Page 9 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

She grimaced. “For the most part. You wouldn’t believe how expensive baby furniture is.” Her hand went to her belly, probably unconsciously. “I still need to get a car seat, and I really wish I could get a wooden rocking chair. Would you like to see the nursery?”

“That would be great.” He smiled and stood up, then rushed to the chair as she struggled to get to her feet. He grabbed her hand and pulled.

“Thanks. It’s a lot harder to get out of a padded seat.” She smiled ruefully and led him down the hallway, stopping at a bedroom on the left.

She opened the door on a room freshly painted in light blue. She and Shannon must have done that. There was a crib that looked like it had raised a baby or two, and a chest of drawers that appeared the same. So she’d shopped the thrift stores. That was good. There was a blue stuffed teddy in the crib, which already had a brightly colored crib sheet on it. A playpen sat folded in the corner. He took an inventory of things that she would need, the first being one of those pails with a lid on it to hold soiled diapers.

“It’s kind of bare at the moment, I know, but I’m going shopping for baby clothes when I get my next paycheck. And my aunt is going to stock me up with diapers and wipes before I deliver.”

“I’d like to give the baby a gift. Would you mind?”

“Of course not. That’s really sweet of you.” She turned to him and smiled, her face open in a way he hadn’t seen it before.

“Have you picked out a name yet?”

“No. Every time I think I’ve found the perfect name, I have second thoughts, and then it’s back to the drawing board.”

With a straight face, he said, “How about Thaddeus?”

She raised her eyebrows incredulously. “Thaddeus? Seriously?”

He cracked up. “Okay, maybe not Thaddeus. How about D’Artagnan?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, so now my baby’s a musketeer?” She shook her head. “I’ll do my own name-picking, thank you.”

He grinned. “Fine, but I still think mine are great choices.” Then he said seriously, “Call me if that brown truck shows up, or if anything seems out of the ordinary. I’m less than ten minutes away. Okay?”

She nodded. “Thank you, Colt. I will.”

She followed him to the front door, and he suddenly had the urge to hug her. He resisted, of course, but as he descended the steps and headed toward his truck, he felt his connection to her tugging at him. Did she feel the same way about him?

He glanced back as he climbed into his truck. She still stood at the door, watching him. He waved and she smiled, waving back. His connection tugged harder. There was something between them, something good. The thing was, Taylor wasn’t ready for it. Not yet.

***

Several days later, Taylor arrived home from work ready to fall flat on her face. The motel had been as close to full as she’d ever seen it, and she’d had thirteen rooms to clean after the eleven o’clock checkout. Teddy had said something about a large family reunion going on.

She kicked off her shoes and called out, “I’m home, Auntie.”

Shannon walked in from the kitchen. “Hi, honey. How was your day?”

Taylor told her and then said, “I don’t think I even have the energy to shower.”

“Well, Colt called, and he’s going to drop by in a little while.”

Taylor groaned. “And I stink, so I guess I’d better get that shower after all.”

“I’ll have a glass of iced tea ready for you when you finish, honey,” her aunt said with a sympathetic smile.

Twenty minutes later, Taylor walked into the living room in what passed for her comfy clothes, a man’s extra-large T-shirt and her one pair of stretchy maternity jeggings. If only she could afford maternity sweatpants and sweatshirts.

A knock sounded at the door, and she peeked through the curtains. Colt’s truck was parked outside, and she hadn’t heard him drive up.

When she opened the door, he smiled and said, “I come bearing gifts.”

She felt her jaw drop as she took in the sight of a brand-new car seat and a box holding a hands-free diaper pail. Without thinking, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.

He chuckled. “So I guess you like them?”

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