She’d come back to Montana on that fateful day back in June, and the funny thing was, she’d never left.
After she and Cole had come back from Smugglers’ Gully, she’d stayed on for a couple more weeks, and then a couple more after that, and then decided August was really too hot in Boston anyway, and then it was September and the leaves were going golden, and then by October she’d realized there was no way in the world she’d ever want to leave.
In November, she’d gone back east with Kyla and Hayley, and they’d spent a week packing up her things, stuffing them into a U-Haul truck, and then driving back to Montana. Gianna had grumbled about finding a new tenant for the space, but as Jess had locked her apartment door for the last time, her landlord had already been showing the studio to a dance instructor.
While the women were back east, Decker and Cole had finished up the apartment above the spa, and Jess had been staying there ever since. And now it was Christmas Eve and snow was falling outside, but Jess had never felt so warm.
“Ahem. It’s Christmas Eve at Whisper Creek.” Decker put on his best television announcer voice. “Once again, it’s been a year of big, wonderful things. We’re thankful for our health and for our growing family. We’re thankful for how well the ranch is doing, and we’re especially thankful that Jess decided to take a chance on us and move out here. Most days, anyway. We need to talk about how much work the spa is causing, but we can get into that later.”
Jess giggled. That spa was the most amazing one in Montana, and Decker knew it.
He reached behind him for two brightly wrapped presents. “So to kick things off, we have special presents here for Bryn and Gracie.”
The girls squealed and leaped off from Hayley’s lap, making a beeline for Decker.
The girls ripped into the packages, then got matching looks of consternation on their faces when they realized what was inside the wrapping paper.
“Clothes?” Gracie screwed up her little nose.
Bryn flipped hers back and forth. “You got us a shirt?”
“Read them.” Decker pointed at the lettering on the front of both shirts.
Gracie and Bryn focused on the shirts, sounded out the words, looked at each other wordlessly, and then let out identical squeals.
“Cousin? We’re going to be a cousin?” Gracie jumped up and down, then stopped abruptly. “What do you mean?”
Kyla smiled, and suddenly the last six weeks of fruit smoothies and saltine crackers made sense to Jess.
Apparently everybody else at the table clued in at the same second she did, because there was an eruption of squeals and laughter and scraping chairs, and Decker and Kyla were smothered with hugs.
When the crowd had abated, Jess crouched beside Kyla, a hand on her tummy. “A baby? I can’t believe it.”
“I heard the heartbeat yesterday—saw the little flutter on the ultrasound.” Kyla hugged herself in glee. “I still can’t believe it.”
Jess got a little pang in her gut when she realized she’d never had an ultrasound—had never gotten to see her baby at all.
Daniel sidled in and pulled Kyla into a brotherly hug. “So who gets to be the godfather? Hmm? Cole’s totally going to play the brother card, but I should definitely rate godfather duty here.”
Kyla laughed as Decker put a protective hand on her stomach. “You’re all going to be the godparents.” Then her smile turned teary as she looked around the room. “This baby is going to be the luckiest child on earth, being born into a family like this.”
As Jess watched Kyla and Decker, her own hand slid to her stomach, and that familiar, dull ache threatened. But before it could take hold, she felt Cole’s arms come around her, felt his hands cover hers, felt his lips on her ear.
“Hey, cowgirl. You okay?”
“Yeah. Just surprised. And happy.”
“But sad, too?”
She squeezed his hands. “Yeah.”
“You want to get out of here?”
“Yes and no. What do you have in mind?”
“What say we go see if your new fireplace works?”
Jess shivered deliciously. “It worked fine last night.”
“Let’s go see if it still works.” He pulled her closer, and she closed her eyes, drowning in the sensations he ignited. “Come on. We’ll see everybody in the morning.”
Two hours later, Jess sat wrapped in a cozy robe in front of the fire. Cole leaned against the couch, and she nestled against his chest. She looked up at him, over her shoulder.