Page 37 of A Baby for the Texas Cowboy (The Texas Wolf Brothers #3)

A nders got the message after he hopped off Brawler and saw his score. Ninety-one. Hard to beat that.

“Your brother called and chartered a helicopter for you,” one of the AEbr PR people said as they hurried up to him. “Your wife went into labor a little while ago.”

His heart leapt in alarm. It was three weeks early. He was riding this week and next and then he’d planned to take two to four weeks off, which would back up to a break. The AEbr hadn’t been thrilled with his plan, but they hadn’t kicked up too much of a fuss.

“The crowd is going to love this announcement,” she said. “As a reason for not waiting around to stand in the winner’s circle, it kills, Daddy.”

He barely noticed that she took pictures and video of him as he gathered up his things and made it out to the parking lot. Another Texas rider was going to drive his rig to Last Stand along with his winnings. Between the AEbr and his brother, Anders just had to show up.

He’d never been in a helicopter before. It would have been amazing if he hadn’t been so nervous and excited and worried all at once.

Talking to Tinsley on his cell kept him calm.

She seemed excited, which was good because he felt like he was falling apart—especially when she had to stop and grit out each contraction.

The ride was fast. Axel picked him up from the Gillespie regional airport since the hospital frowned on civilian helicopters using their helipad—who did he think he was, a dang celebrity? Anders hurried to the maternity ward.

“Good, the father’s here.” Dr. Graham was suited up like she was about to perform surgery. Was that normal?

“Wash. Put on a gown. Gloves. Don’t touch anything.”

“What’s going on?”

“Just a precaution,” the nurse said. “We’re going through those double doors. C-section.”

He had time to wave at August and Cat, who held their baby daughter, and at Cruz, whose baby bump grew more obvious by the week. Axel immediately went to his wife and held her.

“I got to time the contractions!” Diego said. “Best math project ever.”

Anders laughed, and his heart swelled with love even as he was urged through the double doors.

Tinsley was awake, her beautiful hair tucked under a cap.

“Typical Wolf,” she said. “Fast, early, pushy, and blazing their own path.”

His tension eased at the humor in her voice. “I’ll have a talk with her in a minute.”

“I think the lack of directional sense indicates a boy.”

“Ouch. You okay, baby?” He sat on a stool by her head and held her hand and kissed her forehead.

“Not feeling my legs and being filleted open like a fish was not my first choice for a Sunday afternoon activity,” she said. “Did you win?”

“Think so. Didn’t check final scores. But I did show Brawler who was boss. Two me and one him, in our face-offs.”

“Are you ready for this?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good. Me too.” She smiled and he kissed her again, his focus on Tinsley instead of what the doctors and her surgical team were doing to her body.

“The baby was stressed when I got here. That’s why the C-section.

And it flipped twice this past week, and then again when I arrived.

I’m scared,” she whispered. “What if the cord gets tangled?”

“Baby’s fine,” he said, seeing the fetal heart rate monitor next to hers and hoping.

Let the baby be okay . He said a quick prayer and held her hand. The nursing team had take off her engagement ring and diamond wedding band, and he missed seeing the diamond winking at him, reminding him that this sparkling, brilliant woman was his.

“Good news,” she said. “Because of the C-section, I’ll be able to jump on the exercise bike in a few days.”

“We don’t have one. Aren’t you supposed to rest after a baby for, like, months?” Then he laughed. “Do you want one?”

She laughed. “Not a chance, cowboy. Why ride a bike when I can ride a horse and—” she pulled him in closer “—a bull rider?”

“I love you crazy mad,” he said.

“I love you crazier and madder,” she shot back.

“So it’s a competition, huh?” His lips curved in a smile. “You know I’ll always win.”

“No. That’s not a given at all.”

“Yes, it is. I’m the winner. I have you.”

“And now a healthy baby boy,” the doctor said, pulling a squirming, screaming next-generation Wolf into the world.

The End