Rocky Mountain Wedding (4 page)

“Exactly,” his mother said through a relieved sigh.

“Six months isn't enough time to know if you want to marry someone,” his father insisted. “I courted your mother for two years.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He'd heard the story many times. Trying to maintain a grip on his slipping patience, he looked at them directly. He wasn't a child anymore. No matter how much they wanted to forget that. “Kaylee and I dated for years before we got married,” he reminded them. “And look how that turned out.” Their marriage had gone down in flames.

“Do you think you might on the rebound?” his mother asked, nodding as though trying to convince him.

“Ruby is not a rebound.” She was his best friend. His favorite person in the entire world. She'd helped him grieve the loss of his son. She made him want to be a better person. “This is right.” He simply knew. “I don't need more time.”

“Son, you're about to have yourself an instant family,” Dad said, as if he didn't realize that. “A wife, a daughter. Parenting is hard enough without being newly married. It's best to take things like this slow and ease into it.”

His temper flared. Did they think he didn't realize how hard this would be? “I'm not looking for something easy.” He wanted something real, something lasting. That's what he and Ruby had worked so hard to build these last few months. They weren't going into this blind. They'd done the counseling, the parenting classes. They'd shared their fears; they'd worked through their problems. The work wasn't done, but they were both committed to it. Problem was, his parents had spent the last eight months wandering through Europe. So they wouldn't know any of that, even though he'd mentioned it in their weekly conversations. They hadn't
seen
it.

“What's the rush?” Dad asked, hands raised as though addressing a jury.

“Maybe you should take a little more time,” his mother suggested, her eyebrows arched into hopefulness. “We don't want to see you get hurt again.”

His jaw tightened. “I don't need time.” He knew everything he needed to know. They were committed to each other and to Brookie. Not to mention…they would have this incredible miracle to make their family complete. “With the baby coming—”
Shit.
Nope. Hadn't meant to share that tidbit with them yet.

“Baby?” his father repeated.

“Baby?” his mother echoed.

No use denying it, pretending. Every time he thought of the baby, that grin snuck out. How was he supposed to keep that kind of thing a secret? He couldn't. Didn't want to. He wanted to tell everyone he loved so they could share in the joy of it. “Ruby's pregnant,” he said, and yep, he was grinning like a fool again.

“But you never said a word on the phone!” Mom accused, as though he'd kept it from her on purpose.

“We didn't know. She just found out. But the doctor thinks she's nearly eighteen weeks along.”

Dad cleared his throat and sat straighter. “You're sure the baby is yours?”

“God, Dad. Really?” He called him out with a look. His father had never been an asshole. Now was not the time to start.

“Sorry,” the man said, straightening his suit coat. “This is a lot to take in.”

“Two kids,” his mother breathed in disbelief. “You're going into a marriage with two kids.”

“And I can't wait.” Anticipation warded off the irritation with his parents. “I'm ready for this. And I need you both to be happy for me and to celebrate and to treat Ruby like one of your daughters,” he said firmly. “She has no one else. No one. We are her family.”

His mother lowered her gaze into a look of blatant repentance. “Right. You're right. I'm sorry, son. Of course we'll celebrate. Of course we'll love Ruby.”

For Ruby's sake, he hoped she meant it.

T
he room had started to spin. Ever since she and Brookie had walked into the Walker Mountain Ranch's kitchen, Ruby felt like she'd just stepped off of a merry-go-round. No matter how many times she blinked, she couldn't seem to steady herself. And the scents she usually loved—cinnamon and the sugary fragrance of delectable baked goods—had her stomach clenching with repulsion.

Was it the pregnancy? A stomach bug? She had no idea. She'd never bothered to learn anything about being pregnant. Never thought she'd need to. She'd heard of morning sickness, but what about late afternoon?

She would've asked Elsie, but the woman stood on the other side of the island helping Brookie frost a cake for the evening's festivities.

Easing in a shaky breath, Ruby attempted to squelch the nausea that swelled in her stomach. Her empty stomach. She hadn't eaten a thing since breakfast. Hadn't had the time. Not with all the running around, last-minute wedding errands. Two more days of this craziness. She couldn't get sick. Not now. The party started in an hour, and she was supposed to be a guest of honor.

“That's it, Brookie,” Elsie said, with an encouraging nod. “What a beautiful flower. You're a natural. Just like your mom.”

“This'll be the best cake ever,” Brookie sang, dolloping the thing with another heaping spoonful of frosting.

Ruby's stomach heaved. God, she had to get away from that rich smell before she threw up. “I think I need some air,” she managed to say, already heading for the door to the dining room. Maybe a few minutes of sitting in the crisp fall air on the beautiful patio would remedy her sudden aversion to smells.

“Of course, dear. We'll finish up here.” Elsie waved her away. “Take all the time you need. Don't come back until you have some color in your face.”

“Thanks.” She pushed through the door and escaped into the dining room. Such a lovely room. Windows lined the entire back wall, letting in enough of the early-evening sun to warm the space. Small tables were scattered around the perimeter, while a large one anchored the center. She hurried past it, running her hand along the chair backs to balance herself. The scent of fresh evergreens filled her senses, but she didn't fare much better with that than she had with the cake. Wrapping an arm around her churning stomach, she stumbled toward the patio doors.

