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Page 40 of Huckleberry Hill (Saddles & Spurs #1)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The Hospital

“Dad?” I asked. “Did you hear me?”

“I heard you,” he said, his brow wrinkling. “But how is that possible? I thought you couldn’t . . .”

“Well, apparently I can.” I glanced at Declan. “Declan and I are going to have a baby.”

Dad looked at Declan but didn’t say anything.

“Please don’t hit me again,” Declan said, grimacing.

Dad stood up from the chair. And then before I knew it, I was being hugged again. And when he pulled back, my strong, stoic father had tears in his eyes.

“This is damn good news,” he said gruffly. “Congratulations to the both of you. When’s the wedding?”

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“The wedding,” he said, looking from me to Declan, focusing hard on Declan. “There will be a wedding, right?”

I looked at Declan too, unsure of what to say. Declan didn’t take his eyes off my father when he replied, “Whenever she wants one.”

Dad nodded and his expression relaxed. “Good.”

“You’re not going to stand behind me with a shotgun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers style, are you?” Declan asked.

“No,” Dad said. “I still don’t know where the damn thing is hidden.”

“Hold on a second,” I voiced.

Two pairs of eyes looked at me.

“Don’t I get a say?” I demanded. “About a wedding?”

“Of course you get a say,” Declan said with a cheery smile. “You get to set the date.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” I asked.

“No, I don’t think I’m forgetting anything.” Declan frowned. “Oh, wait. The ring.”

“Not the ring, you goober. The question ,” I said. “You never asked me if I wanted to marry you.”

“Hadley, will you marry me?” Declan asked.

I crossed my arms over my chest and turned my head away from him. “No.”

Dad slapped Declan on the back. “I better leave you two alone to iron out some stuff. I need to call Jane and let her know you’re okay.”

“Jane?” I asked. “There’s a Jane?”

“I was with her when Muddy got hold of me,” he said. “So she knows you’re in the hospital. Don’t worry. I won’t spoil your good news. You can tell everyone in your own time.”

Dad shook Declan’s hand and then left the room, leaving me alone with the man who had just given me the worst marriage proposal in history.

“I’m not marrying you,” I said to Declan.

“Sure, you are,” he said, looking far too cheery.

“I won’t say yes to such a lukewarm proposal.”

“Oh, that wasn’t my proposal.” He took the chair and scooted closer. He tried to take my hand, but I kept tugging it free.

“Then why did you tell my dad we were getting married?” I asked in exasperation. “And why did you just literally ask me to marry you in front of him?”

“Because your father wants to know if I’m a man of my word.

My drunken word. I told him that I was serious enough about you to marry you when he got me drunk at the Copper Mule.

He also knows I can provide for you financially.

That proposal was for your father. I knew you’d say no, at least here in this room.

You haven’t gotten your real proposal yet. ”

I felt myself softening. “I don’t want you proposing just because we’re having a baby. We can be together and not get married.”

“Nope. Not happening.” He shook his head. “I want you to have my last name. And I want our baby to have my last name. We’re going to be a family.”

Tears misted my eyes. “Was that your proposal?”

He scoffed. “Not even close.”

“Oh. Well, the sentiment was nice.”

Declan grinned. “I promise you when I propose, you’ll know. And you’ll be really happy you waited for me to surprise you.”

“I stand by what I said. I don’t want you to feel like you have to marry me just because we’re having a baby.”

“I was going to marry you regardless.” He shrugged. “But the little sprout kind of pushed the timeline forward.”

My insides went gooey like a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven.

Hmm. Chocolate chip cookies.

He linked our fingers together and brought my hand to lips. “We’re going to be here for a few hours. Can I get you anything?”

“What are you, a mind reader? I could kill for chocolate chip cookies.”

He stood up and gently released my hand. “Mission accepted.”

“You mind if I call my sister and friends and share the good news with them?”

He kissed my forehead and then my lips. “Absolutely. Share the joy.”

I watched him walk out of the room, my heart fluttering with happiness.

Even though I wanted to call my sister and friends, I wanted just another moment to revel in news.

A baby.

With Declan.

Wow.

For the first time in my life, I was completely content. I was getting everything I’d ever dreamed of. A man who loved me. A baby. And living with family who would be there for me.

My phone buzzed, startling me out of my reverie.

“Hello,” I blubbered.

“You’re crying,” Salem said. “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m happy.”

“That’s weird. You usually cry when you’re sad.”

“Well, I’ve done enough of that already. Now I get to cry because I’m happy.”

“I’m happy you’re happy then.”

“Don’t you want to know why I’m happy?”

“Of course. Did you open your boxes yet?”

I was momentarily thrown by my sister’s boomerang in conversation.

