“Come on.” He wrapped his hand around mine and led me through the house until we were out the front door and crossing to his dad’s horse trailer. It was hooked up to the back of Beckham’s truck, but with the overcast sky and tree blocking the way, I couldn’t see what was in it from here.
“What did you do?” I questioned as he brought me to a stop at the back of the trailer. He unhooked his hand from mine, moving to open the door.
And when the gap widened, my heart stopped.
Tex—the horse I’d sold when I found out I was pregnant—stood at the far end of the trailer with a big blue bow braided into his mane.
“Beckham.” My voice was shock in its purest form.
“He’s your baby too, Parker. Wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let you two live apart after you told me.”
“But I sold him. He was with a new family.” My head couldn’t wrap around how unbelievable this was.
“I offered ‘em something better.”
I turned to face Beckham. “What was that?”
“A horse that wasn’t already stolen by the heart of a girl who could change worlds and move mountains.”
Tears stung at my eyes as I threw myself at Beckham, pressing my cheek to his chest. “Thank you.”
He wrapped his arms around me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “Anything for you, Park.”
I let him go, hopping into the trailer to cross to Tex. He nickered as I approached, ears perked and eyes homed in on me. I ran a hand down his shoulder before circling my arms around his neck in a hug.
“You’re home for good, Texxy.”
He pawed at the ground, and at the same time, a little foot kicked inside my stomach.
I let out a watery laugh, nuzzling my head harder against Tex’s neck.
I’d never felt like I had a good family growing up, but this one was starting to make up for it without a doubt.
34
PARKER
For the next three days, life was nonstop. I had a doctor’s appointment the day after Beckham brought Tex home—one of many before the baby’s due date in two months. After that, Beckham spent all day reinforcing the fencing around his property to ensure Tex couldn’t get out. I spent as much time with Tex as I could in between all the craziness, soaking in these last moments before the baby came.
The next day, we started painting the room that would soon be the nursery. Beckham had somehow found my Pinterest board full of ideas and insisted on doing the intricate accent wall I’d liked the most. I’d have been fine with something simple, but he wanted me to have everything I dreamed of.
But the real dream wasn’t the room or the furniture or the planning. It was watching him stress over covering a nail hole so the wall would be perfect. It was the paint on his shirt and the brush he sometimes heldbetween his teeth. Life with Beckhamwasthe dream. And here I was, living it. The sense of awe never seemed to leave.
Today was Sunday, another day to visit Ellis. It had been my second time seeing her, and we’d brought over more food than the three of us could eat to celebrate Christmas together. Beckham got her a new thriller novel, and I had no doubt she was curled up on the couch right now with her nose in that book.
When we got home, before I’d even made it out of the truck, Beckham kissed me, pulling me into his arms cradle-style so I had no choice but to hold onto his neck. My growing belly made it hard to do certain things, and him holding me was one of them. I loved being pregnant and having this time with just me and my baby, but I wanted to do so much more than navigate what was comfortable.
He barely kicked the door to the truck, and the telltale sound of it firmly shutting was nowhere to be heard.
“Beck, the door,” I whispered, like someone might hear us and clearly see what we were about to go do.
He shook his head, moving quicker and leaving the door ajar. “No time.”
“Why is that?” I asked, teasingly.
He shot me an exasperated look, head tilted to the side. “I can’t stay away from you for one more fucking second, Park.”
I couldn’t help my grin. “Is that so?”
