by P. Creeden
Colette sat back in her chair, blowing up a tendril of blonde hair that had fallen into her face. Missy was right. Even though Colette had good news to share with Maxwell, trepidation filled her as she hoped that nothing like what happened last time would repeat itself this time. Then she handed Missy the spoon. “You’re right. I should. I’m a bundle of nerves.”
As Colette stood from the chair and Missy sat down, Missy laughed. “No reason to be. It’s exciting news. I know that Maxwell will be elated to hear it.”
Colette wrung her hands now that they were empty and peered at the clock on the mantle. He and Thomas would be home any moment. The two of them always came for dinner at around that time. But Colette couldn’t help but count the minutes this evening as anxiety for all that could go wrong filled her.
“There’s a good boy. Eat all the porridge for your grandma,” Missy said, cooing toward the child.
Colette couldn’t help but smile down at Missy and the baby. The two of them had grown as close as peas in a pod. There were times when she wondered if Johnny might like his grandmother more than her. Then a horse’s whinny cried out from the paddock that had been built near the house. “He’s home,” she whispered.
“Daddy’s home!” Missy declared to Johnny in a high-pitched voice. Then she lowered her voice as she said to Colette. “Why don’t you go out there and meet him.”
Grabbing hold of her shawl, Colette raced out the door, not needing to be told twice. Two horses trotted up the roadway toward the house. A paint and a palomino. The paint horse’s rider bent over the neck, and the horse picked up a lope. He ran toward Colette then pulled to a sudden stop beside her. Maxwell, mounted on the paint, patted the gelding on the neck and said, “Good boy, Scout,” as he swung a leg over the saddle and landed on his feet in front of Colette. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
The palomino came up just then with Deputy Thomas Clayton aboard, his brows raised as he dismounted his mare. “You want me to take Scout into the barn, too, Sheriff?”
Maxwell nodded and then handed the reins over to his brother. Then he faced Colette fully. “Is there something the matter. You look fretful. Is something wrong with Johnny?”
She shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. Nothing at all. Everything is right. More than right.”
He tilted his head at her. “What is it then? What’s going on?”
“You’re about to become a father.”
His brow furrowed. “I thought I already was a father.”
She laughed and nodded. “Yes, but you’re about to become a father again.”
He blinked and looked down at her belly. “You mean...”
“Yes!”
“You’re with child?”
“Yes!”
Pulling his hat from his head and tossing it on the ground, Maxwell dropped to his knees in front of her, his arms to both sides of her midsection and resting his cheek against her navel. She couldn’t help but laugh again. He chuckled against her then kissed her belly and pulled back just a bit. “How are you doing in there, little one? Cozy? I can’t wait to meet you. We all can’t wait. Your big brother is going to be so happy.”
Gently, she stroked her husband’s hair as tears blurred her vision. She swiped them away with her other hand. “I’m so happy you’re home. I cannot tell you how happy I am.”
Slowly, he drew back to his feet and pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the lips, their kiss mingling with the salt of more of her tears.
“There’s no need to cry, sweetheart. Our family is getting larger,” he said, giving her a gentle squeeze.
As she laid her head against his chest and listened to his beating heart, she relished the fact that he was there and alive and holding her. She whispered, “I love our whole family.”
“I love you,” he whispered back.
She tilted her face up again and accepted a second kiss. Then she pulled back and took hold of his hand, pulling him toward the house. “Let’s go tell Thomas he’s going to be an uncle again.”
With a laugh, Maxwell followed. The feeling of his warm hand in hers gave her confidence and security. Love and hope. Everything about her life was so much different from two years ago when she’d been pregnant with Johnny. She wanted everything to be perfect for this child, and for any other children that God would bless their family with. And she couldn’t wait to see the family grow so large that the house on the Clayton homestead wouldn’t fit them.
The End.
This is the third book in the Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies series - each book stands alone.
To read more, check out the rest of the series:
Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies
About the Author
P. Creeden is the sweet romance and mystery pen name for USA Today Bestselling Author, Pauline Creeden. Her stories feature down-to-earth characters who often feel like they are undeserving of love for one reason or another and are surprised when love finds them.
Animals are the supporting characters of many of her stories, because they occupy her daily life on the farm, too. From dogs, cats, and goldfish to horses, chickens, and geckos -- she believes life around pets is so much better, even if they are fictional. P. Creeden married her college sweetheart, who she also met at a horse farm. Together they raise a menagerie of animals and their one son, an avid reader, himself.
If you enjoyed this story, look forward to more books by P. Creeden.
In 2020, she plans to release more than twelve new books!
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More Books by P. Creeden
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