The Cowboy’s Baby Read online

  Tears burned behind her eyes. What she wanted more than anything else was the chance to make another go of their marriage. Maybe if she’d been honest with him from the start things would be different, but she couldn’t even tell him about the child she’d given away. The child who claimed a big piece of her heart.

  Hearing her name called brought her back to the present. Kira looked up in time to see the last of the students march across the stage as the principal handed them a substitute diploma. Then they all returned to their seats, the recessional march played and the students filed out. Kira followed them. Once outside she gathered the group for last minute instructions.

  “Another thing, class,” she began, then looked up feeling her throat tighten. She’d known most of these kids since they were freshmen. Now, some were going off to college, some to the military and others into the work force. She only prayed that she’d given them enough help to survive. More than she ever got at their age.

  “This is the last time I’m going to be able to say that.” She looked up at Jason Rush, Steve Matthews and Michael Begay. All of them were well over six feet tall. “It’s been a delight to have you all this past year,” she said, fighting the emotions. “I’d like to continue our friendships, so please…please, when you celebrate be smart. Please don’t drink and drive.”

  She reached up and tapped Steve on the side of the head playfully. “I worked too hard for any of you to end up as roadkill on the highway.”

  The group released a groan.

  “No, I don’t want to hear any excuses. I just want your promise.”

  There were disgruntled murmurs of response, then the group dispersed. All except Jody Campbell. She seemed to be hanging back. Maybe she wanted to talk again. Kira walked toward the young woman.

  “Do you need a ride home, Jody?”

  “I can walk,” the girl said as she hugged her slim body. She looked too thin in her baggy jeans and T-shirt.

  Kira glanced up at the threatening clouds as the wind began to pick up. “Come on, Jody. If I don’t give you a ride you’ll get drenched.”

  The girl reluctantly followed Kira to the car. Once they were inside the Jeep Cherokee, the sky opened up. Hearing the rain pelt the top of the car, Kira decided to wait out the downpour. She looked across the seat at her sullen passenger.

  “You know, Jody, I’m proud of you. You managed to ace your finals and save some of your grade-point average.”

  “I lost out on first honors, though.” She shrugged. “Oh, well, I’m not going to college anyway.”

  Kira hated it when any of her students gave up. “Jody, there are other ways to go to school than going away. You can attend community college.”

  Jody brushed her blond hair from her shoulders and stared out the rain streaked window. “I told you my mom can’t afford for me to go to college.”

  “You could apply for a student loan,” Kira suggested. “I’ll help you fill out the paperwork.”

  Jody turned to her. Tears clouded her eyes. “I don’t want your help.” She began to sob. “You’re wasting your time on me.”

  “Don’t say that, Jody, you’re worth every bit of my time.”

  The girl glanced away. “It doesn’t matter anymore, nothing matters.” She started to climb out, but Kira reached for her.

  “It matters, Jody. Please, don’t be so hard on yourself. I promise I won’t talk about college. Just tell me you’re coming to the roundup.”

  “I have to work that day.”

  “That’s a shame since you’ve worked so hard on organizing the party. You’ve got to come, Jody.”

  The girl hesitated.

  “I promise it’ll be the last thing I’ll ever ask of you. Come on, you need to celebrate.”

  “I’ll try,” the girl said, then jumped out of the car, and ran off in the rain.

  Kira didn’t go after her. She knew from her own experience that she couldn’t make Jody confide in her if she didn’t want to. But Kira was going to be darn sure that she was there for her. And she had a strange feeling the girl was going to need her.

  Trace was angry with himself for riding Thunder so hard. And what had it accomplished? Nothing. He climbed down and immediately removed the saddle and blanket, then began walking the lathered horse around to cool him down.

  “Sorry, fella. You’re the one who had to put up with my bad mood today.”

  Twenty minutes later, Trace led him into the barn and stall, then started brushing him.

  “Did the ride help your mood?”

