Cowboy Baby Daddy

“I understand,” I said softly. I paused, cocking my head to the side. “Would you mind if I came inside? I have a proposition that I'd like to discuss with you.”

I was surprised at how readily she stepped back to let me in; I'd expected that I would need to persuade her to let me in. Maybe this would work after all.

I turned to face her and then blushed a little, remembering the last time we'd been together in the hall. “Maybe it would be better if we moved into the living room,” I suggested.

Olivia stared at me for a long moment and then nodded, leading the way.

We sat down together on the couch. “I want you to come away with me for the weekend,” I told her. When she looked as though she might protest, I held up a hand. “Hear me out,” I pleaded.

She continued to stare at me, but I just paused, waiting for her to answer me. “Okay,” she finally agreed.

I nodded at her. “I want you to come away with me for the weekend,” I repeated. “I think it would do you good to get away from here. Maybe it would clear your head a little so that you could think about this. About the possibility of an us. I want to take you someplace nice, someplace really relaxing.” I paused, and when she didn't say anything, I forged ahead. “You can't make up your mind about if you want to be with me or not unless you know what it would be like,” I told her. “And I haven't done a very good job of showing you that, thus far.”

I couldn't tell what she was thinking, from looking at her face. But she at least seemed to be considering the idea.

“Plus, it would give us a chance just to try this out,” I said quietly. “Emma is fine staying Christina for the weekend.” When her eyes widened, I hurried to explain: “I didn't tell Christina why. I think she thinks it's something to do with Helen. But I wanted to make sure that she was okay with it before I even proposed this.” I shook my head. “Separate rooms and everything. No pressure. But I really would like to pamper you a little. I can only imagine how difficult things have been for you lately. And you are, after all, the mother of my unborn child.”

Olivia frowned, twisting her fingers together just like she had when I'd told her all about Georgia's meddling. “What if I say no?” she asked.

I shrugged as though the thought of her declining didn't worry me, even though really, I could hardly even consider her rejection. “If you don't want to go with me, I'll understand,” I said. “I'm still going to urge you to go anyway, on your own. Like I said, you deserve to be pampered. And if it means that at a later date, you want to try this thing between us, I'll still be very happy. If it means that you never want to be with me, that you can't be with me after the things that I said to you, then I'll understand that.”

“You're just doing this because you feel guilty, aren't you?” Olivia asked, but I was pleased to see a small smile on her face.

I laughed. “A little bit, maybe,” I admitted. “Is that all right?”

“Are you sure this is the best idea?” Olivia asked uncertainly. “You may not have told Christina why you needed her to watch Emma for the weekend, but aren't people going to realize that you and I have disappeared at the same time? They'll leap to conclusions. You know they will.”

“I don't care if you don't,” I told her instantly. Olivia's eyes widened a little at that. I shook my head. “My mourning period is over,” I said softly. “I'll always love Emily in some part of my being. She gave me a beautiful daughter in Emma, and she made me so happy for many years. But that doesn't mean that I can't move on, and it isn't going to stop me from being friends with my new baby's mom, if that's okay with you.”

Olivia continued to think it over. Finally, she nodded. “All right,” she said. “I'll go with you. But just as friends, for now. I still need to think things over.”

“Of course,” I said gently, pulling her into my arms and hoping that that was okay. To my relief, she wrapped her arms around me, burying her face against my shirt. I could feel her relaxing in my arms, and I could only imagine what a good masseuse could do for her.

“When do we leave?” she asked.

“As soon as you're packed,” I told her. “Our reservations are for tonight and tomorrow night. I've got a full day of relaxing spa appointments booked for you tomorrow.”

Olivia looked at me, wonder in her eyes. For the first time in a while, I saw a real smile spread across her face. “Thank you,” she said. “I'll go get packed.”

“I'll see you in half an hour,” I promised. “Unless you need more time?”

“That should be fine,” Olivia said, sounding almost shy.

From the time we checked into our rooms until lunchtime the following day, I didn't see Olivia, except once in passing, in the hallway. As promised, I had a full schedule of relaxing activities for her. Besides, I wanted to give her a little space to think things over. But on Saturday at lunchtime, I grabbed the picnic lunch that I had arranged for and went to meet her outside her massage appointment.

She looked sleepy and calm when she came out of it. She smiled at me when she saw me waiting there. “What's next on the agenda?” she asked, rolling her shoulders a little.

I held up the picnic basket. “Lunch,” I told her. “Come on.”

I led her up to a scenic, secluded spot that the receptionist at the B&B had recommended. “How are you feeling?” I asked as we sat down on the checkered blanket that I had spread out.

“Really good, actually,” she admitted, glancing over at me. “This was a good decision. Thanks again.”

“I'm glad it's helping,” I said, taking things out of the bag.

She tucked in ravenously, and I gave myself a mental pat on the back, knowing that this was likely the most she'd managed to eat in a while. It made me regret the fact that we had to go back to reality the following day, but I couldn't leave Emma with Christina forever, as much as I'd like to stay here forever in this little bubble of camaraderie that Olivia and I seemed to have finally found.

“I am sorry that I didn't react better to the news that you were pregnant,” I told her midway through the meal, unable to hold back any longer. “And for the scene at the hospital. I shouldn't have said the things that I said.”