Chapter 5
C aroline Rhinehart woke gradually as the scent of coffee filled the air.
Sometimes she could hardly believe the life she’d been gifted.
She’d never envisioned herself as a rancher’s wife, but nothing had brought her as much joy as being married to Dawson, living on his family ranch, and raising kids with him.
She loved his parents, and his brothers, and that she got to take her children outside every day and show them the amazing things that God had created on this earth.
No matter how early Caroline woke in the morning, Dawson was always up before her. She didn’t even try anymore, especially now that she had entered the third trimester of her third pregnancy.
Dawson loved taking care of her, and he told her that he enjoyed spending time with the children in the morning—just the three of them—before she “came and stole their attention from him.”
He’d said that last part with a wry smile on his face, and Caroline had fallen more in love with him that he’d found ways to be a good father to their two kids.
She rested one hand on her pregnant belly, cradling their new baby there, and hoping it knew how much it was already loved. She and Dawson had decided not to learn the gender of the baby, as they had a boy and a girl already, and it didn’t really matter.
Footsteps came down the hall: the slow, plunking ones of her husband, accompanied by quicker, lighter ones belonging to her kids.
They stopped just outside the door, which stood ajar, and Dawson’s low rumble said something, and Colt ran off. The door squeaked slightly as it opened, and Dawson said, “Go on.”
Caroline opened her eyes, a sleepy smile coming to her face as Joy came to her side of the bed. She babbled something that Caroline couldn’t understand, and she simply scooted back and lifted the comforter for her little girl to climb into bed with her.
Joy promptly did, snuggling into Caroline’s side while holding a plastic pony in her hand.
“You’re awake,” Dawson said.
“Getting there.”
He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m taking Colt down to Link’s today,” he said. “Joy didn’t want to come. And she didn’t eat much breakfast either.”
“Okay,” Caroline said, trying to remember why he was going to Lincoln Glover’s today. She couldn’t quite recall, as her pregnancy brain had been particularly problematic this time.
“Zona said she’d be by later,” Dawson continued as he tucked the blanket around Joy’s feet. “She said she’d take Joy with her to the library if you want.”
“Okay,” Caroline said. She’d likely have her sister-in-law do that, as Joy loved going to the library, and Caroline didn’t love the drive there.
“I love you, sweetheart.”
Caroline tipped her face up to kiss him goodbye. “Love you too,” she murmured as he pulled away.
He left, and Caroline wasn’t sure if she dozed off again or not, but she came to full attention with the thought, It’s Dawson’s birthday today.
She sat up as fast as she could, given her six-month pregnant belly, her heart now pounding through her body.
She hadn’t told him happy birthday this morning, and shame filled her. She also remembered why she’d wanted him to go down to Link’s today and take the kids with him. It was so she could get the house ready for his surprise birthday party that evening.
She’d looped Link and Misty in on the plan, as well as Duke and Zona, their kids, and Brandon.
Their job was to keep Dawson busy outside of the house all day long, even during lunch and even past the time when he normally quit.
That would allow Caroline to get the house decorated, the food done, and all of their friends there before Dawson came home.
“I can’t believe I forgot,” she said, quickly swiping her phone from the nightstand.
She found that Zona had texted a couple times that morning. Though it was only eight-fifteen, she quickly tapped to call her, and Zona answered on the second ring with, “Hey, there you are.”
“I totally forgot what was going on today,” Caroline said.
Zona laughed. “So you want me to take Joy to the library?”
“Could you?” Caroline asked.
“Yeah, of course,” Zona said. “We’re leaving at nine-forty-five and I promised the girls lunch after. Shiloh wants to stop by the western wear store too, so we probably won’t be back until….”
She trailed off as someone else yelled in the background on her end of the line.
“Oh, I guess April wants to go to the bookstore too. And I have to stop by Wilde & Organic to get a bunch of groceries for Brandon, who’s moving out tomorrow.”
“Oh, right,” Caroline said. “I pulled all those towels and our extra sheets for him.”
“Great,” Zona said. “I’ll make sure he gets them.”
Everyone seemed to be struggling with Brandon’s move to a homestead north of town, about ninety minutes from Hidden Hills. Caroline would miss him, but she hadn’t quite gone into the stew that Duke and Dawson and Zona had.
April—Duke and Arizona’s second daughter—had also been less than happy about Brandon’s departure. He’d told them all it was for a few months, and he’d be back.
