The Cowboy Earns a Bride (Cowboys of Chance Creek Book 8) (29 page)

“I don’t really need all the bells and whistles this baby has.” Luke considered the vehicle. It stung a little to let it go, but not nearly as much as losing Mia would have. He could pick up a perfectly good used truck at half a dozen dealerships around town for a fraction of the price Carl had just paid for this one. Carl had been more than fair in the deal, paying nearly as much as Luke had when he bought it new, when everyone knew that when you drove a truck off the lot it immediately lost value.

“Guess I’ll see you around,” Carl said.

“Guess you will. You found the property you want yet?” At Carl’s surprised expression, he added, “Mia said you two met in a realtor’s office. She said you were looking to buy a house.”

“I haven’t found anything I like yet, so I’ve decided to rent for a bit. I’d hoped I could buy my old house back from the Mortimers, but they didn’t even get back to me about my offer.”

“The Mortimers? Wait a minute.” Luke thought back to Ned’s wedding. “Did you make them an offer face-to-face, or did you send it to them?”

“I dropped it off in their mailbox the first morning I was in town.” Carl smiled deprecatingly. “I was a little on fire to get the deal done. Too on fire, I guess.”

Luke rubbed a hand over his mouth, covering a laugh. “Well, that explains that.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what? It wouldn’t make any sense if I tried to tell you now. Give me a day or two and I’ll fill you in.”

“Okay.”

Luke tipped his hat and turned around. He was supposed to meet Jake at Fila’s in fifteen minutes to go truck hunting. He wondered what Jake would think of what he’d just learned.

He wondered what everyone else would think when they knew, too.

“No spelling errors,”
Autumn exclaimed when she looked over Mia’s shoulder at the latest handwritten note she’d received in the mail.

“You’re right. Do you think the sender is taking lessons?”

“Maybe he’s foreign.” They’d long ago decided it was a man because of the strong, blocky handwriting.

“Maybe.” Mia read it over again.

Enough already.

“Enough what?”

“Enough torturing Luke?” Autumn guessed. “Whoever it is seems to want you two together.”

“I’m not torturing Luke.”

Autumn shot her a look. “Really?”

“Not anymore. Not since he’s decided my wedding planning business isn’t such a harebrained scheme after all. Now I’m just waiting for the right time.”

“To propose to him?” Autumn chuckled.

“To be proposed to. After the baby’s born.”

Autumn went to the kitchen, cut a slice of the quiche she’d recently taken from the oven and set it down in front of Mia. They were having lunch together since it was one of Mia’s days off. “Why after?”

“Because I want to be pretty when he proposes. I don’t want to look like this.” She patted her belly, which felt like it had grown several inches in the last week.

“What…beautiful? Glowing? Goddess-like?”

“Hardly goddess-like. You know what I mean.”

“I do,” Autumn said gently, “but don’t you think Luke would like to be engaged before the baby is born—maybe even married—so he feels he’s a part of the family?”

Mia, about to take a bite of her quiche, lowered her fork. “You think so?”

Autumn nodded. “You have to see it from his point of view.”

“I guess so. I guess I keep wanting a picture-perfect proposal. I want a picture-perfect wedding, too.”

“Doesn’t every bride? But you know what? Life keeps happening whether we’re ready for it or not and sometimes you just have to grab hold of it and go on the ride, whether or not it’s perfect. Think about it. I have a feeling it would mean a lot to Luke.”

Of course it would, Mia realized, no longer hungry. He’d been consistent on that point since the first time he proposed. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to be her baby’s father.

Wasn’t it time to pledge to him that he could do just that? Maybe she’d been too hard on Luke. After all, he’d simply tried to be the best man he could be. With Holt as a father, it was a miracle that a little hardheadedness was his only vice. Maybe she could trust that he wasn’t trying to undercut her when he tried to help. Maybe she could trust that he truly loved her. At his most aggravating, he’d always been trying to protect her.