“Ruby.” Sawyer jogged around the fireplace and caught up to her. “You're here,” he murmured, leaning in for a kiss.

She turned it into a quick peck before backing away. “I need to step outside. I think I need some—”

“There's something I have to tell you,” he interrupted with a worried frown.

That didn't help her stomach any. She swallowed against the volcano rising in her throat. “What is it?”

“My parents are here.”

“What?” Nerves swirled, intensifying the chaos in her stomach. The Hawkins weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow. She's already been nervous about meeting them—the quintessential model parents. She needed time to prepare…

Sawyer eased an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “They got in earl—”

“Sawyer!” A woman's voice echoed in the vaulted room.

Marybeth Hawkins bustled past the fireplace, followed by a man dressed in crisp khaki pants and a starched polo shirt. James Hawkins. She recognized him from the pictures Sawyer had shown her.

“Is this
Ruby
?” the woman demanded to know.

She tried to smile, really tried, but moving, even engaging one more muscle seemed to hurt her stomach more. She had to lie down…

“Yes.” Her fiancé's shoulders seemed to tense. “Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Ruby.”

“Wonderful to finally meet you,” his mother said through a tight-lipped smile. “I'm Marybeth.”

While the words were polite, they weren't warm. Neither was her gaze. She reminded Ruby of one of those women you'd see in a Viagra commercial—refined elegance with her white hair cut in a stylish crop, just the right touch of eye shadow and mascara, dressed in a chic flowy tunic with leggings and boots. Marybeth Hawkins might've looked like her sister—the same plump lips and glowing cheeks. But her sharp blue eyes were assessing instead of warm and peaceful like Elsie's.

Didn't she like her? Ruby's stomach roiled. Heat gathered in her throat. “Um, it's nice to meet you, too,” she almost whispered. Air. She desperately needed cold, clean air.

“This is my dad, James Hawkins.” Sawyer gestured to the man with his same facial structure, his same thick wavy hair, though his father's was graying.

“It's a pleasure, Ruby,” he said in a formal tone.

But she could only nod. The nausea had gained momentum and was now crowding into her throat.
No. Not now. Not here.
She couldn't throw up in front of her in-laws!

“Please excuse me,” she choked out, clutching her stomach and making a break for the patio doors. A cold sweat blanketed her neck and she knew there was no way she'd make it in time. Instead, she stooped to her knees and threw up in the potted evergreen plant two feet away from the doors.

“Ruby…” Sawyer knelt by her side before she could inhale a breath. “Honey, what's wrong?”

“I don't know,” she cried. “Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me.” Humiliation pulsed in her cheeks. Instead of making a good impression on Sawyer's parents, she'd thrown up in front of them.

Marybeth stood over her, a hand pressed against her chest as though she were in shock.

Tears mingled with the perspiration on Ruby's cheeks.

“Hey.” Sawyer rubbed a hand against her back. “It's okay.” He glared up at his mother.

“Of course it's okay,” she said quickly. “It's not your fault. You poor thing. I had morning sickness constantly when I was pregnant. I'm sure it's just the baby,” the woman murmured.

“What baby?”

Brookie.
Still on her knees, Ruby spun.

Their daughter stood near the kitchen door.

Oh no
. Ruby closed her eyes. This wasn't how she'd wanted Brookie to find out about the baby.

An awkward silence crowded the room. Sawyer's parents seemed to look at him for direction.

With a squeeze on her hand, he promised her everything would be okay. Then he stood. “Hi there, sweet girl.” He held out his arms for a hug, but Brookie stood stationary, staring at them, eyes narrowed into slits of suspicion.

“What is she talking about?” the girl asked, a tremor running through the words. “What baby? Who's pregnant?”

Marybeth's mouth gaped as though she'd just realized her mistake. “Oh. Um. Well…” She shot her son a desperate look.

His jaw tightened. “Mom, Dad, maybe you should help Aunt Elsie in the kitchen.”

“Great idea,” his father said, already halfway to the door.

“I'm sure she has so much to do,” his mother added, scurrying behind him. “We'll see you all in a little while.”

While they made a quick escape, Ruby slid her hand into Sawyer's and he pulled her to her feet. Her legs shook, but she couldn't tell if it was from throwing up or from the way Brookie looked at them. Like she knew they were hiding something from her.

Sawyer's hand didn't let go of hers. Somehow his strength, his warmth always seemed to give her the courage she needed. “Brookie, we need to talk to you,” she said, glancing into Sawyer's kind, calming eyes. The love she saw there never failed to reassure her. This wasn't the best time to tell her about the baby, but they couldn't lie. They'd worked too hard to build her trust. If they didn't tell her now, they'd have to start all over.

“Let's get you into a chair first, babe,” Sawyer said, nestling her under his arm and leading her around the fireplace until they'd made it to the leather sofa in the sitting room.

Brookie followed at a distance, still eyeing Ruby with that heartbreaking mistrust.

Sawyer waved her over and patted the seat between them. “There's something we want to tell you,” he said carefully, glancing at Ruby as though he didn't know quite how to put it.

