I walked into the kitchen and smiled when I saw my brothers and Wade sitting there.
“You ready for this shit?” Trevor asked before pushing a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
Mom reached across the table and slapped Trevor on the side of the head. “Do not swear at my table, Trevor Parker.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a wide grin.
“How are you liking your new job, Mitch?” Cord asked, leaning back in his chair with a cup of coffee.
“I’m sore as shi…um…I’m sore as heck,” I answered, peeking over to my grinning mother.
Trevor and Wade laughed.
“I forgot how much daily work goes into this place. I don’t know how you did it before Wade,” I said to Trevor.
“We made do with the other ranch hands and y’all when you could make it.”
A large plate of pancakes sat in the middle of the table along with bacon. Damn, it smelled good, and my stomach let me know how hungry I was.
Mom clapped her hands and said, “Eat up, boys. You’ve got a lot of work to do today.”
Steed walked into the kitchen with Chloe at his side.
“Good morning, uncles!” she shouted as she shot by us and made her way to Dad’s office.
Trevor laughed. “I see where the uncles fall in the order of most-loved.”
Mom laughed and added, “What about me? She ran right on by me.”
Steed kissed Mom on the cheek. “She loves you all equally. It’s just Dad has promised her she can drive one of the tractors today. Good Lord, that girl couldn’t even go to sleep last night she was so excited.”
Steed sat across from me.
“Eat up, Steed,” Mom said.
“No thanks, Mom. Paxton made us a big breakfast this morning.”
His eyes caught mine, and he smiled. He and Paxton were the only two who knew Corina and I were trying for a baby. “How’s the planning coming?” he asked.
Everyone else probably thought he meant the wedding planning, but I knew what the bastard was asking.
“It’s going great. Stayed up half the night working on it.”
Steed laughed and shook his head as he said, “Damn.”
Reaching for Steed’s hat, my mother took it off and set it on the long buffet table. She did the same thing with mine when she walked by.
“You boys know better than to keep those hats on during breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am,” we said together.
Our mom sat down and glanced around the table. Anytime she had all her boys there, she went in for the kill. We were all holding our breath, waiting to see who would be the first victim.
“Wade, how are things going with you and Amelia?”
The rest of my brothers and I breathed matching sighs of relief.
Poor Wade’s head snapped up like he had been called to attention. “Things are going amazing, Mrs…”
She tilted her head and held up a finger.
“Melanie. Things are going great.”
“Do y’all have the house where you want it yet? I haven’t been there in a few weeks, I’d love to stop by.”
Wade nodded. “Please do. I know Amelia would love that. Her office on the second floor is finished. The only things we really have left to do are the guest bedrooms and the kitchen.”
Wade shifted over to me to throw the conversation. Bastard. He was a quick learner. “How about you, Mitchell? Y’all getting your place fixed up?”
I took a bite of toast and nodded. “Yeah, it’s coming along. We didn’t have much to do. A little bit of painting. Corina has been focusing on her old place, getting it ready to make into a bed and breakfast.”
“I just love that idea!” Mom said. “Now, is her mother still coming down next week for Thanksgiving?”
“She sure is.”
“Good! I can’t wait to talk to her about the wedding.”
I flashed my mother a smile. Before I focused back on my food, I caught Cord giving me a shit-eating grin.
“What?” I asked.
“Dude, I still can’t believe you’re getting married. I mean, Tripp I can see getting married ‘cause the bastard is getting old and all.”
“Hey!” Tripp said. “You do know I’m only four years older than you, Cord.”
Cord ignored Tripp and kept talking. “But man, oh man, never imagined Mitchell would be settling down.”
“He’s found love,” Trevor said with a laugh.
Steed grinned widely as he took a drink of coffee. “Y’all wait until it happens to you. You’re gonna be knocked flat on your asses.”
“Language, boys,” Mom purred happily. She loved having us all together.
“I’m not afraid of love.” Cord stated. “I mean, I don’t want to walk around looking like a Smurf all the time.”
My mother wore a confused expression. Leaning over, I whispered, “Let it go, Mom. Trust me.”
She nodded.
“When love comes walking through my door I’ll let it in. But it ain’t happening anytime soon,” Cord announced.
Trevor lifted his glass of orange juice. “I’m with Cord. This cowboy plans on living it up for as long as he can.”
Mom cleared her throat. “And by living it up, what exactly do you mean, Trevor?”
