Czytaj książkę: «The Bronc Rider's Baby»

Chapter One

Nate Gallagher had run with the bulls in Pamplona and ridden some of the toughest broncs in rodeos all over the country, but he’d never faced anything as scary and as unnerving as this.

What in the hell was he going to do with a premature baby girl? He’d bet he had champion belt buckles at home that weighed as much or more than she did.

The neonatal nurse, who’d just finished strapping little Jessica into her carrier, pointed to a white plastic bag bearing the hospital logo. “I’ve packed some bottles and formula for you to take home. Are you ready to go?”

Hell no. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might break out of his chest, and he was sweating like crazy. But he’d be damned if he’d show any sign of fear.

“Yep.” He reached for the baby carrier that would fit into the car seat base he’d secured in the backseat of his pickup, amazed that it felt just as light now as it had when he’d brought it into the Brighton Valley Medical Center. If he hadn’t glanced inside where baby Jessica was dozing, he’d never know she was there. But she was there—and leaving the safety of the hospital to go with him.

Oh, man, this was happening way too fast. It had taken every bit of his courage to sign her release forms moments ago. Sure, she’d gained a pound or two since her birth. But why couldn’t they have kept her a little longer, until she’d grown bigger—like the size of a kid entering kindergarten?

If they had, he’d feel a lot better about dealing with her. At least she’d be able to talk and tell him if he was doing something wrong.

“Mr. Gallagher?” a soft, feminine voice said from behind him.

As he turned, he caught sight of a petite blonde in his peripheral vision. He might consider the attractive woman worth his full masculine attention if he’d met her in a bar, throwing back a shot of tequila with her friends. But here in a hospital, holding a patient file in her hands? All bets were off.

“Yes,” he said.

“I’m Anna Reynolds.”

Was he supposed to know her?

She must have sensed his confusion because she added, “I’m the social worker assigned to your case.”

Just the words social worker and case were an unsettling reminder of the years he’d spent in foster care and enough to stop him dead in his tracks. The only reason he’d stepped up and claimed paternity was to keep the tiny girl out of the system.

The woman—Anna, Ms. Reynolds or whatever he was supposed to call her—offered him a warm smile, no doubt meant to disarm him. “It’s standard procedure.”

For whom? The hospital? Or for the state of Texas?

He clutched the plastic handle and pulled the carrier close to his side, as if he could prevent anyone from taking the newborn away from him, his grip as tight as his gloved hand once held the braided leather rein on the back of a bronc charging out of a bucking chute.

“I’ll be stopping by your house regularly for a while,” she said.

Again with the smile. He had to admit it was a nice one. A pretty one. Under any other circumstances, he would look forward to having regular visits from the attractive blonde. But not when he knew she’d be checking up on him. Not when she had the power to remove little Jessica from his home.

And how weird was that? He was scared spitless to take custody of a child, a newborn, no less. Yet at the same time, he was hell-bent on keeping that baby safe.

And far, far away from Kenny Huddleston, the man responsible for her mother’s death.

Following Kenny’s brutal assault, Beth had gone into premature labor and later died of a brain bleed.

He wondered if the court had ordered the social worker’s involvement. “Does this have anything to do with Beth?”

“No, it doesn’t. Although I’m sorry for your loss.”

Nate nodded, accepting the condolences, although he couldn’t actually say he was grieving for Beth. Not that he didn’t care. He did. But he was more saddened by the child’s loss of her mother.

In truth, he really hadn’t known Beth all that well. If he had, if they’d been closer, he might have been able to talk her out of going back to Kenny and marrying him. Or, at least, he might have convinced her to leave the guy before that fatal beating.

“The hospital sends me out to check on the families of preemies or seriously sick babies,” the social worker added. “The parents usually have a lot of questions and concerns when they take their little ones home after a stay in the NICU.”

She had that right. He’d be stressed and concerned even if Jessica had been born the size of a teenager. He glanced at the tiny girl, who didn’t look a thing like him. But then again, she really didn’t resemble Beth, either.

When he returned his gaze to Ms. Reynolds, he tried to manage a disarming smile of his own. “I won’t be taking her home right away. We’re going to stay on the ranch where I work. I’ll have plenty of help there.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you’ll have some support.” She opened the file she was holding and jotted down a note.

