A Colorado Family

by Patricia Thayer

  “Good to see you, Austin, especially looking so healthy.” He turned to Erin. “You must be his therapist, Erin Carlton. It’s good to finally meet you.”

  “Yes, Doctor.” She stood up. “I hope you’ve received my emails with Mr. Brannigan’s progress reports.”

  Erin had been sending the doctor daily reports?

  The doctor noticed the baby carrier. “Who do we have here?”

  “This is Lilly,” Austin said, introducing his daughter. “So you can see I need to be walking.”

  “I understand,” Kentrell said, then went to the wall and began to look over the X-ray on the illuminated screen. He was silent for a few moments, then said, “I have to say, I like what I see.” He went over to Austin, rested his leg on the table and removed the cast. “The incision is healing nicely. Your muscle tone is coming back.” He smiled at Austin. “This is some of my best work.”

  Austin had to laugh. “I appreciate that I was the recipient. Just tell me if I’ve healed enough so I can have a walking cast.”

  “You’re not healed enough to throw that big party, but you are progressing enough to graduate to a walking cast—but I want you to use a cane to help with balance.”

  Austin didn’t want to bother with a cane, but he’d agree to anything right now. “It’s a deal.”

  * * *

  AN HOUR LATER, after Austin had been fitted for a removable cast and Lilly fed her bottle, they went outside and were greeted by strong winds mixed with sprinkles of rain.

  Once inside the car, he said, “I don’t think we should be on the road during the storm. My place is only a few miles away. I need to stop by anyway and pick up some more clothes.”

  She studied the threatening clouds. “Just tell me which way to go.”

  He gave her the directions along surface streets, since the rain was starting to come down hard and he didn’t want to be on the highway.

  “Are you okay to drive?”

  She gave him a big frown. “Really? I grew up in the desert, and we had flash floods all the time. Besides, do I look like a wimp to you?”

  He thought she was beautiful and strong. “Hardly.” A woman who was left alone when her husband had gone overseas. “I bet you’ve even had to wrestle a few tough patients.”

  “When I had to,” she agreed.

  They finally arrived at the security gate to his town house complex, and the guard came out of the small building. He looked in the car and smiled upon seeing Austin. “Hello, Mr. Brannigan. It’s good to have you home.”

  “Hi, Cody. It’s good to be back.”

  “Sorry about your accident, but I’m happy you’re on the mend.”

  “Not as happy as I am. We’ll be staying for a while to wait out the storm.”

  “Well, it’s best to take cover because there are severe storm warnings.” The guard walked back into the shack and opened the gate for them.

  Erin slowly drove through the flooded streets in the neighborhood until they came to his house. He used his phone and opened the garage door. “Just pull inside.” Once the door rolled down behind them, the sound of the rain was muffled.

  “Wow, it’s really coming down,” she said.

  “It’s Colorado. Give it thirty minutes and it will be sunny again. Come on—let’s get inside and warm up.”

  He got out of the car and loved the fact that he could put weight on his leg again. He grabbed the diaper bag while Erin got Lilly.

  He opened the door, reached in and turned on the lights, illuminating the large kitchen with granite slab counters and dark wood cabinets. The place was immaculate. Even though he didn’t really need it, a cleaning crew came in once every two weeks. He stepped into the living space with the dark hardwood floors, tan area rug and burgundy leather sofas that were angled toward the stone fireplace and large flat-screen television hanging above the mantel.

  It had two bedrooms with an office, plenty big enough for him. Maybe he had to rethink the living arrangements with Lilly, mostly about where he was going to live. Would that be here? He went to the fireplace and flipped the switch to start the flame. “It’s a little chilly, but it will warm up soon.”

  “This is very nice,” Erin said as she looked around. She set the carrier down on the thick pile carpet. Lilly was awake and making cooing sounds.

  Erin stayed busy unfastening the straps and lifting her out. “I think she needs a diaper change and to be out of her seat for a while.”

  “I can change her,” Austin said.

  “You can get the next time.” She already had his daughter on the blanket-draped sofa and was popping the snaps on her little stretchy suit. She had replaced the wet diaper with a fresh one.

  He smiled as Lilly waved her arms, and then she put her fingers in her mouth and began sucking on the digits. He replaced them with a pacifier. “Is she hungry again?”

  Erin checked her watch. “Let’s hold off. She seems content for the moment. Remember, she’s had a pretty eventful day. She’s been in the car for hours, and the storm has to be a little unsettling.”

  As if on cue, lightning flashed in the darkening sky. She looked at him. “Could you find out about the weather?”

  “Sure.” He reached for the remote on the coffee table and clicked on the television to discover for the next several hours the Denver area was under a severe weather watch, including high winds and the possibility of tornadoes. “Looks like we’re stuck here for a while. How much formula do we have?”

  “Enough. I brought the powder canister along, so there’s plenty.”

  He wasn’t sure about the next question. “How do you feel about spending the night here?”

  Chapter Ten

  Austin held his breath as he waited for Erin to answer him.

  She sighed. “Honestly, I don’t want to drive back in this weather. Not with the baby, anyway.”

