Page 32 of A Baby for the Billionaire Cowboy

“You want something that will fit him throughout his life. Long names have the advantage of nicknames.” Mama tucked her arm through Xander’s. “Like this guy could’ve been Alex or Xander or Xan or even Alexander.”

Daisy looked from the baby to Xander to Mama. “Oh my gosh. It just hit me that someday I’m going to have a grown-up son. I haven’t even adjusted to the idea of being a mother yet.”

“I guess it’s hard to find a name that will fit a tiny baby and a rowdy boy and a teenager and a grown man,” Xander said. It was hard to even imagine this tiny baby growing into those other things, despite Xander’s experience with animals that shot through the various stages in a few months or years.

“The change happens slowly,” Mama said. “Well, sometimes it seems like years pass overnight. But you’ll get used to it.”

Daisy nodded. “I’m glad you’re here. Thank you for everything. I know you’re not actually my mother, but... it helped...”

Mama sat on the edge of the bed and put her arm around Daisy. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m delighted to stand in for your mother if she wasn’t worthy of being here. You have brought so much joy to our home, our world. You’re one of us now.”

Daisy gave a little gasp. “I know what I want to name him. If it’s okay with you.” She smiled shyly at Mama. “I’d like to call him Avery. It’s the closest to Ava that I can think of that works for a boy.”

“Oh!” Mama hugged her. “I love it. It’s an honor.”

Xander watched the three of them cuddling on the bed. He was a part of things and yet a step away. His heart felt simultaneously too big and as if it were breaking. But he smiled at Daisy and her baby and prayed they’d have all the happiness they deserved.

Chapter Fourteen

Daisy slowly finishedgetting dressed. A week after Avery’s birth, she was moving more easily but still had sore spots. Her body felt odd after the sudden weight loss of birth, when she’d spent so much time slowly adjusting to her growing belly. It was nice to have a lap again and to be able to reach things without turning sideways, but she might never get back her former figure. Oh well. It wasn’t like anyone was going to see her without her baggy clothes. She was getting used to having women around while she nursed, but fortunately all the hot men in the neighborhood discreetly vanished at those times.

She glanced in the oval mirror on the vanity. Her face looked puffy, with shadows under her eyes, but with the baby around, hardly anyone even gave her a close look. Still, she should brush her hair.

Daisy gingerly perched on the padded stool that was part of the lovely, old-fashioned vanity set she’d helped pick out, never suspecting she’d be the one to use it. It still felt surreal to think of this as her home. The gift was overwhelming, and she might have tried to refuse, except for three things. One, the Tomlinsons could afford it without even noticing the cost. Two, they were so delighted to give it to her that she’d feel churlish if she didn’t accept. And three, it was wonderful to have a place of her own, just for the baby and herself. She could be up at all hours, singing off-key as she tried to soothe Avery in the middle of the night, without worrying about disturbing anyone. She didn’t have to worry about running into someone while she was haggard, breastmilk leaking through her nightgown and baby spit-up on her shoulders and in her tangled hair.

A knock came at the door, announcing her next set of visitors. Daisy put down her brush and quickly pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

“Hello,” Ava called out. She’d been the one to insist people schedule visits in advance so Daisy could prepare. “Otherwise, you’ll have a constant stream of visitors wanting to hold the baby,” she’d warned.

Daisy only bothered to lock the cottage door at night, and probably that was unnecessary, given their remote location in the country and the guard at the road in. She’d given Ava permission to simply knock and come in, so Daisy didn’t have to get up if she was nursing.

She went into the living room to meet Ava, Auntie Rhonda, and their friends Barbara and Glenda. The latter two carried covered dishes. Glenda held hers up. “We brought casseroles!”

“You might find room in the fridge.” Daisy appreciated not needing to cook, but she’d need two or three deep freezers to collect all the food she’d been gifted. Instead, she took a serving or two for herself and sent the rest over to TC’s ranch for the ranch hands. That gave Bernajean a break, which she used to fuss over the baby—babysitting, she called it. Daisy hadn’t needed to leave the cottage in a week, but it was sometimes nice to take a nap and know Bernajean, Rhonda, or Ava would wake her if Avery needed anything.

Glenda and Barbara carried their dishes to the kitchen. Auntie Rhonda hugged Daisy. “Now where is my great-nephew?” Great-grandnephew, technically, but that was a mouthful.

“In his bassinet.”

Rhonda hurried that way. Daisy knew better than to think people were coming to visither.

Calico wound around her ankles. “How did you get in here again?” Daisy asked the cat. Calico simply purred in response.

“I think she’s adopted you,” Ava said. “We might as well give in and stop dragging her back to the house.”

“I don’t mind,” Daisy said.

“The dogs insist on escorting any visitors too,” Ava said. “Next thing you know, you’ll have the chickens and rabbits flocking around to guard you.”

Daisy laughed. “I’ll feel like Cinderella with her animal friends.” She bent over to pet Calico. “Although I hope you’ll encourage the mice to stay outside.”

Ava slid an arm around Daisy. “You’re looking well. I hope you’re feeling it.”

“As well as can be expected.” Daisy returned the light sideways hug. She often wished she could simply curl up with her head on Ava’s shoulder and pour out all her concerns, her worries about the future, her joy in Avery and fear in her ability to be a good mother, her exhaustion, her grief over her own family’s refusal or inability to love her and the baby if she didn’t obey them. But the Tomlinsons tended to address complaints as problems to be solved, and they had already done so much for her. She never wanted them to think she was hinting that they should do more.

Daisy had to keep reminding herself that Ava was not actually her mother, and no matter how kind the Tomlinsons were, Daisy was not really part of this family. She was an employee—and one who hadn’t done any work in a week.

“I’ll come back to the office tomorrow,” Daisy told Ava. “I’ll have to take breaks to nurse, but—”

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