Page 37 of Nashville Cowboy
“I wish I’d known because maybe I could have helped.” He took her hand and stroked the palm tenderly.
“There wasn’t anything you could do.” She didn’t pull her hand away but glanced at the ground and kicked at a pebble with her boot.
“Now? Is there anything at all I can do?”
“Like what?” She met his gaze.
He shrugged. “New hearing aid?”
She blinked, then shook her head. “That’s kind of you, but I have health insurance.”
“Okay, but if you need anything. Anything at all.”
“No, that’s okay. It’s all right.”
“It’s not.”
He stepped toward her and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t protest, but simply wound her arms around his waist, clasped them on his back, and laid her head on his chest.
“I hate this for you, Eve. Hate it.”
His head fit neatly over the top of hers and he bent to kiss the top of her head.
And they stayed that way for a very long time.
Chapter 14
Now that her cabin on Lupine Lake was stuffed to overflowing with wedding shower presents, Sadie still needed to find one of Eve’s boxes in this holy mess. But not only did she have Eve’s boxes to go through, she would have to wade through some of Lincoln’s stuff. He’d moved in about a month ago. They’d decided to stay here until their home on the Double C Ranch was finished. Good thing he was the love of her life because he owned a lot ofjunk.
But Sadieneededto find Eve’s quilt.
She’d phoned Lillian immediately after learning that Eve had kept her quilt. Like Sadie, Lillian believed this quilt could be the push Eve needed to run right back into Jackson’s open arms. She only had to accept the possibilities. Jackson would take her back. His anger was nothing but displaced passion. He’d been devastated to lose Eve.
Besides, when Sadie had this task on her mind, she couldn’t think about the fact that she still hadn’t gathered up the nerve to tell Lincoln about the baby. Half of her wanted to wait until their honeymoon, the other half understood she couldn’t keep something this big from him. Eve was the only one who knew, and she’d guessed. The father should be the second one to know, and Sadie wanted to tell him.
She and Lincoln didn’t want children right away. Well, Lincoln didn’t, and Sadie agreed because she couldn’t blame him. He’d raised his younger brother and sister and wanted to wait for children of their own. Sadie knew this, agreed, and yet… She lowered her hand to her womb. They’d had a plan. But their baby wasn’t a mistake. And yet she couldn’t bring herself to tell Lincoln. Maybe sheshouldwait to tell him on their honeymoon, where he would be the most relaxed and happiest in his life. Surely, he’d be happy after getting used to the idea.
She hoped, because it would kill her to see any hint of fear or disappointment in his eyes.
Finding the second box filled with nothing but clothes and books, just like the first, Sadie closed it back up and put it in the “done” pile.
The front door swung open and her cowboy walked inside. “Hey, baby.”
“Linc! What time is it? I lost track.” While she loved long summer days, they wreaked havoc with her internal clock. “I didn’t make dinner.”
“I’ll grill burgers.” He walked toward where she sat in the midst of a tower of boxes and set a box aside. “What are you lookin’ for?”
“The quilt.”
“It’s over by the bed.”
“Notourquilt, silly.”
“There’s another one?” He took a closer look. “Wait. Aren’t those Eve’s boxes?”
“Yes, I’m looking for something that belongs to her.”
“Why isn’t she looking for it?”