  He was relieved. “I agree. Even though we have a good car, I don’t want to chance it, either. Upstairs, there are two bedrooms, but the refrigerator is bare. I haven’t been back home in months. There’s probably some soup and maybe something in the freezer...”

  Then an idea came to him as he limped over to the counter. “Maybe I can send out for some necessities.” He picked up the phone and called down to the gate. “Hey, Cody, it’s Austin Brannigan. How do you feel about making a food run before the worst of the storm hits?”

  “Of course, Mr. Brannigan. What do you need?”

  Austin went to check his coffee supply to see that he had plenty. “Write this down. I need diapers, size two, and a dozen eggs, bacon, bread and milk. And I’ll call in for a pizza from Gino’s next to the market. I’ll pay you when you get here, and with a nice bonus.”

  “Not necessary, Mr. Brannigan. I’ll be happy to go. The night shift guy will be here in twenty minutes. Is that okay?”

  “Perfect. I’ll call in the pizza. Would you like anything? My treat.”

  “Sure. I’ll have a medium supreme.”

  “You got it. See you later.” He hung up and looked at Erin. “What kind of pizza do you like?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not particular, but I wouldn’t mind a few vegetables on top.”

  Erin tried to ignore her uneasiness as heavy rain poured down outside while she entertained Lilly. The little one wanted some attention, so she rolled the baby over onto her tummy. She was surprised when she raised her head up. “Well, look at the big girl.”

  Lilly grinned and cooed until she flopped back over onto her back again. Erin helped her onto her tummy again when Austin made his way over to them.

  “I ordered the food and groceries.”

  Erin glanced up at Austin, looking for any sign of discomfort on his face, and didn’t see any. “It must be nice to have someone to run your errands.”

&n
bsp; He nodded. “At times like this, it’s nice to have name recognition.”

  “For your daughter’s sake, I’m glad you do, too.” Again, she realized the different worlds they’d lived in. She glanced at the plush surroundings. This was a high-end town house. “Money does have its privileges.”

  “Hey, my life wasn’t always this way.” He sat down at the end of the sectional. “I’ve had to work hard to get where I am. I mucked out stalls and curried a lot of horses to earn my way to pay for some bull riding lessons.”

  She shook her head. “I’m amazed at what you’ve accomplished with your career. Just how does one become a bull rider?”

  She watched his cleanly shaved jaw tense. “At first it was to irate my dad. After our real mother, Mary, died when Cullen and I were about ten, I couldn’t seem to do much to please the man, or maybe I just didn’t want to.” Austin shrugged. “Then when Dad married Leslie, Trent came to live with us. All he talked about was his dad, Wade Landry, the world championship bronc rider. It was kind of that my-dad-is-better-than-your-dad.” He shrugged. “I got interested in rodeos, and I started competing in high school and found I enjoyed the thrill, the competition. I discovered bull riding later on. And I was pretty good. Everyone was surprised because I’m tall, and bull riders need a low center of gravity to help stay on. Luckily, my height comes from my long legs.”

  Erin enjoyed the easy conversation between them. She glanced at the baby to see she’d fallen asleep. After covering Lilly with a blanket, she looked back at Austin.

  “So how do you stay on?”

  “With good balance, strength, skill and a helluva lot of luck.” He lifted his injured leg onto the ottoman. “There was this one time in Dallas when I drew the worst bull ever, Brutus. He had a reputation, but you were never sure which animal would show up on any given day, the crow hopper or the bucker.” He leaned forward. “That day, I had the rope wrapped around my hand and I made the nod to open the gate. That damn bull just stood there. Finally I had to boot him, and he finally got going.” He grinned. “It ended up being one of my better rides.”

  The excitement on his face told her how much he loved the sport. “I wish I could have seen you ride.” Had she really said that?

  “Well, maybe when our meal gets here I’ll show you one or two of my videos.”

  She rubbed the sleeping baby’s back and smiled. “Why am I not surprised you’ve recorded yourself?”

  “Nope. My agent recorded them. It helps me see what I need to improve on so the next time, I’ll give a better show.”

  “I’d say you have determination, too,” she added, realizing this was more than just a sport. “You give a hundred percent in your therapy.”

  His gaze met hers, and she felt a little shiver. “That’s because I need to recover.”

  She tensed as several flashes of lightning lit up the sky. “Are you reconsidering riding again?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not thinking anything right now.” He rested his head back on the sofa. “I’ve only been a father for a week.” He glanced down at his daughter, and she could see tenderness in his expression. “Wow, it’s hard to think about everything right now.” His gaze met hers. “Just because I’m financially in pretty good shape doesn’t mean I want to sit around all the time.”

  “Well, your brother and father are right next door, and your stepbrother is down the road. You might want to invest in something together.”

  He sat there for a moment as the thunder rumbled outside, and that stirred Lilly awake.

  Austin reached for her and cradled the crying baby in his arms. “Sorry, sweetheart. Did the noise scare you?”

  The touching scene between father and daughter got to her. “I’ll go fix her bottle.” She got up, grabbed the diaper bag and went into the spotless kitchen. She mixed the formula and heated the bottle. Everything looked different here in Denver. This was Austin’s life. He had all the advantages that money and his name could buy. Now he had a sweet little daughter. And somehow, Erin had to keep from wanting to share in their life. What she needed was to go and make her own life.

