They probably had chickens too. Or maybe a neighbor did.
Because I lived on aranch.I lived on a ranch with no job other than to let the smoking hot rancher get me pregnant.
I pressed my palms to my face and laughed into them, muffled and stupid and a little giddy. I was on a ranch and I’d spent the night with a man I’d met only twice and we had—multiple times—very enthusiastically attempted to get pregnant.
Which—
My hand moved before I'd made a conscious decision, flattening against my lower belly under the sheet.
Hi, I thought, feeling faintly insane.Are you in there?
Nothing answered. Obviously. It was far too early for anything to answer. I knew that. I'd done the research, I knew how all of this worked biologically, knew it could take months even under ideal circumstances.
But.
Last night had not felt likenot working.Last night had felt like something clicking into place. Something that had been waiting.
I pressed my palm a little flatter and stared at the ceiling and let myself, just for a moment, imagine it.
Me in this house, pregnant…curled up with Gage, his hand on my belly, whispering in my ear how perfect I was?—
But that wouldn’t be how it was, right?
Once I was pregnant…there would beno reasonfor him to keep doing this. He would support me through the pregnancy, make sure the baby checked all the boxes for inheritance, but we weren’t actually together.
I didn’t know how I felt about that.
I turned my head, doubt surging through me, only to realize there was a note on the other pillow. I sat up and reached for it, the sheet pooling around my waist and my hair tumbling over my shoulders, then I unfolded it.
Millie —
Didn't want to wake you. Had to get to the cattle before sunrise.
There's food in the fridge—coffee's in the cabinet above the maker. Help yourself to whatever.
My mother makes breakfast at the main house around 7 if you want a real meal. Fair warning: she will have opinions and she will share them. You don't have to go. But she's a better cook than I am and she already knows you're here.
Back by noon.
— G
P.S. Watch out for Dolly. She’s a biter until she gets to know you.
I laughed out loud at that, alone in the quiet cottage. Yeah…she sounded like my mom. It made me more comfortable, at least a little, to realize this world wasn’t so alien after all.
And actually—it reminded me that I needed to call my mom.
I rolled over to find my phone, which was plugged in and charging on the bedside table. Daniela had texted me multiple times, all begging for details.
DANIELA
okay but how is he
millie
MILLIE
it has been four hours since you arrived at a ranch with a hot cowboy and you have not texted me once which means either you're dead or you're having sex and I need to know which
