My dreams had turned from lustful, needy and downright orgasmic to foggy. There was a baby crying somewhere. A baby? Groaning, I blinked my eyes open and let out a long sigh. Where had the baby noise come from? I felt a cold nose against my cheek and pushed Tango away as I was attacked with slobbery kisses.

“I’m up, I’m up. Chill, dude.”

I laughed softly as I sat up, then froze. I was not in my cabin. Right? Was I still drugged? I frowned when I heard a baby cry again. I slid my legs out of bed and looked down. I was in my pj’s. I shifted and let out a grunt. I was still in my damn bra, too. Ugh, why in the hell did I sleep in my bra? I leaned myself forward and with my one good hand shifted the girls to where they should be. I moved out of the bed and made sure my shorts and tank top where in the right place and tiptoed to the door. The hall was quiet except for the baby, who wasn’t as loud now.

I made my way down the hall, following the crying baby. I peeked my head into a nursery covered in pink. And giraffes. I smiled as I met the beautiful set of blue eyes peeking through the bars of a crib. Tango brushed past me to sniff around, but I went straight for the baby.

“Hi sweet pea, what’s with all the big tears, huh?” I chewed on my lip with indecision. She was crying, after all... but where was I and who was she? Did that matter right now? I shifted on my feet, lowered one end of the crib then the other so I could get her out. It was a lot harder with only one hand. I laid a small blanket over my casted arm and scooped her up with my good arm. She smelled like baby powder and baby. I breathed her in and made my way to the rocker that was in the room, stopping when the scent of poop hit my nose.

“Ew, no wonder you are bawling, I would be too. What in the world are they feedin’ ya, kid?” I made a funny face at her. The tears were still running down her little cheeks when I laid her on the changing table. “Okay, let’s see how we can do this with one hand. I don’t want to wear your stinky poo, no matter how cute you are.”

It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would have been to get her stinky diaper off, get her cleaned up and powered. The new diaper was a little tricky, but I got it on her, and in the right place the first time so I felt like I’d done something. Snapping her onsie back closed, now that was a pain in the butt, but I finally got it. Her tears had stopped as soon as I got her cleaned up. I used two wipes to make sure my hand was clean before I scooped her up and settled her back into her crib. She laid there for a minute, so I used that opportunity to move to the bathroom that was across from the nursery. If the door hadn't been open already I wouldn’t have known it was there.

I managed to get myself cleaned up a little and emptied my bladder before I heard her crying again. When I came back out Tango had his muzzle in between the bars of the crib and was licking her. “Tango, back,” I chuckled and moved to scoop the precious angel back up.

“Okay, how about we rock a little. Would you like that?” I kissed her temple as she curled into me and moved to the padded rocker in the corner. I pulled one foot under me and settled back into it, using my foot on the floor to rock us slightly. I should have felt odd, or weird about rocking someone's baby, especially since I had no idea where I was, but I didn’t. Maybe this was all a dream. I was going with it either way.

I couldn’t say how much time passed as I sat there holding this precious baby against me. She was warm, and so cuddly. My eyes had closed as I rocked us, her sweet baby smell lulling me back into a peaceful sleep.

---

---

After getting back from town with Georgie, I got her settled into my room. Ma had helped her get into pjs that Phoebe had gotten from her cabin and she was out. I mean, dead to the world kind of out. I had a cot I could pull into Abbie’s nursery, so I wasn’t worried about her sleeping all day and night. She needed to be looked after until she was herself again.

I’d been over to the Robert’s ranch helping Abe and Jon with a few troublesome horses when Ma called to say she would have to run to town to pick up Pa. He’d been out with one of the men that worked the Robert’s ranch but their truck had broken down. It was refreshing to see it wasn’t just us that was having a tough week. Ma was leaving both Phoebe and Danny at the house, so there was someone to look after Abbie if she was to wake before she got back. I didn’t have to worry or rush back, but something was telling me to get back home. I learned a long time ago to trust my gut. As soon as we had the three asshole horses loaded up, I headed home.

When I backed the truck up to the barn I nodded to Cody, who was my best-friend and one of the hands on the ranch. “Sup, fucker?”

“Nada, man. All of the horse stalls are cleaned and ready for the new arrivals in the quarantine section. Everyone is out doing what they are supposed to. All’s been quiet.”

“Great. Quiet is a good thing. No problem with the bison? Abe said they may get spooked and try to escape the trailer before they got them to that back grazing area.”

“No, TJ and Lane got back with the others in one peice about twenty minutes ago.”

“Great. Where are the kids?” I asked, knowing he knew I meant Pheebes, Danny and my princess.

“Ah, Pheebester left with Angie right after your Ma left. She said she wouldn’t be long. Danny is still out back helping Jerry unload the hay bales from the flatbed. Your Ma and Dad aren’t back yet, obviously. Like I said, all has been quiet.”

My heart sank. If Ma wasn’t back, Danny was out back in the barn... Phoebe left... they left Abbie inside, alone? My blood pressure shot up fifty points as I took off across the yard. Cody on my heels.

