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My mouth fell open. “No. You’re…” I broke off, looked around, then whispered. “You’repregnant?”
She giggled. “Not yet. I’m still trying to convince Cody that it’s a good idea, but once that bug got in my head, it’s like a disease. I see babies and kids and families everywhere, and I’m dying to start my own. Oh, Jess, it’s terrible! I can’t look at anyone without assuming they’re in the same boat. And you know something? I’m watching Dusty, and it occurs to me that he’ll be an amazing dad someday. If he ever gets the chance. Don’t you think?”
I turned back to see what she was seeing. Dusty was kneeling beside Alyssa, who was trying to hold back frustrated tears because she couldn’t get Duchess to back up without hitting the cone. I couldn’t hear his voice, it was so low, but I could see its effect. Alyssa was still wiping her eyes, but she was nodding. He’d talked her into trying again.
“Yeah, you might be right. What about Austen? You say you’ve got these baby glasses on, so do you see any little cherubs circling his cowboy hat, too?”
Morgan stuck her lip out and nodded slowly as she watched Austen. He was laughing at Billy blowing raspberries and taking turns making funny faces. Morgan shrugged. “Sure.”
“You don’t sound very sure.”
“Well, I guess I’m not. I don’t know Austen very well. He seems like the kind of guy who could grow into those boots. But Dusty—” She smiled as she watched the guy she’d claimed as her honorary brother-in-law. “He’s already filling them.”
“You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Austen called through the window. I turned the truck ignition over. “We’re getting something to eat before Jess drops me off at the ranch.”
Dusty tugged his kerchief over his mouth and shrugged deeper into his coat. “No, thanks. I have a lot of chores when I get home.” He was standing by my window, already shivering against the snow blowing up under his hat and starting to pelt his eyelashes. He did have some really long lashes for a guy.
“I have chores too, but I have to eat, even if it’s just a burger. Offer’s open if you change your mind, my treat,” Austen said.
Dusty didn’t answer, but his eyes flashed quickly over Austen, then back to me, where they lingered for a moment. “I’ll have to pass. Looks like we’re getting a good storm tonight, so I’d best not dally.”
“See you Tuesday, if not sooner?” I asked. “First time up at the new ranch, huh? I’m almost bummed about that since we won’t need to bring our own horses from now on. I think Nash was enjoying himself.”
I couldn’t see his mouth, but his eyes looked like he might have smiled for an instant. Then the warmth faded, and he stepped back. “Tuesday. See you then.”
Dusty’s dark figure in the swirling snow fell away as I pulled the truck forward. I stuck my arm out to wave at him one last time, and watched the mirror until he lifted his gloved hand in reply. He hadn’t moved from where he was standing.
“Brr!” Austen said. “Man, it got cold quick.” He cupped his hands over his mouth and blew to warm his fingers.
I took the hint and rolled the window up, then cranked the heater. “Welcome to winter in the high country. This is nothing. Usually, we have drifts higher than my truck on the mountain roads.”
“I thought that was just rancher talk. You know, how fishermen’s hands get farther apart every time they describe their catch?”
“Hah. No, this is for real. It’s been a mild winter so far.”
“Geez. Maybe I should rethink living here. What do you think?” He shot that wide grin at me.
“I think lots of people love it here in the summer, but they don’t last a whole year,” I replied with a sweet smile.
“Maybe they just don’t find what they’re looking for. It has to take something pretty special to keep them here. Don’t you agree?” He reached over for my hand, and I let him take it. He toyed with my fingers, teasing and playing with them until I couldn’t help glancing down at them. I should feel something more when a man caresses my fingers, shouldn’t I? Shivers and tingles and a swell of longing that makes my chest ache. But this just seemed… strange.
“Hey, you know what sounds great on a cold evening after a long day?” he asked. “A hot toddy and a movie. Best way to wind down on a winter’s night. It’s even better with a beautiful girl on the couch next to you.”
I raised a brow with a knowing smile. “Except you have animals to feed.”
“That won’t take long. You just drive the truck and pitch some hay.”
“And break the ice in the water tanks, and check your mama cows, and give the fences a once-over, and clean your horse’s stall, and make sure the block heaters on your vehicles are all plugged in with the wipers pulled out, and…”
“Okay, okay!” he laughed. “It feels like a lot of work when you have to do it, but it sounds even worse when you list it out. So is that a no on the movie night?”
I shrugged and pulled my hand back to drive with it. “Maybe not tonight. I’m going in to work early tomorrow because I was gone today. I don’t remember the last time I skipped out for the whole day.”
“Well, I, for one, am grateful. It meant a lot to me, you coming up to show me some stuff on the horse. I know it cost you a day of work, what with going to White Pines right after, but I appreciate it.”
I looked over at him with a light smile. “It was worth it. All of it.”
“Good. So, what’s it going to take to get you to hang out with me some evening? We’ve been seeing each other for a little while, right? I’m not going to bite, Jess. I just want to spend time with you when no one else is around.”
