“No, I like this one.” He held it up. “There’s something special there.”
She frowned at it. “I drew that thinking that’s what our wedding day should have been like.”
“It felt that way to me. When I first saw you, I knew you were meant to be my wife, and Olivia was meant to be my daughter. I know it sounds silly, but I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.”
Her knees felt weak, and she took a seat quickly. “You love me?”
He nodded. “Of course, I do. When I married, I was looking for someone who would cook and clean for me. I got that from you, but I got so much more. I got a daughter that I loved on sight, and I got a wife I could love. I really don’t know what I was expecting after everything Miss Hazel had said about you. I thought I’d be able to tolerate your children and have you cook and clean for me. Instead, I got a woman who makes me feel complete.”
She looked at him for a moment, knowing she felt the same, but afraid to say the words. Finally, she realized he needed to hear them as much as she had. “I love you.”
He blinked a couple of times, as if he was trying to figure out if she meant what she said, or if she was just trying to keep him from feeling bad. “Do you really mean it?” he asked, needing to be sure.
She nodded. “I’ve known since before you left after the storm.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, kissing her insistently. “I’m so glad!”
“I can’t believe that Miss Hazel really did find the right man for me. She promised me she would, but I couldn’t even see myself as a Mountie’s wife. And look at me now.”
He smiled. “As beautiful as ever.”
She sighed. “Not in this condition.”
“Would you think you were beautiful to me if the baby you carried was mine?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe.”
“I’m as happy about its arrival as I would be if it were mine. Just so you know.”
Minnie smiled at him. “You’re going to make me take your word for it, aren’t you?”
“Yes!” Robert held her to him. “You’re very beautiful in my eyes.”
“I’m so glad you came into my life!”
Epilogue
Minnie looked at the extra room Robert had just finished adding on to the cabin. He and the other Mounties had worked for three weeks to finish it, and their bed had finally been moved into the new room.
Just that day when the mail had arrived, she’d gotten a letter from a publisher who wanted to print and distribute her story. The money involved wasn’t much, but she didn’t need much. Robert made enough for their family, and everything else was icing on the cake.
She was bigger than she had been with Olivia, but she’d heard that was often the way it was with a second child, so she tried not to worry too much. It turned out one of the native women who had been visiting her from the first day was a midwife, and she planned to be the one to deliver the baby.
Very glad there was a plan in place, Minnie took Olivia by the hand. “We need to go see Faith,” she told her daughter.
“Why?” Olivia asked. It was her new favorite word, and she asked it in response to almost everything.
“The new baby wants to come out, so you need to be with someone who can pay attention to you while I’m busy.”
“Busy having the baby?” Olivia asked.
“Yes.” Minnie stopped in front of Faith’s cabin and knocked on the door. “It’s my time.”
Faith immediately understood. “I think it’s time for some stories!” She opened the door wide for Olivia to enter. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I am. I’m going to walk over and ask Pale Flower to help me.”
“Make sure you let me know if you need anything.”
“I will.” Minnie walked toward the village, in search of the midwife. The woman had promised to come when she was ready, and she was more than ready. She’d been having steady contractions for over four hours now, but they were just now getting close enough together to need the midwife.
When Robert arrived home from rounds five hours later, he found Minnie sitting up in bed, holding the baby. He stared at her in shock. “Why didn’t you send someone to find me?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want to worry you. Go get Olivia from Faith’s house.”
“Aren’t you at least going to tell me if I have a son or daughter first?” he asked, stunned that she hadn’t said anything about the baby’s gender yet.
“It’s a boy,” she said, staring down into his face. “I think we should name him Robert, and call him Bobby.”
Robert stared at her, his jaw dropping. “You don’t have to name him after me.”
“Of course, I do. He’s yours.”
Robert sat beside her on the bed, careful not to disturb her or the baby. “May I hold him?”
Minnie nodded. “Of course!” She passed the baby off, smiling to see Robert looking into his little face.
“Your name is Bobby, and I hope you’ll grow up to be a Mountie. There aren’t enough to take care of all of Canada, you know.” The baby kept his eyes closed, but Robert liked to think he was listening. “And it will be your job to help me take care of your mother and sister. Wait until you meet Olivia. There’s no one like her!”
Minnie watched her husband with their baby, and she knew that he’d been right all along. The children were his just as much as they were hers. Her heart was full, and she couldn’t have been happier.
Also by Kirsten Osbourne
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Bride for Robert Page 9