Lone Star Bride

by Jolene Navarro

  He turned from her gaze and looked out over the moonlit hills. The smell of fresh rain filled the air. “In the letter, she wrote that Lilly and our children are well and loved. She was sure that Lilly would be upset with me for punishing myself.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and lowered his head. “She gave her blessing and said that I should not just live, but laugh and love and...” He rubbed his face before turning back to Sofia.

  “The only way I can explain it is that a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders. God... God has this. He has Lilly and the children. He has me if I’m willing to turn it all over to Him.”

  “And I have you. If you still want me.” He walked past her to the edge of the porch. She wasn’t sure what to say, but the need to reach out to him was overwhelming. She needed to let him know she was here for him.

  “Love is...” Without turning back to her, he tossed his hat onto the bench and he ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t have the words.”

  He spun on his heels in an almost angry energy. He braced his hands on her upper arms. A warmth burned in his green eyes, causing gold sparks to dance. His gaze searched her face. “I feel whole again. I don’t understand, but somehow love gets bigger.”

  In front of her, he went down on one knee. “Sofia de Zavala McCreed—” he smiled at the end of her name “—you make life worth living again.” He licked his lips. “I love you.”

  She gasped, one hand covering her mouth. Not a single body part worked. He had actually said the words to her. Words she thought she could live without.

  Tears burned her eyes.

  “It doesn’t take away from the love I have for others. It just grows.” He gave her a lopsided grin.

  “I don’t even know what I’m rambling about now.” He took one small hand in both of his.

  “What I want to say is... Sofia De Zavala McCreed, will you marry me again?”

  Pausing, he took a deep breath. “Marry me not because of a ruined reputation but because I love you. Not to save your ranch, but because I need your love to save my heart. Not to be your business partner but to be your husband, a real husband. Not even for Dughall, but he’s yours.”

  His green eyes sparkled with love. “Everything of mine is yours, including my heart. Marry me so we can have a future of love together with a family to share that love with. A future God intended for us.”

  She fell to her knees in front of him and cupped his stubbled jaw. “I will marry you today and every day for the rest of this life we have together. I love you, Jackson McCreed. I think I started loving you the minute I saw you working that big stallion of yours.”

  Now the tears fell without hesitation, without apologies or regrets. “My heart was completely yours since the day I walked back into camp after the stampede. When I was being washed down the river, I had one thought—to get back to you.”

  He stood and lifted her off her knees. Leaning in, he took possession of her lips, otherwise she might not have stopped talking.

  After he completely took her breath away, he rested his forehead on hers.

  “God has freed me to love you, and I want it all. Will you give me your all?”

  Her mouth widened, and her heart pushed against its limits. “If you give me your all. I want all of you, your children, your future, your past, all of it. I love you, Jackson McCreed. God knew what He was doing when He put us on that cattle drive together.”

  “I’m not sure that was God, little rebel, but He definitely had us. Now we have each other.”

  Forever and more.

  Epilogue

  Jackson pulled on the reins. A bucket lay on its side at the well. Water soaked the grass. His heart slammed against his chest.

  Kicking his horse, he charged up the hill to their home. Rory followed close behind.

  “Jackson?”

  He didn’t want to think about why the bucket would be down here. He’d told her to stay in the house. Jackson needed to see Sofia. In a few weeks, she would be delivering their child.

  Fear made thought impossible. Cresting the hill, he saw her. She looked at him and tried to smile. Lying across the steps, she had something bundled in her apron. Her hair was a mess, and dirt streaked her dress.

  Dismounting Dughall, Jackson rushed to her. “Rory! Get Rosita.”

  He didn’t bother to check if the cowboy had left. His whole world was in front of him on the steps.

  He fell to his knees. “Are you hurt?” He searched her body for signs of injury. “What were you doing down the hill?”

  “Hello.” She pushed her hair back with a trembling hand. “I tried to get in the house before you came back, but...”

  Not letting her explain, he picked her up and forced the door open. “You weren’t to leave the house. You promised.”

  “I never promised. You just got all bossy. I needed some water, but your son decided he couldn’t wait any longer.”

  His gut twisted. Gently, he laid her on the bed. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to her forehead.

  She was so strong. Closing his eyes, he started breathing again. A soft cry came from the apron.

  Shifting a little, she lowered the blue material wrapped around the baby. Not just a baby, their son.

  “Your son was in a hurry to get into the world.” She looked back at the tiny bundle in her arms. “Rafael De Zavala McCreed, this is your papi.”

