Her Favorite Cowboy (The Watson Brothers #4)

by Ann B. Harrison

She tried to smile but it came off wobbly and Layla looked away trying to gather her wits.

  “What’s got you two so fired up?” Tyson walked over and looked over Callie’s shoulder.

  “Um, it’s a photo of the baby. Layla’s baby.” Callie looked over at Layla and mouthed an apology.

  She watched Tyson blanch and wished she could reach up and tear the pictures out of Chance’s hand.

  *

  Tyson handed Fisher over to Chance and took the photos from his big brother. The black and white pictures trembled in his hand. This was the child he’d made with Layla after Rory and Gina’s wedding. The child he would only be a part-time father to if she got her way. It was easy enough to work out what was what at this stage of the pregnancy. It looked like a baby and he could see the tiny toes and fingers. The baby had what looked like a thumb in its mouth and he felt a softening in his gut and a race of his heart that he couldn’t explain even if he tried.

  He risked a quick glance at Layla and met her worried gaze before looking back at his child. “Good looking kid.” He brushed past Chance and handed her the photos, wishing he could tuck them into his shirt pocket and keep them close to his heart.

  “Thanks.” She coughed delicately and the strained silence hung heavy in the room.

  “I could use a beer, what do you guys want?” Rory walked in and stopped short when he noticed Layla sitting on the couch and Tyson hovering over her. “Hey, Layla. Looking good. Can I get anyone a drink in here?”

  Tyson brushed past him back into the kitchen. “I’ll get my own.” He could hear the whispered voice of Callie consoling Layla but he ignored it and headed to the fridge.

  “Tyson, are you okay?” It was Gina and she leaned on the kitchen island watching him, kindness and concern in her eyes.

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m here if you ever need to talk.” She put a hand down to rub her belly, screwing up her mouth.

  “Are you in pain?” He reached her side, suddenly more concerned about his sister-in-law than his own problems. “Do you want me to get Rory?”

  She brushed him off, a tortured smile on her face. “No, no. It’s okay really. One of the babies has a knack of digging its heel under my ribs and it hurts. Nothing we can do about it.”

  He held her arm until she breathed easier and stood straighter. “That was a bad one.”

  “How do you do it? Put up with all the pain and the morning sickness?”

  “It’s worth it in the long run. When you get to hold that new life you’ve made together, all the pain and stress they put you through makes it worth it.” She smiled. “I’m sorry you’re missing it, Tyson. I really am.”

  “Me too. I saw a photo just now of my baby. Kind of makes it all the more real, you know?” His heart ached for what he was missing.

  “He’s such a little cutie, isn’t he? I can’t wait to meet him.”

  Him. “Him? I’m getting a son?” How could Gina know and not him?

  “You didn’t know? Oh no, Tyson, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this news.” She held her hand up to her mouth, despair in her eyes.

  “What have you done to my wife? If you’ve upset her, you’ll have me to answer to.” Rory stalked in and glanced between the two of them.

  “No, he’s done nothing. It’s me.” Gina looked at her husband. “He didn’t know the baby was a boy and tonight is the first time he’s seem a photo of the scans.”

  Rory lifted his hands to his hips and sighed. “Guess tonight will be a good time for you two to talk, don’t you think?”

  Tyson glanced at him, trying to calm down before he answered.

  The hurt burned in his chest. “I can’t believe she told you guys and not me. I am the baby’s father and I deserve better.”

  “I think so too. And not because I put my foot in it either. As the father of that child you should have an equal say in things.” Gina leaned into her husband, sliding a hand around his waist. “This has gone on long enough. You need to fix whatever it was that made this go all wrong, Tyson. You two had eyes for each other from day one so I don’t understand what went so bad between you.” She moved from Rory and placed a hand on Tysons back, pushed him toward the living room. “Chance, Callie, can we have you in the kitchen please? These two need some talking time without the family listening in.” She gave Tyson a final push and he stumbled into the room, noticing the warning glance his oldest brother shot his way. If he upset her he would have Chance to deal with. Got it loud and clear but this is nothing to do with you, Chance.

