Stone Cold Cowboy (30 page)

S
adie sat bolt upright in the dark, gasping. Her heart pounded in her chest so hard her ribs ached. She shook off the nightmare and all thoughts of Rory slamming into her brother as the shot rang out. In the nightmare, the bullet hit him instead of her brother. The thought of losing him sent a chill up her spine.

Rory slid his big arm around her waist, planted his hand on her hip, spreading warmth through her system and calming her down.

“What's wrong, sweetheart?”

She slid her hands over his warm skin and held tight. “Nothing. I'm headed for the bathroom again.” The IV and vitamin refill she got at the hospital definitely made her feel better, but it went right through her the last few hours.

Rory brought her home, put her into the shower to wash up, then tucked her into bed. He joined her for both, always touching her softly, sweetly, letting her know he was there. He couldn't seem to let her out of his sight. She appreciated the attention, but worried about him, too. He'd gone quiet on her again. She hoped shooting Derek didn't leave a permanent mark on him.
She understood it disturbed him, but hoped he'd find a way to live with it. He'd done it to save her life.

She stared down at him beside her. Golden whiskers darkened his jaw. His hair fell over his forehead in soft waves. She brushed her fingers through it, pushing it off his face. The silky strands glided through her fingers. Rory pressed a kiss to her side, then fell back onto his pillow.

“Hurry up. I want you here with me.” He hugged her close, then removed his arm so she could slip from the bed and run into the bathroom.

On her way out, she stared at the big man in the bed, his arm stretched out to her empty spot, his face half buried in the pillow.

So handsome. The man she loved. The man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The man who'd nearly dropped to his knees and cried because he thought she'd lost their child. A man who cared deeply for his family, her, their baby.

“I'm so lucky,” she whispered to her father in heaven. She missed him and wanted him to know she was okay.

For the first time since she left her shift at the diner, she felt okay. She had Rory.

The thing with Connor weighed on her. Rory tried to get her to go see him in the hospital before they left, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. He'd nearly gotten her and Rory killed. If he wanted to make things right with her, he'd have to come to her. She wasn't going to make things easy for him anymore. Instead, she'd focus on herself, Rory, their baby, and the future she wanted more than anything.

She pressed her hand to her grumbling stomach and bypassed the bed and headed for the stairs. Bell
might have filled her up with fluids, but Sadie needed something to fill her belly. She padded down the stairs and walked into the dim kitchen. With the lights out, she opened the fridge and pulled one of the apples out of the vegetable bin. She closed the fridge and set the apple on the cutting board and sliced it up. She took a bite of the crisp, sweet fruit and chewed thoughtfully, wondering what else she could have with it. She opened one cupboard after the next, looking for anything that sounded good. She found the peanut butter and pulled it down, knocking over a can of peas. It thumped on the counter, rolled off, and thwacked the floor. She bent over to pick it up, stood straight, and caught herself on the counter when the dizziness hit again. Afraid she'd pass out and hit the floor, she quickly sat, leaned back against the cabinet, and put her head down, waiting for her stomach to settle and her head to stop spinning.

The lights flicked on and Grandpa Sammy stood in the doorway staring down at her, sitting on the floor in her nightgown. “Are you all right?” He rushed to her side and squatted next to her, his big hand on her shoulder.

She blinked away the spots in her eyes from the bright light. “Sorry I woke you. I seem to be a bit off balance.”

Grandpa Sammy narrowed his eyes on her, stood, went back to the kitchen doorway, and yelled, “Rory, get down here.”

“I'm fine. You don't need to wake him, too.” Sadie pressed her hands to the floor to push herself up.

Grandpa Sammy pointed a finger at her. “You stay put.”

She sank back to her butt and stared up at him and the anger simmering in his eyes.

“Um, I'm really okay.”

Rory pounded down the stairs and rushed into the kitchen, wearing nothing but his jeans, zipped and barely hanging on to his hips. He spotted her on the floor and pushed past his grandfather. He knelt beside her and brushed his hand over her hair. “Sweetheart, what happened? Are you okay?”

“She's pregnant, isn't she?”

Rory's eyes went wide, then filled with resignation. He kept his back to his grandfather and stared at her. He cupped her face and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. “Dizzy again?”

“A little bit. I'm hungry.”

“Bell said you might be when I got you home and the stress and trauma wore off. I should have fed you before I put you to bed.”

