Page 64 of The Cowboy's Christmas
Chapter Thirteen
“Ijust wantedto give you guys a heads-up,” Quinn said to Ty after explaining that he’d outed himself to the town gossip a few minutes ago. He glanced across the sidewalk to where Deke and Savannah and the girls were drinking cocoa with candy canes. Deke was getting tired, and Savannah was doing her best to get everyone back to the truck but had agreed to this final cocoa stop before leaving.
Quinn had said no to cocoa and taken advantage of the moment to call his brother to warn him. They’d agreed to be open about their relationship, but he had a feeling that enraging the town gossip might lead to some interesting embellishments and theories concerning the Harding family.
“Carol can be a handful,” Ty agreed, but he sounded distracted. Tense, actually. Maybe Quinn really had screwed up.
“I didn’t know if you had told anyone about me,” he said. “Sorry if I messed up your timing.” Although he was certain people had guessed that something was going on after all the double takes and misidentifications. And they had spent a couple hours in Grey’s Saloon not that long ago. Not that the laconic bartender seemed to notice anything odd about them.
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line and the sound of voices in the background, then Ty said, “We’re not keeping you a secret, and we’re not protecting the old man’s memory, Quinn. Carol can say or do whatever she wants. It doesn’t matter. You’re our brother.”
“Right.” He didn’t know what else to say.
“You’re still on the Dunn Ranch?”
He thought about his truck sitting behind the garage in Marietta, not exactly good as new, but good enough to drive back to Oregon. “I am. I’m giving them a couple of weeks. I don’t have to be back at the job until early January.”
And the only candidate to replace him on the Dunn Ranch had been a total douche. He wouldn’t wish Jeff Barnett on anyone as an employee.
“Then maybe we can talk tomorrow,” Ty said. “I’m at the hospital right now. Austin’s wife is in labor.”
Quinn jaw dropped. “I thought it was supposed to be a late January baby.”
“Baby Girl Harding has other ideas. She should be fine, but…you know. She’s just over a month early. There’s talk of lung issues. Maybe other things. Or she might be okay. We won’t know until she’s born.”
Quinn cursed beneath his breath, then said, “If there’s anything you need, let me know.”
“Will do,” he said in a distracted way. “Talk to you later.”
Quinn ended the call, then turned and found Savannah standing near the lamppost, a half empty cocoa cup in her hand.
“My brother,” he said, having no idea how long she’d been there or if she’d heard the call.
“Warning him about Carol?”
“Yes. They aren’t keeping me secret.” He glanced past her in the direction of the hospital.
“You okay?”
The note of concern in her voice made him wish he hadn’t done such a good job of insisting that they establish a boundary, because right now, with his gut in a double knot, he could use the support.
The thought kind of shocked him. He handled things on his own, as he’d been taught. And Savannah had been way off base when she’d stated that he’d been protecting himself, not her.
“Quinn?”
“I’m not going back to the ranch just yet.” A flash of alarm crossed her face, and he pushed his hand deeper into his pocket with his phone to keep from touching her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be there to feed in the morning.”
“I’m not worried about feeding. Where are you going?”
“To the hospital. Austin’s wife is in labor early. I’m going to see if they need any help on their ranch while they’re tied up at the hospital.” Cattle still needed fed. He didn’t know what kind of arrangements they’d made, if any, or what kind of reception he’d get at the hospital, but if Ty didn’t want him around, he’d leave.
*
Quinn parked inthe hospital lot for the second time in as many weeks and made his way to the waiting area, walking quickly and refusing to allow himself to think about what he was doing and whether he’d be welcome. He paused inside the door, then spotted Ty near the Christmas tree at the far side of the waiting room, sitting with a small group of people. They were leaning close to one another, talking in an intimate way, and Quinn realized his error.
It was stupid, but he hadn’t expected a bunch of people, just his brother. Austin would be in with his wife, but he hadn’t thought about the wife having relatives, or Ty’s wife being there. The curse of the lone wolf.
He was about to turn toward the exit to quietly slip away when Ty spotted him. His brother rose to his feet and waved him over, so Quinn crossed the room, his footsteps sounding abnormally loud. He shouldn’t have come.
