One Night with a Cowboy - Sara Richardson Page 0,13
and brought the phone to his ear. “Hey, sis.” He didn’t even have to look at the screen.
“Wes? Oh good. I didn’t know if you’d be up yet.” She hardly inhaled a breath before continuing. “Did you get Toby’s texts? They’ve hardly let me be on my phone at all. The nurses are always checking me and poking me and bringing me food to eat. I haven’t even had two minutes to get anything done.”
“You’re supposed to be resting,” he reminded her. Maybe they should take her phone away altogether…
“I can’t get any rest with them bugging me all the time,” his sister muttered. “Anyway, what’s going on there? Is Thea in town? I haven’t even been able to check in with her.”
“She’s here.” He shaded his eyes from the early morning sun and gazed at the Blue Spruce cabin. “Got here last night.”
“And you helped her settle in?” Jane’s voice had sure started to resemble their mother’s since she’d taken over the ranch.
“She got settled.” Thea hadn’t wanted his help, that was for sure. The woman didn’t seem to have any more confidence in him than his sister did, judging from her reaction when she’d found out he was in charge.
The party on the beach probably hadn’t helped, but how was he supposed to know she would arrive early? All he’d been doing was worrying about the baby and his little sister, and so when some of his old high school friends had called to ask if they could swing by, an impromptu get-together had been the perfect distraction. He shouldn’t mention all that to Jane, though. “What’s the doc saying?”
His sister sighed. “That I’m going to be in here for the long haul. So far, they’ve been able to stop the labor. My only job now is to lie around and get as fat as I can in case she’s born early.”
“That’s good news.” The lingering tightness in his chest released. At least he didn’t have to worry about her in the hospital. She would be in good hands there. “Do everything they say. And don’t worry about what’s happening here.” Stress wouldn’t be good for the baby.
“I just hate that I can’t be there.” Muffled voices murmured in the background. It sounded like maybe the nurse brigade was back in her room. “I can call August and ask him to come home to help you…”
“You don’t have to do that.” Of course she’d bring up calling August. Back when they were kids, his brother had been everything Wes wasn’t—organized, well behaved, trustworthy. Somehow the differences between him and his brother had only made them closer back then. But when their father died…well, everything changed between him and his brother.
August had never said he blamed him, but Wes could take a hint. The whole family probably blamed him for their father’s kayaking accident. Wes should’ve been with him that morning but hadn’t shown up.
After that, his brother used to get in his face about the partying, the drinking. Pretty much everything. Like he’d taken over the dad role or something. But Wes hadn’t needed a father replacement back then, and he didn’t need one now. In the past, he hadn’t been the most upstanding, responsible citizen. He’d made his fair share of stupid mistakes. But he’d been atoning for them ever since—working hard, clawing his way to the top. Only problem was, the top seemed to be getting further away instead of closer. He didn’t feel any different now than he had when he was a junior out on the circuit. Wes switched the phone to his other ear. “I’m here for you guys. I promise I won’t let you down.”
The hum of voices grew louder.
“Thanks, Wes.” He could hear a smile in her voice. “Be good to Thea. I’m not sure she likes you much after you ditched her to go to that party years ago.”
Well, shit. “That was her?” Of course it was her. It all came back to him now. Perfect. One more person he had to prove himself to…
“I gotta go,” his sister said. “Time for another shot.”
“Okay.” He wished he could take this all away from her. “Let them take care of you. And don’t worry about a thing,” he told her again. Maybe one of these times it would stick. “I have this under control.”
They hung up, and Wes hiked the rest of the way to the lodge to get a read on what he needed to do first.