Chapter 20 #2
I was going to eat the lunch he prepared for me back at the apartment, but this is even better.
“That’s my girl,” Heath says in a low rumble.
God, I love when he claims me like that.
My instinct is to crawl straight into his lap and show him exactly how much.
Instead, I take a bite of the sandwich, giving the butterflies swarming in my stomach a chance to settle.
I came out here to get to know him better, and I’m not going to let anything distract from that—not even how badly I want to melt at his praise.
Once I swallow, I shift to face Heath. “How are things at the ranch overall? Seems like you’ve been busy lately.”
He blows out a heavy breath. “Yeah, between calving season, constant repairs, and the paperwork bullshit, it’s been nonstop.”
“How have you been coping without Walker now that he’s sheriff?” I ask hesitantly.
Until now, I’ve steered clear of most personal questions, and I’m anxious to see how he’ll respond or if he’ll avoid answering altogether.
“It’s been difficult,” Heath admits, picking at a piece of lettuce.
“Thought we’d be doing this together till we were old men.
Now I’m having to figure out how to do it all without him.
Pops came out of retirement to lend a hand, but he should be spending his days fiddling with his new smoker or helping Ma with projects at the elementary school, not breaking his back for me. ”
I feel bad for not asking about this sooner. I gave him grief about Walker leaving before we hooked up, and I’m not proud of that now that I know how much added stress it’s caused him.
“Why not hire more help?”
“You been talking to Walker and Pops?” he questions with a humorless laugh. “They’ve been after me to hire a foreman for nearly a year now.”
I shake my head. “No, but why don’t you? Sounds like a logical option if you’re spread too thin.”
“For starters, it’s been a challenge to find someone qualified who’s willing to live on a secluded ranch.
And what if they don’t run the place how I need them to?
” He pauses a beat, as if weighing his next words.
“With Walker, we had a system in place, and I could count on him to handle the tough calls when I wasn’t around.
There’s no guarantee the next person will live up to that. ”
He and Walker don’t always agree on everything, but they’re still close. Losing him as a business partner has obviously hurt Heath more than he lets on, and I hate seeing him so conflicted about how to move forward almost a year later.
Setting my sandwich on the lunchbox. I cup Heath’s cheek, his coarse stubble rubbing against my palm.
“You’re the boss, and you have the final word around here.
Any good hire will respect your way of doing things and run big decisions past you first. There’s no shame in admitting you can’t do it all on your own.
Since Grams retired, I’ve been managing Timeless Threads on my own, and I would’ve jumped at the chance to hire someone if I could afford it. ”
Heath puts his hand over mine and gives it a squeeze. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped.”
“I know you would’ve,” I reply with a warm smile. “But I wanted to do this on my own. Online sales have been good lately, and with you covering our bills, I should have enough saved to hire help before the baby arrives.”
With Heath taking care of the bills, I’ve been able to pay off a good chunk of the overdue ones with my own money, but it’ll still take a few months to fully catch up. I still can’t bring myself to confess that I’ve been struggling financially, or just how much his contribution has saved me.
“I understand, but I’m here to help any way I can,” Heath replies. “You deserve all the support you need so you can work as much or as little as you want once the baby gets here.”
A flutter of butterflies stirs in my belly at the sincerity in his voice.
For someone so old-school, he has a surprisingly modern way of viewing my job.
I appreciate that he hasn’t dismissed it as a hobby or worthless just because the shop doesn’t bring in substantial revenue.
He understands it’s Grams’s legacy and would never try to take that away from me or expect me to hand it off to someone else when the baby arrives.
“Thank you. Luckily, I’m the boss, so the baby can hang out with me in the shop. I’m sure the little peanut will attract a crowd, and I may have to start charging admission if it gets too chaotic,” I tease.
“I’ve been meaning to ask—do you want to find out if we’re having a boy or a girl?” He sounds a bit sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. “We haven’t talked about it yet, but Ma and your grandma are convinced we’re having a girl, and I’m curious if they’re onto something or full of shit.”
Why am I not surprised they’d both taunt him with that? They’re probably getting a kick out of picturing him as a girl dad drowning in all things pink, sparkly, and frilly—just like I am.
“They’re both smart women and have excellent intuition, so I believe it. But I don’t see why we shouldn’t find out when we can,” I say with a shrug.
Heath slings his arm around me, drawing me close. “Sounds like a plan.”
I initially liked the idea of waiting to find out the baby’s sex, but if learning it early makes Heath happy, I’m completely on board. I might be the one who’s pregnant, but I want him to be involved in every step of the way and to make sure his wishes are considered too.
Now that we’ve decided to find out whether we’re having a boy or girl, I’m more excited than ever to meet our little peanut.
I can’t stop wondering what they’ll look like and whether they’ll get my red hair or Heath’s mesmerizing chocolate brown eyes.
One thing is for certain: no matter what, we’ll love them unconditionally.
“Hey, Heath?”
He smiles down at me. “Yeah, beautiful?”
“For what it’s worth, I think it would be beneficial to hire more help so you don’t wear yourself out, but if you don’t believe that’s the best option, that’s okay too.” I nuzzle my head into his chest. “We’re a team now, and I support you in whatever you choose.”
He kisses my temple. “How the hell did I get so lucky?”
“By knocking me up and being too damn charming to resist, obviously,” I reply with a playful smirk. “Now what do you say we squeeze in a quickie to tide us over until you can fuck me properly tonight?”
“I like the way you think, hellcat,” Heath growls softly.
A giddy squeal escapes as he scoops me from my seat and settles me across his lap to make good on my suggestion.
There’s still plenty of uncertainty about what the future holds, but for now, I plan to savor every second wrapped in Heath’s arms as we prepare for this next chapter. I can only hope that I’ve placed my trust in the right prickly cowboy who’s already starting to feel like home.