“Mornin’,” Chase announces our presence.
Cecily and Kate, as well as an older woman—Beryl, I assume—turn to look our way. News of me being here must’ve travelled fast this morning because none of them seem surprised by my presence. Austin looks up from his magazine for only enough time to give a gentle nod. And at the far end of the table, Odessa and Rhett are armpit deep in playdough.
“Hi.” I give a meek smile. Maybe I was invisible before I spoke. My little voice is all it takes for the room to explode with so much energy I grab Chase’s arm on impulse, as if the shockwave from their collective excitement might blow me over.
“Come sit down.” Cecily wipes her hands on a tea towel and points to the dining table. “Are you hungry?”
“Do you want coffee? Tea? Water?” The grey-haired, tanned-skin woman putters toward a cupboard, looking back at me the entire time.
“Oh, um. Coffee would be perfect. Thank you.” I walk toward Cecily and the empty chair she seems to be holding out for me. And by the time I’ve sat down, a plate heaped with food is in front of me. Followed not long after by a large, white mug full of coffee. “Wow. I could’ve made my own plate… thanks.”
“If you’re not careful, these three will keep cramming food into your face.” Chase sits down next to me and rests his hand on my thigh, filling my chest with butterflies.We’re really doing this thing. It’s possible nobody can even see his hand under the table, but it feels like a public declaration.
“Oh, shush.” The old woman sits down opposite us, flanked by Cecily and Kate. It seems a lot like the start of an interrogation. Austin even lowers his magazine to side-eye them before shaking his head and returning to whatever he’s reading.
“I’m Beryl.” She confirms my suspicions with a warm smile that crinkles the skin around her eyes. “So thrilled you finally came out here. I’ve been hearing non-stop about you for months, honey.”
“We’re all excited you finally came here.” Cecily beams brightly at me. She and Austin aren’t exactly regulars at the bar, but they’ve come by enough times for us to be familiar with one another. “And thrilled you two are…” She trails off, sipping her coffee and flicking her wrist to gesture at the two of us.
“How are you feeling?” Kate leans in. “You know when I gave you my number I honestly meant you could text me anytime.”
“Um, I’m feeling pretty good. I mean, there’s a lot of joint pain and—oooph.” A small body crashes into me with a hug. Glancing down, I see Odessa in a futile attempt to wrap her arms around me in a hug, and not for lack of trying as she smooshes and stretches to reach.
“God, I don’t miss being so uncomfortable all the time,” Kate says.
Odessa’s climbing right onto my lap now, nudging Chase’s hand away with her bony knee. Staring into my soul from barely an inch away, her head blocks the three women from my view. So close I can smell the Cheerios on her breath.
“The baby isstillin your belly?” she asks, clearly shocked I’m still pregnant so long after seeing her at the Winter Fair.
I nod slowly, trying to back my head away from her as much as I can. I hoped it would be easier to connect with her this time—it’s not. For the love of God, I hope Chase was right and I won’t feel so uncomfortable with our baby. That the maternal instincts will kick in. Chase taps my foot and, when our eyes make contact, he gives a small wink like he can read my mind.
I clear my throat and look at Odessa. “Yeah, she is. For a few more weeks.”
“You’re having a girl?” Odessa shrieks, eyes bulging with excitement as she bounces slightly on my lap. “I get to have a girl cousin?”
“You do. That’s pretty fun, hey? You’ll have to teach her everything you know.”
“I’m going to be a bull rider when I grow up, and I can teach her how. I’m really good at riding on cows—except when I fall off sometimes. But then I get a cast on my arm, and I’m allowed to draw on it.” She beams at me like breaking her arm is the biggest thrill of her life.
“Maybe we don’t teach your little cousineverythingyou know.” Kate pinches the bridge of her nose, biting back a smile.
“You can probably teach Uncle Denny how to ride,” Chase says. “He falls off all the time.”
Her tiny face scrunches with disgust. “He’s not cool enough to ride cows. Just horses.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to tell him you said that. You’re gonna get a whoopin’.” Chase grins, and Odessa leaps from my lap with a squeal. Not fast enough, though. He loops an arm around her waist and hauls her into his lap. Tickling her stomach and mussing up her hair, which elicits more high-pitched squeals. Rhett, who’s been playing politelywith the playdough until this point, screams in harmony with his big sister.
Chase stands up, slinging Odessa over his shoulder and scooping Rhett up with his free hand. They spin in circles around the kitchen, Odessa’s curly brown hair flying in every direction, and laughter filling the room. Somewhere in the distance, I can faintly make out muffled voices as the other women chat. But my focus is entirely on him.
I wish he could see himself now—he’s nothing like his father.
While all of this might’ve started as a mistake, it’s far from that now. Didn’t expect to hook up with an obnoxious cowboy at a rodeo and end up falling in love with the man I’m having a baby with. But here we are. And I’m so glad it’s him.
I’m so lost in my own world, I miss the conversation entirely. Although, it’s apparently reverted back to me because all three women sit quietly. Watching me expectantly for the answer to a question I didn’t hear.
“Sorry, I missed what you said.” My eyebrows pull together as I fight to keep my gaze from shifting back to Chase and the kids.
“Oh, we were talking about setting up a food train for when the baby’s born. The last thing you want is to be worrying about cooking for yourself with a newborn,” Cecily says while the other two eagerly nod. Chase snorts, clearly finding the humour in them suggesting I would bother to cook for myself.
