course. Even if it’s a little peanut right now, at least I get to see my grandchild before I go to be with your mama.”
“It’s barely the size of a pea,” Pax said, “and, Matt, we promise that we’ll do our best to be the kind of parents that you and Mam have been to us.”
“I don’t have a single doubt.” Matt dragged a hanky out of his pocket and wiped his eyes. “Can’t have the baby see her grandpa cryin’ the first time he sees her.”
“It might be a boy, Daddy,” Alana said.
He shook his head slowly. “I want y’all to have a daughter first time around. God owes me that much for not letting me stick around to help raise her.”
“And we’ll name her Something Joy,” Pax teased.
“Hush, right now!” Alana pointed a finger at him. “He’s been teasing me all day.”
“Your mama would be honored to have you keep the name Joy. That goes back about six generations in her family.” Matt inhaled and let it out slowly. “I’m so blessed to have this bit of news.”
“We feel the same way,” Pax said. “And thank you for not dragging out the shotgun and forcing us to the church right now. We’re kind of lookin’ forward to the big wedding here at the Bar C.”
Matt chuckled. “I might have done that if y’all were still in high school, but time and circumstances have changed a lot. Let’s go have a beer to celebrate.”
“Y’all can have a beer.” Alana stood up and put her hand in Pax’s. “I’ll have lemonade.”
“I’ll have lemonade too,” Pax said. “If you have to give up alcohol until the baby is born, it’s only fair that I do the same.”
Matt got to his feet and patted Pax on the back. “Now, there’s a man worth ridin’ the river with, girl.”
“Amen,” Alana agreed.
* * *
On Tuesday morning, Pax awoke to the sound of Laela giggling. His first thought as he sat up in bed was that next year at this time, he could be waking up to his own child’s laughter. Strangely enough, the idea didn’t give him hives or put him into flight-or-fight mode. He threw his long legs over the side of the bed, got dressed, and opened the door to find Laela chasing the cat toward the living room. Poor old Dolly was barely staying out of reach, as if she were playing a game with the baby.
Maverick and Bridget were both in the kitchen, as usual. Bridget was stirring a pan full of sausage gravy, and Maverick was setting the table. Pax leaned on the doorjamb for a little while and drank in the scene. He wanted what they had so bad that it left a bittersweet ache in his heart. But even if he and Alana stayed together for years for the baby’s sake, he’d always wonder if she would have been happier with someone else.
Finally, he pushed away from the doorjamb and said, “Hey, y’all, I’ve got some news to share with you. Alana’s pregnant.”
Bridget dropped her spoon on the floor. Maverick had been putting a spoon on Laela’s tray and he froze like a statue.
“Are you serious?” Bridget whispered.
“Yep,” Pax answered. “She’s only two weeks along right now, but she’s definitely got a bun in the oven. We were at the doctor’s yesterday, and we even heard the heartbeat. I would have told y’all last night, but…” he stammered.
“What happened last night?” Iris came into the kitchen with Laela in her arms.
“Looks like Pax and Alana weren’t teasing at dinner on Sunday,” Maverick said as he laid the spoon down.
“About what?” Iris asked.
“Alana is pregnant,” Pax said. “We weren’t sure until yesterday, and I waited to tell y’all until we could all be together. You were off all afternoon with your church friends, Mam.”
“Congratulations,” Iris said. “Now you don’t have to argue about when to start your family, do you?”
“How do you feel about being a father?” Maverick clamped a hand on his shoulder.
“How did you?” Pax laid his hand over his brother’s.
“I fell in love with Laela the minute I laid eyes on her,” Maverick replied. “She might not be mine or Bridget’s by blood, but by golly, she belongs to the both of us by heart. But you didn’t answer my question.”
“Great,” Pax said. “Absolutely wonderful.”
By birth, Laela belonged to another couple. Her mother had been Bridget’s best friend, Deidre, over in Ireland. When she and Laela’s father both died in a car accident, Bridget had