  Trace looked over the stall gate to see Cal.

  “Probably not.” He stopped brushing. “I’ve got a lot on my mind. You have a problem with that?”

  He shook his head. “You’re the boss. I’ll just stay out of your way.” Cal started to leave, then stopped. “Is the senior roundup still on? Are the kids still coming?”

  “As far as I know it is, but maybe you should ask Kira.”

  Cal looked past him toward the doorway and smiled. “I think I will. Hi, Kira, we were just talking about you.”

  Trace glanced over his shoulder and saw her. She was dressed in jeans and a red and blue print blouse. Her hair was pulled back, showing off the delicate line of her jaw, the softness of her skin.

  “Hi, Jonas.” She nodded. “Trace.”

  He didn’t have much to say back. “Cal wants to know about the roundup.”

  “That’s why I’m here.” She directed her attention to Trace. “I need to double-check on things.”

  “As long as I have bodies to bring in the herd, you can do whatever you want.” The last thing Trace wanted to do was pretend that everything was perfect between them all day, but why disappoint the kids.

  “You sure?” she asked. “With the day of activities, the music and dancing afterward? It’s a long day.”

  “Why would it be any different than in the past four years?” Senior roundup had been Trace’s idea after they’d first gotten married.

  “Because it is different this year,” she told him.

  “I’ve got things to take care of,” Cal said and disappeared from the barn.

  “That’s separate,” he said, continuing to brush Thunder. “The roundup has nothing to do with us.”

  “Trace, it all has everything to do with us.” She came to the railing. “I guess we can put off the personal stuff until the roundup is over. But we can’t ignore the fact that there is a counselor and birthmother coming Monday.”

  He closed his eyes a second and took a breath. “Surely we can get through a day together. Call it practice for our interview to see if we qualify as the perfect parents.”

  When he opened the gate and stepped out, she touched his arm to stop him. “I know the past few months have been hard, but is it that difficult to act as if you care about me? My feelings for you haven’t changed, Trace, I love you.” She rose up on her toes. Her hand slid up his chest, burning a path of need that threatened to destroy his resolve.

  With a groan, Trace captured her mouth in an eager kiss, hating his weakness for her. Yet, it didn’t stop his wanting her, needing her. He drew her against his body, hoping to ease some of the ache. It didn’t. He released her with a jerk, his breathing labored. Seeing the desire in her rich brown eyes, he had to glance away.

  “You can’t deny you still care about me,” she argued.

  “A few heated kisses doesn’t make a marriage, Kira.” His gaze moved over her pretty face, unable to ignore the hurt his words caused her. He cupped her face. “I couldn’t give you what you wanted then, Kira. I’m not sure I can now.”

  So why in the hell did he want to try so badly?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  I COULDN’T give you what you wanted, and I’m not sure I can now.

  Trace’s words still echoed in her head as Kira walked out to the back porch at dawn on Saturday. Over the last forty-eight hours she tried to stay hopeful. Hopeful that he would say yes to staying with her during the adoption process. It was a perfect o
pportunity to work on their marriage. That was if he still wanted to be a part of her life, and their baby’s life.

  All those answers had to be put off until the roundup was over. Once alone Sunday night, they could discuss things and make a decision before the biological mother’s visit on Monday.

  Trace had stayed away from the house as he prepared for the roundup. And even though she’d had the graduation to help supervise, Kira still found time to think about the future.

  Would it include Trace, and a baby?

  Now she just had to get through this day, the senior roundup. Kira stepped off the back porch and walked toward the rows of tables that had been set up the night before by the graduates’ parents, grateful their kids would have a safe place to celebrate. To protect the guests and the food from the hot sun, several canopies shaded the area. A big banner hung across the barn that read, Winchester Ridge High School Senior Roundup, Class Of 2009.

  Kira smiled. She loved doing the party. Both Trace and she had enjoyed it the past. And as far as she could tell, he was okay with it this year, too.

