Wrangling the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 3)

“You’re amazing.” She sighs. “I feel like a freaking oven.”

“It’ll pass,” I reassure her. It typically does anyway. “I’ll grab you a sweet tea, too.” Pressing my lips to her forehead, I grab the fan from our bedroom, then go to the kitchen for her drink. Lately, she’s been getting hot flashes all the time and even in the middle of the night. To combat it, Maize has started sleeping with the fan blasted on her face, nearly naked, while I’m wrapped in a blanket.

Once I’m back in the living room, I make sure she’s comfortable before I sit next to her. One hand rests on her bump as she sucks down her tea. Without even trying, Maize is the most stunning woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Making her my wife was the best day of my life, tied with the day we found out she was pregnant with twins.

We hadn’t expected it to happen so fast, but I was ready since I’m not getting any younger. Though if you ask Maize, she’d argue that her biological clock is ticking since she’s closer to turning thirty. Undoubtedly, she was ready to get knocked up as soon as humanly possible. Apparently, the Bishop legacy of having multiples lives on.

My parents were undoubtly thrilled when we told them the news. They visit at least once a month but I have a feeling they’ll be coming a lot more or even moving here after the twins are born.

I go back to our clothes. We’re finally having our housewarming party now that everything’s unpacked. We moved in right before the wedding five months ago, but it wasn’t completely finished. I helped the crew between shifts, and since I didn’t want Maize to have to juggle unpacking and working, I took care of it all.

Once we learned we were having girls, we started decorating the nursery. Now that it’s painted, it’s time for all the furniture to be built and baby gear stored. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about taking care of two infants at once, but Mila’s already offered to help as well as Grandma Bishop. They’re over the moon excited, and her mom can’t wait to be a grandma.

John keeps going back and forth about what he wants the girls to call him, and he’s excited about our growing family. Kenzie was her typical overdramatic self and screamed with joy.

“You excited for this weekend, babe?” I ask, trying to match socks.

“Yes, I am,” she says with a gleeful smile. “I can’t wait to show off my hot house-building husband.”

I scoff. “I helped, but I’m definitely not taking all the credit. The crew did the hard shit. I basically pointed and made sure nothing got messed up.”

“That’s pretty sexy in my book.” She waggles her brows while lowering her eyes down my chest.

I chuckle, shaking my head. Another symptom of pregnancy is raging hormones that make her want sex all the time. Not that I’m complaining, but we have a party happening in three days. We’ve invited the whole damn town, it seems, but I don’t mind. It’s a potluck, so Maize isn’t stuck preparing food for a crowd since her catering business is booming. Kenzie helps on the side, but Maize does all the cooking. Her doctor has warned her to take it easy with the stress of extra work since it’s likely she’ll go into preterm labor.

Moments later, my phone vibrates with a text, and I see it’s Connor.

Connor: Would you mind if I brought someone with me to your party this weekend?

I read the message to Maize, and her smile drops. “He’s bringing a date?”

I’m not sure what’s happened between him and Elle, but their work relationship hasn’t been the best as far as I've heard.

“I guess.” I shrug.

Gavin: No problem. The more, the merrier.

“I hope you told him absolutely not!” she pouts.

I snort. “Why not? Elle isn’t dating him.”

“Well, she could be if he wasn’t such a jerk. And now she’s gonna have to see him with another woman. It’s a dick move.”

I’m not sure how to reply and don’t wish to get in the middle of whatever’s going on, so I stay quiet.

“Whatever. I’m gonna tell her to bring someone then. Ha! See how Dr. Dickhead likes that.”

I narrow my eyes in confusion. “Thought you called him VetDreamy?”

She scowls. “Not anymore.”

That doesn’t sound good, but I also don’t ask. Connor and I see each other at least once a week at the ranch, and if there’s drama, I stay out of it.

“There,” she says as she sets down her phone. “Now it won’t be awkward, and she won’t be alone when he’s hanging on some other woman.”

After the clothes are done, I sit back and pull Maize into my chest. “Any kicks today?”

“I feel a little fluttering on my right side,” she tells me, and I move my hand around.