Her Second Forever

by Joanna Sims

  “I’m looking forward to moving here,” Tony said. “I need to find a good job so I can help support my wife.”

  “You can work for Lee,” Callie said. “She said that she’ll interview you.”

  “I don’t know.” Tony pushed his glasses to the brim of his nose. “I don’t like horses so much.”

  “Ms. Lee!” Callie waved her hand wildly. The moment Colt heard Lee’s name, he turned around so he could see his ladylove. Standing in the doorway, her wavy hair framing her lovely face, her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink, Lee was a vision in a figure-flattering black cocktail dress with matching high heels. He loved the fact that her prosthetic was on display; it showed her confidence and her boldness. Lee knew who she was and she was unapologetic about it.

  Colt was relieved she was alone—that meant that he at least had a shot of making her his date for the evening. His eyes naturally drifted down to her abdomen—was there a baby already growing there?

  Instead of waiting for her to join them, Colt crossed the room to where she was scanning the crowd. He couldn’t wait another moment to speak with her.

  “My lady,” he greeted her. “You look lovely tonight.”

  Lee was quick to smile at him, a good sign in his mind. “I like that tux.”

  He stood back, modeled a bit for her, falling into their easy banter. “Why, thank you.”

  Colt waited a moment, looked into her eyes as if to search for something intangible in the hazel depths, and then offered her his arm.

  “If memory serves, you agreed to be my date at this shindig.”

  Lee hesitated for the briefest moment before she hooked her hand to his arm. “Yes, I do believe I did say yes, didn’t I?”

  Colt proudly escorted Lee across the main ballroom. This was the first time that the world was seeing them together. No, they weren’t officially back together, but Colt just didn’t care. He had Lee back on his arm and that’s all that mattered in the moment.

  * * *

  The first person Lee saw was Colt looking so dapper and handsome in his black tuxedo. Knowing that she had a secret, it set her nerves at ease when Colt made a direct beeline for her and claimed her as his date. She no longer had to wonder about Colt’s current feelings for her; he still loved her as she loved him.

  First, they stopped by the spot in the room where Tony and Callie were holding court.

  “Why are you holding Uncle Colt’s arm like that?” Callie asked Lee with a curious, almost gossipy tone in her voice.

  “She’s my date,” Colt answered the question. “Are you okay with that?”

  Callie giggled behind her hand and nodded. “I—I think i-it’s probably okay.”

  After they left the couple-of-the-hour, Colt led her over to the refreshment table.

  “Can I interest you in sparkling grape juice?” Colt led her to the table where nonalcoholic sparkling white or red grape juice was being served instead of alcohol out of respect for Callie and Tony, who didn’t drink alcohol.

  It was the perfect excuse for her to avoid the alcohol question everyone would usually ask if she didn’t indulge at a party. Now, she could drink nonalcoholic grape juice with everyone else in the room and never tip her hand about her pregnancy. Until it was time.

  After the grape juice, Colt took her on a whirlwind of introductions with his family. Some of the family members, like Liam and Kate, she already knew. But so many of the Brand clan were new faces to her.

  “I’m so glad to finally meet you!” Savannah clasped Lee’s hand in her friendly manner. Bruce’s redheaded wife actually had the most in common with Lee in that she had started a nonprofit organization after they had lost their son, Sammy, to an accidental drowning. Sammy’s Smile was Rebecca’s organization and, just like Lee was about Strides of Strength, it was her passion.

  “I’ve seen videos of your Ted Talks—you are compelling to watch,” Savannah said to Lee.

  “Thank you.”

  “I would love for you to come speak at one of our fund-raising events. We have a silent auction twice a year...”

  “I would love to donate my time.”

  “Oh!” Savannah’s emerald green eyes widened. “That would be wonderful. So wonderful. You have no idea!”

  Lee exchanged numbers with Savannah, and then she was relieved to find out from Colt that they had met all of his siblings and their spouses who were currently in attendance. She had also met Colt’s lovely mother, Lilly, and his salty father, Jock, who did not have a social filter even on special occasions.

  “Are you okay?” Colt asked, catching her off guard.

  “Yes. Why?”

  “You swayed into me, like you were going to faint.”

  Lee touched her brow and then her neck with her cool hand. “I think I might just need a bit of fresh air.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Hand in hand, they strolled along the sidewalk, taking in the gentle breeze and the fresh evening air.

  “I was worried about seeing you tonight,” she admitted quietly.

  “You shouldn’t have been,” Colt said. “I love you, Lee. I always have. I always will. No matter what.”

  She put her free hand on his arm and squeezed it. “It’s so good to hear you say that, Colt.”

  He put his hand over her hand. “I’ve missed you.”

  “And I have missed you.”

  “We have a lot to discuss,” he added.

  “I believe we do.”

  “But not tonight. Tonight, I just want to enjoy being with you again.”

  She quietly agreed, leaning her head over so she could touch it to his shoulder. How wonderful it was to have tall handsome, sensitive Colt Brand walking beside her once again. How lucky she was to be carrying this man’s child. Truly blessed.

  “Are you feeling better?” he asked, concerned.

  She nodded. The dizziness had subsided.