  Some of the senior boys had showed up ready to ride in the roundup. They were gathering in the corral with their mounts. Then she saw Trace lead Thunder out of the barn and head to the group. She watched him give directions to the men, then grabbed hold of the saddle horn and easily swung onto his mount.

  Panic rose in Kira when she realized that he was ready to leave without saying goodbye. Then he looked in her direction, giving her a sliver of hope that he wanted her to send him off like she had in the past. Trace shouted something to Cal, then walked his horse in the opposite direction, toward her.

  Kira caught up to him about halfway. “You’re leaving already?”

  He nodded and watched the group of men walking their horses through the gate toward the range. “I want to have the herd back by ten. Barring any problems, we should be.”

  Nodding, she stepped closer to stroke Thunder, but the animal was anxious to take off, too. “The rest of the kids should be here by then to help with the branding.”

  He tugged on the reins to get the stallion back under control. “I’ll send one of the hands back ahead of us.” He hesitated. “Just to make sure none of the kids get in the way. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

  “We have some of the dads assigned to help out.”

  She couldn’t take her eyes off Trace, and the way he handled the horse. In jeans and a chambray shirt, he wore his usual belt with the large buckle with the McK brand. It had belonged to his grandfather.

  “Be careful,” she said, placing her hand on his knee. If the contact bothered him, he didn’t let on. Darn. “And tell the men there’ll be plenty of good food waiting for them.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “Will there be some of your potato salad?”

  The request surprised her. “I might be persuaded to whip up a batch.” She already had it made and chilling in the refrigerator.

  She’d been encouraged after he’d kissed her last night, knowing he was fighting his feelings toward her. She wasn’t going to make it easy for him, either. She stared at him, catching his incredible gray eyes.

  “Be careful today.”

  “I’m not foolish, especially with green kids to look out for.”

  Her fingers flexed against his knee. “Just make sure you look out for you, too.”

  Trace started to speak, but someone whistled to him. He glanced at the riders off in the distance. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Stay safe.” She stepped back as he tugged his hat lower, kicked Thunder’s sides and they shot off. She trembled as she watched until he disappeared over the horizon.

  “Now, I’d say that man wants to stay married.”

  Kira gasped as she swung around. She found her friend smiling at her. “Michele. I didn’t expect you so soon.”

  Her fellow counselor smiled. “You weren’t exactly paying attention. So I take it things are okay with you two?”

  Kira released a breath. “It isn’t that simple.” She knew she had to tell Trace everything. “There’s a lot we need to deal with.”

  Her friend frowned. “Maybe you should skip the talking and go straight to…other things.”

  That had never been the problem. “I can’t rush Trace.” Kira had never lived in one place long enough to make any close friends. Not before Michele.

  “Well, if it were me, I’d hang onto that cowboy any way I could.” Michele looked around. “Um, do you think Jarrett is going to show up today?”

  Kira frowned, surprised at her friend’s question. “Why would Jarrett come today? He’s never helped out before, well, not since I’ve been here.”

  “I ran into him at the diner yesterday.” Michele shrugged. “I told him about today, and he said he might drop by.”

  Kira studied her. Michele was interested in her brother-in-law? “Well, if he does it’s because he wants something.”

  Michele grinned. “Yeah, and I’m hoping it’s me. You’re not the only one who wants a good-looking McKane man.”

  Three hours later, Trace was riding drag behind the herd. Thanks to the recent rain, there wasn’t much dust kicked up. Just the steady sound of mamas calling to their calves.

  He relaxed in the saddle, letting Thunder do the work as he glanced at the incredible scenery. North was the Roan Plateau and thick rows of tall pines of the White River National Forest. He had grown up in this area, hunted and fished here all his life. He never wanted to live anywhere else. He wanted to continue on the family tradition, to raise a family here on McKane land and hand it down to his kids.