“It's okay. I came down to make a snack.”

Rory tucked his hands under her arms and lifted her up and right off the floor. He set her on the counter and handed her a slice of apple. “Eat.”

She took the apple and bit off a huge bite.

“I want an answer,” Grandpa Sammy demanded.

Rory sighed and spun around to face his grandfather. “Yes, she's pregnant.”

“Holy shit,” Colt said, stepping into the room behind Grandpa Sammy.

Ford followed with an “Oh my God.”

Sadie wasn't sure any of them was happy for them, or upset by the news. She grabbed a spoon from the strainer by the sink and dipped it into the peanut butter, stuffing it in her mouth and licking off the creamy peanut goodness. She'd let them work it out. She was too tired and hungry to participate.

“We talked about this. I told you to make sure you did things right,” Grandpa Sammy scolded.

“I'm pretty sure he did it right,” Colt said, a silly grin on his face. “She's pregnant.”

Sadie covered the laugh that bubbled up from her gut and licked peanut butter off the spoon again, hiding the smile on her lips. Rory glared at her over his shoulder.

“What? That was funny.”

“None of this is funny,” Grandpa Sammy said. “You were supposed to act responsibly. Do right by her.”

“I was responsible.”

“He definitely did it right,” Colt added.

Ford smacked Colt in the shoulder.

Grandpa Sammy's face darkened with anger. “It's your responsibility to take care of her.”

Rory squared off with his grandfather. “I did take care of her. I planned to take things slow, do things in the right order. What I didn't plan for was the condom to break. It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did, and now we're expecting a baby we both want and can't wait to meet.”

Grandpa Sammy glanced past Rory at her.

She pulled the spoon from her mouth, leaving a huge lump of peanut butter behind. She spoke around it, pointing the spoon at Rory. “What he said.”

Grandpa Sammy pointed a finger at Rory. “You better do right by her.”

“Are you kidding me right now? Do right by her. Of course I'll take care of her. I nearly lost her and my child today. I killed someone to protect them. Not just to save them, but to save myself. I can't live a second without her. She is everything to me. I love her. I'm going to marry her.” Rory went to the cupboard, pulled down
the mug he'd made for his mother in grade school, and dumped out the black velvet box. He held it up to his grandfather. “I bought her a ring days ago, but I need more time. I need to know she loves me, not because of the baby, but because it's how she truly feels. I need time to convince her to marry me and make a life with me and our child here on the ranch.”

“Yes.” She didn't have to think, she just blurted it out. She sat there watching Rory lose himself in defending his actions and what happened to his grandfather and completely forget she was sitting right behind him. The stress and trauma they'd been through these last weeks and especially today weighed on him. He wanted everything to be perfect, to go the right way, to be everything she deserved and he wanted for her.

That was all well and good, but all she needed to know, all she needed to hear, was the plain and simple truth. He loved her. That was all she needed.

Ford and Colt gasped, staring at her. Grandpa Sammy smiled like he'd won the lottery. Rory spun around, his eyes wide when he realized he'd forgotten about her, lost in the moment.

“Why do we need more time? Either you love me or you don't. Either you want me or you don't. If I do and you do and you want it and I want it, then why can't we have it? Why can't we just make it be? I'm tired of waiting for everything I want in my life.”

She looked him right in the eye and gave him everything he needed and deserved. “Yes. Yes, I love you. With everything I am, every breath I take, every beat of my heart, I love you. I have wanted to tell you that for so long, but held it back because of one stupid thing or another, but I can't do it anymore. I won't do it anymore.
I loved you before we made this baby. I will love you every day for the rest of my life.

“I look at you and see only one thing. You're my everything. You're the one I want to be with always.

“So yes, I will marry you. I will be the best mother I can be to our child, but more than anything, I want to be your wife.”

“You do? Just like that?”

“Why not? I fell in love with you just like that.”

Rory slid his hand around her neck and drew her in for a soft kiss. He pressed his forehead to hers and gazed into her eyes. “I love you more than I can possibly say.”

“I know.”

He stepped back, flipped open the lid on the velvet box, and pulled out the diamond engagement ring. He held the ring up for her to see. Two pear-shaped diamonds sparkled in the light, their round sides touching in the center, the points out to the sides. Beautiful. Unique. Perfect.

She held Rory's intense gaze.