  “Would you like to dance with me, my lady?”

  A smile brightened her face. “I would love to dance with you, Colt.”

  Colt escorted her back inside and he led her to the smaller of the two ballrooms where a band had been set up for attendees to slow dance. Colt swung her gently into his arms and she felt at home. The feel of his hands, the scent of his skin and the memory of the sensation of his lips pressed tightly against hers overtook her senses. Every fiber of her being wanted to be with this man again, stripped down, breaths mingled, bodies connected as one.

  Lee looked up into Colt’s face and she knew that it was time. It was time for Colt to know that she was carrying his child—their child. It was time for Colt to know that he was going to be a father.

  “I have something to tell you that I only want you to hear, Colt,” she said, hoping that no one had heard even those words.

  Colt obliged her, leaning his head down so she could whisper in his ear. “I’m pregnant.”

  Colt lifted his head, his deep blue eyes held no surprise and a bit of wariness. “I know.”

  “You know?” she asked loudly. In her surprise, she forgot to whisper.

  He nodded, his expression serious. “You went to the fertility clinic.”

  She opened her mouth to explain but he continued, “I want you to know, Lee, that even though I’m still learning to get used to the idea, I want to be there for your child—Michael’s child.”

  Lee felt tears form in her eyes. It was so touching to her that Colt wanted to be with her enough—he loved her enough—to find a way to accept her decision about the embryos she had created with Michael.

  “Thank you, Colt.”

  This was important for her to know because she still didn’t know what she was going to do with the embryos. Would she still opt to transfer them? Would she consider donating them to an infertile couple? She just didn’t have any idea at this point. Her focus had to be o
n the child growing in her womb now. But it made her life so much easier to know that the embryos were no longer a deal-breaker for Colt.

  “This isn’t Michael’s baby.” She locked eyes with him to ensure that he was hearing her. “It’s yours.”

  Colt stopped moving. He stared down at her face, then his eyes moved down to her belly. “Mine?”

  She smiled at him happily with a nod. “Yours.”

  “How?” he asked dumbly. “When?”

  “I have two words for you, Colt.” She held up two fingers. “Red barn.”

  “Red barn?” He repeated the words and then the lightbulb came on for him as it had for her. “Oh—red barn.”

  Colt grabbed her hand and led her outside. They broke the rule and walked on the manicured green grass of the lawn in front of the Story Mansion. Beneath the giant oak tree, away from the prying eyes of his family and their friends, Colt captured her face in his large hands and kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his body and didn’t care who saw them kissing. This moment was theirs to celebrate. They were together. They were going to have a baby.

  “I’m going to be a father.” Colt was still holding her face in his hands.

  “You are,” she said, an emotional catch in her throat. “And I am going to be a mother.”

  Colt continued to stare into her eyes and then a flash of concern crossed his face. “Are you sad? About Michael? I know how much you wanted his child.”

  “I don’t have just one feeling about it, Colt. I would be lying to you if I said I haven’t felt moments of sadness about it. But—” she took his hand and put it on her stomach “—my happiness cannot be measured, my love. I am so happy to be pregnant with your child. I love our child as I love you—without limits.”

  * * *

  Lee had put off telling Boot about the baby. Boot didn’t say it much, but he had wanted to see her give birth to Michael’s child as much as she had wanted to do that for all three of them. Now that Colt knew he was going to be a father, it wasn’t fair to expect him to keep it a secret. It was time for her to tell Boot before he found out from someone else.

  Lee walked into Boot’s shop and stopped in her tracks. Boot was kissing Gilda—full, open-mouth kissing like they had done it many times before.

  “I’m interrupting,” she said plainly, after deciding not to skulk away unseen.

  Gilda and Boot sprung apart as if they had received an electric shock. Gilda touched her short hair, an embarrassed flush staining her cheeks.

  “I should go.”

  “No, Gilda,” Lee said. “You may as well stay. I have news and this saves me the trouble of tracking you down separately.”

  “What’s the news?” Boot moved back toward Gilda and Lee wished it didn’t bother her. But it did. She liked the memory of Boot with Mama Macbain. Seeing Boot with Gilda, as much as she really liked Gilda, was just plain weird.

  “I’m pregnant,” she blurted out. “Colt and I are going to have a baby.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful.” Gilda hugged her and dropped a quick kiss on both her cheeks. “I have to see to the horses. I’ll see you later, Boot.”

  “You bet,” Boot said and gestured for Lee to sit down at his barrel table.

  Lee sat down, now regretting that she had been so blunt in her presentation of the pregnancy.

  “I’m sorry, Boot.”

  “Now what are you sorry for, Lee?”

  “I’m sorry that this isn’t Michael’s child. He was your only son and we both wanted you to have a grandchild.”

  “Who says I don’t?” Boot asked gruffly. “You’re my daughter. That’s my grandchild. I’ve been lucky in my life—I had one son and because of Michael, I gained a daughter. I’ve never felt like an outsider with you.”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then don’t think I’m one bit upset about whose DNA is making up the pieces and parts of that grandbaby you’re carrying. It’s mine either way.”