  Sadness took him by surprise. Now his marriage was possibly coming to an end. What was he supposed to do, just walk away and find someone else? Trouble was, there wasn’t anyone else for him. He’d known that the second he’d laid eyes on Kira Hyatt. He fell in love. Now, she wanted to end it all.

  Suddenly a few calves ran by and caught up with their mamas, then Cal rode up beside him.

  “Did you get them all?”

  The foreman nodded. “Yeah. Jerry’s hanging back to make sure.”

  Trace glanced over nearly three hundred heads. “That’s about a hundred and fifty calves to brand. It looks like we’ll be busy today. If we get them separated fast, break for lunch, then we can work four teams on the branding irons and castrating. We should finish up by afternoon.”

  Cal grinned. “That’s if those senior boys are willing to work. Remember there will be teenage girls hanging on the fence watching them.”

  “Then you’ll have to keep them in line.”

  Trace could still remember Kira’s first roundup, and how distracted she’d made him. It was long before there had been a senior roundup. They had only been dating a few weeks. He shifted in the saddle, recalling that had been the first night he’d made love to her. He released a long breath. That seemed like another lifetime ago.

  “Sure, boss,” Cal said. “Are there any other miracles you want today?”

  Trace remained quiet, but there was one. All he’d ever wanted was Kira, but it might take a miracle to save their marriage.

  “They’re coming,” one of the kids yelled.

  Kira climbed up on the stock pen fence, and excitement raced through her as she looked for Trace. It was hard not to be swept up in it. She could imagine a hundred years ago the ranchers’ wives doing the same thing, cheering for their men as they brought in the herd.

  About a dozen teenage girls were all decked out in their best Western clothes. Kira smiled. Some things never change. It was all about the boy getting the girl. She glanced down at her own dark denim jeans, and new teal Western-style blouse. Since she wasn’t planning to do any branding, she could dress up, too.

  Would Trace care, or would he be too busy with his work? In the past, he’d always noticed her. Maybe he didn’t say a lot, but he couldn’t hide his reaction.

  When Cal rode in, he assigned jobs to the boys who were to help separate the calves from the cows. Mooing sounds f
illed the air as the first of the herd arrived. Things got busy as riders did their jobs to corral the herd.

  Trace arrived and was busy shouting orders when suddenly a calf bolted away. He shot off after the wayward bovine. Kira was mesmerized watching the two, man and horse working in unison, cutting off the animal and forcing him back.

  “Well, that was impressive,” Michele said.

  “Thunder is a great cutting horse.”

  “The cowboy isn’t bad, either.”

  Kira finally smiled. “No, he’s not.” She glanced past her friend to see Jody arrive.

  She started toward the girl who was dressed in faded jeans and a white blouse. She didn’t have any fancy boots, just athletic shoes. The girl reminded Kira so much of herself at that age.

  “Jody, I’m so glad you could make it.”

  “I can’t stay too late. My mom can’t pick me up.”

  “Then I’ll take you home,” Kira offered. “You’re not missing all the fun.”

  “But I didn’t bring anything to wear to the dance tonight.”

  Kira smiled. “I have something you can wear,” she whispered. “I’m sure we can find something you like.”

  Jody looked surprised. “Really?”

  Kira nodded as another classmate, Laura Carson, came up to them. “Please stay, Jody. This is our last time the class will be together.”

  Jody glanced around, sadness etched on her face. “But Ben’s here.”

  “So what?” Laura said. “He’s a jerk anyway. We’ll hang out together.”

  “How about I put you two in charge of the food tables?”

  The two friends exchanged smiles. “Okay.”

  “Then let’s get the other girls together and haul the food out. The guys will finish soon and be hungry.”

  Jody and Laura gathered up some classmates and they headed off to the kitchen.

  “Oh, to be that young and carefree again,” Michele said.

  Kira nodded, but realized she hadn’t felt carefree since the day her parents died and she was left alone.