“Like you, they’re worried about how I’ll manage the coffee shop and a baby. But they’re excited about having a grandchild.”
“Henri’s excited about that, too.”
“Your boss? Are you related to her?”
“Not officially. None of us are, but we’re all her boys, anyway. She’s… she’s hoping you’ll bring the baby for visits. She wants to do the grandmother thing.”
“I will bring the baby as often as I can manage. You shouldn’t have to do all the traveling. It’s just that I—”
“You have a business to run and I don’t. I’ll make the drive. I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone in this.”
A lump lodged in her throat. “Thanks, CJ.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I should probably find out what that stands for.”
“What?”
“CJ. When I fill out this child’s birth certificate, I don’t want to put down initials for the father’s name. I’m assuming they stand for something.”
He grinned. “They do.”
“Why is that funny?”
“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Cornelius Jasper Andrews.”
She stared at him. “You’re kidding.”
“Not kidding. And I challenge you to find a decent nickname somewhere in that combo. Other than CJ.”
“Neil?”
He glanced at her. “Do I look like a Neil to you?”
“Definitely not. CJ sounds like a cowboy.”
He laughed. “I thought so, too, and here I am.”
“Did you ever go by Cornelius?”
“The first five years of my life. Then I started school and figured out real quick that wasn’t going to fly. I’ve been CJ ever since.”
“I’ve never met a Cornelius.”
“Me, either. When my mother was in high school she did a report on Cornelius Vanderbilt. She said naming me after him might bring me good luck. Maybe I’d be destined for fame and fortune, too.”
“Then I’m confused about Jasper. She could have given you Vanderbilt as a middle name to add even more fairy dust.”
“I figure Jasper was my father’s name, but she said it wasn’t. She was barely seventeen when I was born. My best guess is that my dad’s family had money and they bought her off. She refused to tell me who my dad was, but she got monthly checks from a lawyer’s office. She wouldn’t reveal the source of those, either.”
“Are you in touch with her?”
“She died in a car accident when I was sixteen.”
“Oh, dear. Were you in the car?”
“No. She was on her way to work.”
“That’s sad. Both of you were so young.”
“Yeah. I didn’t take it well. I hated the idea of foster care, which is where I was likely headed, so I left town. Drifted from place to place working odd jobs for almost three years. Then Charley hired me.”
“Henri’s late husband?”
“Yep. I only had a father figure for six years, but I doubt I could have picked a better one if I’d tried.”
“He must have been a wonderful guy. When Lucy wasn’t raving about how adorable Matt was, she’d go on about Henri and Charley. Her family vacations to the Buckskin Ranch were her favorite thing.”
“Henri and Charley doted on her, too.” He paused. “Did Lucy ever mention me?”
“Oh, yeah, she talked about all the guys. Jake, the tease, Nick, the bottomless pit, Leo, the beautiful one, Rafe, the gentle giant. Of course, Matt was the principal focus of her cowboy fantasies.”
“Sounds like she had a designation for each of us.”
“She did.”
“You neglected to mention mine.”
“The sweet one who sort of played guitar.”
“Ugh.”
“Don’t worry. She told me later you’d become really good at it.”
“I’m fine with the mediocre musician label. It’s the sweet one that makes me cringe.”
“Why do men hate being called sweet? It’s a compliment.”
“It’s only one notch above nice, which is the kiss of death for getting dates. I’m surprised you had anything to do with me if she told you I was sweet.”
“It so happens I like that in a man.”
“Lucky me.”
She hesitated. “Do you mean that?”
“Absolutely.” He looked over at her in surprise. “Did you think I was being sarcastic?”
“Well, people do say lucky me when referring to bad luck, and if I hadn’t invited you to spend the night, you wouldn’t be facing—”
“If you hadn’t invited me to spend the night, I would have missed out on one of the peak experiences of my life.”
Her breath stalled. “That’s how you think of it?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He returned his attention to the road. “I know it’s landed us in a sticky situation, but I wouldn’t change anything.”
She slowly released air from her lungs, and the tension that had plagued her since she’d made her phone call on Friday flowed out with it. “Neither would I.”
Chapter Three
During the one-hour drive from Great Falls International, CJ had revealed more about his history than he’d shared with anyone, including the Brotherhood. But Isabel was carrying their child. She deserved to know everything he could tell her.
He slowed as they approached Apple Grove. An apple-shaped billboard announced the town’s slogan—Johnny Appleseed’s Success Story! The road led to the square, but he planned to hang a right before they got there and take the two-lane out to the ranch.
He glanced at her. “Need anything from town before we head out?”
“A bathroom. Mom warned me I’d have to go a lot and I didn’t believe her, so I drank plenty of water on the plane like I usually do to stay hydrated. And now…I believe my mom.”
“No worries. Sarah told me about that, too. We can head to the sandwich shop and grab a snack, too, if you’re hungry.”
“That’s perfect. It’s called Gertie’s Sandwich Shop, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Who is Gertie? Is she still around?”
“The original Gertie has passed. She left the sandwich shop to Sarah’s grandmother, who decided to use the name Gertie whenever she was in the shop. Her daughter, Sarah’s mom, followed suit and it became a tradition. Sarah is a fourth-generation Gertie.” He spotted a diagonal parking space right in front.
“That’s good marketing. Did Sarah have a girl?”
“She did. If the tradition continues, Sarah will inherit the business and her daughter will follow in her footsteps.” Pots of geraniums sat outside and two small umbrella tables, each
