Page 153 of Forever After All

She stopped and turned to face him. “We could adopt,” she said in a low, hesitant voice. “Or foster.”

An immediate war raged inside him as the thought came to fruition. Those options were just as scary and unknown as waiting for a baby of their own. “Let’s pray about it.”

Cheyenne nodded, seeming happy with the answer. “You’re right. I just want you to know that I’m not opposed to it.”

Ridge brushed the pad of his thumb over her cheek. She still took his breath away every time he looked at her. When she was sweet and loving like right now, he wondered if his heart would burst in his chest. Loving Cheyenne caused the same physical reactions as NFL practices had all those years ago.

Ridge pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’m up for anything, as long as we’re together.”

Thea

Brett’s heel tapped a quick rhythm against the floorboard of the truck as they drove toward Jameson and Ava’s house.

“Are you gonna be okay?” Thea asked.

“Aren’t you excited?”

She chuckled. “I am, but I’m not going to jump out of the truck before we come to a complete stop.”

Brett reached over and grabbed her hand. “We have two babies at the ranch. Two!”

Thea’s heart squeezed in her chest. It didn’t take much to excite Brett, but his joy today was extra special.

“Can we tell them?” he asked, gripping her hand like a lifeline.

Brett’s nervous energy transferred to her. They had baby news of their own, and while the excitement was a living, breathing thing inside of her, apprehension held her back. “Um, maybe some other day.”

Brett squeezed her hand again. “They’re going to be happy for us.”

“Yeah, until they realize the baby is due in the height of tourist season. Jess will have her hands full without me.”

“You forget we live close enough that I can hop over to the stables and help Jess anytime.”

Thea let out a controlled exhale, pushing the worries out as Brett massaged her hand. “You’re right. And the new workers might come back next year. Some of them.”

Brett lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Don’t worry about it.”

“And Everly’s baby is due at the beginning of the summer. Ron will be less than a year old. Jameson and Ava are going to–”

“They are going to be just fine,” Brett said as he parked in front of Jameson and Ava’s cabin. “Business is good, and they’ve always treated us like family. We work hard for the ranch, and we don’t take advantage of the good thing we have going here.”

“Family,” Thea whispered. He was right. They were closer to Jameson and Ava than they were their own families, and the loyalty and friendship went both ways.

Brett shifted into park and turned his body to face her. There were still times when she couldn’t understand how they’d ended up here.

Family.

Friends.

God.

So much love.

It was straight out of a fairy tale, but it was theirlife. She woke up every day pinching herself.

“Family,” Brett repeated. “We can trust them, and they can trust us. Plus, I figure you won’t stay away from the stables even on your maternity leave.”

Thea chuckled. “You got me there. She’ll be growing up around horses. Might as well introduce her early.”

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