She smiled. “I love them too.”
Clayton studied her for a moment, his deep brown eyes steady on hers. Then he nodded, as if sealing something in his mind. His hand reached over, brushing lightly against hers where it rested on her knee.
“Then why don’t we tell them together?” he suggested.
A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed it. She squeezed his fingers lightly. “I’d love that.”
A soft breeze whispered through the open window, carrying the scent of warm earth and fresh hay. Somewhere nearby a bird called lazily from a fence post. The world felt still, slow, like it was waiting right along with them.
Jamie hesitated, debating whether to push further. Finally, she asked, “What are you saying to Birdie and Doc?”
Clayton’s mouth twitched into a smirk. A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Momma already knows.”
Jamie parted her lips. “Did you tell her?”
“No need.” He shook his head, amused. “She knew the second she laid eyes on me.”
Jamie let out a short laugh, shaking her head. Of course she did. Birdie had that uncanny intuition, always a step ahead of whatever her son thought he was hiding.
Another moment passed, filled only by the rustling grass and the distant sound of a horse nickering from a nearby paddock. Clayton shifted, tilting his head toward her.
“You sure you don’t want to grab some clothes and come back to the ranch?”
Jamie smirked, already seeing where this was going.
“I’ll be there tomorrow.”
Clayton sighed dramatically, dragging a hand over his beard like she’d just broken his heart. “I’m going to miss you.”
She grinned, leaning a little closer. “I’ll miss you more.”
Jamie packed her bags then FaceTimed with Clayton and the girls. They begged her to come to the ranch tonight, but she’d already promised to let the cleaners in first thing in the morning. It was the least she could do for Shorty—she owed him that, and more.
Her phone buzzed as messages poured in.
One from Shorty stood out:told you
She opened it and scanned the rest.
Her single was blowing up. Not just rock—country, adult contemporary, even some crossover stations had picked it up. It was alreadycharting. Climbing.And, according to Shorty, it was only a matter of time before it hit number one.
Her first number one. By herself, anyway.
She exhaled, her eyes fixed on the screen. She should be celebrating. Instead, all she could think about was everything it took to get here—and how much further she still had to go. The tour was months away, but the thought of leaving Clayton and the girls already weighed on her. She was becoming part of a family, and walking away, even temporarily, felt impossible.
But that was a problem for later.
For now she’d live in the moment.
The next morning Jamie could hardly wait for the cleaners to arrive so she could leave. She knew she was committing to the girls—a commitment that felt right. She’d never be their mother, but she could be the next best thing. And if she and Clayton ever broke up, she’d still want to be part of their lives.
Why was she already bracing for the worst?Force of habit.
The cleaners arrived late in the morning and she called her car service. Clayton had offered to pick her up but she didn’t want to wait—she just wanted to get there.
Jamie’s heart pounded as the SUV rolled to a stop in Clayton’s driveway. The anticipation was almost unbearable. She couldn’t wait to see the girls. And their dad.
The front door burst open.
