Trent's Montana Bride (Sweet, clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides series) (10 page)

Trent heaved the heavy wooden crib up to shoulder level. "I'll just take this up to Evan's room," he said striding off toward the front door.

"Trent," Chloe called out to him. He turned and raised an eyebrow. Chloe smiled at him. "Thanks for going and getting that for Evan. I appreciate it," she said.

Trent's face lit up. He nodded. "It was no trouble at all, Chloe," he responded.

Trent disappeared into the house. Chloe went back to the porch and sat down. From inside she heard Mrs. Ross call out to Trent. She heard Trent responding. She couldn't make out what they were saying to each other. It sounded like the usual banter between the housekeeper and the ranch owner.
 

Chloe rocked Evan gently. "You've got a crib to sleep in Evan. Isn't that great?"

Evan stared up at Chloe and smiled. She was sure it was a smile of absolute agreement.

Trent laid the crib down on the wooden floor of Evan's room. He surveyed the room. He'd move the bed over to the side of the wall next to the door. Maybe Chloe would prefer to use that bed when she had to be in the room with Evan. The crib looked just perfect in the center of the room. Trent sighed in satisfaction.

Once Chloe had a chance to make the crib snug and tidy for Evan he was sure she'd love it as much as he did. Trent felt strangely proud of what he'd done. He was discovering the pleasure that could be had in doing things for people. The truth was he'd spent far too long thinking only of himself. He'd never thought of himself as a self sacrificing type of guy. But in the brief time he'd known Chloe and Evan all that had changed. It felt good. The simple enjoyment that could be had from making others feel at home was something that had taken him by surprise. And that was what he was doing. Wasn't it? Trying to make Chloe and Evan feel as if this was the only place on earth for them.

Trent sighed and shook his head. Abby had been right. It was time he accepted the consequences of what he agreed to do for Chloe. He had to be more of a husband to her, even if they'd only been married a short time.

But he didn't really know yet what that involved. He'd spent such a long time being one of the men and an equally long time being a good but casual and distant friend to some of the ladies of Billings. Now that time was over. He was still one of the men, but he was most definitely a one woman man from now on.
 

He straightened up and left Evan's room, heading downstairs. When he went outside he saw Chloe still seated there on the porch. She looked up and smiled. "Well. How is it?" she asked.

"It looks good," he answered. "Real good. But I'll let you be the judge of that," he said.

Chloe nodded. "Okay then. Take Evan and I'll go upstairs and have a look," she said.

Trent's jaw dropped. "What?"

Chloe stood up and held Evan's tiny form out to Trent. "You look after Evan while I'm upstairs. I'll get Mrs. Ross to give me a hand."

Trent froze. "I'm not...too...sure I can take Evan," he said.

Chloe crinkled her nose. "Of course you can. You can get to know him a little while I'm gone," she said thrusting Evan out toward Trent.

Trent held out his arms. Surely Chloe didn't want to trust Trent with her son. Their son, he corrected himself.
 

"Anyway. It'll give me a little break."

That did it. Trent knew he had to take Evan, even if it was just to give Chloe some respite.

Chloe held Evan carefully as she laid him onto Trent's extended arms. "Just make sure you support his head in the crook of you arm. Look. He's smiling already," Chloe said mischievously.

Trent swallowed and felt the weight of Evan on his arm. It felt curiously good and right. And it was true. Evan was indeed smiling right up at Trent.
 

Chloe led Trent over to the seat and guided him as he gingerly lowered himself down onto the seat. Trent sat back and drew Evan's little body closer to him. What a sight he must be. Trent quickly shot a look out across the yard. He needed to know if any of the ranch hands were seeing him. Not that it would matter, but he wondered just how long it would take for the inevitable teasing by the ranch hands to start.

Trent let out a sigh. "I can't do this. It doesn't feel right, Chloe," he said apologetically.

Chloe smiled down at him. "You look right at home, Trent."

He frowned, unconvinced. He shifted his arms, holding Evan closer. The baby's eyes were bright and fixed on Trent. It made Trent feel something entirely new inside himself.

