A Cowboy for Christmas

by Sara Richardson

  “A few months ago, I guess.” She was forty, for crying out loud. The baby train had long since passed her by.

  The nurse shared a wide-eyed look with Josie, who must’ve spent the last three minutes becoming her new best friend. “Oh, yeah, we’ll definitely run a pregnancy test on that sample.”

  Darla’s knees buckled. Whoa. There was that light-headedness again. She made her way back to the table and sat, bracing her hands on either side of her for more stability.

  “I’ll go run the tests and tell the doctor you’re waiting,” the nurse said before slipping out the door.

  It hadn’t even latched shut before Josie started in. “Do you want to talk about this?”

  Darla fanned her face. Wow, it was hot in here. “About what?”

  Josie tipped down her chin and widened her eyes in a you-know-very-well-about-what expression. “The fact that you might be pregnant?”

  “I’m not.” There was no way. Of course she’d wanted kids when she’d been married. She hadn’t known such heartbreak back then. She hadn’t been forced to shut down a part of her heart and soul.

  Tears scalded her eyes. A baby. Could a baby change her? Could a baby open her heart back up? Tiny tendrils of hope unfurled inside of her, but she stamped them down. At forty, the odds for a baby—or a healthy pregnancy—weren’t in her favor.

  “How long ago did you sleep with Ty?” Josie asked.

  “A month and a half ago.” Back in early November. That one wild, fun night before she’d felt an emotional connection with him. Before she’d tried to be brave and had only ended up proving she was a coward. “That was the last time. Until last night.” The tears fell. Last night. Ty had been so sweet to her. He was always so good.

  “And there hasn’t been anyone else?” her friend asked quietly.

  “No.” If she was pregnant, Ty had to be the father.

  Josie blew out a sigh. “Sooooo you might be having a real baby with the fake fiancé you’re about to fake break up with? Woweee!” She smacked her hand against her thigh. “I told you this was better than The Bachelorette.”

  Darla couldn’t muster any amusement. The very foundation of her life was shaking. “I’m not having a baby.” She couldn’t. She had to keep those hopes where they belonged.

  “Would it be such a terrible thing if you were?”

  “No. It wouldn’t be terrible at all.” Just completely unexpected. A baby? With Ty? “It wouldn’t have to change anything.” Even she could hear the desperation in her words. She couldn’t let it change anything. Everything she’d told him that morning was true. She didn’t know how to build a life with him—with both him and the baby—when Ty risked his life every time he went to work. How would she do it? Kiss him goodbye, watch him kiss their son or daughter goodbye not knowing if he’d come back? Thinking about it made her stomach churn.

  “How do you think he would take the news?” Josie asked.

  “I have no idea.” But if that doctor came back in and told her she was pregnant, she couldn’t tell Ty. Not now. Not when his family was in town. Not when she needed to put space between them. Darla lay back on the small bed and inhaled deep, meditative breaths. Her mind raced through all the reasons it wasn’t possible, but her heart pounded harder and harder and she already knew.

  The door creaked open and she shot to a sitting position. “Hi there, Darla. I’m Doctor Leigh.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Her voice squeaked.

  “It’s nice to meet you too. And it seems congratulations are in order. According to the tests we ran, you are officially expecting a baby.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ty was running out of ways to avoid spending time with his family. After his training ride, his mother insisted they all go Christmas shopping together, but he’d told them he’d promised the Cortez brothers he’d help out with some work on their ranch.

  After Darla ran out on him this morning, he couldn’t pretend to be in a festive mood. He leaned in to the fence and kicked the snow off his boots. This December had been even colder than the last, making everything—from the pine trees at the edge of the meadow to the stark white peaks in the distance—look frozen solid. He’d been out here a good hour, checking on the bulls out in the pasture and cleaning up the stables, and now he was about frozen solid too. But he wasn’t ready to go back home just yet.

  His parents and brother had likely arrived home already. That meant he’d get to spend a whole afternoon in yet another pissing match with his brother and he wasn’t in the mood. Might as well save that for the bachelor auction later tonight.

