Page 47 of Before You Can Blink (Rust Canyon #4)

Jett

August

Dazed, I sipped my second cup of coffee, still reeling from my conversation with Tripp.

Honestly, I might’ve believed I had imagined it if it weren’t for the picture now pinned to the fridge.

Finding him passed out this morning, slumped over the kitchen table, had shocked me to high hell. And that was before he dropped several bombs on me in quick succession.

First, he admitted that I was right about him not being prepared for the strain that outside forces in life would inevitably put on his brand-new marriage. Then, he begged me for any role that would keep him on the ranch permanently, putting the needs of his pregnant—yes, pregnant—wife first .

Aside from the obvious physical resemblance, today was the first time I saw myself in my son. He was simply a man, stripped bare, willing to do anything for his family—one that was an extension of my own.

Our chat, which included a discussion on how it was long past time for me to begin training him to take over the ranch fully, concluded with an embrace, and my heart went out to him. Kid had been put through the wringer.

Soft footsteps sounded, and Daisy did a double-take when she saw me. Her gaze flicked up to the wall-mounted clock. “What are you still doing in here this time of morning?”

Not waiting for my reply, she set to work making her own cup of coffee.

“Tripp and Penny are home.”

That earned me a peek over her shoulder, eyebrows high on her forehead.

“They come to visit Reagan again?” Turning back to her task, she continued, “Can’t say I blame them.

That new baby smell is beyond addictive.

” Pressing the buttons on the single-cup coffee maker, she moved to the refrigerator for the creamer.

“Though I am surprised they were able to sneak away again so soon after their last visit.”

The pair of newlyweds had made a trip back to the ranch shortly after Reagan was born but had only stayed a few weeks before rejoining the team on the road. We hadn’t been expecting them home again for another month.

“Hope you didn’t give him too hard a time over it,” Daisy said as she shut the door to the fridge. That’s when the picture pinned there caught her attention, and she paused, head tilting to the side. “I thought we framed all the ultrasound photos of Reagan.”

We had. There was one in the living room, another in our bedroom. Though they were quickly outnumbered by the sheer volume of pictures proud papa Mac had printed weekly, always making sure to get duplicates so we had a full set of every moment captured of our sweet granddaughter.

I brought my mug to my lips. “Not Reagan.”

“Not Reagan? Then who—” A sharp gasp sounded when she read the patient’s name printed in the corner of the black and white image.

She spun around, eyes wide. “Is this real? Penny’s . . .” Her words trailed off as a trembling hand came up to her mouth to stifle what I could only assume was a happy sob that bubbled up from her chest.

Rising to my feet, I moved to where she stood. A smile tugged at my lips as I confirmed, “We’re set to double the grandbaby count by winter.”

That’s when she completely lost it, weeping tears of joy, and I pulled her into my arms. Two was a far cry from the twelve she pictured, but we were making progress. Tripp and Penny sure hadn’t wasted any time in starting a family, so who was to say they wouldn’t have a dozen all their own?

I couldn’t wait to hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet stampeding through this big ole house.

April

“He’s out for the count,” Daisy whispered when the bottle nipple slipped from Cash’s mouth, a milky smile on his lips.

A contented sigh sounded, and her head fell onto my shoulder where I was seated beside her on the couch. “I know I should put him to bed, but I’m not ready to let him go yet.”

My fingers trailed over the white-blond fuzz covering our two-month-old grandson’s head. “No harm in holding him a little longer, darlin’. ”

This was our first time keeping one of the grandbabies overnight.

While I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the broken sleep that came with caring for an infant, there was a part of me that was beyond grateful that our kids were living on the property so that we could help out anytime they needed a break.

And boy, did Tripp and Penny need a break.

Cash had the sweetest temperament—so very unlike his father as a baby—but he’d run his poor parents ragged the past few nights after receiving his first round of vaccinations.

According to them, he hadn’t slept a wink, not that you’d ever know it with how deeply immersed in dreamland he was now.

“I’ve been thinking . . .”

A chuckle broke free from my chest. “Hmm. That’s dangerous.”

Daisy craned her neck to look at me. “What if this school year is my last?”

I arched an eyebrow. “Ready to retire?”

She shrugged. “Didn’t have much of a reason to before. But now . . .” Her gaze drifted back to the baby in her arms. “I can’t think of anything I’d love more than watching these little ones during the day while their parents are at work.”

“Gramma Daisy’s daycare,” I teased.

Her eye roll was audible. “I’m serious.”

“I know you are, honey. And if that’s what you want to do, you won’t hear a single argument from me. It always bothered me that I couldn’t provide enough that you could stay home with our kids.”

“Jett,” she sighed my name. “I love teaching. Do you know how proud I am to say that I’ve taught nearly half this town how to read when they were in first grade? I’ve made my mark on our community, but now it’s time to focus my attention on family, which seems to be growing by the day.”

“The two of them came rapid fire, that’s for sure.” Reagan and Cash were only a touch over seven months apart .

“Three,” she corrected, absentmindedly.

I reared back so suddenly, it jostled Daisy’s arm, and Cash let out a tiny whimper. “Three? Who’s three?”

My wife turned to me, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.

“Daze . . .”

Knowing she’d been caught, she wrinkled her nose and groaned. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything. It’s still early yet.”

“Well, you said enough already, might as well spill the rest. Like who I’m expected to act surprised for when they tell me themselves.”

Head dropping back on the couch, she said, “Aspen. Around Christmastime.”

“Damn.” I shook my head. “They’re popping kids out fast and furious around here. If I weren’t fixed, I’d be concerned there was something in the water.”

Daisy gave me a side-eye. “You run a breeding ranch. Can’t be too surprised when some of that energy rubs off on its human inhabitants.”

“If I remember correctly, you and I were the original breeders on this ranch.” I flashed her a cocky grin.

That got a laugh out of her. “That we were.”

I pressed a kiss to her temple. “If chasing after three little ones under the age of two every day is what will make you happy, I say go for it. A few more years, and I might be able to join you in your version of retired bliss.”

The smile that split her face was damn near blinding. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

Crooking a finger, I tapped it against my lips, asking for a kiss. “Yes, but I’ll never grow tired of hearing it.”

“Good, because I’ll never grow tired of saying it.” Obliging my request, she leaned in to press her mouth to mine softly. “I love you, Jett Sullivan, and this amazing life you’ve built for us. ”

My eyes slid shut, and I breathed out, “God, I love you, Daze. You make me a better man than I ever thought possible. Everything I do is for you, for our family.”

And to think I’d never wanted to saddle myself with the responsibility of a wife and kids.

How very empty and meaningless my life would have been.