  He was a father again. Instead of fear, he was filled with peace and awe. Carefully, he touched the newborn. “Papi. I like it.” It would be easier. “He’s already taking after his mother. I think I’m in trouble.”

  With a mess of thick black hair, his son smiled at him. Yes, his heart was gone. “He’s beautiful, Sofia. As beautiful as his momma.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. This woman amazed him.

  “You’re not mad at me for going to the well?”

  He laughed. “Would it make a difference? You keep me wondering what’s going to happen next. The old bull in the pasture is more predictable than you.”

  “That bull is loco. No one ever knows what... Oh.”

  He laughed, pressing his forehead to hers. With their baby boy in their arms, the world was right. He wanted to live in this moment forever. God had gifted him with more blessings than he could count. Blessings he still wasn’t sure he deserved, but he would treasure them. His wife and son were a part of this great land that he now belonged to.

  “Mija!”

  “Sofia?”

  She chuckled. “The calvary has arrived.” Her soft voice was close to his ear. He didn’t want to move.

  A small group crowded around the bedroom door. Rosita turned on the men standing behind her and pushed Rafael, Rory and Estevan back into the hallway. She ordered Maria to get sheets and blankets from the cedar chest. “Out. Out. I will call you when she and the little one are ready for visitors.”

  She marched to the bed and shooed him away. “You, too.”

  “But...” He didn’t want to leave her side. “I brought them...”

  “Yes. Yes. Now go.” She started moving things around. “I need water. Go.”

  “I’m going, but I won’t be far.” One last kiss and he was pushed out the door. He turned to get another look at his family. “I love you.”

  She smiled. “I know. I love you, too.”

  The door closed. He just stood there.

  “Is she well?” Her father’s voice had a raw edge.

  Jackson faced the men standing in the room, each looking a little lost. Somewhere along the trail in Texas, he had gathered a family.

  God had plans for him, even when he’d thought there was nothing left to live for.

  “She’s Sofia.” Jackson grinned at them. Joy was his again, because of that headstrong rancher’s daughter
. “Apparently giving birth alone at the well didn’t cause her any problems.”

  They laughed. Estevan slapped him on the back. “Of course. Your woman took on a pirate’s challenge and won. Something so ordinary as giving birth would not phase our Two Bit.”

  De Zavala gasped. Jackson needed to change the topic of discussion. Some of the details on the trail they’d never shared with her father. Some things a father was better off not knowing for the sake of his heart. “Maria needs water.”

  Without hesitation, Rory and Estevan rushed out the door.

  “Your daughter is a strong woman. Stronger than many men I know.”

  Her father walked up to him and threw his arms around Jackson. “I’m proud to call you son. I couldn’t have found a better man for my Sofia if I had searched all of America and Mexico.”

  He hugged him tighter. “When my plan was to marry her to an American in Galveston, she fought me. I told her she would thank me when she held her first son. It seemed God had better plans and now I find I’m the one that must thank you and her for the gift of my grandson.”

  Jackson swallowed hard, pushing down the burn that hung in his throat. The urge to cry was a bit unmanning, but then his father-in-law stepped back and the stoic man had tears trailing down his cheeks.

  That was it. Jackson’s own tears spilled over. He looked around the room. He needed something to do.

  The door behind him opened.

  Rosita smiled. “She is ready to show off your son.”

  Jackson measured his steps so he wouldn’t rush to her side and scare the baby.

  Sofia sat up in the bed. Scrubbed and cleaned, she had her hair pulled back in a neat braid. Her face shone with joy. In her arms, wrapped in the blanket the church ladies had given her, lay his son.

  She looked as if it was just another day to visit. He went to his knees once he reached the side of the bed.

  Her long black lashes hid her eyes as she looked at their son. “Do you want to hold him?”

  He had no words, but somehow managed a nod. She shifted and slid the precious little body into his arms.

  “Hi, Rafael. I’m your papi. I promise to...” He choked back the tears. “I promise to always love you and be here for you. I’m going to teach you how great God is.”

  Big brown eyes as dark as his momma’s looked up at Jackson. The black-as-coal lashes fluttered. Turning his face to Jackson’s heartbeat, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep. “I could stare at him all day.”

  Sofia held her hand out to her father. “Papi, come meet your grandson.”

  Jackson turned to find his father-in-law standing in the doorway.

  Slowly he walked across the room and went to the other side of his daughter. Gently, he touched her brow with trembling hands. “I thank God and you for this precious gift. Your mother would be over the moon with love for this little man.” He studied her face. “Are you well?”

  She nodded, but he looked over his shoulder at Rosita for confirmation.

  She nodded. “They are all healthy.”