  Once they were on their own, he glanced over at Layla. Her color was high and he thought she looked annoyed or was that cornered to be alone in the room with him? “Hi.”

  “Hello.” She smoothed out the top she was wearing over her bulging stomach.

  Tyson wanted to lift it up and touch her belly as he’d done with Gina. He needed to feel his son. “I hear it’s a boy.”

  Her gaze flickered away before settling on the floor in front of her. “Yes.”

  “You could have told me, Layla. I would rather have heard it from you than my family.” He stepped closer. “I know you have all these ideas on how we’re going to raise this child but I think I deserve better. I want to be involved, to go to doctor’s appointments and see what he has to say. Can’t I be there for that at least?”

  She looked up, fire in her eyes. “If you’d bothered to call me, I might have told you, Tyson. But since you didn’t, you can take the consequences.” Her lips tightened to a straight line and her gaze hardened.

  “Funnily enough, that works both ways for me. You could have called me too but you didn’t. Why not? Why do you have to tell everyone else our business but not me?” He paused a few feet closer in front of her. “Why don’t I have any rights all of a sudden?”

  “Funny, I thought you would be too busy with your new bride to be to even give us a thought.” Her words were like a slap in the face.

  “I never—”

  “Yes, you did. We discussed this the day I told you I was pregnant. You professed to love me then but did you cancel the ad or ask me to do it? No, you didn’t. So why would I be the one to make all the moves, Tyson? Tell me that one before you get on your high horse and make demands of me.”

  “Hang on just a minute.” Where did she get off being so damned pissed when it was nothing to do with him?

  “No, you hang on, cowboy. We’re having a child together, no denying it. But damned if I will play meek and mild ‘Miss Congeniality’ while you get up close and personal with someone else. You want this child in your life, you can make the effort. After all, I’m the one who turned her life upside down to come here so the baby can get to know its family, even when its father was looking for another woman. I could just as well as stayed put and told you nothing.”

  “And you seem to be forgetting I’m the one you ignored once you’d had your roll in the hay with a cowboy. Seems I was good enough for sex but nothing else.” Tyson stood with his hands on his hips, staring down at her while his heart pumped in his chest.

  He was furious she wanted to lay all the blame on his shoulders.

  She pushed herself to her feet and looked up into his eyes. “Cast your mind back. The weekend of the wedding, with me on this?” Her snappy lawyer mode was creeping back in and he flinched and nodded his head knowing it would be better top let her get it out of her system.

  “Do you remember what you said when I left on the last day to fly back out?”

  Stay with me, or that was awesome sex, I can’t wait to do it again. Hell, no I don’t. “Not exactly word for word, no.”

  “Well, I do.” She leaned in, pointed her finger into his chest and poked it into his flesh, hard. “Thanks for the best weekend I’ve had for ages.” She poked again, her finger not quite so hard this time. “Not when can we do it again or can I call you. Oh no, happy to have me in your bed for the weekend but that’s all you wanted, plain and simple.”

  “No it wasn’t
—”

  “Yes, it was. Let’s face it, if you cared, you would have made the effort but you didn’t. You let me walk away with no hint of us being together in the future. I got on that plane home feeling like a freaking call girl who you’d forget as soon as she walked out the damned door. But that’s not really the issue here, merely an added insult. We are from two totally different backgrounds, Tyson. How long do you think it will be before you get annoyed with me for being too clever or too rich?” She stepped back and crossed her arms over her baby bump, glaring at him. “Not very long, I can assure you. I had a relationship once, fell in love with a young man I had every intention of marrying. He was from another country – no big deal. Different lifestyle – no big deal. Until he announced to his family he wanted to marry me. Things got nasty and suddenly he couldn’t wait to go back to his own country and marry someone ‘appropriate.’ I made the decision then to stick to my own kind of person, rash or not, that is what I did and I can’t go against that and get hurt all over again.”