“I can't live a single second without you by my side.” He glanced at the two-stone ring, then back at her. “You and me?”

“You and me.”

He slid the ring on her finger. Tears spilled down her cheeks, but she smiled so big her face ached. He kissed her softly, wiping away her happy tears. He leaned back and repeated, “You and me.”

Rory picked up the sliced apples and stuffed them inside the peanut butter jar. He handed it to her and picked her up right off the countertop. She locked her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around
his shoulders and held on. He spun around and walked straight past his brothers and grandfather.

“Night, sis,” Colt called.

“See you in the morning, pretty girl,” Grandpa Sammy added.

“We're going to be uncles,” Ford said, making all the men laugh. The joy she heard in their voices made her smile.

“Uh, Rory, what are you doing?”

“Taking my fiancée to bed.”

“Okay.”

“I hope you're this easygoing for the next sixty years.”

“We'll see.”

Rory slammed the door to their room, walked to the bed, laid her out on top of the already rumpled sheets, and leaned down and kissed her softly. “Yes, we will.”

S
adie stood in the living room of her old house and stared at the transformation. A coat of paint, new carpet, the old wood furniture polished and rearranged, a brand-new dark brown leather sofa to set off the neutral cream walls. She'd finally finished working her way through the house, cleaning out the clutter, discarding what needed to be trashed, moving the things she wanted to keep to Rory's, now their, house. She'd removed all the personal items and redone the bedrooms and living spaces with only the best pieces of furniture and decorations to make the place feel spacious, but still lived in. Comfortable.

She walked down the hall and stopped outside Connor's old room. It stood empty. The walls had been patched and painted the same cream as the rest of the house. Rory had repaired the door and the cracked window. All of Connor's furniture needed to be tossed, too damaged, dinged, or destroyed by his many tirades. His personal items she'd packed into boxes and stored in the garage, including the picture album she'd found filled with photos of him and her as kids with their
mom and dad. She kept several of the pictures of her alone with her mother and father to go with the photo she kept in her and Rory's room of her with Connor on the steps when they were young and she'd held on to him. It hurt to let him go. She hoped to one day mend that relationship, but right now, she needed to find her way with Rory and their baby to the life she'd always wanted.

Luna walked out of what used to be Sadie's bedroom. The pretty navy and white quilt lay over her bed. Oversize antique keys hung on the walls on opposite sides of the bed above her old nightstands they'd repainted white to match the dresser. “Hey, you ready to go?”

They'd spent several hours putting the finishing touches on the house and organizing the kitchen. “All set.”

They walked down the hall to the kitchen to grab her purse off the counter. Luna stood between the kitchen and living space, looking around like she hadn't just spent the last few hours rearranging things so they were just so.

“I wish I had the money to rent this place from you. Whoever gets it is very lucky. It turned out great.”

“Thanks for all your help. You've got a great eye for knowing what's worth keeping and how to set it up so it's functional and pleasing to the eye.”

“Whatever family rents it, they'll love it.”

“It's not for a family. It's for Ford.”

“Really? You never said he wanted to move out of the Kendrick place.”

“He doesn't know about this yet. Rory and I want to
surprise him later. We think he'd like his own place, his own ranch.”

“It's the perfect setup. I assume you'd earn part of the profits from the ranch since it's your land now.”

Sadie nodded. “Plus I'd like to put a little something away for Connor.”

“For when he gets released?”

“Money for a fresh start—if he wants one.” Sadie glanced around the house again. It didn't feel like home anymore. That had been the point of making the changes. A fresh start for Ford—and her. “Do you think I'm crazy to hope that Connor will be different, even better when he comes out of jail?”

Luna hugged her close. “No. I think you're sweet and kind and generous. I think if he wants even half of what you want for him, he'll have a good life.” Luna leaned back and stared her in the eye. “Ready to go?”

They were supposed to go to town and catch a movie. After four days home with Rory after the whole DEA drug raid and him hovering, she needed a night out with her best friend.

“Let's go.”

“Are you sad to leave this place?”

She thought of Rory and the life they were just beginning but that felt so right and comfortable and so full at the Kendrick ranch. “I'll carry my memories with me, because that's all that's left here. I'm ready to go. I want to be with Rory and start a new life with him.”

“He adores you. The kiss he laid on you before we came over here, man, you'd have thought I was taking you away from him forever.”