“I opened a few of them, but things have been kind of crazy here, so I didn’t get to your inappropriate present, whatever that might be.”

“Why has it been crazy there? It’s Huckleberry Hill. Nothing ever happens there.”

“Not true,” I said. “Sweet Teeth went viral on social media and Gracie had a line out of the door for several days. So Muddy and I and a few others pitched in to help. And then a late spring storm came through and we had a flash flood and now I’m in the hospital.”

“ What? ” she nearly yelled.

“I’m okay,” I hastened to say. “Just a little bruising.”

“Holy hell,” she muttered. “You are terrible at giving news, you know that? You’re in the hospital right now?”

“Yes.”

“Oh hang on. Poet and Wyn just got home. Let me call you back and we can video chat and you can tell us everything.”

She hung up on me. A moment later, my phone rang again. I pressed the button, and the screen filled with their three faces.

“Hey,” Wyn said. “What’s this about you being in the hospital?”

“There was a late spring storm and we had to move the cattle to higher ground on the ranch so they didn’t get trapped.

It was pouring rain and Goldie got caught on an old fence post covered in barbed wire under the waterline.

I cut her free, and when I did she bolted toward Merlin and knocked me into the water.

I fell on the fence post and bruised my side really bad and the water washed me away. ”

The three of them were silent, their eyes wide.

“And you say nothing happens here,” I said, directing my statement to Salem.

“So then what happened?” Poet asked.

“Declan was right there. It was so fast,” I explained.

“He saw me go under, but the current swept me away before he could get to me, so he got on Merlin and came after me. He roped me and dragged me up onto the bank like I was a cow.” I was trying to give them the headlines because I knew any moment Declan would return with the cookies, and I wanted to tell them the most important news.

“He took me to the hospital to get me checked out. No broken ribs or anything, just a lot of bruising,” I said.

“So you’re okay then?” Salem asked. “When do they release you?”

I took a deep breath. “Well, the doctor wanted to keep an eye on me for a few hours due to my . . . extenuating circumstances.”

“Extenuating circumstances?” Wyn’s blonde brows slashed together in confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It means I’m pregnant.”

Silence reigned across the screen.

“Pregnant?” Salem asked. “But how?”

“I think we know how,” Poet teased. “It’s Declan’s, right?”

“It’s Declan’s,” I assured her. “I had my period in New York last month before I came home. And Gianni and I hadn’t been . . . not since the news about my infertility.”

“Infertility, you say,” Wyn said. “Nature clearly called bullshit. That cowboy has some powerful ding-a-ling juice.”

“Ew.” Poet wrinkled her nose. “Can you not?”

“I’m just saying,” Wyn said.

“Hold on a second,” Salem stated. “Are you telling me you and Declan have been raw-doggin’ it this whole time? Because I know you. You’re captain safety.”

I felt my cheeks heat and then cleared my throat. “I didn’t think I needed protection.”

“You put the ho in Idaho.” Salem suddenly smiled. “I’m going to be an aunt!”

“Aunties!” Wyn hollered.

Mildred barked in the background and Wyn leaned down to scoop her up.

“Oh my God, she’s the cutest,” I said with a smile. “Like a mini golden retriever puppy.”

“She’s pretty great.” Wyn snuggled Mildred’s ear and then set her down.

“Wow, Hadley,” Poet said with a teary smile. “I’m so happy for you.”

“We all are,” Salem said. “Really.”

“When are you due?” Wyn asked.

“Don’t know yet,” I admitted. “I’ll have to go to the doctor, and they’ll have to figure it all out. When I know, you’ll know.”

“A baby!” Poet squealed. “This is so cool.”

“There’s more,” I said shyly.

“More?” Salem asked. “How can there be more?”

“I’m getting married.”

Silence.

“When?” Salem demanded.

“Yeah, I need to take off work,” Wyn said.

“And look at flights,” Poet added with a nod.

“Hang on, guys, I don’t know when I’m getting married.”

“I’m confused,” Wyn said.

“Declan hasn’t actually asked me to marry him yet. But he and Dad kinda . . . you know Dad, Salem.”

“I do know Dad, yes,” Salem agreed. “So there’s a wedding happening but we don’t know when because Declan hasn’t officially asked you, but he’s told you he will?”

“Pretty much.” I sighed in happiness.

“You’ll say yes though, right?” Wyn asked. “Or are you going to hold out and be stubborn?”

“Why would I hold out and be stubborn?” I demanded.

“I don’t know, this is all just kind of crazy fast,” Poet said. “Romantic as hell, but still kind of crazy.”

Salem looked at the screen and grinned. “Crazy perfect. Maybe Hadley is the craziest of us all.”