This Hick?

Chapter 72

CHAPTER 72

CASSIDY

I woke up early with every intention of sneaking out of bed. Karen was sound asleep. I could hear kids in the room next to ours. I couldn’t wait to get into our house. With the summer months officially underway, the lodge was busy. That was a good thing. The rooms were filled, which was the goal, but damn, it was loud.

I was seriously considering moving Karen into the bunkhouse. But then we would have no privacy. Like zero. No walls and we would be forced to share a bathroom with way too many people.

I just needed to get the house done. I was putting on my work boots when I heard her murmur something. I looked over my shoulder and saw her smiling at me.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Watching you.”

“You need to go back to sleep. It’s early.”

She reached out and ran her hand down my back. “Maybe you should come back to bed,” she said with a sultry smile.

“You know I would love to do that, but I’ve got to take care of the horses. And that house is not going to build itself. I need to get it done before our little one decides to make his or her entry into the world.”

“But we could have a lot more fun in bed.”

I laughed and leaned forward to kiss her. “Woman, I’m loving these pregnancy hormones. You know I would spend every minute of every day making love to you, but I’ve got a ranch to run.”

She sighed and leaned back against the pillows. She put her hand on her swollen belly, rubbing it in small circles. My heart skipped a beat at the sight. With her hair splayed across the pillows and a serene smile on her face, she had never been more beautiful than she was now, carrying our child. It was enough to bring a hardworking man to his knees.

I put my hand on her belly. “Is he kicking?” I asked.

“He?”

I laughed. “I think it’s a boy.”

“Why do you think so?”

“I just do,” I said with an easy shrug, my hand moving in gentle circles, tracing the curve of her stomach. “Only a rambunctious little boy would kick the crap out of me all night.”

She giggled. “You just wait until she comes out with my green eyes and your stubborn head.”

“I can’t wait to meet him. Or her. Go to sleep. I’m going to grab coffee and then get to work.”

“I’ll come with you. There’s no way I can go back to sleep now.”

I offered a tight smile. There was no way I was getting away. “Okay. But I don’t have time for a leisurely breakfast.”

“I know, I know.”

“Are you good here?” I asked. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She frowned. “Are you trying to get away from me?”

“Not a chance. I was just going to go down and make sure Bodie has his grocery order done. We have a busy week, and I don’t want to run out of food.”

“Alright,” she replied, smiling. “I’ll join you in a bit.”

I walked out of the room and down the stairs. Getting Karen and our child a proper home was the utmost priority. The house construction needed to be completed before it was time for our child to arrive. Meanwhile, managing the ranch was another thing that was keeping me occupied. It was challenging to strike a balance, but I knew it was worth it.

The breakfast buffet was already out. The coffee bar drew me in. I poured myself a cup and tried to think of a good excuse to leave Karen at home. If I told her I had to go to town, she would just want to come with me.

Just then, Ginny came into the hall. I grinned. The answer to my problems.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

“I need a favor,” I said. “A big one.”

She rolled her eyes. “You want me to do your chores again?”

“No. I need you to keep Karen occupied.”

She frowned. “What does that mean?”

“She’s going to want to follow me or go down to the house to work on the nursery.”

Ginny nodded with understanding. “Gotcha.”

“I just need you to keep her busy,” I said. “Take her shopping or ask her to show you color samples or whatever.”

“You sound frustrated,” she teased.

“No, I’m just…” I sighed. “Not frustrated. Stressed. I want today to be perfect.”

“I’ll tell her I need her to do my taxes,” she said.

“It’s June. Do people do taxes in June?”

She shrugged. “I’ll tell her I need her to balance my checkbook.”

“Ginny, she’s going to see right through that.”

She sighed. “Just leave it to me.”

“Good morning,” Karen said as she walked into the hall. She looked from me to Ginny. “What’s up? You guys look like you’re having a serious conversation.”

“Nothing,” I said. “Ginny was just saying she wanted you to help with her taxes. And checkbook.”

Karen looked at Ginny. “You have a checkbook?”

“Uh, well, no, just, bills, you know. Online stuff.”

“I would be happy to help.”

“I’ll let you ladies talk,” I said, seeing my out. “I’ll see you later.” I gave Karen a quick kiss and practically ran out of the hall before she could stop me.

I went out to the barn to feed the horses and clean out stalls. Time flew by as I worked to get everything done.

“There you are!” Kenny exclaimed when he caught me in the barn. “Karen has been looking for you all morning. What are you doing?”

