The Cowboy's Christmas Baby

by Cathy McDavid

  She gifted him with a daughter

  He stunned her with the truth

  When Tanner Bridwell discovers he’s a father, he gains some much needed hope. A year ago, Tanner lost his livelihood as a champion bull rider, and—more important—Jewel Saunders, the love of his life. Now this cowboy wants to do right by his family. But first he must reveal a stunning secret that will send Jewel and his beloved daughter either packing...or into his arms forever!

  “Before you leave, can I hold Ava?”

  Jewel couldn’t have looked more startled if he’d demanded full custody. “She, uh, doesn’t like strangers.”

  Strangers. Tanner hated the sound of that.

  “Just for a minute,” he said.

  They squared off in silence, Jewel reluctant and Tanner insistent.

  “I’ve held babies before. Daniel’s two kids.”

  She swallowed. Finally, she scooted closer and lifted Ava, depositing her in Tanner’s lap. “She’s going to cry.”

  And when that happened, Jewel was taking her back. She didn’t have to say it, her message was crystal clear.

  The wiggly weight on Tanner’s lap felt odd at first. Remembering his sister-in-law’s instructions, he nestled Ava in the crook of his arm, making sure to support her head.

  All at once she lifted her head to peer up at him, and Tanner’s breath caught.

  “Hi there.” A huge smile spread across his face.

  Ava peered at him owl eyed, and then her small mouth opened into a silly toothless grin.

  Dear Reader,

  I’m very excited to bring you book three in my Sweetheart Ranch series, The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby. This wasn’t the easiest book for me to write. Jewel and Tanner face some difficult and heart-wrenching problems. While they love each other and want to spend their lives together raising their beautiful daughter, whichever way they turn, someone is going to get hurt. It was a real challenge for me to create a believable way for them to navigate this nearly impossible situation and find their happily-ever-after.

  But at a place called Sweetheart Ranch, how is a happy ending not possible? I admit, I came up with the idea of a Western-themed wedding ranch a few years ago when I was looking for a venue to host my own wedding. I melded a Victorian wedding house I found with a cowboy ranch I once stayed at, and Sweetheart Ranch was born. I think if my life hadn’t taken the path it did, I could see myself owning and managing a place just like this. What could be more fun and rewarding than helping couples celebrate the best day of their lives? Only one thing I can think of, mixing it with the holidays—the best season of the year.

  Warmest wishes,

  Cathy McDavid

  PS: I love connecting with readers. You can find me at:

  CathyMcDavid.com

  Facebook.com/CathyMcDavidBooks

  @CathyMcDavid

  The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby

  New York Times Bestselling Author

  Cathy McDavid

  Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author Cathy McDavid has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Harlequin. Every day, she gets to write about handsome cowboys riding the range or busting a bronc. It’s a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice. Cathy shares her Arizona home with her own real-life sweetheart and a trio of odd pets. Her grown twins have left to embark on lives of their own, and she couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

  Books by Cathy McDavid

  Harlequin Western Romance

  Mustang Valley

  Cowboy for Keeps

  Her Holiday Rancher

  Come Home, Cowboy

  Having the Rancher’s Baby

  Rescuing the Cowboy

  A Baby for the Deputy

  The Cowboy’s Twin Surprise

  The Bull Rider’s Valentine

  Harlequin Heartwarming

  The Sweetheart Ranch

  A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal

  The Cowboy’s Perfect Match

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  To my mother. You are, and always will be,

  my sunshine.

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  EPILOGUE

  EXCERPT FROM THE FIREFIGHTER’S THANKSGIVING WISH BY ANNA J. STEWART

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE HORSE TUCKED in so close to the barrel and at such a severe angle it was a wonder the rider didn’t topple off.

  Watching the practice run from the arena fence, Jewel Saunders held her breath as the rider spurred her horse into a gallop for the last stretch. She imagined herself in the rider’s place, leaning forward over the saddle horn, heart pounding, the wind whipping her face, and all the while silently urging the horse to give every ounce of speed it possessed.

  She’d been this rider once and on her way to a potential world championship at the National Finals Rodeo. But that was a year ago, before her life had drastically changed and the worst thing imaginable happened to her—followed by the best thing.

  At the same moment the rider galloped across the electronic timer’s invisible line, Ava awoke and let out an unhappy wail. Blinking herself back to reality, Jewel leaned over the stroller and lovingly stroked her four-month-old daughter’s cheek.

  “Shh. It’s okay.”

  Ava wasn’t soothed. Jewel took hold of the handle and gently rocked the stroller. That sometimes did the trick, lulling Ava back to sleep. Not today, however, and her crying intensified.

  Jewel removed her phone from a side pocket of the diaper bag stowed in the nylon sling beneath the stroller. For convenience’s sake, she’d quit carrying a purse and transferred everything into the diaper bag. That was the day she’d realized her entire existence revolved around being a mother.

  It was also when she’d started thinking seriously about a career direction, either returning to barrel racing or expanding her paying photography hobby into a full-fledged business. Now it was early December, and she was finally taking steps toward making a decision.