What had she written? Was it something about his judgment, his competency, his ability to parent?

If she weren’t so pretty—and if she didn’t have any power over him—he wouldn’t even consider making an excuse to escape her attention.

“I understand that you were recently granted custody,” she said.

It had taken a few days to get that ironed out, thanks to the help of an attorney, an overworked foster system and his friend’s connections.

“The baby is mine,” Nate said. “I’m her...father.” At least that’s what Beth had claimed.

Nate had his doubts, though. They’d only dated a short while. And the two times they’d had sex he’d used protection. If he had to guess, he’d say there was a far better chance that the child was Kenny’s.

“Do we have the address of the place where you’ll be staying?” Ms. Reynolds asked.

“Yep. You sure do. Are you familiar with the Rocking Chair Ranch?”

“I’ve heard about it. From what I understand, it’s a home for retired cowboys.”

Nate nodded his agreement.

“What’s your connection with the place?” she asked.

Would she find him lacking if he admitted to being a ranch hand, to just being a cowboy? Maybe, but she was going to find out soon enough. “I’m employed there.”

“What kind of work do you do at the retirement home?” she asked.

“The Rocking C is also a working cattle ranch.” Nate glanced down at the sleeping infant in the carrier. “I guess it’s going to be a nursery now, too.”

Again the social worker smiled, reminding him of sunshine, warm breezes, spring flowers and all that was right in the world. But things were far from right. Even before this, his once-stellar career had been shot to hell.

And now he was going to be...a father.

“Are you a cowhand?”

He hoped she didn’t have any objections to that line of work, although he couldn’t rest on his laurels any longer, so he didn’t tell her what he used to do, what he couldn’t do any longer.

“My grandfather had a couple of friends who are living there, so they put in a good word for me. But don’t worry. I can support a baby. I’ve also managed to sock some cash away.”

At that she glanced up, her brow furrowed. “I’m not concerned about that. Of course, if you had any financial concerns, I could give you a few referrals to social services.”

He’d rather die than rely on someone else’s generosity ever again. “I won’t need anything like that.”

She smiled and gave a little shrug. “That’s good to know, but I’m just a phone call away.” She glanced down at her paperwork. “I assume we have your number.”

“Yep.” He nodded at the file in her hand. “It’s all there. But you might want to make a note that the cell phone reception on the Rocking C is almost nonexistent, so if you need to get a hold of me, you’d better call the ranch office.”

“All right.” Again she glanced down at the open file in her hands.

When she looked up, Nate noticed the unique color of her eyes. They were a honey brown. He supposed you’d call them hazel, with specks of gold and green.

But it doesn’t matter what color the social worker’s eyes are.

He returned his focus to the baby and a sudden need to escape what felt more like an inquisition than helpfulness. “Well, I hate to cut this short, but I have to get out of here. She eats every hour or two, so I want to get back to the ranch before she needs another bottle.”

“Do you mind if I walk you out?” Ms. Reynolds asked.

Actually, he could use all the support he could get. And if she were anyone else, he’d let her catch a ride all the way to the ranch. But she wasn’t someone who could help.

Still, even though he felt compelled to duck out of the hospital and leave her in his dust, he nodded his agreement, accepting what he couldn’t change.

After they both removed the disposable covering the NICU visitors had to wear over their clothing, as well as the goofy-looking paper booties that went over their shoes, Nate and the attractive social worker exited, leaving the safety of the incubators and nursing staff behind.

As they walked along the corridor to the elevator, the soles of his boots created an interesting harmonic cadence with the click of her heels.

“It’s a big day,” she said. As if noticing the worry that was probably etched on his face, she glanced at the baby and added, “Taking home a newborn for the first time can be both exciting and a little unnerving.”

He wouldn’t say it was exciting, but it was certainly unsettling enough to make the toughest cowboy quake in his Tony Lamas. Rather than admit to any uneasiness, let alone a fear of failure, he didn’t respond either way.

Thankfully, she let the subject drop as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. Once they’d walked out the double glass doors and stepped onto the hospital grounds, the sun was shining warm and bright. The birds chirped overhead, and the water fountain bubbled and gurgled as if it was a perfect Texas afternoon, but Nate knew better. He looked down at the sleeping infant. How could something so small cause so many uncertainties?