His smile dropped. “Um. You know.”
She folded her hands in her lap, and I tried like hell not to laugh. “No, I don’t know. Why don’t you fill your mama in on this plan. Seems to me like it’s time you found yourself a nice girl to date.”
Dropping his fork to his plate, he sat back. “I’m not going out with her.”
“Why not? Trevor, she is a sweet girl!”
“Who are we talking about?” Tripp asked, looking between Mom and Trevor.
Trevor pointed to Mom, grimacing. “Our mother has been trying to fix me up with one of her friend’s daughters. She went to some fancy school in Austin for high school, then went off to Boston for college and is now back in Oak Springs.”
“Fresh meat,” Cord mumbled under his breath. Trevor nodded.
“You boys know her,” Mom said. “Scarlett Littlefield.”
Cord sat up straight. “Scarlett Littlefield? I remember her. She was spit and fire. Didn’t she set a trashcan ablaze behind the courthouse?”
“That was her?” Trevor asked with a chuckle. “Hell, I remember her now. She was always arguing that it’s cruel to slaughter cows. Wasn’t she a skinny, plain-looking girl?”
“Trevor Parker!” Mom gasped.
“What? She was, Mom! I’m just speaking the truth.”
I finished off my pancakes and pushed the plate away. “Mom, you’re wasting your time. Trevor doesn’t know the meaning of date.”
“That’s right. Mom, I’m only twenty-four. You’ve got three older sons yet to settle down.”
Her brow rose. “Mitchell is almost there. I have three left.”
Tripp held up his hands. “Don’t look at me, Mom. I’ve got a career to focus on, and the last thing I need is a woman to add drama to my life. No, thank you.”
Mom stared at Tripp. She had that look in her eyes like she was up to something—sort of like when she knew Paxton was Chloe’s teacher and kept it from Steed. This couldn’t be a good thing.
Chloe came rushing into the kitchen. “I got a show goat! Granddaddy got me a show goat! I don’t know what he’s got to show…but Patches is gonna have another friend! His name is Lincoln!”
Steed’s jaw fell, and he looked over at our dad who had walked into the kitchen behind a very excited Chloe. “Dad. You didn’t.”
Our father stood there with his chest puffed, looking as proud as could be. “I sure did. It will be good for her to raise him and learn the responsibility of taking care of him.”
Mom shook her head. “John, you should have spoken to Steed and Paxton before you did this.”
“Yeah…Dad. You really should have!” Steed added. “Besides, she helps Wade each morning and night to take care of Patches and the other goats. She’s already learning.”
Chloe walked around the table to give each of us a good morning kiss. Of course she lingered longest with Wade. When she got to me, she wrapped those little arms around my neck.
“Uncle Mitchell, can I come spend the night with you, Aunt Corina, and Milo?”
“Of course, you can, pumpkin. Anytime you want.”
“Tomorrow night?” she asked, her little blue eyes looking hopeful.
“Tomorrow night, it is.”
She did a hop and spin, and then turned to Tripp. “Uncle Tripp, guess what?”
“Chloe, honey, don’t you need to help me with something?” my father quickly said.
Chloe faced him. “Nope.” Focusing back on Tripp, she said, “My new goat is coming from—”
“Chloe!” my parents shouted, causing all of us to jump.
Spinning around, Chloe held her hand over her heart. “You scared me right out of my skin. I wasn’t going to tell Uncle Tripp your secret.”
Oh hell, here it is. The reason my mother has that look on her face.
My mother closed her eyes and sighed while my father shook his head in defeat.
“Secret?” Tripp asked.
Chloe turned on her heels. “Yep. I’m a good secret keeper. So, you won’t be hearing from me that your old friend is the new vet.”
Tripp’s brows pulled tight. “My old friend?”
Leaning in close, Chloe whispered loudly, “I can’t tell you Harley’s name, ’cause that’s the secret, and granddaddy said he needed to find a good way to tell ya about it.”
“Oh hell,” Cord and Trevor said at once.
Steed and I looked at each other and then back to Tripp. Tripp wore a carefully schooled face, but I knew the hurt beneath the surface. Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat. “Looks like my wish for a drama-free life isn’t about to come true.”
Harley Carbajal was back in town.
“You really think you should let him drive the tractor with the forks on it? I mean, look at how he’s jamming it into the hay,” I said as we watched Tripp drive around and pick up the hay bales and load them onto the trailer.
