Page 48 of The Cowgirl's Forever Love
Finally satisfied everything was done, Brad rose to his feet. “I know according to the calendar Tyler arrived early, but I swear your dates were off. As far as I can tell he’s a healthy, full-term newborn. I don’t see any reason why you need to hit the hospital today. Not unless you want to. Agreed, Julia?”
She nodded. “Make an appointment to see your physician this week. You have to go in for Tyler’s initial shots, but there’s no reason for you to trek anywhere today on icy roads.” She glanced at Lisa. “As long as you have some help for the next couple of days.”
“That’s great news, and yes, I have help. My sister is here.” Tamara closed her eyes briefly before whispering something to Caleb.
He hesitated. “If you’re sure…”
“Caleb.” She peeled one eye open to scold him. “Two highly trained medical experts just told you their professional opinions, andthismedical expert is telling you the same. I feel fine. We’ll go see the doctor later this week.”
Caleb looked concerned. “Okay, I guess.”
Tamara kissed his cheek before turning to Lisa. “Auntie Lisa, can you take Tyler while Caleb helps me get cleaned up?”
“You bet.” Lisa came forward to take the baby.
She cooed over him, cradling the bundle in her arms as she brought him back to where Josiah had settled on the couch.
Lisa bumped her foot against his knee. “Shove over.”
He wiggled until there was more than enough room between him and the armrest, then damn if she didn’t sit closer than necessary. Legs touching his, arms draped over his as well while she arranged the baby to stare at his face. “Hello, Tyler. Welcome to the family.”
“He’s a cutie,” Josiah said, stroking a finger down the baby’s cheek.
Tyler’s face wrinkled, lips quivering.
Lisa shushed the baby softly before responding. “He’s too squishy-faced to tell if he looks like a Coleman or a Stone.”
Unable to stop themselves, both he and Lisa pivoted to look at Julia.
She was staring as well, but the instant she caught their gazes, she snapped back to her task.
Brad gestured to the blankets. “I recognize these. Want me to take them to your shop, Josiah?”
“Drop them in the back of the truck. I figured I’d save Tamara from ruining quilts. I always have an emergency stash with me.”
Brad and Julia gathered up the mess and the rest of their equipment, working efficiently.
It was the strangest day ever. Especially when Brad and Julia let themselves out and the familiar Silver Stone ranch house was back to the way he’d always remembered it. Or at least the way it had been since Tamara came on the scene.
Warm, comfortable. A home.
The urge to have all those things in his life struck so hard he could barely breathe. Maybe he was feeling lightheaded from proximity to some very unusual events, but there was a baby damn near lying in his lap and he didn’t feel the slightest urge to escape.
Something welled up inside that was huge and important. An acknowledgement of an internal change that only sharpened his earlier decisions about home and hearth and finding forever.
Maybe that was part of the reason he’d never stuck with anyone before. He hadn’t been ready and they’d known.
His earlier girlfriends—with their mysterious womanly intuition—had known.
It was an intriguing thought, but he pushed it aside to ponder later because the sensation twirling around him and Lisa and little Tyler needed his full attention. He wanted to appreciate it and wallow in it, in how strangely uncomfortable it was to feel…comfortable.
“I’m a few seconds away from freaking out,” he shared. “Because I’m not freaking out, if you know what I mean.”
A soft laugh escaped Lisa. “Trust me, I’m right there with you.”
They sat in the quiet, Imagine Dragons playing in the background, a newborn resting between them. He didn’t want to say anything for fear he might disturb whatever weird magic had entangled itself around them.
Silence reigned, at least until Lisa spoke. “That EMT, Julia. I wasn’t imagining things, was I?”
