One Bride for Four Ranchers

Relief crashes into me. I suck in a breath and let it out with a small sob.

Trey, without another glance toward me, walks out of the room. Joshua reaches for my hand and presses a kiss against my skin. Then he follows his brother. The tech, looking more than a little uncomfortable, rolls his cart out as quickly as he can.

I look at Clay and Tyler, both are pale, skin ashen.

“I really pissed him off, huh?” I say, my voice a warbling mess.

Clay takes my hand, and Tyler comes up next to him to smooth my hair.

“Can you give us a minute?” Clay asks Tyler.

Tyler smooths my hair again. “Sure thing. You going to be okay?”

I nod. Mostly because if I speak right now, I’m going to cry and embarrass all of us.

Tyler presses a kiss to my forehead and leaves Clay and me alone.

Clay waits a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he asks, “Do I have to ask?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out the right way to tell you.” I take a deep breath. “But it hasn’t been easy. I’m sorry, Clay. But yes, the baby is yours.”

Another long moment passes, then Clay nods. More to himself than to me. And when he looks at me again, there’s a slight smile in his eyes. “So you concocted this clever plan to fall off a horse in order to tell me? Honestly, just straight to my face would have been easier.”

I choke on a laugh because I’m still on the edge of tears. “You forgive me?”

He shakes his head and leans down to kiss me. “There is nothing to forgive. I’m just sorry that I’m such an ass. It made this hard on you.”

None of this is his fault—well, none of it since New York, anyway. But I don’t have the energy to argue with him. And dammit, I’m carrying his baby. If that doesn’t earn me a little leeway, I don’t know what will.

“What’s wrong with Trey?” I ask, voice soft.

“Has Trey ever mentioned Claire to you?” Clay asks.

Lump building in my throat again, I nod.

“I’m surprised he mentioned her,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve heard him talk to anyone about her since she passed.”

I just shake my head. I’m not sure what to say to that.

“This hit Trey hard because... Well, Claire died of an ectopic pregnancy.”

The world spins, and I sit up and take a few deep breaths to keep from throwing up. Oh, my God. No wonder Trey had acted like he did. I’m not dumb enough to think that he’s in love with me—that any of these men are in love with me—but I know he cares for me. To lose the love of his life that way and then to have to watch me like this... God, I can’t imagine.

“I need to talk to him,” I choke out. Can you find him? Please?”

Clay nods. “You’ll be okay on your own for a minute?”

I nod, still not completely trusting myself to speak. I’m sick of crying. Doing much more of it today can’t be good for the baby, or me.

The older doctor comes back while the boys are gone. And I swear that he peeks into the room before entering to make sure I’m alone.

“I’m happy to let you know that everything seems perfectly fine. You can resume all normal activities, but no more horseback riding, young lady,” he says, tone both stern and kind.

The reassurance that my baby is just fine makes me want to leap out of bed to hug the man, but he’s probably just ready for me to get out of his ER at this point. The idea of the baby has been so overwhelming, and I’ve been so concerned about how having a child will affect my life, but I didn’t realize until the horse threw me how very much I want this baby. “No more horseback riding. Promise.”

I get dressed quickly, eager to leave the hospital gown behind. I’m just slipping on my shoes when the men return. I want to talk to Trey right then and there, but it feels weird inside of the hospital. Awkward. So I wait until we get down to the truck and I grab Trey’s upper arm when we approach.

“Can you guys give us a minute?” I ask the other Hollisters. Only Clay hesitates, but the three of them get in the truck, so I can have a private moment with Trey.