After a brief hesitation, Brookie crept over and wedged herself between them.

Hope gathered, crowding Ruby's heart. Who cared what that horrible little girl at school had said? Brookie knew they loved her. She knew they wanted her. A baby wasn't going to change that.

She turned to look into the girl's dark vivid eyes, still seeing so much of her younger self there. “I'm expecting a baby,” she said, heart flipping. “Which means you're going to have a brother or a sister.”

She waited for the ecstatic openmouthed grin that had taken over Brookie's face when she'd given her the locket. Instead, the girl scooted to the edge of the couch, head tucked, shoulders slumped. “Why do you need a baby? I thought you wanted me.”

“We do want you,” she assured her, the hope steeling into something harder—determination. It fortified her against the fear. “This doesn't change anything, Brookie.” She smoothed a finger over the heart-shaped locket that dangled around the girl's neck. “Remember? You'll always be our daughter no matter what.”

“We promise,” Sawyer added. “No matter what. Forever.”

She nodded, but her eyes were still cast down, and she wouldn't look at either one of them.

“It'll be great having a brother or a sister,” Sawyer insisted, taking her hands in his like he hoped his excitement would rub off on her. “That means you'll always have a best friend. Someone to play with. And you can always watch out for each other.”

Despite the nausea lingering in her stomach, Ruby smiled at him. Love bloomed in her heart yet again for this man. Sitting with him and hearing the love overflowing in his voice as he talked to their daughter made her heart feel whole. It was the same feeling she had to believe Brookie would experience one day. The girl still had so much to overcome—the mistrust, the fear, the insecurity. But she couldn't have found a better dad than Sawyer. And Ruby might not be the perfect mother, but her love for these two children of hers knew no limits.

Whatever it took for Brookie to find wholeness and happiness, they would get her through this together.

“I propose a toast!” Dad raised his glass.

Everyone around the dinner table quieted—Bryce and Avery, Ben and Paige, Isaac and Julia, Elsie and Thomas. Brookie had been pretty quiet since the great revealing of the pregnancy, but at least her smile was starting to come back.

“To my son and his beautiful new wife,” his father said. “May you find the same happiness your mother and I have.”

A blush intensified Ruby's natural coloring, making her face radiant as everyone cheered and clinked their glasses together.

Sawyer couldn't help but smile. Had to hand it to Dad. The man was making a heroic effort to atone for the disaster earlier. Come to think of it, Mom wasn't doing such a bad job either. Before dinner she'd made sure there was a proper introduction and she'd rearranged the seating so Brookie got to sit by her. She'd even insisted that the girl start calling her Grammy, just like all of her other grandchildren. During dinner, Mom had entertained Brookie with stories about him growing up—God knew she had plenty of material.

“To Ruby and Sawyer!” everyone chorused. A jovial tone took over the room as they clanged their glasses again.

“May you two kids have a long and happy marriage,” Thomas added, stretching his arm around Aunt Elsie and nestling her in against his side.

Color rose to her face, too. In typical Aunt Elsie fashion, she scooted some distance between them. Though Thomas had become a fixture around the ranch as of late, Aunt Elsie insisted they weren't dating.

“To the babies!” Paige blurted, then slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Babies? As in plural?” Sawyer asked, jaw suspended in disbelief. Did she know something he didn't?

Paige turned to Ben's sister, Julia. “Sorry! I'm just so excited that I'm gonna be an auntie!”

“What?” Aunt Elsie gasped.

Isaac and Julia both grinned. “We didn't want to steal Sawyer and Ruby's thunder with the wedding coming up and everything,” Isaac said.

“But yes,” Julia continued. “We're expecting a baby, too. Next spring.”

“Oh my God!” Ruby shot out of her chair and threw her arms around Julia. “Are you kidding? This is the best news!”

Sawyer followed her to the other side of the table and shook Isaac's hand. “Congratulations, man.” Those two deserved it. After everything Julia had been through with her accident and with Isaac in the navy, they'd finally reconnected at Ben and Paige's wedding. Now here they were, starting a family of their own.

“Maybe the babies will share a birthday!” Avery cried, bouncing Lily on her lap. “Think of the parties we'll have. It'll be so much fun!” She pressed a kiss against her daughter's temple. “You're going to have little cousins to play with, sweetie.”

Sawyer cringed. He knew Avery hadn't meant anything by it, but Lily already had a cousin. He looked over at his daughter, and sure enough, Brookie's smiled had thinned into a worried expression.

A hurricane-force sadness beat against his chest. No matter how many times they told her they loved her, that they wanted her, she still doubted. She still doubted her place here with them, with their extended family.

Bryce happened to be sitting across the table from Brooklyn. His cousin shot him a look of understanding before he reached over and patted her hand. “And all of the babies will have the best older, wiser cousin in the world,” Bryce told her. “They're gonna want to be just like you.”

“Of course they will,” Avery agreed quickly, her face flushed. “You're such a good cousin to Lily,” she went on.

Murmurs of agreement hummed around the room while all of the adults exchanged concerned glances. They knew Brookie's struggle. They'd seen it over the last month.