  There was a moment of silence between them. Once Boot covered a subject, it was covered. Lee looked over at him and said, “So, you and Gilda, huh?”

  Boot grinned a bit sheepishly. “Yeah—it’s me and Gilda.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  After the engagement party, Colt and Lee became inseparable. They wanted to make up for lost time. They wanted to make plans for the baby that was on the way. The Brand family was always ready to welcome a new baby into the clan and Lee was excited that her baby would have first cousins, twins, that were close to the child’s age. When Colt, a bad boy cowboy with a horrible reputation for childish pranks had been assigned to Strides of Strength, Lee could have never imagined that he would be the man to make her most precious dream come true.

  “We’re almost to the peak,” Colt said, holding out his hand for her so she could steady herself as she stepped onto an oddly-shaped rock.

  Together Colt and Lee hiked to the highest peak on Sugar Creek Ranch. It was a blue-sky day in big-sky country and Colt wanted this to be a special moment they could remember. Lee deserved a proposal that was as special as she was. Perhaps this was going to be the perfect place and the perfect time to ask Lee to marry him. He had been ready since the day he met her. But it had been a journey for Lee to find her way to him. With his baby in her belly, Colt believed, finally, that Lee was ready to accept him as her husband. He believe that Lee was finally ready to be his wife.

  “This foot is truly amazing!” Lee said of the foot attachment on her new prosthetic.

  After the horseback riding accident, Lee had been awaiting the arrival of her new leg. Watching Lee receive her new leg was like watching a child receive their first bike on Christmas morning.

  “I’ve never heard anyone get so excited about a foot.” He smiled down at her affectionately.

  Lee shrugged off his comment. “That’s because you still have both of yours. For a BTK like me...”

  “BTK?”

  “Holy crow, Colt, you’re with an amputee—get on board with the vernacular. Below-the-knee amputee,” she explained. “For someone like me, this foot is life changing. It really moves like a real foot—just look how I can walk over these rocks!”

  “I’m glad you’re happy,” Colt said. He meant it. If Lee was happy, he discovered that he was happy. That was how plain and simple his life had become.

  “Wow!” Lee stood at the edge of the cliff that overlooked the vast Brand holdings that made up Sugar Creek Ranch. “Is that the main house over there?”

  Colt put his arm protectively around her. “That’s the main house. Over there is where Bruce and Savannah live. Way over there is Little Sugar Creek, Gabe’s corner of the world. And—” he pointed to the left “—if you look really closely, you can see Liam’s cabin tucked away in those woods.”

  “It’s impressive,” she said, “what your family has amassed.”

  “This is our child’s legacy now,” Colt said. “We have to decide if we are going to use my land to build a house on the ranch.”

  Jock had carved up big chunks of Sugar Creek ranch to ensure that each of his children always had a home on the family spread. Jock had been turfed out of his father’s cattle land, Bent Tree Ranch, just outside of Helena, Montana, and Jock had never forgotten or forgiven it. Jock was a tough breed of man, but he loved his family. And he wanted all of them to stay close.

  “Do you want to live on Sugar Creek?” Lee asked him.

  “I do,” he said. “This is my home. I want this to be our children’s home.”

  “I love this land.” Lee breathed in the fresh air. “I could live here.”

  Colt hugged her more tightly. He had wanted Lee to love Sugar Creek the way he did—the way all in the Brand clan did. To hear her say that she could make this land her home was exactly what he needed to hear.

  “I am going to build you the most beautiful house,”
he told her. “Whatever you want, you’ll have it.”

  Lee smiled as she tightened her arms around him. “I already have everything I want, Colt.”

  They stood arm in arm, admiring the view. Colt gestured for Lee to sit down on one of the boulders nearby, far enough from the edge for her to be safer.

  He joined her on the boulder, taking her hand in his. “Lee, this is the most beautiful spot on all of Sugar Creek Ranch.”

  “I love it here.”

  He kissed her hand. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met.”

  Lee smiled a bit shyly at him and tucked her head onto his shoulder. “I’m glad you think so.”

  “I do think so.”

  Colt left her side to kneel before her. It was the moment he had been waiting for. The sky was so blue and cloudless, the sun was warm on their faces and there was a gentle, fresh pine-scented breeze keeping them cool.

  “I’ve known from the very first moment that I met you, you were my bride, Lee. From the very first moment, I wanted to marry you.”

  Lee’s eyes were moist with emotion. “I love you, Colt. So much.”

  Colt reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring box. He opened it and displayed the ring he had selected especially for her.

  “Will you marry me, Lee? Will you be my wife?”

  Lee stared at the ring for a moment and then with a nod of her head, she said the one word that he had been waiting to hear for months.

  “Yes.” She held out her ring finger for him to slip the ring on. “I will marry you, Colt.”

  Colt put the ring on her finger. It was an unusual ring—a miner’s cut bezel-set with a platinum filigree setting.

  “It’s so beautiful, Colt.” Lee admired the ring sparkling in the sunlight. “I’ve never seen another just like it.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”

  They sat together in the quiet, holding each other while Colt imagined what it would be like to see his first child born.

  “I want you to know that I will always understand how you feel about Michael...”