Page 14 of Snowed in with the Rancher

“A girl?” Lucy asked. “Did it end badly? Is that why you seemed so gloomy when you came back—and why you haven't dated since? Honey, I know it's tough when a relationship doesn't go the way you hope it will, but that's no reason to give up on romance altogether—”

Thomas laid a gentle hand on her arm. “Sweetheart, let him finish.”

She flushed. “Right, you're right.” She turned back to Tate. “Sorry, honey. I'm listening.” She set her shoulders, clearly giving her all to sitting quietly and hearing him out. Tate felt a familiar rush of affection toward her. She could be a lot at times, but her commitment to the people she cared about was extraordinary. And now he was about to add some more names to that list.

“I did meet a girl, yes. Olivia. I…Ithoughtthings had ended badly because she left abruptly before the cruise was over. She didn't even tell me she was going. But I saw her again yesterday—she was the one I was called out to rescue.”

Lucy clapped a hand over her mouth in an expression he thought was partly surprise and partly to keep herself from blurting out a dozen questions. Thomas chuckled a little and wrapped an arm around her waist in a sideways hug.

“And were the two of you able to patch things up?” Thomas asked. “Is that what you wanted to tell us?”

Tate fought the urge to squirm as he tried to think of how exactly to say this. “Not…exactly. It turned out she had some pretty big news for me. You see, when she left the cruise, it was because of a family emergency. She was too rattled to come say goodbye…or ask for my contact information. So she had no way of reaching me a few weeks later, when she found out…”

Tate watched as his father and stepmother's eyes went wide, and he knew they were already putting the pieces together. “When she found out she was pregnant,” he concluded.

Thomas cleared his throat, his eyes looking a little watery. “Son, are you saying I have a grandchild?”

Tate managed a weak chuckle. “I'm saying you have two. Jackie and Melissa—twin girls.”

“Twin girls,” Thomas repeated, in the same tone one might use to say, “the biggest diamond in the world.” He sounded thrilled, awed, amazed.

“When can we meet them?” Lucy demanded. “Oh, Thomas, we need to go to the little toy store in town and get them something.” She turned back to Tate. “Do you think they like ponies? All girls like ponies, right? And Olivia. What's she like? What does she do? Where does she live? Is she just in the area visiting? How long will she be staying? Can we meet them today? Oh, I'd love to meet them today!”

Tate looked at his dad, silently begging for assistance.

Thomas wrapped an arm around his wife. “We can't do anything until this storm moves through. We all need to stay safe and warm. We can worry about all that a few days from now.”

“But…” Lucy said, crestfallen, before giving a resigned sigh. “No, you're right.” She managed a little smile. “I'll use the time to make a list. After all, I've got granddaughters to spoil now. This is going to take some planning.”

“And you have at least two days to do that, sweetheart. In the meantime, I think Tate and Olivia and the girls need some time to catch their breath.”

Tate nodded, relieved his father at least understood. “We haven't told the girls yet. I mean Olivia hasn't…or…” He dug a hand into his hair. “I don't really know how that's supposed to work.”

Thomas chuckled softly. “You'll get used to that feeling,” he counseled. “You won't know how anything's supposed to work from here on out, so just take it one day at a time, and trust their mama. She's been at it longer than you.”

That was true enough. And it was obvious to him that Olivia had done an amazing job as a single mom. The girls were beautiful and smart, spunky and confident. “She's a great mom,” he agreed. “And the girls are amazing. I'm, uh…I'm excited for you to meet them.”

“You take some time and get to know your girls,” Thomas told Tate. “We'll be here, making our own adjustments. When you're ready for us to come and meet them, just let us know.”

Tate cleared his throat. “Thanks, Dad.”

“And son?”

Tate nodded.

“You're a damn fine man. You'll make a damn fine father, too.”

Tate disconnected the call and sat back, watching the snow fall outside. The wind had died down, and it was peaceful now, big flakes drifting softly to the ground.

A father, he thought, his heart racing at the words. He wondered if at some point in the future, that word would actually feel like it described him. At the moment, no matter what the DNA said, he wasn't truly a father. Fathers knew what size shoes their kids wore, when their dance recitals were, how much allowance they should be getting. Fathers could handle any problem that arose and answer any question a kid might have.

No, Tate wasn't like any father he'd ever known. He wasn't sure he was even capable of being the father the girls deserved, but he figured he had to at least try. A whole lot of people were relying on him to do something he didn't feel remotely equipped for. He'd give it his best shot—for Olivia's sake, for the twins' sake, and for his parents' sake, too. He just wished he could believe he'd actually succeed.

* * *

How had he considered even for a moment that “spunky” was a good thing in a child? Tate wanted a take-back on that one. Jackie's ankle appeared to be healing at a remarkable rate. Fast enough that she was now preparing to rappel off the banister from the second floor.

“Jacqueline Marie!” Olivia snapped.

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