I sat down on the bed. “Let’s see. The retiring came to me right after you told me you were pregnant. I’d missed everything with Blayze. When he said his first word. The first time he walked. He’d started kindergarten, and I hadn’t been there that day. I refuse to be a missing dad anymore. I don’t want to miss anything else, especially this pregnancy.”
Her face softened. “This is really what you want? Because you know I will support you if you want to keep doing this. I would never ask you to stop riding.”
I reached for her hand, pulling her to me. I placed my hand on her belly and closed my eyes. “This is what I really want, Lincoln.” When I opened my eyes, our gazes locked. “Bull riding has always been a passion of mine. But I’m twenty-seven years old, almost twenty-eight, and I want to spend the rest of my life on my other passions. You and Blayze. And this baby we have coming. My dream has always been to help my dad run the ranch. This. Is. What. I. Want.”
She pushed me back onto the bed and pulled her dress over her head. Kicking her boots off, she then shimmied out of her panties and unclasped her bra.
“I’m filthy, Lincoln.”
Crawling over my body, she smiled. “My God, I hope so.”
Epilogue
BROCK
Four Months Later
The sound of a beeping horn drew both my and Ty’s attention toward the racing ranch truck coming down the dirt road.
“Who in the hell is driving like that?” Ty asked.
“Probably Tanner. You know how much he likes driving in fresh snow.”
The truck came to a halt, and Kaylee jumped out.
“Oh, hell. Her behind the wheel is an even scarier thought,” Ty mumbled.
“Brock! Lincoln’s water broke!”
I dropped the fence cutters. “What?”
“Her water broke! Come on!”
Ty knocked me out of the way as he ran by, causing me to slip and fall. He started toward the truck as Kaylee let out a shout.
“What in the hell, Ty?” I cried out.
He stopped and saw me on the ground. “Shit! Sorry. Come on!”
He pulled me up, and we both took off.
“Get out of the way. I’m driving!” I shouted as Kaylee damn near dived into the back seat.
“Go! Go! Go!” Ty yelled. “I still don’t see why you can’t tell us what you’re having,” he continued, his arms crossed and a pout on his face.
“Lincoln and I decided it was too much fun watching you and Kaylee argue about it.”
Kaylee huffed in the back seat as Ty did the same.
“Just get to your wife, you ass,” Kaylee said.
As I pulled into the front yard of my house, Tanner and Blayze were helping Lincoln into the front seat of my truck.
My mother and father were pulling up the rear. Dad was carrying Lincoln’s suitcase. Ty rushed for it as I made my way to Lincoln.
“Hey,” I said as I skidded to a halt.
She looked up at me and smiled the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen on her face. “Hey back at ya.”
“You ready to have a baby?”
“Yep. You?”
I nodded and pulled the seat belt around her, trying to keep my hands from shaking. Tanner was getting Blayze into his seat. “Most definitely. You’re going to be amazing, sweetheart,” I said, leaning in and softly kissing her.
Her eyes closed, and she pulled in a deep breath as she placed her hands on her belly. I felt her stomach then and knew she was having a contraction.
When it passed, she stared into my eyes. “I’m scared, Brock.”
I kissed her. “I am too. Just know that I love you.”
“I love you more,” she replied.
Shaking my head, I whispered, “Impossible.”
I backed out of the truck and shut the door.
“She called Dr. Cannon already. Be careful driving! We’ll be right behind you,” Mom shouted.
Waving, I called out, “Okay! Thanks, Mama.”
It didn’t take long to get to the hospital, but Lincoln’s contractions were beginning to come faster.
“Is it supposed to happen this quick?” she asked, breathing through another contraction as the nurse hooked her up to a bunch of machines.
“It can. Usually, first births don’t progress this fast, but you could stall out, so . . . let’s just get you comfy.”
Lincoln nodded, then turned to me. I could see the fear creeping into her eyes.
I fought to keep my own fears at bay and kissed her hand. “It’s okay, baby. It’s all going to be okay.”
“I know. I just can’t believe the day is here. She’s coming, Brock. Our little girl will be here soon.”
Tears stung the backs of my eyelids. “I know. Ty is going to be so pissed.”
She laughed. “Only because Kaylee was right, but he’ll love her so much.”
“He will.”
“Where is Blayze?” Lincoln asked.
“He wanted to explore the hospital, so Tanner took him on a little adventure.”
“Oh, boy.”
“Yeah, I thought the same thing.”