  When the bottle was heated, she walked back into the living room and handed it to Austin. Immediately the baby quieted as she began to suck on the nipple. Erin swiftly felt the imaginary pull in her own breasts. This was crazy. She needed her own baby.

  She looked across the room. She was seriously thinking about taking up his offer to help her have a baby. That was crazy, but he was her best option. No, he wasn’t her option—his offer of money was. There wouldn’t be a man connected with her child. That thought brought her both relief and sadness.

  Austin smiled at her, and her heart did a flip. No, she couldn’t get involved with a good-looking cowboy.

  There was a loud knock on the door. “That’s Cody.” Austin managed to reach into his pocket and pull out his wallet. He took out two one-hundred-dollar bills. “Here, give this to him.”

  Erin took the money and hurried to the door. A wet raincoat-covered man greeted her. He was holding two grocery bags in one hand and balancing a large pizza box in the other. “Cody, please come in.” She stepped aside and motioned him in.

  “Hello, ma’am.”

  She led him into the kitchen and took his bags. “Oh, my. It must be miserable out there.”

  “Yes, it is. And it’s going to get worse.”

  Austin called out from the living room. “Hey, Cody. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Mr. Brannigan.”

  “Here, Cody,” Erin said, handing him the two bills. “This should cover it.”

  The younger man’s eyes lit up. “Oh, this is too much.”

  Austin called out, “No, you risked life and limb going out for us. Thank you.”

  The good-looking twentysomething grinned as he pocketed the money. “Anything else you need, just call down to the gatehouse. Mike’s working tonight, and I’m headed home.”

  He walked to the door. “Good night, ma’am.” He left and closed the door behind him.

  Erin put away the groceries and took down paper plates she found in the cupboard. She grabbed flatware and napkins and walked into the living room to find Austin burping Lilly. “Good—she about finished. What do you want to drink?”

  “I think there are some bottles of iced tea in the refrigerator.”

  She went back and got two bottles and the pizza box. There was also a container of salad. That was thoughtful of him. She grabbed a couple of bowls and returned to see him lay the tiny girl back in the carrier and adjust the handle so her toys were dangling in front of her.

  Austin nodded. “Hopefully that will entertain her for a while.”

  Erin arranged the food on the glass coffee table. Austin opened the box and the wonderful aroma filled the room. “Oh, I’ve missed this. Gino’s pizza is one of the best.”

  “We’ll see about that.” She dished salad in a bowl. “Do you want some?”

  He shook his head. “I have everything I need right here.” He took a big bite and groaned. “So good.”

  She picked up a slice. Always watching her weight, she didn’t indulge in pizza very often. “I guess I’ll have to do an extra workout tomorrow.”

  That brought a look from Austin. She tensed, hating to have her body scrutinized. Jared had done it all the time. He was a hard-core marine with an unbelievable work ethic routine, top fighting shape.

  “I happen to think your curves are perfect.”

  “I fight a stubborn ten pounds constantly.”

  He shook his head. “Too skinny.” He took a bite, then motioned for her to do the same. “Eat.”

  “No matter how good this pizza is, you and I can’t eat like this all the time and stay in shape.”

  “I agree, but tonight we can indulge a little.”

  Austin tried t
o concentrate on his pizza, but having Erin so close, he couldn’t help but react to her. What was wrong with him? She’d been around for the past few weeks, and he’d managed. Lightning flashed across the sky, and he glanced up at the television to see the weatherman standing in front of the board showing the area and the severe weather crossing their path.

  “Do you think there’s going to be a tornado?”

  “Not sure, but we’ll need to be alert. We can move downstairs in the rec room.”

  “You mean sleep down there?”

  Just then lightning flashed again and again, causing the lights to flicker. Then a big boom of thunder reverberated throughout the house. Lilly began to cry. Food forgotten. “I think we should go down just to be safe.”

  Austin got up and took hold of the carrier. “You get the diaper bag,” he called as he headed to the stairs. Instead of going up, he took the steps going down to the lower level. He flicked on the light on the stairs and illuminated the path to the bottom. There was a large main room with a sectional centered in front of a fireplace. A long bar stretched against one wall, and another room had been set up as a workout space and for laundry. There was also a bathroom and an exit to a small patio outside.

  Erin looked around. “Wow, this is nice.”

  “Thanks. The house is built into the hillside. It’s not a complete basement, but we’re safer down here.” He went to the fireplace, turned on the gas and lit the wood inside the hearth. “It should warm up soon. I’ll be right back.” He went upstairs, rounded up several blankets and pillows, and tossed them down to her. Then he went to retrieve their pizza and carried it down.

  “I could have helped you with that,” Erin said.

  “No, stay here with Lilly.” Thunder rumbled through the house like a supersonic jet. “I can move around easier now, and I like doing things for a change.”

  Austin made two more trips upstairs, for some candles and flashlights. After adding two more logs to the fire, he pressed the remote, and the large flat-screen television came on. He changed it to the Weather Channel.