Page 51 of A Cowboy Holiday

“Same principle.”

“True. Do you think you’d want more kids someday?” he asked offhandedly.

“Yeah. I think Phee would be a great big sister, but—” I winced as Hazel strained in discomfort. “It’s okay, Haze. We’re right here. We gotcha. What about you? Do you want kids?”

“Definitely.”

He’d be a wonderful father, I mused, running a soothing hand along Hazel’s belly. The best. But I wouldn’t be here for that. He’d be with someone else and?—

I was saved from unpleasant thoughts by the appearance of a nose and hooves. “Hey, I think she’s ready.”

Hazel’s contractions increased, her body trembling as she pushed her calf into the world. Tanner fetched warm towels while I spread clean hay in the stall, humming Christmas songs in the hopes that the sound might sooth the new mama.

Tanner hummed “Jingle Bells” with me, brushing my shoulder as he made preparations and updated the staff on our progress. “Oh, I think this is it.”

“I got him. Come on, Hazel. One more push for us. That’s it, honey. That’s?—”

“A boy. Congratulations, Dr. Vogel.”

Tanner and I shared a celebratory grin, then quickly set about cleaning and caring for the newborn. Thankfully, Hazel took to motherhood like a pro. She was nursing her calf within the hour, shortly after Vic and Andy showed up for their shift.

We walked toward the cottages, high on a successful night. The moon was a thin sliver of light in a clear sky as we passed the giant festive wreath hanging from the side of the stable and continued along the path toward the bungalows, ablaze with holiday lights in the distance.

I stopped at the fence, perching on the rail as I pulled Tanner close. “We make a good team.”

He grinned. “We do.”

I chewed the inside of my cheek nervously. “Earlier when you said you want kids and…well, I hope that happens for you. I hope you?—”

“Don’t,” he warned sharply. “I know the score, Axe. Don’t tell me you hope I have a good life or that you wish me all the fucking best. It’s too clichéd, and we’re not those guys.”

“Who are we?”

“Just a couple of idiot cowboys who like each other a little too much.”

I traced his jaw with my thumb and nodded sadly. “Come home with me. I’ll make you something to eat. We can watch a move with Phee, and put out cookies and milk for Santa.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

“I want to make love to you all night, and in the morning, we can?—”

Tanner set a finger over my lips, then kissed me. “Tonight…yes.”

The sense of peace warred with fear of impending change. I was scared of what was coming, but I didn’t want to ruin the night with a melancholy mood. If this was our last, our only Christmas, it was going to be a good one.

We did everything on our list. We picked up Phee from Josh and Angie’s house with a promise to take the kids to see the new calf in the morning after unwrapping presents. We took showers to wash the grime of the barn away, made a light meal, watchedElfwith Phee snuggled between us on the sofa, and let her choose a few cookies for Santa before bedtime.

My exhausted little girl fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Tanner turned on a playlist of Nat King Cole singing holiday classic songs. “Silent Night” drifted from the portable speaker as we cleaned the kitchen. He helped me set out gifts from Santaunder the tree and reminded me to eat the cookies on the coffee table.

“I’ll eat one. You eat the other,” I said, handing him the plate.

He smiled, took the cookie, and tapped it against mine. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.” I kissed his temple and studied the tree.

It wasn’t a particularly grand tree, to be honest. It had a bald spot on one side and the top drooped to the left. And since Phee had done the bulk of the decorating, most of the ornaments were located on the lowest branches. Somehow, that made it all the more charming.