by Linda Warren
Naddy, Buck, Maggie and her husband, Steve, played poker on a card table. The kids played in the yard, trying to rope a lawn chair. Walker, Tripp and Camila’s son, was walking now and he didn’t like being left out. He managed to always get in the way. Jilly lugged him to Camila, but Walker always made his way back.
His parents sat talking to Griffin and Leona, Tripp’s parents. His closest friends and family were all here, sharing his birthday. The only person missing was Cleo. She’d married Melvin and they’d moved to Austin to be near Melvin’s daughter. He talked to her every now and then to make sure she was okay. She would always be his aunt.
Alex, Marisa and Camila were on the patio, sipping tea and talking. He was sure it was about babies. A year had made such a difference. It was filled with happiness and any lingering pain they got through together.
Gwen passed away and they went to Lubbock for the funeral. Buck went, too. Alex now had a better relationship with her father because the truth had been revealed. And Brodie also had a good relationship with his parents. It hadn’t come easy, but he went the extra mile trying to ease their pain.
He’d legally added Braxton as his middle name. He didn’t have to do that, but for them, he did. The past forty years were gone and he couldn’t change that, but he could give them the rest of his life.
“Ellie, are you going to ride in the Founder’s Day Parade in Bramble?” Jilly asked.
“Yes. Daddy said I could and Mommy bought me a new outfit.”
“Great. Mama made mine and it’s totally cool. We get to carry the flags and lead the parade.”
“Wow!”
“And Cody and Amber are riding, too.”
They were all becoming very good friends.
Jack, Colter and Marisa’s four-year-old son, looked up at Colter. “Daddy, can I ride, too?”
“Sure, son,” Colter replied.
“By myself?”
Colter picked up his son. As if sensing what Colter was going to say, Jack whispered, “Don’t ask Mommy.”
Because of what happened with Ellie, Marisa tended to be overprotective of her children. That was the biggest problem that Marisa and Colter had, but they had a way of working it out.
“Now, son…”
“What is it?” Marisa called, knowing something was amiss. She made her way to them.
“Jack wants to ride in the parade by himself.”
“Oh.”
“Mommy, please. I’m big.”
“Okay. As long as you ride next to your daddy.”
Jack bobbed his head up and down.
They all laughed and Jack went into Marisa’s arms and she held him extra tight.
“I’ll watch him, too, Mommy,” Ellie promised.
“Thank you, baby.”
Walker stomped on Tripp’s boots and he swung him up in his arms. “Son, you’re scratching some mighty fine Kincaid boots.”
“Bring him to me,” Leona said. “I’ll hold him.”
“No. I’ll hold him,” Griffin said.
“That’s okay, Mom, Dad,” Tripp replied. “I got him.”
If Tripp and Camila had any problems, it was balancing a very large family without anyone getting their feelings hurt.
Camila and Alex came across the yard. “Mama, Mama,” Walker shouted, wiggling down. Then he was off.
Camila caught him and kissed his cheek. “Sissy.” Walker pointed to Jilly and he was off again. He knew how to dole out his affection.
Alex walked into his arms and he pulled her into his side, kissing her for a long moment.
“Happy birthday,” she whispered, tightening her arm around his waist. “It’s nice having everyone together.”
“Mmm.” Life was better than it had ever been all because of Alex and her love.
They all heard it at the same time—a baby wail from the mobile monitor Alex held in her hand. She made a sprint for the house, but Brodie overtook her. Helen was at the door, but she let them pass.
Brodie stared into the bassinet in the living room at their two-month-old son. “Hey, there, buddy. Did you wake up?” He carefully lifted him into his arms, but his son wanted something he couldn’t give him—milk.
Alex took the baby from him, sat down and opened her blouse. He latched onto to a nipple greedily. Brodie watched in amazement. Just looking at them he knew his world had been completed in a way he’d never even dreamed. He could never dream this good.
Alex laid the baby on her shoulder to burp him, patting his back.
Helen poked her head in. “Is he awake?”
“Yeah,” Brodie said. “Come on in.”
George followed Helen into the room and they stared at the black-haired, blue-eyed baby. “May I hold him, please?” Helen asked in a hesitant voice.
“Sure,” Alex replied and handed the baby to Brodie.
He took his son to his mother, placing him in her arms. Helen cradled the baby to her. “I’m almost afraid to say his name.”
“Don’t be,” Brodie told her, tickling the baby’s cheek while laying the silver rattle next to him. “Say hi to your grandmother, Travis Braxton Hayes.”
Travis flashed his dimple and tears rolled from Helen’s eyes.
“Let me have him,” George said, his voice shaky. “You’re getting him all wet.”
The kids began to edge into the room, followed by the grown-ups, waiting to look at the new baby.
Over the top of everyone’s heads his eyes caught Alex’s. “I love you,” he mouthed.
She smiled and everything in his world was right. She made it that way by just being in his life. With her love, the broken cowboy had healed completely.
*
Look for Linda Warren’s next books from
Harlequin American Romance!
THE SHERIFF OF HORSESHOE, TEXAS
March 2009
And from Harlequin Superromance!
CAITLYN’S PRIZE
July 2009
MADISON’S CHILDREN
October 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-75155-6
ISBN-10: 0-373-75155-9
eISBN: 978-1-4268-3058-7
ONCE A COWBOY
Copyright © 2007 by Linda Warren.
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