“Do you need any help getting that carrier into its base?” she asked.

“No, I’ve got it.”

“Okay, then I’ll let you go. I have a home visit to make.”

So he wasn’t her only... Her only what? Patient? Client? Case? Either way, that was a bit of a relief.

“Thanks for your concern,” he told her. “I’m sure we’ll be just fine, Ms. Reynolds.” He hoped his assurance worked, even though it was a line of bull.

She extended a manicured hand to him. “Please call me Anna.”

His grip was gentle, but he couldn’t help comparing the softness of her skin to his work-roughened calluses.

The afternoon sunlight danced upon the long, white-gold strands in her hair, tempting him to touch it, to watch it slip through his fingers and...

He shook off the inappropriate thought. Anna Reynolds was a beautiful woman, no doubt. In another world, in another life and time, he would have tried to wine and dine her, to date her and see where that might lead.

But even if they were now on a first-name basis, there was no way he’d think of the social worker assigned to his case in a romantic way.

Not when she had the power to take Jessica away from him and place the tiny, fragile baby in foster care.

* * *

Two days later, after leaving the Brighton Valley Medical Center, Anna made the forty-five-minute drive to the outskirts of Wexler, where the Rocking Chair Ranch was located. Her GPS told her she was getting close, but the actual driveway wasn’t clear.

When she spotted a small mom-and-pop grocery store along the way, she stopped to purchase a bottle of water and a granola bar.

“How’s it goin’?” the friendly clerk asked as she totaled the sale.

That was exactly what she planned to ask Nate when she arrived—without the Southern twang, of course. “Not bad.” For a workday.

Anna pulled a twenty-dollar bill from her purse. “I’m heading to the Rocking Chair Ranch. Do you know where it is?”

“It’s about a mile from here. Just look for a long line of mailboxes along the right side of the road. After that you’ll see a yellow sign that points out the entrance. You can’t miss it.”

“Thanks.” She took her purchases to the car. After opening the granola bar and taking a couple of bites, she continued the drive.

Sure enough, just ahead she spotted a string of mailboxes, most of them rusty or dented. Fifty yards farther, she saw the sign. Black cursive letters announced that she’d reached the Rocking Chair Ranch, a red arrow pointing the way.

She flipped on her blinker and turned onto a long, graveled road. Several horses grazed in a pasture that was enclosed by white fencing, the weathered rails in need of a fresh coat of paint.

Moments later she spotted a red barn, several corrals and a sprawling ranch house. In the shade of a big wraparound porch, several elderly men sat in wooden rockers flanked by clay pots filled with red-and-pink geraniums. It was a peaceful setting, and she could see why a retired cowboy or rancher would feel comfortable living here.

She wasn’t exactly sure where to park her car, but decided upon a space next to a silver-gray pickup. Then she shut off the ignition, grabbed her purse and briefcase and made her way toward the house. As she strolled over the uneven path to the front porch, she was glad she’d chosen to wear flats today instead of heels.

Along the walkway, she passed an old tree stump that appeared to have been there for years. A patch of orange-and-yellow marigolds encircled it, making it a rather odd but nice lawn decoration. About ten feet away, in the center of the grass, sat a wooden cart filled with daisies.

As she bypassed a ramp that provided handicap access and approached wooden steps, the men in rocking chairs noted her arrival with a smile. When one tried to stand, she motioned for him to remain seated. The others seemed more interested in watching the activity in the nearest corral, where a cowboy worked with an Appaloosa gelding.

But it wasn’t just any cowboy. It was Nate Gallagher.

Anna slowed to a stop and watched the man gentle the nervous horse with a skill that seemed inborn. His movements were a sight to behold. With those broad shoulders and narrow hips, his black Stetson angled just right, he was a sight.

He filled his boots, those worn jeans and a chambray shirt as if they’d been made with him in mind.

Back at the hospital, his handsome appeal had been hard to ignore, but she’d noted a nervousness about him.

That certainly wasn’t the case now. He was clearly in his element on the Rocking C, where he moved with both strength and grace, his self-confidence apparent.

As Anna continued to watch him work, glued to the way he spoke to the horse, an array of Western movies and their male stars flashed in her mind. Yet Nate stood out from all of them.

