The Cowboy's Christmas Baby

by Cathy McDavid

  In a low lethal voice, he growled, “Leave her out of this.”

  The first man reddened with fury. “There ain’t no place for the likes of you two in rodeo. Get out!”

  Tanner immediately hustled Jewel away, ignoring her protests. Her safety was his main concern.

  “Weren’t those the same men talking to you earlier?” she asked when they entered the parking area.

  “They’re nobody.”

  “What did they say to you, Tanner?”

  They couldn’t get to his truck fast enough. “I don’t remember.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” His grip on her arm tightened. “Did anyone else talk to you?”

  “No. If they recognized me, they didn’t let on.” She watched him return his equipment to the canvas bags. “I’m sorry. This was all my fault.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I was the one who encouraged you to enter.”

  “I wanted to see what would happen if I tried. Now I know.”

  “Bad idea.”

  “No, it wasn’t.” He opened the passenger door.

  Rather than climb in, Jewel continued to stand there. “What if you come on the road with me, and this kind of thing keeps happening?”

  “Let’s not make any decisions tonight. I still need to talk to my dad and Daniel.”

  “Will you? Soon?”

  “I’ll try.”

  He wished they didn’t always circle back to the same old subject. He was still grappling with residual excitement from the bull ride and anger from his confrontations with the cowboys.

  “Tanner, if you would tell—”

  “Not now, Jewel.”

  She stiffened at his curt response before climbing into the passenger seat. “All right.”

  He shut the door and walked around the front of the truck to the driver’s side, hopping in behind the steering wheel.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, starting the truck.

  “I realize I can be pushy. It’s just that I feel we can’t move forward with any kind of relationship and we can’t be a real family until this is resolved. Your dad has forced you into an untenable situation. Me and Ava, too.”

  “No, he didn’t. I agreed.”

  “Without knowing how bad the repercussions would be.”

  “Doesn’t change anything.” Tanner drove toward the exit. “I don’t regret helping Daniel. I do regret not telling you the truth sooner.”

  “You’ve given up so much. You shouldn’t have to keep paying for Daniel’s mistake.”

  “Enough, Jewel. Give it a rest,” he snapped. He was sick and tired of being pushed and pulled in a dozen different directions.

  “I just want what’s best for us.”

  “I want that, too. But constantly using Ava and her custody as a bargaining chip isn’t helping.”

  She gasped.

  He hit the gas only to remind himself to slow down.

  “I’m not doing that,” she insisted.

  “Aren’t you?”

  She was quiet after that. Stonily quiet.

  So much for taking small steps forward. The evening he’d hoped would end on a positive note and a heated kiss instead resulted in a mostly silent ride home and a terse goodbye.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ALL RIGHT, JEWEL had been wrong to argue with Tanner. But she wasn’t wrong in wanting them to be able to move forward and for him to clear his name. And no way did she use Ava’s custody as a bargaining chip. Or, did she?

  She replayed tonight’s disagreement in her head while trudging up the stairs to her quarters, her camera bag slung over her shoulder and her hands shoved into her coat pockets. Her timing hadn’t been the best. He’d just been confronted by those two cowboys and his defenses were up. She should have waited.

  Tomorrow, she’d apologize. For her timing. Not for wanting his brother to come clean or for using Ava.

  Okay, maybe for that part about Ava, too. She did mention their daughter often, but only to motivate Tanner, not to manipulate him.

  At the top of the stairs, she dug in her coat pocket for her key. Before she could retrieve it, Tracee swung open the door, a finger pressed to her lips.

  “Shh.”

  “Ava asleep?” Jewel whispered.

  Tracee nodded. “Since about eight. She had her bottle and went right off.”

  “Good.”

  Jewel set her purse and camera bag on the table, her glance cutting to the travel crib. Ava lay on her side, only her down-covered head showing from beneath the baby blanket, a peaceful expression on her face.

  At least one of them was getting a decent night’s rest. Jewel was too wound up from the bull riding and her argument with Tanner to nod off anytime soon.

  “You okay?” Tracee whispered. “You seem upset.”

  “Not at all. Just distracted.” She smiled at the teenager. “I have a big day tomorrow, what with work and getting ready for my parents’ visit. They arrive on Monday.”

  “You picking them up at the airport?”

  “They’re driving from Oklahoma. They’re looking at winter homes while they’re here and need a car. That, and my mom’s not a fan of flying.”

  Tracee quietly gathered her hoodie, mittens, phone, earbuds and various other belongings she’d brought with her to keep herself entertained while Ava slept.

  Jewel tried to listen and respond accordingly as she hung up her coat and went over to the crib. A quick brush of her fingertips across Ava’s cheek didn’t wake the baby, but it did melt Jewel’s heart. She would never grow tired of gazing upon her daughter.

  “See you tomorrow,” Tracee said softly when Jewel walked her to the door.

  “Thanks again. I couldn’t have taken this job without your help. I realize it’s only for babysitting, but if you ever need a job reference, let me know.”

  “Cool. I will.”

  Jewel made a mental note to give Tracee a Christmas bonus. She’d earned it, especially for her wonderful attitude. Maybe a gift card to one of those clothing stores at the mall.