I knew she had been looking for me all day. Not that I didn’t usually enjoy that. Hell, I would love for her to look for me all the time. But today, I was doing my best to stay out of her sight. That was easier said than done, especially with her almost six months pregnant. It seemed she could sniff me out like a bloodhound. She was especially clingy in her third trimester, always reaching for my hand, pressing close to my side, giving me that soft smile that meant I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

I loved it. I loved that she needed me. It made my day. And normally I loved to do whatever she needed me to do. But not today.

Today, I had plans.

“I know she’s looking for me,” I said. “Ginny is keeping her busy. She’s keeping her away from me.”

“Are you in trouble?”

“No, I am working on her surprise, remember?”

“Oh shit, that’s today?”

“Dude, did you get kicked in your head? You know this. I told you about it yesterday.”

“I remember,” he said.

I started walking down the newly paved road that led toward the back of the property. I was about sick of the potholes. I used some of the inheritance to pave the road, including the road to my new house.

The road curved, winding through the trees toward the tree line that marked the ranch’s edge. I smiled when I saw our new family home. The wraparound porch hugged the front. The black shutters against the pale grey siding made it look very elegant—at least that was what Karen said. We had picked out the colors for the outside and inside. We had fun choosing appliances and flooring.

The house wasn’t completely done yet. The roof was on, but we still needed to put the shingles on. Inside, there were still details that needed finishing, but it was ready enough.

Kenny followed behind me. I stepped onto the porch and heard the sound of soft laughter coming through the screen door. I opened it and stepped inside. I took a moment to take it all in.

The whole house had transformed into a wonderland of pastel ribbons, pretty balloons, and a banner that stretched across the living room. Card tables had been set up with pink and blue tablecloths. They were overflowing with treats. Cupcakes, cookies, colorful pink and blue candies and cups. Every detail had been planned out, down to the last sprinkle.

Nearly two dozen women filled the space, each one looking thrilled to be there. Most were from Dallas, with some from Wind Ridge. They all shared one thing in common. They all cared about Karen.

I smiled when I saw the cream-colored chair with a sash draped across it that read “Mom-to-Be.” It was positioned by the main window. There were folding chairs set up for her guests. I couldn’t wait to see the look on Karen’s face when she saw it all.

“You guys outdid yourselves,” I said to Jenny. “She’s going to love this.”

“We are so excited we get to do this,” Lauren said.

Rylee and Mary Ellen were arranging gifts on another table.

“You really went all out,” I said with a laugh.

“It’s the first baby,” Lauren said. “We are going to spoil the little guy or girl rotten.”

“And it starts now,” Rylee said.

“I might have to add on another room at this point,” I said with a laugh.

“We have been to a hundred baby stores, and they assure us you need all this stuff,” Rylee said.

I looked at the large gifts with bows stacked on either side of the table. The table itself was covered with more gifts.

A few last-minute touches were being handled when my phone buzzed. It was Ginny, sending the signal.

“They are on the way,” I announced.

“Hide!” Lauren exclaimed.

There was a flurry of giggles and excitement. The women rushed down the hall to hide or ducked behind the kitchen counters, crouched behind doors, and held their breath as they tried to stay out of sight.

I tried to look casual.

I heard Karen’s voice coming closer, still talking to Ginny. I opened the door for her. She stepped into the house, her voice trailing off mid-sentence as she took in the decorations. She froze in the entryway, her hand resting on her belly. I couldn’t help but grin as I stepped forward.

“Cassidy, what is this?”

“Happy baby shower day,” I said, smiling big.

“How did you…” She trailed off, still taking in the room, blinking as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. “You did this?”

“Not exactly.”

Kenny was standing next to me. She frowned when she saw him. “You did this?” she asked. “I’ve seen you decorate before and there is no way you did this.”

At that moment, her friends popped out of their hiding spots. The shrieks and laughter were immediate. Karen’s hands flew to her mouth. Her friends swarmed around her, hugging her and laughing as Karen tried to get her head around what was happening.

I took a step back, watching the reunion unfold. I didn’t want to get in the way. She had been struggling to connect with her friends with their busy schedules and her trying to manage the ranch. This baby shower had taken a lot of coordination.

“Oh my God!” she kept repeating, her eyes filled with tears as she hugged each friend. “I can’t believe you all came. This is… this is incredible. I’m so surprised. I had no idea.”

“Of course we came, Karen!” Lauren said. “You think we’d miss this? We wouldn’t let you go through this whole mom thing without us.”

Karen laughed, blinking back tears. She was glowing, her whole face lighting up with happiness.

“You did all this?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I did very little. I just made sure you didn’t find out. Your friends did all this.”

She shook her head, laughing softly as she looked around again. “You’re unbelievable, Cassidy Scott.”