Well, she needed a little protection now. She’d received another e-mail from Inez, letting her know they’d need to meet with the police in just a few days’ time. She’d decided to go through with it, but she was nervous. She wondered what Warner would do.

For once she wouldn’t mind if Luke took the lead and kept her safe. She pulled out her phone. She’d call him right now.

“I don’t think
I’m going to get my trip to Paris,” Lisa said when Luke stopped by the main house that afternoon. He was having trouble keeping a smile off of his face. He’d just gotten a text from Mia asking for his help in a few days. She hadn’t said what for—but she’d asked him to come by that evening to talk it over. Things were looking up.

“Dad hasn’t screwed up yet, huh?”

“Well, has he?”

“No.” And it was uncanny that his father had kept so much to himself, except for that conversation they’d had about the pageants. He’d have figured Holt would either be working to block the wedding, or working to promote it.

Instead, the old man was tied up in his building project. Luke hoped like hell he hadn’t decided to break up the ranch and sell off a piece.

“Has Dad explained what he’s doing yet?”

“No, but did you see the house? It’s as cute as a bug. Going up fast, too. They’ll have it done in no time.”

“You don’t know who it’s for?”

“Not a clue. I guess he’ll explain in his own sweet time. How about you and Mia? You two seem to be getting along now. Do you think there’s a chance things will work out?”

Luke leaned against the kitchen counter. “Yeah, I do. But not until after the baby is born.” He tried to keep his disappointment out of his voice, but didn’t think he was successful.

His mother confirmed it when she said, “I’m sorry, honey. But I still think you’ll make a good father for that baby girl.”

“I wanted her to have my name.” There. He’d said it aloud.

“She still can. You’ll see. Mia can’t be with a man as solid and steady as you and not grow to see how lucky she is.”

Her praise made him uncomfortable. “I’d better get back to work.”

“Okay. Just remember—you’re a fine catch for any girl.”

He escaped while he could.

‡
Chapter Twenty-One

“O
f course I’ll
go with you,” Luke said when Mia explained the situation with Fred Warner that night.

“You don’t sound surprised.”

“I heard a little about what happened,” he admitted. “Rose told me a little. Dad told me more.”

“Your dad knew about Warner?” Mia was surprised.

“Turns out he helped run him out of town six years ago.”

“Really?” Holt always surprised her. “Good for him.”

“He didn’t run him far enough away.” Luke took her hand. “I hope you won’t have to see him again.”

“I might at the trial if I’m called to testify, but someone has to stop him. Who knows how many other girls he’s molested.”

“I wish I could put him out of business for good.”

“But you can’t.” Mia was firm. “Not like that. We have to live within the law.”

“I’ll do what you want me to do.” He pulled her close and kissed her head. “And I’ll be there every moment. You will never be alone with him, I promise.”

She nodded and snuggled into his arms. She could get used to this kind of support.

“How’s Morgan doing?”
Mia called out several days later, as she rushed into the waiting room at the Chance Creek Hospital. She’d gotten the call from Rose that Morgan had gone into labor and come as fast as she could. She had to work in a couple of hours, but she’d stay as long as possible to offer support.

“She’s doing great,” Rose said. “Her contractions are really close now—barely a minute apart. Rob says the doctor thinks she’ll be pushing any minute.”

“When did her labor start?”

“Just after midnight,” Hannah said. “No crazy thirty minute deliveries for her.” She grinned at Autumn, who was nursing Arianna in one of the fabric-covered waiting room chairs.

Autumn smiled back. “Arianna can’t help it that she was excited to see me.”

Mia settled into the chair next to her, her toe tapping with excitement. In just four weeks it would be her in one of these rooms, getting ready to meet her own little one. She couldn’t wait.

They conversed in fits and starts, all of them too anxious about Morgan to be distracted for too long from the reason they were there. A bustle in the hallway had them all on their feet, as Rob burst into the room.

“It’s a boy! We have a boy! Seven pounds, six ounces!”