  “So, I was just a roll in the hay to you, someone to scratch an itch. You had no intention of making it more than that. You just admitted it.”

  “I pursued you, I admit that but I thought maybe I was being too hard, maybe there was something between us regardless of my earlier beliefs. I guess I was wrong and when Chance asked me to take care of your ‘mail-order bride business,’ I realized how wrong I was. You don’t have to try and make me feel better. I enjoyed it too while it lasted but we got caught out so now we have to deal with the consequences the best way we can.” Her chest heaved after the outburst.

  “But I never wanted—”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you more about the baby but I didn’t think you cared. Obviously you had other things on your mind.” She lifted a finger and wiped it under her eye. Tyson reached for her but she stepped out of reach. “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. And I’ll make sure I tell you how the baby is in future, that’s if it’s what you want.”

  “Of course I want to know what’s going on. He’s my son. I don’t want to hear it all from my family.” The words to convince her drifted away, the opportunity fading away under her icy stare.

  Layla leaned down and took a photo from her handbag. “I got copies in case you might want to have one.” She handed it over and he gladly took it.

  “Thank you.” He ran a finger around the black and white shape, his heart doing all manner of flips and starts in his chest. “So everything is okay? You’re feeling good?”

  Her glance softened and she cleared her throat before answering. “Yes. Evan is happy with me so far.”

  “Make sure you call me if you need anything, okay?” He slid the photo in his shirt pocket. “I want to be there for you, Layla. I want to be at the next doctor’s visit. I want what other fathers have.” I want to be there when my baby comes into the world.

  “Too late, Tyson. Much too late.”

  Chapter Ten

  Layla did her best to appear upbeat and unaffected with Tyson sitting next to her at the dinner table. They’d agreed to put on a brave face for the sake of the family lest they get pressured to kiss and make-up. She made the suggestion lightly, striving for a dismissive attitude as if it didn’t wound her to be in the same room as the man she still lusted after. He hadn’t told her she had it wrong either, which was the kicker as far as she was concerned. Oh yes, he’d attempted to protest but to her it was no more than a weak attempt, which he never backed up. And she noticed he hadn’t said anything about getting married either. Layla was too proud to ask Chance and there was no way she’d ask Tyson which of the applicants he preferred. Heaven forbid he think she still cared. Give a girl some pride.

  Used to people throwing platitudes her way in her career to get off the latest charges laid against them, Layla wanted more than half-assed attempts to fob her off. She wanted a man who would fight for her through thick and thin when times got hard and still love her while he did it, even if he came out the other side scratched and bruised. For a while, she’d thought Tyson might be that man but it didn’t appear to be so. She kicked herself mentally. Normally such a good judge of character, she’d made a monumental blunder and it irked on a very deep level.

  Chance finished carving the meat and placed the big platter in the middle of the table.

  Rory sniffed appreciatively and smiled. “Can’t beat a decent piece of beef. Looks like you’ve done yourself proud, Callie.”

  She blushed and giggled. “Thank your father. He put it on for me before he went home tonight. Something about secret marinades and herbs.”

  “Where is the old man? Surprised to see him missing.” Tyson speared himself a piece of meat before holding the platter out to Layla. She took a small piece and thanked him, keeping her voice neutral.

  “Reckons he had a date. Wouldn’t say who though and I asked him point blank too. Sneaky little guy is stepping out by the look of it.” She laughed and passed the vegetables over to Tyson. He held the bowl while Layla helped herself.

  “About time he made the move on her. Been skirting around each other for years.”

  “Who are you talking about?” Chance pinned his littlest brother with a look over the table.

  “Milly Forester. You remember the lady couple of houses down from us? Used to tan our hides when we were kids when we got into mischief. She’s always had a soft spot for Pa and I wish them well. Everyone needs someone.”