Because he was real, Anna decided. In fact, he was so authentic, she could easily imagine him walking down an Old West street, a leather holster slung low on his hips, two Colt 45s at the ready. She’d never been attracted to cowboys before, but there was something fascinating about this one, something sexy and alluring.

He glanced her way for a moment then returned his full attention to the gelding. He obviously knew what he was doing with the horse, but how was he doing with little Jessica?

For that reason, romantically speaking, Nate Gallagher was strictly off-limits.

“Can I help you?” a male voice asked from behind.

She glanced over her shoulder to see an elderly cowboy with a thick head of white hair and a warm glimmer in his eyes. She slowly spun around, switched her briefcase to her left hand and greeted him with the customary shake. “I’m Anna Reynolds, a social worker with the Brighton Valley Medical Center. I came by to visit Mr. Gallagher and the baby.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Sam Darnell, the Rocking C foreman. I’ll let Nate know that you’re here. In the meantime, why don’t you go in the house? Joy, the ranch cook, has the baby. Last I knew, they were both in the kitchen.”

“Thank you.” Yet instead of going inside, as Sam had suggested, Anna said, “I imagine having a baby around is a bit of an adjustment for everyone. How are things going?”

“As good as can be expected, I suppose. Little Jessie isn’t much bigger than a peanut, but Joy says she’s taking to the bottle just fine. She’s also going through the diapers, which I suspect is a good sign.”

Anna smiled. “Yes, that’s a very good sign.” But there’d been more behind her question than that. She’d also wanted to know how Nate was doing. Was he adjusting to fatherhood? Was he bonding with his daughter?

In spite of the air of confidence he’d tried to project when he’d taken the baby home from the hospital, she’d sensed his discomfort and uneasiness. But she didn’t blame him for that. Suddenly being responsible for a newborn could be daunting under the best of circumstances, but it was even more stressful and worrisome when the baby was premature.

She stole another peek at the handsome cowboy, her gaze lingering longer than it should.

“When you wanted to know how ‘things’ were going,” the white-haired foreman said, “I guess you were actually wondering about how Nate was doing.”

She returned her focus to Sam. Normally, she kept her worries to herself, but she didn’t think complete honesty would hurt in this situation. “From what I understand, he just learned about the baby’s existence a couple of months ago. And since... Well, with the mother’s death, he has to deal with this all alone.”

“He’s not alone,” Sam said. “He’s got everyone here to help out.”

That was good. Wasn’t it?

Still, she was pretty astute herself, and something seemed off. She just wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe it was the fact that there were so many people here, including a bunch of old cowboys with who-knew-what kind of backgrounds.

Concern twisted into a bulky knot in her chest. No, something about this setup didn’t feel right.

She hoped Nate was prepared for and even looking forward to being a father, but in spite of what he’d implied at the hospital, she hadn’t been convinced. And she knew from experience what happened when a man didn’t step up and take on a paternal role. Her own father certainly hadn’t wanted to be a daddy. He might have tried to do the right thing and married Anna’s mother when she’d gotten pregnant, but the couple had been young, and their marriage had been in trouble from the start. They’d fought from sunup to sundown, and eventually her dad had run off, abandoning his wife and child.

But this wasn’t about Anna or the man who’d disappointed her. It was about human nature, and that’s what had her worried.

She shook off the unpleasant memory and focused on the case at hand. “I’d better go inside. I’d like to look in on the little ‘peanut.’”

Sam didn’t respond, but then why would he? She’d already started for the house before she’d completed her last sentence.

When she reached the porch, where the two oldsters sat, she offered them a casual “Hello” then opened the screen door and stepped inside. Before she could scan the living room, a long, appreciative whistle sounded from out on the porch.

“Now that’s what I call a pretty little gal,” one of the men said. “You think she’s applying for a job here?”

The other chuckled. “It’d sure be nice if she was. I like living on a ranch, but you can’t beat the pretty feminine scenery.”

Anna probably ought to consider that a compliment, but that was another thing that made her uneasy. She didn’t know anything about these men. Not that she expected them to be doddering old fools, completely oblivious to those around them. But was this really a good place to raise a baby?