  After a ten-minute session with the breast pump, Jewel changed into pajamas and a warm fuzzy robe. Hoping a cup of lemon tea might relax her, she fixed herself one and settled in the recliner with her tablet, opening an ebook. Thirty minutes later, she was still reading and still wide-awake. So much for tea and a book.

  Not that she’d gotten far. Twice, she’d come to a stop, realizing she’d scanned several pages without remembering a single word and then gone back. Three times she checked her phone on the table beside her to see if she’d missed a text from Tanner. She hadn’t. Apparently, he wasn’t having a restless night like her or feeling bad about earlier.

  Could be he was giving her some space or planning what he was going to say to her tomorrow. No, Jewel was the one giving him space and planning what she’d say.

  She released a low, miserable groan as tears filled her eyes. Why had everything changed for her and Tanner? In the beginning, their lives together had been perfect. They’d had a fun-filled courtship starting with their first meeting at the Parada Del Sol Rodeo almost three years ago and ending with a dream-like engagement. Tanner had even asked for her dad’s permission before proposing and then hidden her engagement ring in a piece of cake at her birthday party. She must have watched the video her friend took of that moment a hundred times.

  They got along well with each other’s families. Both sets of parents had supported the marriage and couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. They’d shared a love of rodeo, a desire for a family of their own and had had compatible career aspirations.

  Before the cheating scandal, Tanner had been everything she’d wanted in a husband and life partner. Reliable, dependable, trustworthy, loyal, kind, compassionate, generous. All traits that sh
e admired and respected. Also, the same traits that had compelled him to take the blame for his brother.

  She was furious at him for his actions and for destroying their future. At the same time, deep down, she admired him for what he’d done and, dare she say it, loved him. Tanner was a good man. And she was possibly too hard on him.

  Ava stirred. Jewel popped up from the recliner as if the baby had screamed, simultaneously wiping at her eyes. By the time she reached the crib, Ava was already drifting back to sleep. Were Jewel in a better mood, she’d have laughed at herself.

  Noticing the clock, she sighed. It was almost eleven o’clock. She hadn’t lied to Tracee, she did have a big day tomorrow, and Ava would wake in an hour or two, hungry and needing a diaper change. Jewel really should try and sleep.

  But rather than pull down the bed cover, she went over to the table and removed her camera from the bag. Turning it over, she reviewed the pictures she’d taken that evening. Many were of Tanner.

  “Hmm...not too shabby.”

  Quite excellent, in fact. Jewel liked taking action shots, which was possibly why she received the most compliments on her candid wedding photos rather than the staged ones.

  She stopped scrolling when she came to a picture of the bull riding chutes that included the two men who’d confronted her and Tanner. They didn’t look angry or rough there, just two regular cowboys intently watching the competition.

  Funny how pictures could be deceiving. They could also, just as often, show a person’s true side. Were these men really as mean as they had seemed? They could have been simply defending what they believed was an age-old, honorable profession, one whose members held themselves to a high moral code. In their eyes, Tanner had violated that code.

  Did Tanner believe his brother had done the same? He’d told her he took the blame for Daniel in order that, should he not survive his surgery, he wouldn’t be remembered as a cheater. Yet Tanner had been willing to let people see him as one.

  She rubbed a dull ache in her temple. It was all so confusing.

  A minute later, she came to the pictures of him during his ride—from straddling the chute to dusting himself off and jogging out of the arena. Sweet heaven, he was handsome in his element like that. A natural. The camera loved him.

  She returned to her favorite shot, zooming in to study his face. Timing was everything, and she’d been able to capture his expression at just the right moment, when it had conveyed a multitude of emotions. Determination, excitement, the tiniest trace of fear.

  “Not bad,” she murmured to herself. “Not bad at all.” She’d seen plenty like these in rodeo magazines and websites dedicated to the sport.

  An idea sprang to mind. Could she? Dare she?

  Why not? No harm in trying. She’d done it before, more than once.

  Wait, would Tanner object? Ooh, he might and then be very annoyed with her. The last thing they needed right now was another fight.

  But positive exposure for him could go a long way in repairing his reputation. Especially when Daniel came clean. Which he would. Soon. Long before these pictures appeared, if the magazine even accepted them. Should Tanner object, and she didn’t think he would, she’d contact the magazine and withdraw the photos from consideration.

  With growing excitement—there’d be no sleeping for a while yet—Jewel transferred seven of the best photos to her tablet. After that, she pulled up the website for Oklahoma Rodeo News. They’d both appeared in the magazine previously. Jewel had once been the subject of a feature article when she’d won the state championship.

  She completed the brief submission form, including a description of the event, and then uploaded that and the pictures to the magazine. By the time she finished, she was humming with excitement.

  She may have just committed a giant mistake, one she’d come to regret. She didn’t think so, however. She had to believe in Tanner. In them. And take chances.

  Something she hadn’t done a year ago and now wished she had.

  * * *

  “YOU HAVEN’T TOLD me yet, how do you like the Airbnb?” Jewel asked her parents.

  “It’s nice enough.”

