“I just talked to Marissa,” Trace said meeting Chase’s gaze. “Are Red and Jacks still here?”
“Come on in to the office,” Chase said, “they’re both still here.”
Trace stepped into the office at the front of the old house, smiling when he saw Red smoothing his red and white beard in a rough hand.
“Trace,” Jackson said, shifting his wheelchair with one foot.
Trace smiled at the other man, thrilled with the progress he had made since getting stepped on by a mad bull in his last rodeo show.
“You look like a man with a problem,” Red said as Chase pushed the door closed.
Trace flopped into a chair in front of an old battered desk, placing his hat on his knee and running his hands through his hair.
“You could say that,” Trace admitted it. “I just got off the phone with Marissa.”
“Is she alright?” Chase asked dropping into the antique office chair behind the desk.
“She’s doing well,” Trace said with a smile. “I’m going to see here over Thanksgiving.”
“So that’s why you asked for time off,” Chase grinned.
“Not originally,” Trace admitted not sure how to continue.
“Not originally, but you just couldn’t stay away is what you’re saying isn’t it?” Red asked with a chuckle.
Trace looked up at the older man feeling a blush tinged his face.
Jackson’s warm laugh hit Trace like a slap on the back and he shook his head knowing he was lost.
“Nothing wrong with wanting to see the girl you’re head over heels for,” Red continued. The older man smiled with a shake of his head. “When I was dating Nan, I couldn’t stay away no matter how mad she made me, or how crazy I thought she was. She had her heart in heaven and knew what her life was about. It took her a good long time to help me understand, but in the end, I came around.”
“You think what I did was going too far?” Trace asked.
“That’s not for me to say,” Red continued. “You did what you thought you should, and we’ve all been praying for you along the way. God has a plan here even if it looks like a train wreck to us.”
The door opened and Kade stepped in filling the far wall with his bulk. “Who’s having a train wreck?” the big man asked.
“That’d be me,” Trace said raising a hand. “The train wreck is my relationship with Marissa.”
Kade squinted at Trace making him shutter. “I’m going to visit her next week,” Trace said before Kade could get protective.
“Is she doing well?”
“Yes, I just talked to her, and she’s tired but doing alright. Has she been talking to Michelle much?”
“They’re still knocking heads over this whole thing,” Kade admitted. “Michelle will get over it though. She just thinks that Marissa is taking advantage of you.”
“I keep telling her I volunteered,” Trace said.
“It’s a sister thing,” Kade offered with a shrug. “What do you need from us? I want Mini-Mar to be okay,” he finished.
“You know she hates that nickname,” Trace chided.
“Why do you think I use it,” Kade chuckled.
The other men laughed all turning to face Trace once more.
“Son,” Red began. “We’ll be praying for you. I can’t say what you did looks like wisdom to me, but God works in some strange ways. You boys all gather round now,” he continued raising his hands until everyone was in a tight huddle. “Let’s pray.”
Chapter 18
Marissa stood at the baggage claim carousel and smoothed her dress over her rounded belly.
She was nervous, anxious, and excited all at the same time as she watched for Trace. It had been months since she’d seen the handsome cowboy, and she was worried about how she looked.
Deep down she knew it was silly since this marriage was only a convenience, but she couldn’t seem to stop her feeling the way she felt.
It didn’t seem possible that she had fallen in love with the cowboy who had helped her all those months ago, but she knew it was true, and even if they had the marriage dissolved after this baby was born, she wouldn’t give up the hours she had spent getting to know Trace.
Even from miles away, she had learned who he was and had let her heart go willingly.
She had so many thoughts in her head that when she looked up and saw him coming down the escalator, his familiar cowboy hat on his head it barely registered.
Trace smiled as Marissa looked up and hurried toward her only to have her throw herself into his arms a moment later.
Wrapping his arms around her Trace lifted Marissa off her feet and breathed in the scent of her. She looked radiant, beautiful, and perfect.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Marissa said and Trace could hear the tears in her voice.
“It’s good to be here,” he said not letting go. “I’m happy to see you,” he finished grunting at her rounded belly poking into his stomach. “Did the baby just kick?” he asked lowering her to her feet.
“Yes,” Marissa said dashing the tears from her eyes. “Here,” she added taking his hand and placing it on her child’s active little feet.
Trace felt the kick and smiled. “That’s amazing!” he said kneeling in the middle of the floor and resting his hand on the baby bump.
Marissa wiped the tears from her eyes as her heart flipped in her chest. She loved the crazy cowboy kneeling before her and would enjoy every minute she had with him.
For a moment the image of Susan praying over her food in the break room flashed across her mind and she understood why the woman gave thanks. She was thankful for Trace and knew that all of her hard work, planning, and good intentions had not been what brought him into her life.
“You ready to go home?” Trace said rising and taking her hand.
“Let’s get your bag then I’ll show you where we are,” Marissa agreed, squeezing his hand as they