“What is it, man?”

“Abbie,” was all I could get out before I was up the porch steps and running through the house to the stairs. I didn’t hear any crying, but that didn’t mean something hadn’t happened. I skidded to a stop when I heard a growl coming from Abbie’s room. I pushed the door and blinked.

“Whoa, dude, is that her?” Cody’s words were a little too loud. I elbowed him in the side, and spoke in a low growl.

“Shut it.”

I made my way into the room, watching Tango as he watched me. I couldn’t help the smile that tugged my lips up as I came to a stop and watched this stranger cuddle and comfort my daughter. I let out a small sigh as I turned back to Cody. That shit eatin’ grin was enough to make me scowl. I moved to the door and pushed him out into the hall. “Not a word. If you wake either of them I will pound you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, bub.” His hands came up as he spoke.

“Right.”

There was a scratching at the door. I had closed it out of habit. I pushed it open and met Tango’s gaze. I peeked back inside at the girls and looked back at him. “You need out?” He took off down the hall and I shook my head. I lightly shut the door again and nodded for Cody to follow me. As soon as we hit the front door Tango ran out and Cody started in on me.

“Bro, she’s a fucking ten. You need to tap that.”

“Cody, don’t make me punch you. Show some fucking respect!” I snapped. He blinked and raised a brow at me.

“Whoa, what crawled up your ass? You said earlier she was hot. I was just agreeing, asshole.”

“Look - Fuck, she’s hot but don’t say shit like that. It’s disrespectful,” I said, glaring at him. Best friend or not, I would clean his clock for talking about Georgie or any woman like that. I had thought the same thing, sure, I was a man, but I’d not say it out loud. It was rude, I was right about that. I turned, hearing a vehicle coming back up the road. I turned fully to see Ma and Pa getting out of the truck.

“What’s wrong?” Ma asked me without missing a step. I guess my emotions were still written on my face. I shook my head and let out a long aggravated sigh.

“Nothing,” I said.

“Liar,” she teased as she put her hand on my arm.

“What’s got you frowning like that?”

“Son, answer your mother,” Pa said, chuckling. I chuckled at him.

“Your daughter left Abbie upstairs alone. Not sure how long.”

“Where’s Daniel?” Pa asked, a scowl pulling at his brows.

“Out with the boys unloading hay from the flatbed. Cody said he’s been out there a while.”

“I thought he was in the house. I should have checked. I’m sorry, sweetheart. Is Abby alright?” Ma asked, concern pinching her brows.

“Yea, Ma. Don’t worry. I went in to check on her. She must have woken Georgie up. I found them in the rocking chair in Abbie’s room, asleep. I left them there. They looked so peaceful.”

As we made our way to the porch there was a loud crash from inside. I heard Abbie start to wail. Tango was up the stairs and scratching at the door before I made it up them. I pulled the door open and ran inside.

“Tango, halt. Good boy. Sit,” I heard Georgie call out in a shaky voice.

“Georgie! What happened?” Ma asked as she came in behind me.

Georgie was sitting on the bottom step of the staircase, with Abbie clutched to her. She was soothing her as she looked up at us. I moved closer to them and then saw why she had sat down. There was glass on the floor, along with a vase and a couple of picture frames.

“I’m- I’m sorry. I got dizzy half way down. I thought I was okay. I hit the table and your things fell over. I’m sorry. I’ll replace them. Really I-”

“It’s okay, darlin’. It’s just stuff. Are you and Abbie okay?” I asked as I knelt before her. She nodded and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

“She’s just scared. I am too…” Her last words were muffled but I heard them. I crab walked a step closer and rested my hand on her knee.

“Hey, look at me. It’s okay. Can you stand?” She nodded and I helped her up since both of her arms were wrapped around Abbie. Her cast was rubbing against her own arm. I could see the redness of what was the equivalent to a carpet burn. She must have jerked when she hit the table. She was shaking now. My heart melted a little at that. She was determined to not drop Abbie, which caused her to injure herself.

“Take a seat on the step up from the bottom, let me get the glass up.” Ma said and I nodded, helping Georgie and Abby down onto the higher step.

I sat beside them and leaned into Abbie. She wasn’t crying now but she didn’t reach for me either. I kissed her nose. “Hey, my little boobear.”

“She- she’s yours?” Georgie asked, her brows pinched in confusion. I nodded and reached up to brush the hair from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear.

“She is. Georgie Larson, meet Abbie Grace Cannon. My ten month old daughter.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. She was crying. I thought I was dreaming. I changed her. She was so warm, we fell asleep… I-I’m sorry. Do you want her back?”

I laughed softly and shook my head. I didn’t mind sharing her with Georgie. I wasn’t sure why that was, but I was content to just watch them both right now. “It’s okay, darlin, really. You did nothing wrong.”

The moment Ma was done with the clean up Tango was up in Georgie’s face, licking away her tears and sniffing Abbie. Her little coos made us smile. Seems she had a new friend too.