Page 71 of Roping Her In

“When’s your house going to be done, brother?” Finn asked. “Maybe they could live in the tiny house and just drive up here to do the renovating.”

JJ started to laugh, because he couldn’t believe that his cousin, who he knew dang well had inherited one hundred million dollars from Uncle Rhett, was going to live out of the back of his wife’s pickup truck while they renovated the farmhouse.

They came out of the truck and slapped five before Austin indicated that Jo should go down the steps ahead of him, and that only made JJ laugh harder.

When Colt said, “Oh, there’s Elaine and her parents,” and ducked out of the house, JJ finally stopped chuckling.

While he’d like to get the show on the road, get his truck empty and his cousin’s kitchen cleaned, he couldn’t help standing there and watching, because he could not wait to see Uncle Rhett and Aunt Evelyn’s reaction to this situation.

“While I’ve got you boys thinking about ridiculous things,” Finn said. “I wanted to let you know that Edith’s going to have another baby.”

The air got sucked right out of JJ’s lungs and completely out of the farmhouse as well.

“She is?” Alex’s face burst into a smile. “Congratulations, brother.” He grabbed onto Finn, who really was his brother-in-law. JJ couldn’t imagine the myriad of emotions that Alex must feel whenever anyone announced a pregnancy. His wife had been able to carry their twins, and that had been a miracle that had come after years of fertility treatment. She couldn’t have any more babies, and they’d been finalizing their foster home situation for what felt like months.

“Congrats,” JJ said. “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

Finn shook his head. “We find out in May. And Edee didn’t want me to tell anyone until then, but I told her if we want a girl, we better get as many people praying as possible.”

“You know that’s already been decided, right?” Trap said, and he grabbed onto Finn and hugged him too. “And is this a secret, or am I telling my wife and my aunts and uncles, my parents?”

“You can tell anyone you want,” Finn said. “It’s not a secret.”

Ty returned and huffed as if he’d been personally insulted. “There’s running water,” he said. “They’ll at least be able to shower and use a toilet.”

“Good news,” JJ said, nodding out the windows again. “It kind of looks like they’re explaining that to Uncle Rhett right now.”

He watched the stunned look cross his uncle’s face as he looked up to the house and then back to his son, and then back to the house, and then back to his son.

The whole thing really was quite comical, but when the group turned toward the house as if they would enter it, JJ said, “Guys, let’s get the appliances out of the kitchen,” and the watch party broke up in a matter of seconds.

Later that night, JJ finally crawled into bed, a sigh fluttering between his lips. “Well, Austin sent pictures of him and Jo in the back of her truck.”

Ruby turned off her phone and twisted to put it on the nightstand behind her. “I can’t believe they’re living in the back of her truck.”

“He said it’s going to be a month, tops.”

“Yeah, and we believe Austin-why?” she asked.

JJ chuckled as he gathered her close into his arms. “Finn gave us some news today.”

“Did he?”

“You may have heard, as the wives’ network moves a little faster than the ranchers.”

“No one’s texted anything,” she said.

“Edith’s pregnant again.”

“Oh, that’s great news,” Ruby whispered.

JJ pressed a kiss to her forehead, and then slid down to her cheek, and then claimed her mouth as his. “Scarlet, I want another baby.” He kissed her neck, hoping they could try for a baby right now. She didn’t speak, but she let him kiss her, and she even kissed him back.

JJ pulled away and tried to see her face in the dim light. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“Just because other people are having babies doesn’t mean we have to have one,” she said.

“I know that.” He sighed and started to lay back on his pillow, but Ruby slid one hand along the side of his face and held him in front of her. She really was his Scarlett Princess, and he’d do anything to make her happy.