  Checking the time on her phone’s display, she said, “Let’s go, sweetie pie, we don’t want to be late,” and started off toward the ranch office. With any luck, the stroller’s bumpy ride on uneven ground would quiet Ava. That was another of Jewel’s tricks.

  Stopping at the covered porch in front of the office, she lifted the stroller up and over the two short steps. A carved wooden sign hung from a rope beside the door reading Welcome to Powell Ranch.

  Being briefly transported through the air had apparently distracted Ava for she, thankfully, quit crying. Jewel doubted hunger or a diaper emergency were the cause of her daughter’s distress. Both needs had been recently attended.

  It was probably being in a strange place with unfamiliar sounds and smells. For Jewel, arriving at the horse facility had been like coming home. She’d spent more than half her life, ever since junior high school, in places just like this one.

  Refastening the top button on her jacket, she surveyed her surroundings. Ahead was the large arena used for roping, team penning, horse training and, of course, barrel racing. The spacious horse b
arn behind the office housed at least three dozen enclosed stalls. Beyond those were a row of covered outdoor stalls and acres of open pastures. Also nearby was a round pen, horse walker and washstand. And lastly, to her right, stood a large hay shed and storage building with a tractor parked beside it.

  Yes, indeed, just like the other horse facilities. So why was she suddenly overcome by a flood of anxiety?

  The answer was easy. Jewel had only ridden a handful of times since discovering she was pregnant. She hadn’t barrel raced even once since last December. It had been during the first week of the National Finals Rodeo when she’d learned Tanner, the man she’d been planning to marry in a few days’ time, wasn’t the person she’d thought he was.

  She’d neither seen nor heard from him since. He had no idea he was a father, though it wasn’t for lack of trying on Jewel’s part. She’d exhausted every avenue available to her attempting to locate him. The fact was, Tanner didn’t want to be found. Wherever he’d gone after the cheating scandal broke, he hadn’t left a trail. In Jewel’s opinion, that spoke volumes about his guilt.

  Ava began fussing, a sure indication her crying was about to resume. Sighing, Jewel reached in and, after unclipping the buckles, lifted a fleece-onesie-clad Ava into her arms. Another day, she might have let Ava fuss for a little while. But Jewel’s two appointments, the first here at Powell Ranch and the second a quarter mile up the road at Sweetheart Ranch, were too important to her. She’d do whatever was necessary to keep Ava content and quiet.

  Just as she was nestling the baby against her chest, the office door opened. Ronnie Hartman, owner and manager of the barrel racing school at Powell Ranch, emerged and immediately spotted Jewel.

  “Hello! You’re here.”

  “I am.” Jewel returned the other woman’s warm smile while bouncing Ava.

  “Good to see you again. It’s been ages.” Ronnie reached out her arms. “And look at your baby! She’s beautiful.”

  They managed a sideways hug because of Ava, who was fascinated by this new person. She usually fussed when being held by strangers, but she did enjoy looking at them and stared transfixed at Ronnie.

  “I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to take me on,” Jewel said.

  “Are you kidding? I’m thrilled.”

  “You have a great place here.”

  “I wish it was mine. I simply lease the facilities for a certain number of hours a week. Of which, five of those hours Monday through Friday belong to you. We start at seven tomorrow morning, by the way.”

  Jewel couldn’t help grimacing. “You have your work cut out for you. I’m pretty rusty.”

  “Like riding a bike, my friend.”

  Jewel was less convinced. Her barrel racing skills would return, she had no doubt. The drive and endurance were another matter. She worried she’d lost those, too, when her life had imploded.

  She and Ronnie stood on the porch catching up for several minutes. The pair were old acquaintances and had been rivals back in the day. Both had since retired from the rodeo circuit, though, in Jewel’s case, the retirement might be temporary. Much depended on the upcoming month, the length of time which she’d contracted with Ronnie’s barrel racing school.

  Jewel mentally crossed her fingers that Ronnie wouldn’t mention Tanner, his and Jewel’s “almost” wedding or the cheating scandal. Thankfully, Ronnie avoided the subjects, and Jewel allowed herself to relax. Even after all this time, she flushed with acute shame whenever her ex-fiancé’s name came up.

  Common sense told her she had no reason—she wasn’t the one caught attempting to bribe a bull riding judge. That had been Tanner. Nonetheless, she felt tainted by association. The sympathetic platitudes some people offered were as bad as the malicious gossip others spread behind her back.

  Making a spectacular rodeo comeback might be the perfect way to obliterate the emotional torment she’d been through. She was willing to try.

  “Where’s your horse?” Ronnie asked.

  “In my trailer.” Jewel nodded toward her vehicle parked beside the arena fence.

  Traveling from Tulsa to Arizona with a baby and hauling her horse had made for a grueling trip. They’d stopped frequently, giving Teddy Bear, Jewel’s palomino gelding and beloved barrel racing partner, a chance to stretch his legs and Ava a break from her car seat.

  “He’ll be fine for a while longer. We’ll move him to a stall when we’re done.” Ronnie placed a hand on Jewel’s shoulder. “Come on. I’ll give you the tour.”

