me.”

She laughed. “Trust me. I’m pretty sure this one is happy in my belly. She’ll probably need an eviction notice to get out.”

They said goodbye to Sam and John, and true to her word, Abby helped her sort through boxes while she filled Evie in on all the last minute wedding plans.

“John finally thinks the AC is going to be ready to install soon. I swear, I’m calling the whole thing off if that barn isn’t a refrigerator on our wedding day. It was his idea to get married during the hottest time of year, the least he can do is make sure our venue is chilly!”

Oh god. What was she looking at? Her hands shook as she pulled the paperwork from the file.

Location of oil field on Red River Ranch.

There was oil under the ground! An incredibly vast amount if what she was seeing was still true. She needed to tellSam. Evie had no idea what something like that would be worth, but it had to be enough to put the ranch firmly back in the black.

“Evie? Are you listening to me?”

“Abby.”

“God, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“There’s oil.”

“What? Did you spill some on yourself? Mom has a great stain stick up at the house… We can run up there and wash whatever got the stain on it.”

“No. No. Oh my god, Abby.”

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