“How’s Morgan?” Rose cried.

“She’s doing great. Just great. She was amazing!”

Mia sent up a prayer of thanks that Morgan and her baby were both fine. The pride in Rob’s voice made her heart squeeze with love for both her friends. She wanted Luke to be proud of her like that.

She wanted Luke, period.

As the women rushed to hug Rob and offer their congratulations, Mia hung back knowing clearly for the first time she didn’t want to face her baby’s birth alone. She didn’t want to go another day without telling Luke how much she loved him—and needed him, too.

And she knew what she had to do. Let Luke know she was ready to throw all in with him.

To let him know she was ready to say yes.

Six hours later,
Mia pushed the door open and entered the diner, spotting Carl immediately. She slowed down when she saw the cupcake with a lit birthday candle sticking out of it at her place.

As she slid awkwardly into her seat, she asked, “What’s this for?”

“Graduation day.”

“Graduation from what?”

“Business school. You’ve learned all you need to know.”

“I’m no millionaire,” she grumbled as she began to peel the paper away from the bottom of the cupcake.

“No, but you have a successful business with customers clamoring for your service. Everyone’s talking about your events. You have a unique set of skills that you’ve put to use to create your brand. You’ve made connections all over town that will help build your business for you. You’ve set goals and you achieved them.” He put out his hand and shook hers. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Mia beamed back at him. She straightened her shoulders. “I feel good about what I’ve done.”

“You should. Next, you’ll have to figure out how to balance your work with raising that baby.”

“I’m beginning to feel good about that too,” she said. “I’ve made my mind up about something.”

“What’s that?” Carl signaled for more coffee. A new waitress brought it over for him—a young woman Mia didn’t recognize.

“No more Tracey,” Mia said. “And I’m going to follow her example. I’m going to get married, too.”

“Does Luke know?”

“Not yet. I’m trying to give him subtle hints. I told him a while ago I didn’t want to marry until after the baby’s born, but I’ve changed my mind.”

“Hmm. I said I was done teaching you things, but would you mind one more lesson?” Carl lifted his coffee cup. Took a sip. “Don’t ever try to give a man a subtle hint. Not if you want it to work. Just do the poor schmuck a favor and whack him over the head with it, whatever it is.”

“Really?” Mia nibbled the cupcake.

“Really.”

“Okay.” She decided she’d think that over when she was alone. “So, what about you? Any luck yet with buying a house?”

“No. But I decided that’s a good thing. When I got here I was in a rush to buy a place and start feeling like I belong, but I think that’s backwards. I think I’ll figure out how to belong here first—then find the right property.”

“So you’ll be looking for a long-term rental? I could put out the word for you.”

“I’ve found a situation, actually. There’s another family moving back to town—the Coopers. Apparently they pulled stakes and moved to Wyoming for some years to be part of a venture there, but now they’re coming home and getting back into the ranching business. I’ll get their house in order for them, supervise some repair work, that kind of thing, and I’ll move into one of the other houses standing empty on the property. I figure it won’t hurt me to get some hands-on ranching experience before I buy my own spread, and living with the Coopers should give me an in with the community I never had before.”

“Sounds like things are looking up for you, too,” Mia said.

“Here’s to progress.” He raised his cup of coffee and Mia raised her cup of milk in return.

Marry her now.

If only he could, Luke thought as he crumpled up the latest mystery message and tossed it in the trash. He’d marry Mia any day of the week, in his best suit or fresh from a day of work in his jeans and a sweaty T-shirt. All he wanted was to know they’d spend the rest of their lives together, come what may. But Mia had been perfectly clear—no proposal and no marriage until after the birth.

At least he’d get to see her tonight. They were eating with his family—the whole gang from the Double-Bar-K and the Cruz ranch, plus the Mortimers and a surprise guest he’d invited without the knowledge of anyone but his mother. Lisa was cooking her signature baked chicken and he was sure there would be all his other favorite fixings. The meal would taste great, even if the company got ornery.