Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

“That’s good, Linney. That’s damn good.”

He lets me go with a short kiss. Silently, we finish cleaning up and stacking the things he’ll pick up later on top of the table. I take one last look at the land around us and feel lighter than I’ve ever felt in my life. His words from earlier return and I can almost see our future kids running around the green grass around us. One day, one day that’s going to be ours, and I can’t hardly wait for it.

The ride back to the ranch is a lot easier—Onyx proved himself to be trustworthy already. I imagine it will take some time for me to get over my fears, but I no longer look at Onyx as part of that. He’s been patient with me and I know, deep down, that Clayton was right when he said there’s a bond between the dark beauty and myself. During the time I’ll have to wait to reopen The Sequel, I hope to learn more from Clayton when it comes to riding. A horse as perfect as Onyx deserves that.

We pass a few ranch hands working with a couple of Clayton’s newer horses in the riding course that’s set up between the Davis personal horse barn and the huge one that houses their stock, for lack of a better word, on the way back. Ignoring them, Clayton continues until we both have our feet on the ground and I’ve finished the last task that he’s coached me through in getting Onyx ready to go back in his stall.

I caress the horse’s neck, not really ready to leave. “I’m goin’ to be back in the mornin’, handsome.”

Clayton laughs. “Handsome?”

I look over my shoulder at him. “Uh, yeah. Look at him.”

“Such a nut,” he mutters, walking Dell down to his own stall.

“Clay,” I hear someone call from outside the barn right before one of the younger cowboys comes in. His eyes go straight to me but shift back to Clayton when Clay makes a disapproving sound deep in his throat. “Sorry, Mr. Davis. Drew had to run to town and you didn’t bring your phone or the radio, but your brother’s been callin’.”

“For how long?” Clayton questions, walking to me and taking my hand before heading toward the younger man. He pauses to grab his hat, placing it back on his head while waiting for a reply.

“Reckon ’bout a half hour ago, maybe close to an hour now.”

“Thank, Tim,” Clayton says, walking right out of the barn and toward the house.

“Is everything okay?” I quicken my pace to keep up with his long legs but feel like I’m more jogging than walking.

“He knew what was goin’ on, darlin’. Only reason he’d be callin’ is if it’s important. Seein’ that Leighton is so close to havin’ the baby, I’m guessin’ that’s why.”

“You’ll get to your phone quicker if you go ahead, honey,” I rush out, pulling my hand from his hold. “Meet you in the house. I’m goin’ to run to my car and grab my phone so I can call Quinn.”

He nods sharply, turning to continue up to the main house. I quickly snatch up my phone before sprinting back toward the house. I pull Quinn’s name up and press the phone to my ear before I even reach the porch steps.

“Are y’all on the way?” she questions when the call connects.

“About to be. Is everything okay?”

“I think so. I haven’t talked to Maverick since he called to say it was time. We had to wait for Jana to get to the house so she could watch Grayson. Tate’s tryin’ to get some information with his doctor magic.”

Clayton comes barreling down the hallway, phone to his ear. “That Quinn?”

I nod. “Here’s your brother, Quinn.”

His breathing is harsh when he takes the phone and places it to his ear. “Quinnie?” Whatever she says to him must ease some of the worry, because his shoulders loosen up and he closes his eyes before exhaling slowly. “We’re on the way.”

He hands me back my phone and visibly struggles with his emotions. “I’ll never be able to hold my shit together when it’s you about to have a baby. I feel like I’m too big for my skin right now. I’ve watched those two fight for this moment for damn near our whole lives. Knowin’, like us, they could have never found it because of that shit they had to deal with in order to do so. This baby of theirs is somethin’ we’ve all of us been waitin’ for so long to meet. I can’t imagine, feelin’ this much over their child, what you givin’ me one of our own will do to me. Never, not until you, did I ever want this for myself. To my knees, Linney, thinkin’ about somethin’ as perfect as our future children brings me to my knees.”

“Oh, Clayton.” I wrap my arms around him and hug him tight.

“I don’t want to wait either, darlin’,” he says against my temple, his head bent and his arms around me. “There’s nothin’ better than travelin’ with you and doin’ it in a way that we don’t waste a second of our time hesitatin’ in takin’ what we want. You’ve got two weeks. Two weeks, and I’m not goin’ to wait any longer than that.”

“Two weeks,” I echo breathlessly.

“Not a day more.”

By the time we make it to the hospital, Tate was able to find out that Leigh was being prepped for a cesarean section. Her baby is just too big and the natural birth she’s been hoping for is out of the question. Tate assured both Quinn and Clayton that they had nothing to worry about, but even with him explaining how common this is, it’s still major surgery. That was almost three hours ago, and even Tate has some worry in his eyes now.

The tension in our area of the waiting room is thick, but when the doorway opens to reveal a crying, smiling Maverick, that tension vanishes instantly. I look over at Tate and smile, both of us letting the two waiting Davis siblings go to their brother first.

“Congratulations,” Tate says after Clayton and Quinn reach Maverick’s side.

“Huh?” I respond in confusion, not taking my eyes off Clayton. When he grabs his brother by the shoulders and pulls him into his arms, I feel the burn of tears start. When both of them drop their foreheads to the other’s shoulder, Clayton’s hat falling carelessly at his feet, and both their arms tighten as they embrace, I know I’m not going to be able to keep my tears in as I witness such strong men be overcome by their emotions. Then, as if they practiced the move their whole lives—each man lifts the arm closest to where Quinn is standing out. She moves instantly, all but diving into their embrace with her arms going around each brother.