  An engine gunned off in the distance and within minutes, Everly’s truck came barreling up and over the hill. She parked near the fence and got out. “Hey, didn’t expect to see you here today. How are things going with your family?”

  “Great.” He offered no additional explanation for why he’d rather stand in the snow than hang out with his family. He figured he didn’t need to. From what Mateo had told him, Everly’s parents weren’t exactly easygoing.

  Sure enough, she nodded. “I get it.”

  “What’re you doing here?”

  “I’m here to bring Jessa dinner. The triplets have been sick this week, and I know she’s struggling. But then I saw your truck and I wanted to talk to you.”

  “You wanted to talk to me?” That was different. He and Everly chatted when Mateo was around, but they’d never exactly had a heart-to-heart.

  “Yeah.” Everly pulled a stocking cap out of her coat pocket and yanked it onto her head. “Does Darla seem off to you lately?”

  “What’d you mean?” He’d noticed Darla hadn’t been herself, but then again, before their fake engagement they hadn’t exactly spent a lot of time talking about what was going on in their personal lives.

  “She seems…different. I don’t know. I keep wondering if something’s wrong with her.”

  Her obvious concern dropped his stomach. “Like what?”

  “I don’t know.” Everly looked out on the bulls in the pasture. “Every time I’ve asked her, she says she’s fine. But I’ve noticed she hasn’t been eating much, and she seems so worn out.”

  “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” It went past worn out. Darla had always had enough energy to light up a room, but lately she’d seemed to be missing her spark.

  “I’m surprised she hasn’t talked to you about it,” Everly said, her eyes searching his face. “You two have been spending so much time together with the engagement and all.”

  “We’re not really engaged.” Maybe in a real engagement the couple would talk about things that were bothering them, but Darla seemed hell-bent on keeping him out of her life. “It’s all fake. Part of a big show. In fact, she wants to stage a breakup.” That ought to be a fun family gathering. Rhett was going to love every minute of it.

  “Really? She wants to break up?” Everly frowned. “I guess I was wrong then.”

  “What’d you mean?”

  She hesitated and then sighed. “I thought this fake engagement was a good thing. That it would bring you two together. Finally. I thought she would see how perfect you two are for each other.”

  “Yeah, that’s not what happened.” Instead, Darla had decided he was all wrong for her, that he took too many risks or whatever. It shouldn’t bother him so much. He’d had no intention of wanting things to work out between them, of wanting her. Though that was what had ended up happening. “It’s for the best.”

  “For the best?” Everly’s face flushed with what seemed to be frustration. “But you care about her. I can tell. It’s so obvious.”

  Caring about her wasn’t enough. “I’m not gonna fight to be with someone who doesn’t want me.”

  “But…” Everly seemed determined to argue. “I think she’s terrified. Maybe that’s why she’s been acting so different. You two have been dancing around a commitment since you moved here.” Her eyes brightened. “Of course that’s why she’s breaking up with you before your family leav
es! Spending time with you is totally freaking her out. If she didn’t have feelings for you, I’ll bet she wouldn’t be breaking up with you.” The woman grinned. “Trust me, this is a good thing.”

  “No it’s not.” It wasn’t good for Darla and it wasn’t good for him. He had no desire to do a repeat of last night and this morning. It was like being on a damn seesaw. One minute she wanted him and the next she booted him out of her life. He didn’t need to be jerked around. “It’s fine. We’ll break up. Everything’ll go back to being the way it was before.”

  Everly stared at him with those disturbingly perceptive eyes. “Can everything really go back to the way it was, Ty? After you two have spent all this time together? After you’ve gotten a glimpse of what it would be like to be with her?”

  “It has to go back.” Simple as that.

  Before Everly could argue again, Rhett drove up in Ty’s spare Jeep—the car he usually used in the summer—and parked next to her truck. His brother cut the engine and got out.

  “Great.” Looked like his brother had gotten tired of hanging out with their parents.

  “This conversation is not over,” Everly whispered.