She was just about to venture into the house, assuming she’d have to find the kitchen on her own, when she spotted a gray-haired man sitting in a brown vinyl recliner. He was holding a bottle and a small bundle wrapped in pink flannel.

So she approached the elderly resident and asked, “How’s little Jessica doing today?”

He looked up and grinned, his tired eyes sparking with mirth. “She’d probably be a whole lot happier if Joy was feeding her, instead of an old coot like me. But I’m getting the hang of this.”

“I can see that.” Anna offered him a smile of her own then introduced herself and told him why she’d come.

“You probably ought to talk to Joy or to one of the women,” he said. “I’m just a temporary babysitter.”

She’d like to talk to everyone here—the residents, the cook, the nurses. She’d especially like to talk to Nate. But apparently, until he was able to come inside to meet with her, the “temporary sitter” would have to do.

“How about her daddy?” Anna asked. “How’s he adjusting to bottles and diapers?”

“Like most rodeo cowboys, I s’pose. He can handle a wild horse a hell of a lot better than he can a tiny baby.” The old man may as well have waved a big red flag in front of the social worker.

“Is that a fact?” Anna had known that Nate worked on a ranch, but she hadn’t realized he was also involved in the rodeo. But neither of those things had anything to do with him being a good father, one who was devoted to his daughter and eager to spend time with her. “I’m sure he’ll get used to having a baby around before you know it.”

The oldster chuckled. “I sure hope so. When he brought her home a couple of days back, he was as skittish as a colt in a thunderstorm. I’d be just as helpless. So it’s a good thing he’s got Joy and the nurses to help him day and night. ’Course Joy never had any kids of her own, but that don’t matter. Women are just naturally maternal.”

Anna suspected there were a lot of people in the old man’s generation who believed that, but parenting wasn’t just a woman’s job. These days a lot of men quickly settled into their daddy roles and took an active interest in their newborns.

She just hoped that Nate wasn’t skirting his emotional responsibility and letting everyone else take care of the baby. She’d really like him to step up and take part in his daughter’s care.

“You want to feed her?” the gray-haired sitter asked. “I’m doing okay now, but I gotta tell you, when Joy handed her to me and asked me to feed her while she fixed our lunch, my heart started thumping and bumping like the pistons in a beat-up jalopy.”

Anna’s smile deepened. “You look like you’re doing just fine, Mr....?”

“Mayberry,” he said. “But call me Rex.”

When the screen door squeaked open, Anna glanced over her shoulder to see who’d entered the house. The moment she spotted Nate, her heart skipped a couple of beats then sputtered back to life, thumping and bumping like those same pistons in Rex’s jalopy.

Nate removed his battered Stetson, which had left a damp impression mark on his light brown hair, and held it in front of him. “Sam said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Yes, I do. Is now a good time?”

“I guess so.”

But not really? Most new parents were pleased to know someone from the hospital had stopped to check on them, but she suspected he felt threatened by her arrival. And that sent up another red flag, one she’d have to keep in mind while she was here today and during her follow-up visits.

“Maybe I should have called first,” she said.

He shrugged a single shoulder. “I just wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

He glanced at the baby then touched a little foot that peeked out from her blanket. The flicker of a smile crossed his face—a good sign, no?

As if sensing that Anna was watching him, he straightened and caught her eye. They gazed at each other for a beat, long enough for her to realize a little dust and perspiration did very little to lessen his sexy appeal. In fact, it made him even more manly, more...

Oh, wow. It seemed to be getting awfully warm in here.

“Do you want to stay with the baby?” he asked. “Or would you rather go outside and talk to me?”

She glanced at Rex, who was studying them as if they were actors on a stage. Maybe it would be best if they didn’t have an audience.

“Let’s take a walk,” she said, liking the sound of it. She suspected Nate would feel better and be more relaxed outdoors. She certainly would.

“You got this, Rex?” Nate asked. “The baby’s not too much for you? I can ask Joy to come out here and relieve you.”

“Nope.” The elderly man glanced down at the baby and smiled. “We’re doin’ just fine.”

Nate nodded then swung out his arm in a gallant, “after you” manner.

Anna started toward the door, but when she walked past the handsome cowboy and caught a whiff of an alluring scent of leather and musk, she wasn’t so sure being alone with him had been such a good idea after all.