“Okay, now I’m getting really hungry…”
“Oh, but the best part…”
“Tell me.”
“Well. As you’ve probably already guessed, I invited him to my house for a nightcap.”
“Of course you did.”
“We talked for hours. I didn’t want him to leave. And he said he didn’t want to go. It was three in the morning, and he was still here and…”
“Don’t you dare stop now.”
“Well…” Annette’s voice was whisper-soft. “I took his hand, and I led him up to my room. Oh, honey. I know I’ve already shared far more information than you will ever need, so I’ll stop there. Except to say that it was beautiful, and I never thought I would feel this way again.”
“I’m so glad, Annette. So happy for you…”
“At noon today I fixed him breakfast. He lingered long after he’d cleared the table.”
Riley said, “Because he didn’t want to go.”
“That is correct. He didn’t want to go and that was fine with me because I did not want him to leave. The hours flew by. We talked and talked. We went for a long walk,ending up on Main Street. We strolled along looking in the shop windows, holding hands like a couple of romantic kids. We had an early dinner at Carmelita’s. They do have the very best carne asada.”
“Yes, they do.”
“And then we came back here to my place, and we…went upstairs again.”
Riley sighed. “So romantic.”
Annette made a thoughtful sound. “Right now I’m trying not to get ahead of myself. But I like him so much. It’s exciting being with him—and yet so comfortable, too.”
Exciting and comfortable… Riley thought of Josh and reminded herself not to. She said, “I’m so glad you let Miles know you were interested—oh, and before I forget, you’re invited out to Josh’s place for his birthday barbecue.” She shared the date and time. “Miles is welcome, too.”
“I will definitely be there. As for asking Miles, we’ll see…”
Riley hung up smiling. She almost called Josh right then.
But she stopped herself. Because things weren’t like they used to be between them. She would see him tomorrow for the ultrasound. That was soon enough.
* * *
For Josh, Monday was a banner day. He met Riley up at the hospital in Sheridan, and he got to see his daughter for the first time.
She was beautiful. He and Riley were in complete agreement on that fact. They both got emotional just watching her suck her tiny thumb.
Afterward, as they walked to his truck, he asked, “How about lunch?” And then he waited for her tell him she couldn’t, that she had to get back to the hotel.
He almost tripped over his own boots when she said,“That would be great.” She patted her increasingly round belly. “I need lunch, and I need it now.”
He laughed. Suddenly the gray day seemed a whole lot brighter. “The Cowboy Café?” he suggested.
She nodded. “Perfect.”
The café was packed, but they got a tiny table in back. They ordered buffalo burgers.
He reported, “I gave Lenore a heads-up that we’ll be telling the boys.”
Riley set down her burger and asked hesitantly, “So…how did that go?”