Chloe turned and strode away. Before he had a chance to say anything else Trent McIntyre was alone and holding a baby on his own ranch.
 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Two days passed.
 

The nights didn't get any easier for Chloe. On each of those two nights the rain fell as it had done on the first night at the ranch. Chloe lay in the darkness, alone. She listened to Evan's distant soft breathing. She felt the presence of Trent in the other room. Each night he trod carefully up the hall. Chloe had smiled in the darkness, appreciating the care he took not to wake her or Evan. He had no idea that she was listening to his every move, her breath held still, wondering if every night would be like this.
 

Chloe thought of when she had come back down from rearranging Evan's bedroom with the new crib. She'd expected to see Trent in a state of panic, struggling to hold Evan, desperate for her to take Evan off his hands. But instead she'd stepped out the front door to hear the soft words that Trent had been whispering into Evan's ear. They were playful sounds that drew giggles of pleasure from her son.

 
Chloe had found herself smiling as she'd paused, taking in the surprising spectacle. When she'd cleared her throat Trent had turned, smiling a her. "There's your mama, Evan," Trent had said.

Chloe had sat down next to Trent and gently taken Evan back into her arms.
 

When Trent had asked her if the room looked more like a baby's room with the crib, she had agreed.
 

It had been a lovely moment, a quiet interlude of sharing, seated together on the porch with the light fading and the air beginning to cool.

Chloe hadn't felt such a strong sense of family since Lucas' passing.
 
Trent sat quietly by her side, glancing at Evan and Chloe from time to time, obvious satisfaction written on his features.
 

All of which had made the past two nights more difficult to bear. The memory of the three of them on the porch had stuck in her mind and wouldn't budge.
 

The next day Trent appeared home at lunchtime and announced that Chloe, Evan and he were going on a picnic together. Chloe was taken aback by the idea, but Mrs. Ross thought it was a great idea. In fact she'd already prepared a basket without letting Chloe in on the secret.
 

Trent went upstairs to get washed while Chloe tried to help Mrs. Ross. In spite of Chloe's insistence Mrs. Ross refused all offers of help and told Chloe in no uncertain terms that she should go upstairs and get herself and Evan ready for the picnic.

Duly persuaded, Chloe made her way upstairs. Evan took some time to get ready. As she dressed him, thinking about how many layers of clothing she'd need to bring, in case there was a sudden change in the weather, Chloe could hear the sounds of Trent washing himself in the other room. In spite of herself, stray thoughts came to her mind of how Trent might look in that moment. The blush that came to her cheeks made her glad she was alone with Evan.

Satisfied that Evan was as neatly attired as she could make him, she placed him down in his crib. Evan was already getting used to the comfort of his new crib and lay back happily waving his arms around. Chloe smiled down at him. "You just wait there. Mama will be back," she said softly.

Chloe left the room with a brief final glance back at Evan and walked down the hall to Trent's room. She slowly pushed open the door to his room. She was initially ashamed to find that she felt a brief surge of disappointment on seeing that Trent was fully dressed, unlike the intrusive thoughts that had forced their way into her mind moments before. But what she saw instead was equally affecting.
 

Trent was standing in front of a mirror. His stance was upright and tall, his shoulders pulled back and he was dressed in tight trousers, cleanly pressed white shirt and neat waistcoat. The dark trousers emphasized the length of his legs, the waistcoat the width of his shoulders. Trent seemed to be savouring the view of himself in the mirror. He was buttoning up the waistcoat, and every once in a while he nodded to himself in quiet approval. Chloe hadn't ever seen a man so comfortable in front of a mirror, nor so patently self regarding.

The silent spectacle of her husband admiring himself in front of the mirror, oblivious to the presence of his wife, brought a smile to Chloe's face. A giggle bubbled up. She tried to stifle the sound, but Chloe couldn't contain it.

Trent whirled around. His mouth opened and his face went pale. "Chloe. I didn't know you were there," he muttered.

Chloe smiled "Admiring yourself?" she asked.

Trent straightened his waistcoat. "Just want to look good for Evan. It's our first family outing. I thought to make an effort."

Family outing. The words impressed themselves upon her with surprising force.

"You look mighty comfortable in front of that mirror," she teased.

