Page 110 of No Place for Single Cowboys
Cordy looked him up and down. Chance was dressed like he was about to move some cows, not hike up a mountain. “You’re going to wear your boots?”
“Of course I am. They’re comfortable.” He stretched out a leg to admire one. “And I don’t own any other shoes.”
If he could do it in cowboy boots, then Cordy could do it six weeks postpartum.
Iggy bounded out the front door, excited they were finally getting outside. But he had to stop and look back to make sure Madeleine was coming along.
The dog was entirely devoted to Madeleine from the moment she came home. He slept under her bassinet and whined if Madeleine wasn’t within sniffing distance. It was the sweetest thing.
“We’re coming,” Cordy said to him.
Iggy sat in the backseat of the UTV as they loaded up. With each bag that went into the back, Cordy’s good mood dimmed more and more, and doubts started to creep in.
When she’d asked Chance if they could go to Lovers’ Cavern, she wanted to see it—and she’d planned for it to be a test. The place was ground zero for his family legend. If he was in love with her, he’d have to admit it there. And if he wasn’t…
Well, Cordy was at the end of her maternity leave and had a house waiting for her. Seeing Lovers’ Cavern and knowing Chance didn’t love her would give her the push she needed to move on—at least, that had been her sleep-deprived plan.
Coming face-to-face with what she was about to do was rattling her. “Suck it up,” she muttered to herself. “You can’t hide here forever.”
Madeleine burst out crying. Iggy whined and jumped down from the UTV, upset that his baby was upset. By the time Cordy got them both calmed down, Chance was ready to leave.
“Holden wants to see the baby,” Chance said as he climbed into the vehicle. “He can meet us at the trailhead.”
That was unexpected. She couldn’t tell what Chance thought about it. “Are you okay with that?”
Chance shrugged. “He finally figured out that I’m not the father. I think he’s curious. But it’s up to you.”
“I’m okay with it if you are. And it can’t go any worse than the call with my dad.”
Cordy’s father had finally called her back two weeks after Madeleine was born. He’d praised Madeleine for being cute but hadn’t said a word about coming to visit. He seemed more than happy to see the baby through a screen.
As they were finishing the call, Dad said, “You know, she looks a lot like my dad.”
“Really?” Cordy couldn’t remember what her grandfather looked like. She had no pictures of him since Dad always traveled light. “You think so?”
“Yeah.” Dad’s voice got far away. “Funny how that works.”
Cordy leaned forward. “Could you tell me more about him?”
But Dad was already waving goodbye. “Gotta go! Thanks for the update and talk to you soon.”
When the screen went black, Cordy started to cry. Once the baby was here, she thought her dad might care more. She’d been wrong.
Chance had held her as she cried, telling her he was so sorry. He didn’t say that things might change or that her dad would come around. He didn’t tell her comforting lies, which touched her more than she could say. They both knew her dad wasn’t going to change.
Well, it was Dad’s loss. Madeleine was so beautiful and perfect, and he would miss out.
Her mom still hadn’t surfaced in Mongolia. When Cordy had brought it up to Dad, that maybe something was wrong, Dad hadwaved that off. “She can take care of herself. She’ll show up when she’s ready.”
Cordy’s mom had no idea she was a grandmother. Cordy had never wished her parents were different, but she did then. Damnit, even with all the love and support she was already getting, she wanted her mom.
That night, Quint and Ruby had come over with takeout from The Filler Up. Ruby had cooed over the baby, Quint had actually held Madeleine even though he’d looked uncomfortable, and they’d all watched a movie. Both Cordy and Chance had fallen asleep during the movie, and Ruby and Quint had teased them about it.
It had been a cozy, comfortable night, and it helped her feel better. Cordy wanted to do it again. But once she moved out, that wasn’t likely.
Before Cordy could get sad thinking about it, they were coming up fast on another UTV. Holden sat in the driver’s seat, watching them intently.
Cordy glanced at Chance. His mouth was set, but otherwise, he seemed calm. Even so, she couldn’t shake her unease.
