Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

“They’ve been through a lot of shit in their lives,” Tate whispers, moving to the seat next to me. “Thick and thin, those three have been each other’s rocks through the worst of it, only sharing that responsibility recently. Maverick findin’ Leighton. Quinn and me. Now you and Clay. Lot of time has passed since they were young kids livin’ a shit life without the love of anyone other than each other, but when you get right down to it, they’re always goin’ to need each other’s support.”

I blink furiously, trying to get my stupid tears to back off, but when Maverick lifts his head and looks at me with his piercing emerald eyes swollen and wet, I feel them start to fall. His don’t stop, but he smiles at me with a small nod before bending his head back to his brother’s shoulder.

“Felt that when Gray was born. There’s no way to explain what you feel when your child is born. Not sayin’ that my son’s birth wasn’t as important, but for them, this is so much more. Me and you, we weren’t around for all of it, but you know as well as I do that they had a dark childhood. Leighton was there. She loves my wife as a sister. Your man as a brother. And her husband owns the rest of her heart. Those three, they finally have it all, and more importantly, they know it. Makes moments like this hit a little harder because there was a time they all thought this would never happen.”

“Their gifts,” I whisper.

“Pardon?” Tate asks.

I look away from the huddle across the room and smile at Quinn’s husband. “It’s their gift for all that ugly they survived.”

I don’t think I really believed Clayton when he told me that months ago, but there are no doubts now. I’ve seen it in Clayton during the course of our relationship, but never as clearly as I do today. I spin the ring on my hand, loving the weight of it, and grin when I realize just how much of a gift my Davis has received today.

“Yeah, you get it.”

“I do, Tate. I totally do.”

“Like I said, congratulations.” He taps my hand, stilling my fingers.

“Thanks,” I breathe, opening my mouth to say more but snapping it shut when I see the siblings release each other and turn to us.

“That’s our cue.”

We both stand and walk over to them.

“I knew it!” Quinn exclaims with a shake to her voice when her husband reaches her side. “Since I was six years old, Tate. I’ve always known it.”

I glance at Maverick, seeing him look down at his boots, but not hiding the smile on his face. Clayton pulls me to his side and I wrap one arm around his back, place my other hand against his hard stomach, and tip my head up to look at him. His eyes are wet and red, but his smile is huge.

“I’ve got a niece,” he tells me in a soft voice full of happiness.

“I knew it!” Quinn cries out again. “What’s her name?”

Maverick looks up, his lips tipping even further.

“Promised Leighton I’d let her tell y’all.”

“Well, bucko, what are we waitin’ for? Take me to my niece!”

Maverick smiles at his sister and we all follow the new daddy down the hallway. Clayton’s been quiet since his brother came into the waiting room, but every time I glance at him he just smiles, so I leave him to his thoughts, knowing he’s anxious to meet the newest member of his family.

We stop behind Maverick when he reaches a closed door. James, their last name since he took Leighton’s when they married, is written under the room number.

“She’s still tired but didn’t want to wait,” he rumbles low, looking down at his hand on the doorknob. “I’d keep y’all here with us all night, but I’m askin’ because I need this time with my wife and daughter. Please, keep it short tonight.”

“I swear, if you don’t get your tail outta my way, I’ll take you out.”

“Quinn, I mean it.”

I look at her as she rolls her eyes. “I know you do, big brother, and I think you understand that I get you. Now get out of my way so I can see my sister and hold the niece you denied me for years, and then I’ll leave.”

Maverick nods at his sister as Tate and I laugh lightly when she starts pushing into the room before the door’s even open all the way. Clayton hangs back while Tate enters, causing Maverick to glance his way.

“I spent ten years worried you’d never come home,” Clayton tells Maverick, his words low. “Ten years I felt nothin’ but fear that I’d lost my brother because I couldn’t protect him enough to keep him here. I’m so happy for you right now. Seein’ you overcome all that pushed you away and kept you gone to find what you were always meant to have . . .” He pauses as his arm tightens around my shoulders. “You made it possible with all that for me to be able to see what I was meant to have. I’m so fuckin’ proud to call you my brother, Mav.”

“I’m just goin’ to . . .” I point toward the open door and try to step out from under Clayton’s arm.

His head tips down to look at me. “Don’t you dare move.”

“We’re all gettin’ what we were meant to have, brother,” Maverick says, breaking the staring contest I had apparently entered with Clayton as we both look to him. “You’ll be in my shoes sooner rather than later, I reckon.” He steps closer to his big brother and lowers his voice. “Don’t let me hear you say you didn’t protect me again, Clay. You’ve always done that. You did it when I was a kid, when I left, and you continued doin’ it when you look care of Leigh when I didn’t. I overcame all that because I had the love of a good woman and the support of you and Quinn. Don’t forget it was you who helped me see my way to her. Means the world to hear you’re proud of me, seein’ that you were the man who taught me how to be one myself.”

I don’t hesitate to step away from Clayton when Maverick finishes, walking into the hospital room and leaving them to have the rest of that moment privately.

An hour later, much to Quinn’s irritation, the four of us walk out of the hospital, leaving Leighton and baby Laelynn Quinn James resting peacefully in Maverick’s strong arms.





23


CAROLINE


“All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait

- -

I wave at Marybeth Perkins and back out of the grocery store as quickly as I can without making it look obvious that I’m trying to get away from the sweet, but extremely nosy, older woman. I could tell she was itching for some gossip with the way she kept looking at my stomach. I knew this would happen the second our engagement news started circulating. What should’ve only taken me fifteen minutes, tops, took close to an hour. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, I encountered asked me a million questions.

It’s been almost two weeks since Clayton asked me to be his wife. I’ve spent every second of that time planning our wedding and going between our home, Maverick and Leighton’s, and Quinn and Tate’s. Since both couples have such tiny newborns, I didn’t want them coming out to our place. It was just easier to go to them. Plus, this way I get tons of time cuddling babies without having to fight off someone else in order to do so.

Lucy’s been out a few times, Luke as well, but we’ve had little time to get together like we normally do. They understand, and I know both are happy for me.

“Caroline.”

I freeze, my body locking tight.