Page 134 of Rocky Mountain Home

A huge shot of guilt and regret washed over Jesse. He really was a sorry son of a gun.

“I’m an ass,” Jesse said. “I’ve been so focused on me and my world that it didn’t even hit until now what kind of hell you went through.”

“Yet every day I get to spend time with the woman I love, and we’ve got a great if slightly cranky kid that we made—life’s pretty damn good,” Matt insisted. Then he grinned. “Look at you. You might actually be growing up.”

“Shut up.”

“No, I mean it, this is a good thing.” Matt’s grin got wider. “I can hardly wait to see you all thrown out of kilter down the road when you’re trying to figure out how to convince your baby girl that she really does want to go to sleep because you can’t keep your eyes open an instant longer.”

Jesse smirked. “You think Dare’s having a girl?”

“Got my bid in. Girl, November third.”

“Dare is going to hate you for that,” Jesse warned. “She’s already insisting Buckaroo will arrive early.”

Matt slapped him on the shoulder, and they finished their break before climbing back into the ditch and getting muddy. But Jesse was grateful that the entire conversation—other than the talking-about-babies bit—had been so completely normal.

He was back with his family, and this felt right too.

Friday night after supper, he and Joel washed up the dishes while the girls took off to get changed. A visit to Traders was on the agenda—finally. It was the first time they’d been able to make it since Dare got out of the hospital, and they were both looking forward to dancing and relaxing.

Jesse checked inside, shocked but grateful that the only thing he really felt about spending the evening with Joel and Vicki and the other Colemans who’d be there was anticipation.

He popped into their bedroom and found Dare standing in front of the closet in her underwear and bra.

He slipped behind her and pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. “I don’t mind the outfit one bit, but I’m not letting you go to Traders like that,” he warned.

Dare turned, discontent written on her face. “I hate to be stereotypical, but I’ve got nothing to wear. Nothing I can go dancing in.”

He let his gaze drop over her body, tempted to suggest they stay home to do some horizontal dancing. She was an eager partner between the sheets, but getting out was important too, he was coming to realize.

He stroked a hand over her belly. She’d noticeably popped in the last week. It wasn’t something he’d expected, but in truth he thought the baby bump was damn sexy.

“Buckaroo making your favourite outfits not fit?” She didn’t answer, but her lower lip stuck out in a pout. He leaned forward and nipped at it. “I thought you were going to borrow some things from Jaxi and the other girls.”

“I did, but I skipped a size somewhere in the last two days.”

He reached into the closet and grabbed one of his shirts. “Wear the jeans you’ve got with that stretchy bit in the front, and put this on. With your boots, you’ll be the best-dressed cowgirl in the place.”

She went to take the shirt from his hands, but he held it hostage for a moment. “I get a kiss in payment.”

Dare give him a quick smooch before stepping away to get dressed. “I’m surprised you didn’t demand a blow job.”

He slapped his thigh. “Dammit, you’re right. I’ll remember that for next time.”

The Traders Pub parking lot was packed with a typical Friday-night summer crowd. He caught Dare by the hand, Joel and Vicki following, as they headed straight to the dance side of the place since Dare wasn’t drinking.

The Colemans had taken over the east corner of the standing tables off the dance floor. Couples slipped on and off the hardwood area, people shifting around enough that as the room warmed up, light coats were discarded and hung on the hooks attached to the vertical wooden posts.

They danced a little then visited. Dare only had to ask on the sly for name reminders a few times. Lee and Trevor were there from the Moonshine clan with Rachel and Becky, Rafe from Angel with Laurel. Tamara and Lisa from the Whiskey Creek side of things. Just him and Joel from Six Pack.

It was a far cry from the days when all fifteen of them had been single and out for a regular Friday-night whoop-up. Only seven cousins were out tonight, although five with partners. None of the couples with kids, though—maybe that’s what made it feel so different.

Come November, he and Dare wouldn’t be out on a regular basis either. Not without wrangling a babysitter.

The world was changing.

Dare took off toward the washroom, which gave Jesse his first opportunity to chat with Rafe about something that needed discussing. He motioned his cousin to the side, and they walked away, leaving the rest of the Colemans gathered at the edge of the dance floor.