The Texan's Baby (Texas Rodeo Barons)

She smiled and left, leaving Lizzie only a few moments to prepare herself for seeing Chris.

He came around the edge of the curtain, dressed in his customary dark jeans, boots and a button-down shirt. Her heart jumped at the sight of him and the concern shadowing his face. “Lizzie,” he said urgently. “Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”

“I don’t know yet,” she managed to say, and then to her chagrin, the overwhelming emotions she’d been struggling to hold in came rushing out and she started to cry.

* * *

CHRIS IMMEDIATELY SAT on the bed and pulled her into his arms as she wept.

From the moment he’d received Nicole’s call until he’d parked the car and run to the hospital doors, his body had been overcome with fear. It hadn’t mattered how they left things last night. It didn’t matter now that their personal relationship was a mess. He loved her. He knew that. And while becoming a father had been the most terrifying news he’d ever received, learning he might not be after all scared him to death.

“Shh,” he soothed. “It’s all right. I’m here.”

“Oh, Chris,” she wept. “I’m so scared. I didn’t even want this baby and now I can’t imagine not having it. How can that be possible?”

He swallowed against a lump in his throat. He wouldn’t cry, too, even though the sound of her anguish was tearing him apart. He’d hold it together, as long as there was still hope. “Because anything is possible when it comes to love,” he replied. “It doesn’t listen to reason. Don’t you know that by now?”

She lifted her tearstained face to his. “No, I don’t think that’s a lesson I ever learned. And maybe that’s why I’ve failed so badly. Maybe I’d be a terrible mother....”

His heart broke for her. Did she even realize how her mother leaving had marked her so indelibly? “You’ll be a wonderful mother,” he assured her. “And I’ll be right there with you. You don’t have to do this alone.”

She clung to him, nesting her cheek against his chest. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so sorry for what I said last night. That I didn’t listen. You were right, I was so scared that I’d failed, scared that I’d fallen into the same trap again. Only it was worse because I...”

She broke off suddenly and his heart surged. He knew, as he waited for her to finish her sentence, that they may have come together because of the baby but now it was so much more than that. He’d want to be with her even if there was no child.

“Because why?” he asked gently. “Lizzie.” He pressed a light kiss to her hair. “Tell me why.”

She shuddered in a breath, pulled away slightly and lifted her tortured gaze to his. “Because I fell in love with you. That’s why it hurt so much.”

“But

I didn’t do what you said.”

“I know. I think I knew then, too. And Nicole told me. She thinks a lot of you, you know.”

“I fell in love with you, too, Lizzie.” The words were out there now and he couldn’t take them back. Not that he wanted to, but it was a risk, putting feelings like that out there.

“You did?”

He nodded. “I think there was something profound between us from the start, but the day you met my parents—that sealed the deal for me. I love you, Lizzie. And I’ll love you no matter what happens today.”

Her lower lip wobbled and he leaned down and kissed it. She tasted sweet and sad, like creamy chocolate and salty tears. Without prompting, she slid over on the hospital bed to make more room. He rested his back against the pillows and opened his arm, making room for her to snuggle in. And that was how they waited for the doctor to return.

It wasn’t a long wait; the doctor came back with results of the exams and a smile on his face. “Ms. Baron,” he greeted gently as she sat up, pushing away from Chris’s embrace. “Hi, I’m Dr. Wade.” He held out his hand to Chris and Chris shook it.

“Chris Miller,” he said. “I’m the baby’s father.”

“That is, if...” Lizzie’s voice came from the bed, thin and anxious.

“So far, so good. Yes, you’re having a bit of spotting, and while a little is normal it definitely needs to be checked out. Your blood work came back fine—your serum hCG levels are still nice and high, and the ultrasound showed the fetus, which at this stage is, oh, about the size of a tangerine.”

Chris let out a long breath and looked at Lizzie. Her eyes were shining even though her lip wobbled, probably with the same relief he was feeling.

“That’s good news,” Chris said, smiling. “What happens next?”

“Well, we’d like to keep you here for twenty-four hours, Lizzie. Monitor you a bit, make sure you don’t start bleeding more, that sort of thing. Besides, I think you could use the rest. Your iron’s a bit low and rumor has it you have a pretty demanding job.”

“Whatever you say,” she answered, nodding.