Trent cleared his throat "That's not it at all."

"This what you do before you go for a night out in town?" she asked quirking a brow .

Chloe knew she was making him feel uncomfortable in a playful way. She'd never seen Trent like this before, and the truth was, she kinda liked that he took care with his appearance.

Chloe glanced over at the open wardrobe. Trent certainly liked his clothes. For a rancher his closet was filled with more outfits than Chloe had seen even in most women's wardrobes.

"You like your clothes, don't you Trent?"

He strode over to the closet and quickly closed the door. "Relics of my former life, you might say."

Chloe nodded "Ah yes. The life of a bachelor."

Trent frowned semi seriously. "A man's got to make an effort. Things are different now though. As I told you. Those days are gone for me. But it does mean that I have some mighty fine clothes to wear."

"Maybe you'd like me to go through them and throw out the ones that don't fit with your new role as a family man," she said with a grin.

Trent's brow furrowed. "Oh I don't think that's a good idea. There's nothing in that closet that I still don't look good in," he said coming up closer to her and grinning.
 

Chloe slapped him playfully on the chest. "You are so vain," she said and smiled. "And to think that you're a rancher. Do the other men know that you're a secret dandy?"

"They know it and they love it. When I used to go into town they were all positively jealous of how I was turned out."

Chloe laughed. Trent was incorrigible and in that moment she felt herself drawn to his humor and his sheer self confidence. He couldn't have made what he had of himself without possessing a deep well of self assurance. She found that both compelling and attractive.

Trent smiled at Chloe. "You don't look too bad yourself if I may say so."

Chloe shifted, overcome by sudden embarrassment.
 
"Evan's ready," she said.
 

Chloe lifted her head and looked into Trent's dark eyes. There was a glint of something in his gaze that made Chloe's breath catch in her throat. It was a piercing look that drove deep into her. The room seemed suddenly smaller. Chloe could hear the soft sound of Trent's breathing. The silence stretched interminably. Chloe coughed.

"We best be going then," she said. Trent's lips narrowed and his eyes shifted away from Chloe. "Sure," he said quickly.

"I take it you know where we're going for this picnic."

Trent nodded. "There's only one place that I know of which is perfect for a family picnic."

"Not too far from the ranch house?" she enquired.

"No. It's sheltered, close to the house and has beautiful views."

"Sound's nice. Let's go then."

As they left Trent's room Chloe thought how fascinating it had been to catch a glimpse of Trent in his private moments. She'd caught him off guard and she wasn't going to apologize for doing so. She'd learned nothing new. She was already aware of just how well Trent took care of himself. But there was always room for improvement when it came to taking care of a man, she thought. With a last glance at the wardrobe Chloe promised herself that she would take some time when Trent wasn't around to sort out the contents of that closet.

A man didn't exist who wouldn't benefit from a woman's touch when it came to how he was dressed.

And Chloe's husband was not going to be the exception.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Trent was mortified.
 

Chloe had caught him in an unguarded moment. And she'd teased him too, although that had been curiously enjoyable. Chloe had a sense of humor. Given the recent circumstances of her life that was remarkable. But maybe some of the efforts Trent had been making to help Chloe feel at home during the last couple of days had been paying off. Trent had made sure that he hadn't spent all day at work. They'd had some nice quiet moments together walking in the garden, watching the horses being worked in the corral, and on one quiet evening sitting on the porch looking at the stars. Trent was enjoying getting to know Chloe and Evan. They were wonderful to be around. They'd brought a whole new meaning to his life, one that he was fast getting used to.

But Chloe was still holding back. Trent didn't blame her for that. So much had changed in Chloe's life in recent times that he thought it amazing she even tolerated his presence as much as she did. She didn't talk about Lucas much, and Trent understood that. The pain she was feeling must still be raw and hard to deal with. Trent had made sure he didn't bring the subject of Lucas up in their conversations, figuring that Chloe must be having a tough enough time adjusting to ranch life and motherhood. His admiration for her fighting spirit was growing by the day. And it wasn't just admiration. In his quiet moments, out working with the ranch hands and the herd, he found himself thinking warm thoughts about his new wife.