A Family of Her Own

Bill Peterson arrived to pick up his Camaro. Booker could hear Chase talking to him in the garage, and started searching his desk for the work order. “You’re too tense about it, Rebecca.”

“But I’m nearly thirty-three.”

“A lot of women have babies at thirty-three.”

“And everyone else is having one.”

“Everyone?”

“Delaney’s pregnant again.”

“She is?”

“She’s been holding off telling me, hoping I’d get some good news, too. But she’s gaining weight, and I guessed.”

“You’ll just have to keep trying,” Booker said. “I’m sure Josh doesn’t mind that.”

“No, he likes all the trying. He just doesn’t like how upset I get when it doesn’t work out.”

“It’s that watched-pot thing. You need to forget about it, and then it’ll probably happen.” Finding the paperwork he was looking for, Booker waved to let Mr. Peterson know he’d be right out.

“I don’t think it’s the watched-pot thing. I’m going to start taking fertility drugs,” Rebecca said.

“Do whatever works, Beck.”

“A lot of people have fertility problems.”

Fortunately Chase came in and took the paperwork out to get Bill on his way.

“I know.” Booker cleared his throat. “About that job…”

“I already offered Katie a job,” she said. “She came by here a couple of days ago. But she told me she can’t be on her feet.”

“I wasn’t thinking of having her work at Hair and Now.”

“Where, then?”

“What about the resort?”

“It’s wintertime, Booker. The resort’s overstaffed as it is because Conner and Delaney won’t lay anyone off. They’re trying to limp by until summer, but I have the impression that finances are getting tight. They need to be careful.”

“Do you think Josh and Mike might have an opening out at the ranch, then? She could do bookkeeping or answer phones behind a desk, couldn’t she? Katie’s a good friend of their family’s. Surely they can help her out until she has the baby.”

“They could probably come up with something for her to do but…I never would’ve suggested it because of you. Are you sure you want her working with Mike, Booker?”

Booker shoved away from his desk and stood. “I think it’s time Katie got what she wants.”

Silence. “What about what you want?”

“I already have what I want.”

“O-kay.” She didn’t sound convinced, but after a moment she said, “I’ll call Josh and get back to you.”

BOOKER REFUSED TO GO AWAY. He stood over Katie’s bed, scowling at her. When that didn’t work, he started pulling off blankets.

“Leave me alone,” she grumbled. “I’m tired.”

“How can you be tired?” he asked. “It’s nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, and you’ve been sleeping for two days.”

“I think there’s something wrong with me.”

“It’s called depression.”

“I’ve never had trouble with depression.”

“Then get up.”

She curled into a ball to compensate for the warmth she’d lost when he stole the covers. “I’ll get up tomorrow.”

“You’ll get up today,” he said, and from the determination in his voice, she could tell he meant it. “I’ve set up a job interview for you.”

“Where?” she asked, but she didn’t really care. Who’d want her? She couldn’t even function anymore.

“Mike Hill is looking for a secretary.”

She raised her head to blink at him. “Mike Hill?”

“That’s what I said.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!”

“No.”

She covered her eyes with her arm. “I don’t know anything about ranching.”

“You’ll be doing some type of bookkeeping.”

“I don’t know anything about bookkeeping, either.”

“He’ll teach you.”

“I’m not going out there.” She didn’t want to see anyone in her current state, but she especially didn’t want to see the man she’d always hoped to marry.

“Oh, yes you are.”

“Does he know about the baby?” she asked.

“I have no idea.”