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“God’s good.” I wilted in his arms; happy the madness was over. My assaulter had met his demise, and I couldn’t be more relieved to never have to see him again.
We hadn’t done a paternity test because I’d been too afraid to learn Jake was the father. I hadn’t wanted to go through my pregnancy dreading the fallout if he discovered I’d had his baby.
But now, the paternity didn’t really matter. Cade loved the baby, regardless. It was me who was curious, but I’d try to put it behind me.
I could look toward the future. My baby was due in three and a half months, and I could make plans for a September wedding…
33
Shelby
May arrived in what felt like a blink of an eye. I was thirty weeks along and growing more uncomfortable by the day, but I’d never been happier in my life.
As soon as the ground thawed, a crew of bikers began laying the foundation for our farmhouse. Cade had been determined to get it ready to move in before our baby was born. My husband worked endlessly at it, and I’d taken on the role of contractor, which had been a full-time job and made the weeks pass at lightning speed.
When I wasn’t at the home site, I’d be in the garden with my mom to help her when my dad couldn’t.
Cade hired a new ranch hand, Buster Lee. Buster was a high school senior and a roper. Cade enjoyed having him around as an extra pair of hands, in case I needed something when Cade wasn’t around.
Buster was a good kid, and I took a liking to him quickly. He reminded me of Cade when we were in high school. Except Buster had dirty-blond curly locks and hazel eyes. He was handsome and strong with a great sense of humor, and super sweet to me.
His father was a mean son-of-a-bitch, according to Graves, who’d caught the man beating Buster behind a bar in a neighboring town. To say Graves had put the fear of God inBuster’s dad was an understatement. His dad took off, and hadn’t been heard of in weeks, and Buster couldn’t be happier about it. He slept in the bunkhouse with Lance and Boone, and the other workers.
I rubbed my belly as I rocked on the porch swing at my parents’ place, waiting for Cade to arrive for the baby shower.
“There’s the little mama.” Holden came up the steps and leaned against the railing. “How are you feeling?”
“Fat and grumpy.”
“What can I do to help you not feel grumpy?”
“I’ll be fine once Cade gets here. It’s been a weird day. I don’t even want to have the baby shower.”
“But you’ve been looking forward to it.”
“I know. Can’t a pregnant woman change her mind?”
“She absolutely can. Just prepare to get an earful from Mom, Liv, and Martina. They’ve been setting it up since dawn.”
I rubbed my belly. “I’ll be fine after I eat some pie. Just been feeling restless.”
“I can get you a slice now.” He smiled and gave my tummy a gentle rub. He’d been doing a lot better after the gossip in town had subsided about Mindy’s indiscretion with his student. We never had found out who’d leaked the news.
“That’s okay.” I perked up when I saw Cade strutting toward me.
“There’s your rancher.” Holden turned on his heel and met Cade. He said something to him, then went over to Travis and Diesel, setting up the bar. It wouldn’t be a party in Burntwood without a bar.
“How’s my girl?” Cade trotted up the steps and kissed me.
“What did my brother tell you?”
“He said you’re restless. What’s bothering you?”
“I don’t know.” I rubbed circles on my stomach and scanned the property. The party would start shortly, but it seemed like everyone was already here.
“Anything with the baby?”
“No. Our little bronco rider is as active as ever.” We didn’t find out the gender because we wanted to be surprised, but Cade was placing bets all around town that it was a boy and he’d be a bronco rider.
