The Bronc Rider's Baby

Deciding that she’d made an unfair comparison, Anna shook off the memory. “As it turned out, I was able to get off work on time.” She glanced into the carrier at Jessica, who was as precious as could be in a pink sleeper that was way too large for her small size.

Her dark hair was adorned with a white bow attached to a headband, and while her eyes remained closed, her lips moved as though nursing on a bottle or pacifier.

“She’s got to be the cutest baby ever,” Anna said. “Did you dress her?”

“Nope.” Nate, who’d been studying the newborn, looked up and added, “Even if I felt comfortable doing that sort of thing, I didn’t stand a chance. Jessie’s gotten pretty popular with the nursing staff.”

“I can certainly see why. But you’re not comfortable dressing her?” Another red flag flapped in her mind.

Before he could answer, the back door opened to reveal an older woman wearing a light blue smock with a zoo animal print. “Jessica Gallagher?” she called.

“That’s us.” Nate got to his feet and turned to Anna. “Did you want to wait here or come inside?”

Right this moment, there wasn’t anything she wanted more than to join him in the exam room. And for that reason, as well as those pesky butterflies in her belly, she decided she’d better let Nate go in alone. “You go ahead. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Okay.” He nodded toward the Stetson on the chair. “Watch my hat?”

“You bet.”

But it was the new daddy holding his newborn in the carrier she was more intent upon watching as he sauntered across the floor with a sexy cowboy swagger.

Still, there seemed to be something missing, something Nate was keeping from her. And she was determined to find out just what it was.

For everyone’s sake.

* * *

Nate followed the nurse back to the exam room.

“How’s it going?” she asked.

“Okay, I guess.”

She pointed to the doorway of a room that had a medical smell, one that reminded him of those days he’d spent in the hospital. The familiar scent threw him even more off balance than when he’d first arrived.

“You want me to take her out of this contraption?” Nate asked, assuming he’d have to.

“Yes. Then get her undressed so I can weigh her.”

Great. Nate had changed Jessica’s diaper before—several times. And once, when she’d spit up all over them both, he’d had to put her in new jammies—or whatever it was called. But that didn’t mean he felt comfortable moving her little arms and legs around. Still, he supposed the old adage was true. Practice made perfect.

“I just fed her,” he told the nurse. “So her weight could be up because of that. But I also changed her in the waiting room.”

“It all balances out,” she said.

When Nate removed all but her diaper, Jessie let out a wail as though he’d hurt her.

“Goodness,” the nurse said, as if screaming, red-faced newborns with flailing arms and legs were a common occurrence. “Would you listen to that? She’s certainly got a temper and a strong pair of lungs.”

As the woman started toward the door with Jessie in her arms, she turned to Nate. “Are you coming with me to the scale?”

“Absolutely.” The whole point of today’s doctor visit was to make sure her weight was on target.

He followed her to another room, this one smaller than the other. There she proceeded to weigh an unhappy Jessie.

He held his breath as he waited to hear the result. What in the world was he going to do if she hadn’t gained any weight? Or worse, what if she’d lost a few ounces?

But then the nurse looked up and smiled. “Good job, Daddy! She’s up nearly six ounces since she was discharged from the hospital.”

Nate’s heart soared as if he could take all the credit himself. And even though he’d only played a small role, he felt as if he’d just gone eight seconds on a bronc no one could ride.

He wished Anna could have been standing here, hearing the news herself, but he supposed that it was just as well that she’d remained in the waiting room. He was still a little uneasy around her and didn’t want her to pick up on his insecurities or to know how far out of his element he really was.

Five minutes later, after the doctor had examined Jessie and declared her healthy and thriving, Nate redressed her with minimal issues and secured her into the carrier. Then he returned to the waiting room feeling far more competent than when he’d arrived.

Anna, who was still seated in the same chair, set the magazine she’d been reading aside, reached for her purse and got to her feet. “How’d it go?”

“Great. She’s gained six ounces already, which is almost a half pound. So that’s a relief.”

“I’m sure it is. Now you can go home and celebrate.”

As much as he missed his privacy, he wouldn’t be going back to his house. He still wanted to stick close to the Rocking C, although he felt much better about things now.

“I guess there’s a lot to be happy about, but I won’t be celebrating the way I used to. Something tells me that having a couple of beers with my friends at the Stagecoach Inn won’t be appropriate. But I’ll probably stop by Caroline’s Diner for dinner and splurge on dessert.”

“That might be a lot more fun, especially with a baby.”

As they started toward the door, he found himself asking, “Are you hungry?”

The question seemed to take her aback because her eyes widened and her lips parted. But before he could renege on the implied invitation, she said, “Actually, I had a light lunch, so yes, I am hungry.”

He supposed it was too late to backpedal now. “Do you want to meet me at Caroline’s?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Yep, he supposed it did. Hopefully, it didn’t also sound like a date. He opened the door for the pretty social worker then followed her out.

Not that dating Anna Reynolds wouldn’t be appealing. But Nate wasn’t about to get romantically involved with someone who could stir up trouble.

Or worse, someone with the power to take Jessie away from him.

Chapter Three (#u36c4a18e-ae25-5e7e-951f-df91b5723481)

By the time Nate arrived at Caroline’s Diner and found a parking space in front, Jessie had fallen back asleep, thank goodness. It nearly killed him to hear her cry, which she’d started to do as soon as they’d exited the doctor’s office.

After unhooking the car seat from the base, he carried her to the diner entrance then waited for Anna, who was locking up her car, to join them.

“I’ve never been here before,” Anna said. “But I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.”