But Caroline had laid awake with Dawson as he confessed that he worried Brandon wouldn’t come back to Hidden Hills…at least not permanently.
Caroline knew why. The land wasn’t his—and it never would be. Brandon had a huge personality, and he wanted more than Hidden Hills could ever give him.
Dawson and Duke knew that too, but tomorrow would still be an uncomfortable day for all of them.
Caroline hung up with Zona and padded into the kitchen to get Joy a breakfast bar. With the little girl snacking on that, with Caroline’s tablet playing her favorite cartoon, Caroline got in the shower.
Once dressed and ready for the day, she sent a text to Dawson. I can’t believe I was so out of it this morning! I forgot to tell you happy birthday. So happy birthday, baby! I love you so much and can’t want to see you tonight.
He didn’t answer right away, which meant Link had definitely played his role flawlessly and put Dawson to work. Caroline got Joy dressed and they sat on the front porch for a few minutes before Zona rolled up.
“Go on, sweetheart,” Caroline said as the door on the dark blue minivan started to open. “Aunt Zona is taking you to the library.”
Joy cheered and babbled baby words all the way to the van, where April grinned at her, picked her up, and put her in the carseat Zona kept in her van despite not having any children younger than fifteen.
She waved to Zona and April, and she stayed in her rocking chair until the dust kicked up by the van’s wheels settled. Then she got up and went inside, ready to spend the rest of the morning turning her house into a western-themed wonderland, with a menu to match.
She mixed up cornbread muffins and made them in a miniature tin. She peeled and boiled and made salad out of potatoes. With that chilling in the fridge, she mixed up a huge bowl of cowboy caviar and shredded the three pork roasts she’d put in the oven last night.
“Now.” Caroline pressed one palm against her belly as the baby tried to stretch out. “The cake.”
In went the sugar, butter, flour, and chocolate. While the German chocolate cake baked, Caroline turned to décor. Burlap runners went across the long dining table, and she went out onto the back deck to string twinkle lights along the pillars and railing.
By four o’clock, Duke and Arizona arrived with their kids—and Joy—and they got benches and folding chairs set up on the deck and down in the yard around the fire pit. With the number of people Caroline had invited, they’d need all the seats.
“Howdy-ho,” someone called, and Caroline turned to find Finn and Edith Ackerman entering the backyard. He carried a crock and Edith herded the kids and carried a big stack of paper bowls.
“Hey,” Caroline said easily, a measure of comfort filling her from top to bottom. “What did you bring?”
“Corn and potato chowder.” Finn turned to go up the steps to the kitchen, like he’d been here before and knew what to do. Which, of course, he had and did.
“You’re looking so good,” Edith said with a smile. She held out her hand. “Can I feel him?”
Caroline smiled and nodded. Edith pressed her hand to her baby belly, and when the baby stayed still, she shrugged. “He’s being shy.” She hugged Edith and took the bowls from her. “Shiloh will take these up to the kitchen.”
She handed the bowls to Shiloh, who went by with her younger brother Dallas. She went up the steps, then turned and said, “Aunt Caroline, there are a bunch more people here.”
“Stay away from the cake,” someone from inside the house called, and alarm pulled through Caroline. Surely someone wouldn’t even think to touch Dawson’s birthday cake. Would they?
She moved as fast as she could to get inside, where she found Henry Marshall hovering dangerously close to the perfectly frosted German chocolate cake. Angel glared at him, their little boy in her arms.
JJ and Ruby Walker had arrived too, and they laughed at something Link had said. Caroline didn’t see Misty or their kids yet, but she hugged JJ and Ruby, then Clara Jean and Tate, and Conrad and Glory Rose.
All of them Walkers, they usually stuck together at big functions like this. “Duke built a fire out back,” Caroline said. “We’re doing appetizers of s’mores and Starburst out there.”
“Daddy,” Sarina said, her eyes instantly wide. “I want a Starburst.”
Conrad scooped the five-year-old up into his arms. “Let’s go get one, baby-bug.” He took the Walkers with him, which freed up more room in the house. “S’mores outside, everyone.”
“S’mores?” Henry repeated, and he took Wrangler from his wife and followed everyone else. “Come on, guys. Come with Uncle Henry.” He led Link and Misty’s boys out of the house too, leaving Caroline to grin at the two of them.
“Thanks for taking Dawson today,” she said.