“Wade’s got the dangerous job. He’s on the trailer directing him,” Trevor answered.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead. “I can’t believe Harley’s back in town.”
“And is going to be the new vet. Talk about sticking a knife in Tripp’s back.”
“How do you think he’s gonna take it when he sees her?”
Trevor shrugged. “Not good. Especially if she’s married.”
My chest ached for my brother. “Shit, I hope that isn’t the case.”
“You know she met some dick in college. That was one of the reasons she broke things off with Tripp. They could still be together.”
Nodding, I put my cowboy hat back on my head. “He’s gonna have to get used to the idea of her living here.”
Trevor let out a gruff laugh. “Considering anytime she’s come to town, he’s left for one reason or another, he probably hasn’t seen Harley in over five years…at least.”
Steed pulled up in the John Deere tractor that had the cutter on it. Chloe had driven it for a bit before she got bored out of her mind. Dad had to take her back up to the house after about an hour.
Steed opened the door and started talking. “I need to fill the forty-six with fuel. We still have the north pasture of alfalfa to cut. You gonna follow behind me with the baler, Mitchell?”
“That should work. You think the dew is dried off?” I asked Trevor.
“Yeah, it’s hot enough for it to be ready. You still want round bales on that, Mitch?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s easier for the horses.”
Shortly after I started working full time on the ranch, I stared to focus on getting a few good stallions and mares for breeding. I’d recently purchased a champion barrel racing horse named Firelight. I was hoping to breed more champions out of him. Chloe had already shown an interest in the horses, along with barrel and pole racing. I’d started working with her on Firelight, and I could tell she was hooked.
Steed looked past me. “Jesus, is Tripp trying to kill someone? He’s whipping that tractor and hay all around.”
Trevor and I glanced that way. “Yeah, I don’t think he’s taking the news about Harley so well,” I said.
Slapping me on the back, Trevor said, “Let’s get this taken care of then head to Cord’s Place. I have a feeling Tripp is gonna need a hard, stiff drink.”
A horn honked, drawing our attention to one of the ranch trucks as it pulled up. Amelia and Corina jumped out of it. Wade motioned for Tripp to take a break before he jumped off the trailer and made a beeline straight to our sister. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
“At least we know he treats her good,” Trevor said.
Steed replied, “Yeah, he’s good people, that’s for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Amelia so happy.”
Giving me a slight push on the shoulder, Trevor laughed. “Or you, for that matter. Dude, you walk around with a fucking smile on your face all the time.”
“I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy and content with my life.”
“You miss being a Ranger?” Steed asked.
I shook my head. “Not at all. I thought I might, but I’m happy here.”
Corina made her way over to us. Damn, she looked good in her jeans, boots, and a baseball cap. The white T-shirt she wore had a picture of Milo on it, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She loved that damn cat.
“Hey, dove. What brings y’all here?”
She went up on her toes to kiss me gently on the lips. “I need to talk to you. It’s kind of important, and I couldn’t wait until you got home later.” Glancing over my shoulder, she grinned. “Hey, guys. How’s it going?”
“Good,” both Steed and Trevor replied at once.
I was curious as hell as to why she made a trip out here to talk to me, but I refused to get my hopes up.
“We can take a walk, if you want.”
She nodded.
I took her hand in mine, and we walked away from everyone. Corina had a hold on my hand like she was afraid I was going to take off running.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
We kept walking, and she didn’t say a word. When we got damn near all the way across the pasture, she stopped and faced me. Her eyes were dancing with happiness, and I dared to let myself think she might be pregnant.
“I couldn’t wait to tell you. I was about to explode.”
My eyes searched her face. “What is it?”
She gave me a smile so bright and brilliant there was no doubt in my mind what she wanted to say.
I took a few steps back. “Oh my God.” With a wide grin, I asked, “Yeah?”
Corina nodded. “I’m pregnant.”
I tossed my hat in the air. “Yee-haw!” I shouted before pulling her into my arms and spinning her around. Then I gently placed her back on the ground. Framing her face in my hands, I gazed into her beautiful blue eyes.
“You’re pregnant? It happened so fast. I can’t believe it.”
“I know! I honestly thought it would take longer.”
The news was settling in. “We’re having a baby,” I barely spoke.
Corina placed my hand on her stomach. “We’re having a baby,” she whispered.
I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her like I’d never kissed her before.
Just when I didn’t think life could get any better, I’d been proven wrong again.
I was going to be a father.