Page 50 of Her Cowboy Reunion

“Aldo is in full agreement,” Rosie told him. She adjusted the baby to her shoulder and rocked her gently. “He is Harve Junior’s godfather and we would all like you to be a guiding force in our daughter’s life. My sister Amina is coming midsummer. She will be Johanna’s godmother, so we’ll have the service then.”

A godparent.

Never had he been asked to do such a thing, nor had he considered it, but he accepted the offer quickly. “I’m the one who’s honored,” he told them. He thrust out a hand, then gave Harve a half hug instead, thumping him on the back. “I’m so happy for you guys, so yes, I’d love this. Thank you for asking. For thinking of me. Just—” He was blabbering, but he couldn’t seem to stop. “Thank you.”

“Rosie-Posie, the kitties are nice now? See?” Zeke waved from his spot near the barn. “We’re making them nice so they can find happy homes to live in. Isn’t that a great idea?”

“It is, my friend.” Rosie smiled his way, but kept the newborn away from the kitties and grubby hands. “It is the best of ideas. Yours, I take it.” She addressed Lizzie and smiled when she nodded. “It is good for this little man to have new influences in his life. I regret that our home has been so busy with babies this past year that I have not been able to do things I would like to do with Ezekiel.”

“He told me about the twins. That’s a lot to handle.”

“Their mother has much conflict with the world. With her family. There is no love between Valencia’s mother and Valencia, so she is no help with those precious babies.” Concern darkened Rosie’s eyes. “Valencia speaks of moving away, then staying, then moving. But where she would go, a single mother with two in arms, we do not know.” She exchanged a look of worry with Harve. “So we pray. We watch those babies and we pray. For now they are with a friend as I recover. But then, who knows?”

The baby squirmed. She opened her mouth in a soundless cry that would not be soundless for long.

Rosie tucked her back into the buggy. “We shall walk with swifter feet, I think.”

Heath watched them go. The sounds of Zeke and the kittens gave a sense of normalcy to an abnormal situation. “I had no idea things were like that. Valencia’s situation with her mother.”

“There’s a lot we don’t see when we are so focused on one thing.” Lizzie jutted her chin toward the town. “Can it be fixed? Or is it too late? That might be something you and the other bigwigs around here need to ask yourselves.”

“I’m not a bigwig,” Heath protested, but when she indicated the beautiful spread of Pine Ridge with a quiet look, he rescinded the words. “I’m not some great community leader, Liz. I’m a cowboy who was raised by a drunken father and a mother who disappeared a long time ago. I’m not exactly a model citizen.”

“Then you’d better hone your skills, or you’ll have no community to speak of. And I don’t see that as a great way to raise your son. Do you?”

She walked away, leaving him with more questions than answers while Zeke played nearby.

His son.

Baby Johanna.

Valencia’s babies.

What would life be like for these sweet youngsters if everything fell apart around them?

Dude, it’s already fallen apart. The question is, can it be put back together? Is there enough left to work with?

As Zeke squealed laughter at kitty antics, reality hit him square. If the entire town dissolved, could he justify raising his son here? Should he? Was the ranch enough?

That thought sobered him further.

He didn’t like spending time going to stupid meetings or blabbing about change. But instead of being a reluctant participant, he’d go to the evening meeting with goals in mind. How to approach the state government to reconsider the grazing rights issue…and how to help the town recover.

Making himself part of the town could be a good first step. He only hoped it wasn’t too little, too late.

* * *

“Well, go big or stay home,” drawled Jace about four hours later. He shot a grin toward Heath. “Committee chairperson? And you said yes?”

“Only because I know I’ve got letter-writing help on hand,” answered Heath. He looked at Liz through the rearview mirror. “If the offer still stands.”

“It does. And it was nice to meet all those farmers and ranchers. But almost no one from town, even though these problems have an effect on all of us.”

“The town’s pretty empty,” offered Heath.

Jace turned her way. “The town had more people living in it when I was growing up here. They’ve torn down a few old houses and boarded up some others. It could use a facelift, for sure, but with no one to live in the houses, what would be the point?”

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