  “Can I leave the stroller?” Jewel asked.

  Ava was quiet, and Jewel would gladly carry her if that ensured an uninterrupted meeting with Ronnie.

  “No problem.”

  “I’ve seen the arena already.” Jewel arranged Ava in a baby wrap, securing it around her waist. “Very impressive. Are those your students practicing?”

  “Two of them. Not all the barrel racers using Powell Ranch belong to my school. The local 4-H group has a large number of members who practice here with their own staff of trainers.”

  The tour lasted a good twenty minutes. There wasn’t anything Jewel didn’t like about Powell Ranch or Ronnie’s philosophy when it came to barrel racing, and she was certain the two of them were going to get along well. Jewel had her family to thank for this opportunity. If not for their financial support, she couldn’t have afforded to hire Ronnie or make the trip.

  Only by happy coincidence had she landed a part-time job at Sweetheart Ranch next door. She’d been researching the area for employment and cheap short-term housing when she came upon the wedding ranch’s website. Seeing their posting seeking a part-time wedding photographer, she’d mustered her courage and called the owner. To her incredible surprise and delight, they’d agreed to give her a trial run after viewing her online portfolio, compensating her with room and board and a modest stipend.

  Jewel couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Especially when the wedding ranch owner was willing to work around Jewel’s barrel racing lessons and practice schedule. She even had a trustworthy babysitter in mind for Ava.

  The fact that everything had fallen so neatly into place must be a sign, Jewel had thought. She was meant to come to Mustang Valley and resolve her career dilemma. If all worked out, she’d choose a direction by the end of her month’s stay.

  Her one and only hesitation was Tanner’s parents. They lived in Queen Creek, fifty miles from Mustang Valley. She’d resisted telling them about Ava all through her pregnancy, wanting Tanner to be the first to hear. But that hadn’t happened. After finalizing her plans to come to Sweetheart Ranch, she’d decided to visit them at some point during her month-long stay. Telling them in person would be better than on the phone.

  The tour ended in the horse barn. Thankfully, Ava behaved through most of it.

  Ronnie stopped in front of an empty stall. “I thought we’d put Teddy Bear here.”

  Jewel nodded appreciatively at the spacious and tidily kept stall. “Works for me.”

  Ronnie reviewed the feeding times, horse boarding prices and barn rules. “We can handle the paperwork in the morning if that works better for you,” she added when Ava became restless.

  “Thanks. One of us is getting bored.”

  Outside on the porch, Jewel returned Ava to the stroller. They left her near the front of Jewel’s truck, well away from the trailer’s rear gate. Teddy Bear tended to exit quickly and had been known to inadvertently trample small objects in his path, like a foot or a dog or a piece of equipment.

  The horse lived up to his reputation, causing an enormous commotion as he scrambled backward from the trailer. Once on solid ground, he came to a stop and surveyed his new surroundings, head held high and ears pricked forward. Jewel’s hand on the halter shook as he whinnied loudly, announcing his presence to the other horses.

  Ronnie grinned and gave his head a scratch. “I think even the broodma
res in the back pasture heard you.”

  “Do you mind?” Jewel held out the lead rope.

  “Come on, big fellow.”

  Ronnie led the horse to the stall. With Ava re-swaddled in the baby wrap, Jewel followed a few minutes later.

  After Teddy Bear had spent several minutes inspecting every inch of his new accommodations, Ronnie returned with a flake of hay, which she dropped in the feed bin. Teddy Bear’s head disappeared, only to pop up a moment later, his mouth full of hay.

  He’d eaten earlier that morning at the horse-friendly inn where Jewel and Ava had spent the night after arriving in town yesterday. But Jewel allowed the horse a second breakfast, knowing eating would help settle him. Kind of like it did Ava.

  “I’ve got to run,” Ronnie said. “I have a wedding cake sampling at Sweetheart Ranch in an hour.”

  “That’s right. Your cousin’s getting married. When’s the big day?”

  “A week from Saturday. I’m the matron of honor. We’re hoping you’ll take the photographs.”

  “I’d be thrilled.”

  The two hugged again, and Ronnie left. Jewel stayed behind. She didn’t have to be at Sweetheart Ranch for a while yet, and she much preferred the horse barn over sitting in her stuffy hotel room. She’d feed and change Ava soon and, fingers crossed, the baby would nap through Jewel’s appointment.

  Hmm. Maybe she’d run into Ronnie again when she got there.

  Ava cooed and flailed her arms and legs. She probably wanted out of the wrap.

  Jewel patted the baby’s bottom. “Not much longer, my sweet little girl.”

  Hearing a noise, she glanced over to see a man half hidden by the shadows and pushing a wheelbarrow into the horse barn from the opposite end of the aisle. She didn’t pay much attention, not until he drew closer.

  She sensed more than saw him come to a stop, and she slowly turned to face him. The hairs on the back of her neck inexplicably rose.

  Whatever words she’d been about to utter lodged in her throat as the man emerged from the shadows and his features took shape beneath the weathered cowboy hat he wore. A wild rush of shock and then alarm coursed through Jewel, and she involuntarily tightened her grip on Ava.