A Baby of Her Own (Dundee, Idaho #1)(71)
Author: Brenda Novak

He pressed a quick kiss to her temple. “Shh, it’s okay. I was only saving a stranded calf. I’m fine, and you’re going to be fine real soon.”

Please make it true, he prayed, wishing Roy Godspeed. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Delaney or their baby. He wanted to get her to a doctor as soon as possible.

“I didn’t mean for anything like this to happen,” she said, trying to get up.

Conner pressed her back down. “Just rest.”

She relaxed but clung to his arm. “I’m an excellent rider. The horse wasn’t the problem. It was just that the baby didn’t like the rough ride and I…I couldn’t turn back without you.”

“You should never have come,” he said. He knew his words sounded too gruff, but he couldn’t staunch the deep emotion that turned them so harsh.

She glanced away from him. “I’m sorry for all the trouble.”

She’d just risked the child she wanted more than anything in the world—for him—and she didn’t know he loved her. She didn’t know because he’d never told her. Maybe he hadn’t even realized how much a part of him she’d become until this moment. “Laney, it’s not the trouble you’ve caused that upsets me,” he said. “You could have destroyed my whole world tonight, you know that?”

Confusion flickered on her face. “But you’ve never been happy about the baby. You’ve never wanted it—or me. Not really. I hate that I trapped you into all of this. I was crazy to think you’d eventually love me—”

“Laney, don’t talk like that.”

“It’s true. You’ve never said anything more meaningful to me than, ‘You’re beautiful,’ or ‘I love to touch you,’ or ‘You make me crazy.’ You—”

“I’m saying it now,” he said, feeling more vulnerable than ever before in his life. He was frightened of his own revelation, frightened that he could love someone so much, frightened that she’d now realize how much power she held over him.

But somehow he didn’t matter as much to him as she did. “I love you, Laney. I was stupid not to tell you before.” He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, each eyelid. “Nothing means more to me than you do.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Does that mean you forgive me?”

“For what? For coming out here?”

“For Boise.”

“Are you kidding? There’s nothing to forgive. You’ve made me the happiest man on earth.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t deserve your love, Conner, not after what I did.”

“I don’t deserve you, either, Laney,” he said. “And that’s the truth. But we’re together, and we’re going to stay together, okay?” He smiled down at her. “I’m just glad,” he whispered, “that mercy is as much a part of the world as justice.”

“YOU’REWHERE?” Rebecca asked.

Delaney propped up the phone and snuggled closer to Conner, even though it was nearly three o’clock in the afternoon.

“In bed,” she said.

“With your workaholic husband?”

“Last I checked, it wasn’t the telephone man.”

“How are you feeling? Has the cramping gone away?”

Conner had called Rebecca last night when they’d finally reached the ranch to tell her Dr. Hatcher was meeting them at his office, and she’d shown up there, too.

“Yeah, the muscle relaxants he gave me are doing the job. The baby and I are going to be fine.”

“You’re sure?”

Delaney had donned Conner’s T-shirt a few minutes earlier to go to the kitchen and bring them both some orange juice, but his hand had already found its way beneath the fabric to caress her belly. “Better than I’ve ever been.”

“You sound good. Now you know why I’m mad at Buddy for postponing our wedding.”

“Is it still going to happen in August?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, it’ll happen soon enough. Sure you don’t want to wait until after the baby’s born?”

“I’ll come back.”

“Okay.”

“Delaney?”

“Yeah?”

“You can tell Conner I’m not mad at him anymore.”

“I’ll pass on the good news,” Delaney said. Then Conner kissed her, and she couldn’t remember later if she’d even said goodbye before she hung up the phone.

CONNER HAD A DIFFICULT TIME keeping his attention on his dinner. “Say it now,” he said, nudging Isaiah under the table with his knee.

Isaiah looked up at Delaney, who was busy frosting the cake she’d made them for dessert. “Laney, did you remember to feed the bunny today?”

“The what?” she said, sounding preoccupied.

“The bunny.”

She stopped with the frosting. “What bunny?”

“Haven’t you seen it?”

Delaney frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s back here.” Isaiah jerked his head toward the door. “Come see.”

Delaney sent Conner a curious glance, but he shrugged as though he didn’t know what was going on, and Dottie and the others did the same.

“What’s this all about?” she asked. Her face showing a trace of suspicion, she followed Isaiah into the backyard, and Conner slipped out behind her so he wouldn’t miss her reaction.

“Oh, my gosh!” she said at her first sight of the fluffy white bunny nibbling a carrot inside the cage that now stood next to the chicken coop. “This is the cutest bunny I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s for you,” Isaiah said. “It’s a late wedding present.”

Roy, Grady, Ben and Dottie crowded behind Conner on the back stoop as they all watched Delaney unlatch the door, scoop the little bunny into her hands and rub its soft fur against her cheek. “Isaiah, it’s just what I wanted. How did you know?”

He grinned. “I didn’t. It’s from Conner. He wouldn’t even let me help him build the cage.”

Delaney turned and gave Conner a brilliant smile, and he felt his heart melt. She did that to him, unexpectedly. Sometimes he’d look at her, and his spirit would just soar. She was so beautiful, so pregnant, so…his.

“I love you, Conner Armstrong,” she said, loudly enough for everyone to hear.