Page 63 of All in with the Maverick Montana

Faith grew quiet. Contemplative.

“I don’t think there’s anything I can do but give him space,” Amy said. She wasn’t going to beg him to want her. The same way she hadn’t begged Tru to want this baby. It would hurt if Josh ultimately stepped away, but she would survive it. She had to survive it. There was someone more important than herself to think about now.

“I think you need to have more faith in Josh.”

Amy smirked a bit. “That’s your advice? Have faith.”

“Hey, if anyone’s qualified to give that advice, it’s me.”

“I think I’d rather just be practical, and not live with some fairy-tale hope right now.”

They passed a sign for Bronco. Amy glanced at her phone. They’d made good time, but they wouldn’t be able to squeeze in lunch before the appointment. That was fine though. Amy was too nervous to eat. Just as she was thinking it, her stomach made a noise to the contrary.

“Well,” Faith said. “You be practical and I’ll hold out enough hope for both of us. Josh is a good man.”

“I’m not disputing he’s a good man. But I also once foolishly thought Tru was a good man.”

Faith snorted. “You were clearly off your rocker with that one. Even I could have told you to tread lightly there. And I was a big Tru McCoy fan until recent events.”

“I fell for the oldest trick in the book. Listening to anything that sweet-talking snake had to say.” Amy’s pulse skipped as Faith pulled into a parking lot outside a squat red-bricked building with Bronco Medical on the side in fancy silver letters. “I just don’t want to do that again.”

Faith parked and turned to face her. “Okay, listen here. Josh Aventura is nothing like Tru. Yes, he’s a gruff, stubborn man. And maybe it’s gonna take him a minute to realize the good thing he’s got here, but he will realize it, Amy. Just don’t give up on him yet.”

Amy flashed her a tight, close-lipped smile. She wanted to believe Faith more than anything, but the best thing to do was have reasonable expectations. It would soften the blow when it landed. “I haven’t given up. Not completely.” She glanced out the window and back. “I just have other things on my mind.”

“Speaking of other things. Let’s go see how this little avocado is doing.”

Amy chuckled. “Avocado?”

“Oh, yeah, I was reading on this app that the baby is the size of an avocado now or something.”

“Explains why all my pants are tight.”

They got out of the car and walked into the building. Amy was greeted by a receptionist who took her name and checked her in. Then they sat down in the faux-leather chairs that filled the waiting room. Amy glanced around at the other patients, wondering how many of them had been unexpectedly knocked up by famous movie stars. Maybe there was a club for that sort of thing.

“We should get a pony.”

“Hmm?” Amy glanced over at Faith.

“For the baby. It’s gonna have to learn to ride sometime.”

Amy tilted her head, briefly resting it on Faith’s shoulder. “Let’s just focus on getting to the due date before we start teaching it rope tricks.”

“I am so excited.”

Amy was lucky. What did she need Tru for when she had Faith?

“Amy?” a nurse called, waving her back. She was short, with a full head of gray hair and wore her glasses on a chain around her neck.

Amy liked her immediately. She hopped up.

Faith caught her hand and squeezed. “I’ll be here when you get out.”

The nurse led her to an exam room and had Amy change into a gown. She took some vitals and some blood and chatted with her, completing a basic history. Then she asked Amy to pee in a cup. When the doctor came in, she shook Amy’s hand.

She was a tall, middle-aged woman with dark, curly hair.

“Doctor Rangely,” she said. “But you can call me Gloria.”