Sadie smiled. “After all we've been through, he wants to hold on. He loves me.”

“We need to stop by there before we go to town. I left my purse in their kitchen.”

“Oh, uh, okay. I can pay for the move and dinner and bring you your purse tomorrow.”

“I kind of need it. It won't take long.”

They walked out and locked up the house. Sadie went down the new porch steps Rory put in yesterday. She turned back and smiled at the pretty bushes and flowers she'd planted along the porch.

“It's a really great house.”

Luna draped her arm over Sadie's shoulders and stared back at the freshly painted house with her. “Yes it is. Sure you wouldn't rather live here with Rory?”

“No. His place is the home he's worked his whole life to hold on to. Mine is with him.”

“Fair enough. Let's go.”

They chatted about school, diner gossip, and Sadie's plans to reveal her surprise to Ford. They pulled into the driveway behind several cars and trucks she didn't recognize, except for Dane's.

“What is going on here?” Sadie glanced at Luna, who valiantly held back a smile. “Luna, what is going on?”

“Just come with me.”

“Who's here?”

“You'll see. No more questions, just come on.”

They hopped out of Luna's Jeep and walked through all the cars and trucks to the front porch. Luna led her inside, through the house, and out to the open back door. Luna whistled to get everyone's attention. The crowd gathered on the back patio turned as Sadie stood in the doorway, staring out at everyone, the pretty lights strung over the patio, casting a soft glow as the sun set, the barbecues lined up along the back,
the picnic tables set with pitchers of wildflowers, lemonade, beer, and champagne among the pretty white and yellow dishes. A huge sign hung at the back of the patio. The crowd was filled with familiar faces from the diner, the entire Bowden family, including Rory's buddies Gabe, Blake, and Dane with their wives and children. Everyone yelled what the sign said, “Congratulations!”

Sadie pressed her hand over her racing heart. Rory stood with Dane and Bell, Kaley sitting on his arm against his chest, her arm hooked around his neck. He spotted Sadie and handed Kaley off to Bell and made his way through the crowd and up the steps to take her hand and pull her close. “Surprised?”

“Rory, honey, what is this?”

“Our engagement party.”

“You did all of this for me?”

“I had some help.” Rory tipped his glass of beer in the direction of his brothers and grandfather, and Luna standing as far away on the opposite side as Colt.

Luna rushed forward with a glass of champagne for her.

“Um . . .” Sadie didn't take it. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it, not knowing if she should say anything about the baby in front of all their friends.

Colt moved in, holding out a glass of lemonade.

Luna narrowed her gaze on Colt. “A celebration calls for champagne.”

“She can't have that,” Colt whispered, handing Sadie the glass of lemonade and withdrawing back to Ford and Grandpa Sammy.

Luna's eyes swept over her and landed on Sadie's belly. Sadie stared up at Rory. He smiled like a lunatic.

“Oh my God, you're pregnant.” Luna slapped her hand over her mouth after blurting that out. A hush went over the crowd. Everyone stared at her, waiting for her to confirm Luna's words.

Rory took over. “Thank you everyone for coming tonight to celebrate this very special occasion. Yes, Sadie and I are getting married. That's reason enough to celebrate. I mean, she said yes. To me.” That earned a laugh from everyone. “That alone made me the happiest man alive.” He bent and kissed her softly, then pulled back, smiling like she'd never seen. So bright. So open. So filled with love. “So you can imagine how I felt when we found out we were expecting a baby, too. I mean, a guy like me doesn't get that lucky. But with a woman like Sadie in my life, man, I've got happiness, the blessing of a child on the way, a long and happy life to look forward to, and love like I never thought possible.” Rory stared her in the eye. “I love you so much.” He kissed her again, and they lost themselves in the moment.

Everyone cheered and sipped their drinks. Luna mouthed a silent apology for outing her about the baby. Sadie only smiled. After all Rory said to her, she didn't care that everyone found out about the baby before she had a chance to announce it herself. After all, these were their friends, the people who shared their lives and were the happiest for them.

Rory hugged her close and she whispered in his ear, “Thank you for this. I love you.”

“You and the baby are the best part of my life. I
wanted everyone to know and see how happy you make me. How happy we are together.”

Before the barbecue got under way and she greeted all their guests, Grandpa Sammy stepped forward, held up his glass, and toasted them. “Welcome to the family, pretty girl. Welcome home.”