  “I thought you were working today,” his brother said as he sauntered over to meet them.

  “I am. Was.” Ty tried not to look too guilty. “How was Christmas shopping?”

  “I’m not even gonna answer that.” His brother turned to Everly. “Hey. I’m Rhett. Ty’s older and much better-looking brother.”

  “I know who you are. We briefly met the other night.” And she clearly wasn’t impressed. “I’d better head down to Jessa’s house.” She flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder when she spun away from them. “See you tonight at the auction, gentlemen. I’m looking forward to it.”

  Rhett’s eyes followed Everly all the way to the barn. “Too bad she’s married.”

  Ty laughed. “Don’t let her husband hear you say that.” Mateo wouldn’t hesitate to put Rhett in his place. “So what’re you doing here?”

  Rhett zipped up his coat. “We ran into Levi at the grocery store. I may have mentioned how bored I was and he offered to let us take out his snowmobiles for a few hours.”

  Rhett wanted to take out the snowmobiles? Together? “Why?”

  “Like I said, I’m bored as hell hanging out with Mom and Dad. And we need some bro time.”

  “Bro time?” They hadn’t had bro time for years. Call him crazy, but they’d sailed way past brother bonding activities. Besides that: “The auction starts in two and a half hours.” Darla would have his head if they weren’t there on time.

  “So?” His brother mocked him with a wry grin. “What’re you planning to do? Go to the spa and get your nails done first?” He whacked Ty’s shoulder. “Come on. We’ll go out for an hour and still have plenty of time for you to get all pretty for tonight. Not that it’ll help. I’m still gonna kick your ass with the bidding.”

  “Actually, a snowmobile trip sounds great.” Maybe he’d leave Rhett on the side of the mountain…

  “I knew you wouldn’t be able to pass it up. Levi said they’re in the outbuilding behind the barn.” His brother slung an arm around Ty’s shoulders and started walking. “This is gonna be great.”

  “Yeah.” A whole hour alone with his brother. At least they wouldn’t have to talk much.

  “Darla sure left in a hurry this morning,” his brother commented casually as they slipped inside the outbuilding.

  “She was running late.” He wasn’t about to share any details for what had gone down between them in his room after Rhett had gone on and on about the dangers of his career. Why did his brother think everyone always wanted to hear his opinion?

  “What’d she have going on in Glenwood Springs?” his brother asked, pulling two helmets off a nearby shelf.

  “She had an appointment.” Likely with her support group, though she hadn’t mentioned it to him. According to her he wasn’t supposed to care what she did, but that was proving to be easier said than done. Especially after his conversation with Everly. Can things really go back to the way they were? He’d best not answer that. “So how’re you liking Topaz Falls?” he asked to steer the subject away from Darla.

  “I like it here.” Rhett raised the outbuilding’s garage door so they could drive the sleds into the snow. “It’s a great town. Not a lot of excitement, but you can always go to Denver if you want some nightlife.”

  “Yeah.” Ty rarely made the trip down there. He preferred the mountains. The space. The down-to-earth vibe. “This is a good place. Good people.” Out of all the places he’d been it reminded him the most of his hometown. He never thought he’d miss Montana, but getting older had a way of making you nostalgic.

  “Gotta admit, when I heard you were putting down roots, I was surprised.” His brother strapped on one of the helmets. “But I can see why you like it here. Hell, I could see myself living in a place like this after I retire from football.”

  That set off all of Ty’s internal warning sirens. Rhett coming to Topaz Falls? Heck no. This town wasn’t big enough for the both of them. “Retirement has to be what? Another five years or so?” That might be stretching it, but a guy could hope.

  “I don’t know, man.” His brother climbed onto one of the sleds. “The injuries are getting tougher to deal with.”

  “But you’ll come back. You always have.” Rhett had been lucky to only have a few minor injuries before the ACL tear. “A few more months, you’ll be as good as new.” And he’d continue on with his life the way it was—partying in Dallas, far away from Topaz Falls.

