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I can’t wait to tell Serena she’ll finally be a big sister. When my mom visits for Thanksgiving in a few weeks, we’ll tell her and everyone else.
I watch as Ayden gets dressed, appreciating how sexy the tight Wrangler jeans and work boots look on him. Now I wish we had time to finish what he started.
“Don’t forget we’re meetin’ the contractors at four for a house update,” I tell him. Once we signed the loan and contracts, we started building our dream house. They estimated it’d take five months, but it’s on schedule to be done in four.
“I’ll be there.”
After getting ready, he gives me one last kiss and then flies out the door.
Instead of taking a shower, I soak in the bathtub before I have to go to work for a few hours. Dena’s gift shop opened just in time for Halloween last month, and it’s been a huge success. It’s open to the public seven days a week, and the guests love it. Even those who aren’t staying at the retreat are stopping in to visit. It took a couple of months for my ribs to heal fully, and they did right on time for me to start training.
When I get out of the tub, I stare at my naked body in the mirror and rub a hand over my belly. I’m probably only five or six weeks along, but I can’t wait for my stomach to grow. Ayden missed out on so much the first time, as did I without him, so I can’t wait to experience this pregnancy as a family now.
Once I get dressed and ready for the day, I text Dena to check on Serena.
She isn’t back home yet, and I have a feeling she won’t be until this evening. She’s obsessed with the ranch and spends her weekends with Mallory and Noah. She loves watching them train, and in between, they give her riding lessons. At first, it made me nervous as hell, but she’s getting the hang of it and is good at listening to their instructions.
Dena
The girls ate breakfast an hour ago, then ran off with Noah. They wanted to watch her do some tricks on Donut.
I thank her for the update, then do some housework before driving to the gift shop. Since my car got damaged in the explosion, I was able to get a new SUV that’ll fit all of us, including a car seat.
“Hey, Laney,” Tripp greets when I walk in. He must’ve swung by after doing cabin call at the receptionist’s desk, or he’s filling in for someone.
“How’s it goin’?” I ask.
“Steady, as usual. I swung by to help with the rush, but now that you’re here, I can take off.”
I walk behind the checkout counter and toss my bag underneath. “Feel free to stay. Unload some boxes, do some inventory.”
He gives me a deadpan expression, and I laugh at his lack of amusement.
I flash him a smile, hoping he’ll stick around at least through the rush. He rolls his eyes, finally agreeing.
As I ring up customers, he wraps the glassware and bags everything. Tripp’s only a couple of years older than Noah and also trains horses, but he has a lot of random responsibilities on the ranch. I know he’s probably needed elsewhere, so once the line dies down, I tell him he can go.
“I’ll do this last one for ya,” he says.
A woman who looks entirely out of her element with a large sun hat and sunglasses approaches. Her dark hair surrounds her face, and I notice her large designer bag and jacket.
“How can I help you?” I ask in my best customer service tone.
“Hello, Laney,” she says, then removes her sunglasses, and that’s when I recognize her.
Holy shit.
Tripp must notice my shocked expression and leans into me. “Who’s that?”
I swallow hard, staring wide-eyed at Ayden’s mother. “Mrs. Carson.”
“I go by my maiden name now. You can call me Ms. Reynolds.”
“Of course.” I bite out a smile of unease. “What can I help you with?”
Ayden cashed her half-a-million-dollar check and spent it to buy land and build our home. If she suddenly wants it back, we don’t have it.
“Well, for starters, I’d like to meet my granddaughter. And see my son.”