  They were heading down the stairs from her quarters, her dad right behind her and her mom behind him, carrying Ava in the baby wrap. Her parents had arrived last evening ahead of schedule. Tired and road-weary, they’d settled into their vacation rental on the west side of Mustang Valley rather than visit. After a full morning of sleeping in, unpacking and stocking up on groceries at the market, they’d appeared at Jewel’s door with lunch.

  She was grateful for the extra time to herself. Her attorney had phoned during her morning coffee with upsetting news. Jewel had yet to recover and pretending nothing was amiss had begun to wear on her. She could discuss the matter with her parents, but she wasn’t ready. Neither did she want to ruin their good moods and plans for the day.

  By one thirty, Ava had pretty much reached her fill of doting grandparents and began fussing. Jewel suggested they take a tour of Sweetheart Ranch before nap time, and her parents enthusiastically agreed.

  “It’s a little on the small side,” her mom said, referring to the Airbnb. She had her arms wrapped tightly around Ava as if not trusting the wrap. “But it has all the necessary creature comforts.”

  “We’d better get used to small,” her father added, taking his wife’s arm to steady her down the last few steps. “Any place we buy won’t be big.”

  Jewel gestured toward the road leading to the ranch house. As they passed the honeymoon cabins and clubhouse, she gave them a rundown on the various amenities offered and a short history of the ranch.

  “Maybe I can arrange a carriage ride for you while you’re here.”

  “We’d love that, wouldn’t we, Gary?”

  “A carriage ride at Sweetheart Ranch with my sweetheart. What could be better?”

  “What places are you looking at today?” Jewel asked, only half paying attention, her thoughts continually returning to earlier.

  “We’re meeting the real estate agent at three.” Her dad described the five condos and townhomes they were planning on viewing. “We have six more lined up for tomorrow.”

  She tried to imagine her parents occupying a place one-third the size of their home in Oklahoma, which sat on two acres and boasted a sprawling yard. The redwood deck her parents had constructed after all their children moved out was a popular neighborhood gathering spot for cookouts and parties.

  “Are you sure you’ll be happy with only twelve hundred square feet?”

  “Don’t you worry.” Her mom patted Ava as they walked. “Anything we buy will have a guest room and a place for this one. I intend to be available whenever you need a babysitter.”

  Jewel didn’t respond, the reminder of her conversation with her attorney sending her into an emotional tailspin.

  The woman had phoned to let Jewel know about Tanner’s attorney forwarding the preliminary custody agreement. Before emailing a copy, she’d warned Jewel not to get upset and assured her this was nothing more than a starting point. They’d take the entire two weeks allowed to consider before responding and perhaps longer.

  “Let them cool their heels,” her attorney had said.

  The warning hadn’t worked, and Jewel was a wreck after reading the agreement on her tablet. Most of the terms were reasonable except Tanner wanted Ava to stay in Arizona! She’d immediately called the attorney back.

  “Can he do that?” she’d asked in an anxious voice.

  “Relax. It’s like any negotiation,” her attorney had assured her. “One party starts out asking for way more than they’re willing to settle for. Think of this as a chess game. They make a move, and then we make a move.”

  Jewel hadn’t been relieved. Once her initial fear had subsided, she’d gotten angry and called Tanner, demanding to know why he hadn’t brought up the custody
agreement yesterday when he came over. He’d instantly bristled and echoed what her attorney told her: this was just a starting point and not to be upset.

  As if that was remotely possible. Not for the first time, Jewel wondered if she’d brought this on herself with their latest disagreement. Tanner, at least the Tanner she knew, wasn’t the kind of person to strike back out of spite. But then, he’d never been fighting for shared custody of his child.

  If only she’d apologized like she’d planned, she might have read very different terms in the custody agreement. She’d wanted to apologize, except when he’d shown up yesterday, he’d been distant, and that had annoyed her. Behaving childishly clearly wasn’t the right response. That hadn’t stopped her.

  Reaching the ranch house a few minutes later, Jewel took her parents in the front way so they could see the veranda running the entire length of the house, and the charming porch swing.

  “What a fabulous place. I can’t wait until tonight when the decorations are lit.” Her mom released a long, wistful breath. “Makes me wish I’d gotten married here.”

  Jewel’s dad captured his wife’s free hand. “I’ll marry you again, darling. Right here if you’ll have me.”

  “Oh, Gary.” She blushed prettily, and for a moment, Jewel saw the young woman her mom had been on that first date when the man she would eventually marry had swept her off her feet. And obviously still did.

  Her parents were equally impressed with the inside of the ranch house. Standing in the foyer, her mom craned her neck to peer at the gaily decorated Christmas tree next to the antique rolltop desk that served as a registration counter.

  “Is that a cowgirl angel on top? How adorable.”

  “Look up there.” Her dad pointed to the light fixture directly above them, from which hung a small green sprig with a red ribbon tied around it. “Mistletoe.” He stole a quick kiss from his wife, and they both laughed.

  Jewel had always wanted a loving relationship like the one her parents shared. She’d believed she’d found that with Tanner. Maybe she had, she thought, recalling their heated kisses and mutual attraction.