  While the family nodded in agreement with Tyson, Layla froze beside him. He’d made the comment in relation to his father. But did the underlying meaning suggest he’d liked what she’d forwarded to him? Did that mean he was already in the throes of arranging his marriage.

  “Layla, are you feeling alright?” Gina watched her over the dinner table.

  “Yes, fine. A little tired maybe but that’s all.” She picked up her knife and fork and cut the meat, taking a small bite as everyone watched her. She chewed and swallowed, doing her best to appear fine. “Stop worrying. There’s nothing wrong with me, I promise. An early night might be on the cards I think though.”

  “I know how you feel.” Gina rubbed her belly and sighed. “Only problem I have is as soon as I lay down, the twins wake up and think it’s time to party. Makes bedtime seem like torture.”

  “And you wonder why I’m happy to wait.” Callie picked up her glass of wine and took a sip making exaggerated slurping noises. “Besides, who could give up such nice wine for early morning vomits and sore backs? Not this little black duck.”

  “Little black duck. Where on earth did that come from?” Chance peered at his wife.

  “Aussie slang, sorry.”

  “You sure do come up with some interesting stuff.” He smiled at her affectionately and Callie winked at him.

  *

  Tyson kept watch on her from the corner of his eye. She was definitely on tenterhooks with him sitting beside her. That had to mean something, right?

  The phone shrilled, breaking the mood around the table. Chance got up to answer it, leaning against the kitchen counter with the phone clutched to his ear. Tyson kept a watch on him while trying to engage Layla in conversation.

  “That was Evan. He’s taken Denver in. Apparently she’s having contractions and he doesn’t want to take any chances.”

  “Oh, I knew she was feeling off today.” Gina grabbed Rory’s arm. “This is going to be so emotional. I can’t wait to meet the little person.” Her eyes misted over and Rory put his arm around her shoulders.

  “Does he want anyone to come and keep him company?” Callie looked at Chance as he took a seat back at the table.

  “I think that’d be a good idea. He sounded pretty stressed out. Who wants to go and sit with them?”

  “I do.” Gina was the first to speak.

  “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Rory was shaking his head even as she started to protest. “You’re already dead on your feet. If I’d had my way, we wouldn’t be here tonight, you’d be in bed r
esting.”

  “You should listen to him, Gina. This pregnancy is taking its toll on you. Twins are draining you more than I think even you expected.” Callie reached a hand over the table and gripped her friend’s fingers for a quick squeeze. “How about Chance and I go up and I keep you posted via cell phone messages and I might even send you a couple of photos, okay?”

  “She’s right, Gina. I’m taking you home straight after dinner for a rest.” Rory kissed his wife and smiled at his sister-in-law. “Thanks Callie. This wife of mine thinks she can do so much but I think we know better now.” He dropped another kiss on her temple as she smiled weakly.

  “Right, let’s eat and then we can go and help Evan get through this.” Chance picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of meat.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tyson saw the wariness in Layla’s eyes when Chance and Callie hurried from the house, promising to keep them all informed of developments at the hospital.

  “I guess I’d better get you home too, my love.” Rory winked at Gina who had given into her tiredness and yawned all through dinner. She sat rubbing her belly, shadows under her eyes.

  “I really wanted to go to the hospital and be there for Denver.”

  “I know but it’s not going to happen on my watch and Callie did say she’d keep you posted. Pretty sure your doctor wouldn’t be happy to see you there. Think he’ll have enough on his plate to deal with.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “How about if I take you in first thing in the morning. We can drop Fisher off at Dad’s for an hour.”

  Gina nodded her head and once again Tyson envied his brother the love he’d found.

  “Or you can bring him over to me for a bit. About time I got the chance to look after him.” He stood up, pushed back his chair and startled Fisher who screwed up his face and started to cry. “Sorry, little buddy. Your mom isn’t the only one looking tired and ready for bed.” He reached over and picked him up, leaning him against his shoulder. Fisher sighed and closed his eyes, popping his thumb in his mouth. “You guys go home. I’ll clear up the dishes here before I leave.”