  Jackson stood. He held his son out to the older Rafael.

  Tears welled up again in his dark eyes. “God has blessed us.” Taking his namesake, he pulled him close to his chest. “He looks just like you and your brother.”

  Rory and Estevan entered the room. Estevan sat the water on top of a dresser, and Rory stood at the foot of the bed. “So, we have a new Two Bit to teach how to ride?”

  “Let’s give him time to learn to walk first.” Jackson shook his head.

  Estevan joined them. Rafael showed off his grandson. Estevan nodded. “Good work, little momma.”

  She smiled at them. “He’ll have the best teachers.”

  “It is all good.” Her father tucked the baby back into Sofia’s arms. “You need rest. We will leave for now to let you and Jackson get to know your son, but we will be back.”

  “I don’t have a doubt.”

  As everyone left, Jackson sat on the edge of the bed next to her. He kissed the side of her head. “Do you have to do everything the hard way?”

  She giggled. “I didn’t mean to, I promise. But don’t complain too much. I’m sure that is one of the reasons you love me. You know I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I do. But you have to know I love taking care of you, too. I love you more than words or gifts from this world could ever express.”

  “I love you, too, Jackson McCreed.”

  * * * * *

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  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for joining me on this trip back in time. My family settled in Texas in about 1825, so my roots run deep and this story has been a passion of mine for several years.

  To see Sofia and Jackson’s story in print is a dream come true.

  Some of the events in Lone Star Bride are part of my own family history, including what happens in the epilogue! Can you imagine? If you haven’t read it yet, I won’t spoil it for you. But really, the women in my family are remarkable. The women that settled the wild land of Texas had an independent life force.

  I love research, and the little facts of people going through their everyday lives made this project so much fun, and when I discovered that cowboys and pirates crossed paths along the Texas-Louisiana border, well, it was a romance writer’s dream.

  I love talking with readers, so look me up on Facebook at Jolene Navarro, Author or jolenenavarrowriter.com.

  Happy Trails,

  Jolene Navarro

  Keep reading for an excerpt from MONTANA COWBOY’S BABY by Linda Ford.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.

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  Montana Cowboy’s Baby

  by Linda Ford

  Chapter One

  Bella Creek, Montana, summer 1890

  Twenty-two-year-old Kate Baker walked out of the big house on the Marshall Five Ranch. She’d completed her errand and was intent on returning to her home, four miles away, in Bella Creek. She’d taken two steps toward her buggy when a wagon rolled up to the house.

  A stranger got down, retrieved a basket like the one Kate used for laundry and handed it to her.

  “For Conner Marshall.”

  Before she could think to ask who he was or what he’d delivered, he jumped back to the seat, flicked the reins and drove away.

  She turned to look in the
basket and met the dull brown eyes of an infant. Not a single rational thought came to her mind. What was she to do with this baby?

  Think, she ordered herself. Who would bring a baby to Conner? He wasn’t even married.

  Grandfather Marshall was inside—she had delivered some new liniment for him from her father, the local doctor—but he was in no shape to take care of a baby.

  Grandfather, as everyone called him, had said everyone else was away. Wait, hadn’t he said Conner had stayed on the ranch to keep an eye on things...meaning the older man?

  She glanced around. Did she detect movement in the corrals by the barn? It could be one of the hired hands or Conner.

  “Conner,” she yelled. “Conner Marshall.”

  The movement turned into a body that vaulted the fence and raced toward her.

  She watched Conner approach. The middle Marshall son was twenty-four years old. He was a big man. Blond as all the Marshalls were with piercing blue eyes. His dusty cowboy hat tipped back from his pace, allowing her a view of his strong, angular face.

  He reached her side. “Is something wrong? Is it Grandfather?” He clattered across the wooden veranda toward the door.

  “Not Grandfather.” Her words stopped him and he slowly turned. She pointed toward the basket that she had lowered to the ground. “Someone brought this for you.”

  “Me? What is it?”

  “You best look and see.”

  He did so. “A baby? Why would anyone send me a baby?”

  Exactly her question. They stared at the solemn infant.

  “Look, there’s a note.” She pointed to the piece of paper tucked by the bedding.

  He seemed incapable of moving, so she picked it up. “It has your name on it.”

  He plucked it from her fingers, unfolded it and read it aloud. “‘Conner, this is Elspeth. She’s yours. Take care of her. Thelma.’”

  Kate lowered her gaze, unable to look at the man. He had a baby? And obviously no wife, unless she had left him. “You’re married?” She kept her voice low, revealing nothing of the shock this news provided.