Chapter 2 #2
One popped to his feet from the institutional chair and came over. It was him. He was here! In front of me! Mr. Cowboy looked better than I remembered, and it’d only been a few hours.
“Hi,” I whispered, my voice unable to come out any louder. I had to tip my head back to meet his gaze. “I… um, brought you all some food.”
His eyes held mine for a moment, then roved over my face. He wasn’t exactly smiling but happiness lit his eyes and his mouth was turned up, as if someone had just told him something amusing.
He blinked, then took the big paper bag I’d filled with leftover cheese and cherry danish. The left-behind Stetson was stacked on top.
“Trig’s hat,” he commented. “Thanks.”
One of his brothers–I assumed–grabbed the bag from him and went to set it on a nearby low table on top of a pile of old magazines. I set the cardboard coffee carafe next to it.
“I figured you all might not have had anything to eat in a while,” I said to no one in particular.
“Although, I didn’t bring paper cups.” How could I bring coffee but forget cups?
Idiot! I felt more out of place now than ever.
It was definitely time to duck out, especially because this room, this place, was only a reminder of what I wanted so desperately, but couldn’t have.
Except… sperm bank. I could have what I wanted, I just had to go about it a different way. Without a man. I just needed an appointment, a few tests and then to get the sperm to make a baby solo.
“What a treat this is!” a woman called, coming up to me and putting her arm around my shoulder in a surprisingly friendly gesture.
She looked nothing like my mother–mine wouldn’t be caught dead in jeans or a turtleneck, even if it looked like merino wool.
She also didn’t act like my mother. Mine didn’t hug.
“You’re Mabel’s niece. Sage.” She turned us both to face the others. “This is Sage, everyone!”
Okay, she was… happy. Her enthusiasm was over the top, but I assumed it was because she was becoming a grandma.
I nodded, ducked my chin when everyone smiled at me, said hi and waved. Casual introductions were made. I heard Bray, Hayes, Katie, and a few other names. “Hello, Mrs. Wilder. Congratulations.”
Two of the other men–Cam and Shep maybe?–went to the bag and began rifling through. The napkins were on top so they started handing out the breakfast treats down the line to the others.
“Thank you for bringing this to us,” she added. “How is Mabel doing in rehab?”
“Better,” I said. “Giving her physical therapist a lot of grief.”
She laughed. “Good for her. Tell her I said hello, will you? I hope she enjoyed the cookies I made for her, but please let me know if she–or either of you–need anything else.”
“Yes, no problem. I… um, should get going,” I told her.
“I don’t want to interrupt your special time.
” I turned to walk away, then spun back.
Looked at Mr. Cowboy, who was still right there.
“Oh,” I said, pulling the cash from my jeans pocket and shoving it at him.
I’d almost forgotten. “Here. You left too much money behind this morning at breakfast.”
He didn’t say anything, just reached out and took it, our fingers brushing. The spark of electricity made me look up, meet his dark eyes. I didn’t let go. He didn’t pull away.
Our gazes held. And held. My heart galloped as wild as the horse I was sure he rode.
“Buck, you know Sage?” Mrs. Wilder asked, looking between us.
Buck. Buck. Buck Wilder.
He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “We met at the diner this morning but didn’t get a chance to be formally introduced,” he told his mother. “Blame that on your new niece for making me rush out.”
I gasped. “Ellie had the baby?” I asked, so excited for them. Envious, too.
Three years. I’d stuck it out for that long with Jackson and had missed out. Ellie was definitely younger than me. I could’ve had a baby or two by now.
“It was a good thing she left the diner when she did because she was in the delivery room for twenty minutes when she had the baby. Molly delivered just a little while ago. Two girls!” she said, her eyes filled with happy tears.
Mr. Wilder–I assumed since he looked like an older version of the other men–came over and they hugged.
Oh my. Two babies. Cousins born on the same day. I glanced around at the Wilders. A pang of envy shot through me. This was what I wanted. A real family, not corporate drones. They hugged. Cried. Cheered. Took over an entire waiting room.
“I’m glad all is good,” I said, then waved, very eager to leave and deal with the ache in my heart.
The other man from the diner, the new dad, Ellie’s husband, blocked the doorway. He must’ve come from one of the delivery rooms. His hair was a mess, as if he’d been pulling on it and he looked slightly dazed. But, he was smiling in a way that made him practically glow.
“Congratulations,” I told him. “I, um… left your hat with your brother.”
“I’m glad you’re here.” He studied me, then frowned. “Wait, you’re not leaving, are you?”
“Well, yeah. I’ll let you all–”
“You can’t go yet,” he said, raising his hand to stop me. “Ellie specifically asked for you.”
I frowned, glanced at Buck, who moved to stand beside me. I felt his heat at my side and his presence was just… large. “Me?”
Out of the corner of my eye, one of the pregnant women handed Mrs. Wilder a cherry danish and a napkin.
“Yes, you,” Trig confirmed.
“Why?”
“Because we named our baby after you.”