  “We’ll see,” his brother said, a little too cryptically for comfort. “An injury’s not gonna slow me down today though. I’ll kick your ass up that mountain.” He moved the goggles from the top of the helmet over his eyes.

  Looked like it was go time. Ty put on his own helmet and climbed onto the other sled. “One hour, max,” he called to his brother, but Rhett had already started the engine.

  “Take it easy out th—” Without heeding the warning, Rhett cranked the throttle and flew out of the garage, disappearing from sight.

  Ty got the engine on his sled started and took off after him. He should’ve known that’s how this was gonna go. Rhett didn’t want bro time. He wanted to make him look like a dumbass. It had been, what, twenty-four hours since he’d insulted him last? He was probably going through withdrawals.

  Ty coasted past the corrals and pushed his speed across the flat meadow, following the tracks Rhett’s sled had cut into the freshly fallen snow. Further ahead, he spotted his brother, stopped and waiting for him at the edge of the woods. Back when they were kids, they’d gone snowmobiling all the time in the mountains, and Ty went out with Lance and Levi all the time, but it had likely been a while for his brother. “Watch the trees,” he yelled as he approached Rhett.

  “I know how to drive these things,” his brother yelled back. “You’re the one who’s driving like Grandma Betty.”

  “I’d rather not wreck my friend’s sled,” Ty ground out. “So let’s take it easy up the mountain.” All he saw was a grin on his brother’s face before Rhett took off again, weaving in and around the trees like they were on some crazy obstacle course. Once again, he followed his brother, dodging the massive pine trees and cranking the throttle in an effort to keep up.

  Fresh powder sprayed into the face shield of his helmet and speed blurred everything. The fast pound of his heart stoked the adrenaline rush, heightening it until he felt like he was flying. An embankment came into view up ahead and Ty saw his opportunity to pass Rhett if he made his move now. Gunning the engine, he came at the embankment at an angle and shot past his brother’s sled, catching some air as he came over the top. When looked back to gloat, Rhett’s sled sped up and swerved in to cut him off. Ty cranked the handlebars to avoid a collision and went barreling into a wind-whipped snowbank. The engine stalled out, and Ty flew off to the side, landing on his back with a thud.

  Rhett
drove his sled up next to him and pulled off his helmet. “Sweet wipeout, man. Told you you drive like Grandma Betty.”

  Ty scrambled off the ground, red-hot molten anger erupting inside of him. He’d had enough of his brother’s shit. “You cut me off,” he accused, blocking Rhett from driving away. “I had you beat and then you cut me off.”

  “Quit whining.” Rhett plunked his helmet back onto his head. “It’s no big deal. You’re fine.”

  “I’m fine, but the damn sled is stalled.” It likely had snow all the way up the tailpipe. “There’s no way it’ll run.” He walked over and tried to start it a few times, but it wouldn’t even turn over. “This is so typical.” He marched back to his brother. “You always have to be better than me. Faster. Stronger. More popular. And you know what? You’re already all of those things. So you can stop trying.”

  His brother got off the sled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You know what I’m talking about.” Ty moved to get in his face. “Mom and Dad have been to almost every game you’ve ever played. And they’ve never seen me compete once. You’ve always demanded their attention. Everyone’s attention. And now look at you. You’re a famous football player. So why can’t you leave me alone?”

  Rhett shook his head, his eyes dangerously narrow. “You think Mom and Dad didn’t come watch you compete because they like me better?”

  “I think it’s because you’ve always demanded their attention. It’s always been a competition. I gave up a long time ago.”

  “If that’s really how you feel, then why did you invite me out here? You could’ve found another celebrity. Someone you like better.” He’d heard that warning growl in Rhett’s voice before, but he wouldn’t let it stop him.

  “Oh trust me. I would’ve, but Darla’s the one who made me invite you. She thought a football player would bring in the most cash.” Even as he said it, he knew he’d likely just blown that. They could lose all the extra money they’d get for having Rhett Forrester there. But he couldn’t make himself care. “As far as I’m concerned, you can go on back to Dallas.”