The Cowboy's Baby Blessing

He looked down at the still-hiccuping but soundly sleeping little boy in his arms and his heart welled.

He wouldn’t let Caden down, no matter what.

He was Caden’s permanent legal guardian and would be the only parent the boy would ever know.

It was what Luke and Tracy would have wanted. It was what Caden needed. And it was what Seth was determined to be.

A father.

Chapter Three

One day at a time.

Rachel was great at doling out counsel but not so much at putting it to use in her own life.

Seth was trying to figure out how to parent Caden—and he was looking to her for advice?

She felt as if someone had stamped a giant fail sign on her forehead. What use was she going to be to Seth—or Caden—when she didn’t have her own house in order?

Actually, helping Seth was a good way to get out of her own head for a while, to forget the constant bickering that had taken over her relationship with Zooey. At least she knew what to do with Caden.

She had to admit she was looking forward to Seth bringing sweet Caden over for day care. Rachel loved children of all ages, but there was something about a pudgy toddler, just learning to strike out on his own and explore the world, that really captured Rachel’s heart.

And Caden would need all the extra love and attention she could give him. He was fortunate to have such a dedicated guardian in Seth, and he had Seth’s extended family to offer strength and support. He was going to be okay, but Rachel still grieved over the circumstances that had left this boy without his mother and father.

And yet she saw something in Seth—his dedication and determination—that made her think he would turn out to be a fine father for Caden in the long run.

Seth had entrusted her with Caden’s day care, and she was resolved to do everything she could to make Seth’s transition from footloose and fancy-free to father and rancher as streamlined and painless as possible.

In some ways it would be easier for Caden than for Seth. Caden would adapt quickly. Poor Seth knew next to nothing about child care and had admitted he understood little about ranching, either.

And now, in the space of one day, he had a child and owned a ranch.

Talk about a learning curve.

Rachel poured herself a cup of coffee and went out to sit on the front porch and enjoy the early morning. Seth would be coming a bit earlier than the other parents so he and Caden would have more time to adjust to their first day.

Most of the time it was harder on the parents than it was on the children to let go that first day. Given Seth’s peculiar situation, she suspected it might be even more difficult for him. His life had undergone so many changes so quickly he probably didn’t know which way was up anymore.

Putting everything else aside, she felt sure he was mourning the loss of a sweet, lovely woman who had died far too soon. It was clear Seth had considered Tracy a friend, and her death would have been a shock to him even if Caden hadn’t been in the picture, especially on top of the grief he still experienced over Luke’s death. Caden was all Seth had left of his friends to hold on to. Rachel wondered if it would be difficult for him to let the boy go, even for just a few hours.

As for Caden, he might be too young to understand the whole truth of what had happened, but in his own way, he had to be wondering where his mama had gone and why she wasn’t coming back to get him. Rachel was certain he must be missing her terribly.

She fought back the tears that sprang to her eyes. She needed to be strong for both Caden and Seth.

Her cat, Myst, diverted her attention when he appeared and flopped by her side, his purr like the deep revving of an engine as he groomed himself. Myst would make himself scarce for the rest of the day, having learned the hard way to avoid overexcited toddlers with grabby hands. He was a typical feline, antisocial to most humans except when he wanted to be snuggled and petted on his own terms, and even then he graced only Rachel and Zooey with that honor.

Mr. Picky was his nickname.

Rachel had just finished her coffee when Seth pulled his car into her driveway. She stepped forward to help him release Caden from his car seat. She laughed, her heart welling, when the little boy wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed tightly.

“This ridiculous thing is more complicated than it looks,” Seth said of the five-point buckle. “It took me forever to figure it out the first time.”

“Car seats are one of my many areas of expertise,” she teased, but Seth nodded solemnly.

“I imagine so.”

A lump burned hot in her throat. It didn’t take a genius to realize he was thinking about all the things he didn’t know about raising a child, and Rachel mentally kicked herself for her insensitivity.

She was relieved when he changed the subject.

“If you have a moment, would it be okay for me to take a look at your backyard and the play equipment you currently have?” he asked, leaning down to scoop Myst into his arms. He stroked the cat, who in turn nuzzled under his chin, demanding his complete devotion and attention. “We can discuss your needs and then I will draw up some preliminary suggestions on how best to make this work.”

“How did you do that?” she asked, so stunned she forgot to answer his question.

“Do what?”

“Myst doesn’t like anybody, especially men.”

He scratched the cat’s ears and chuckled. “Cats like me. I don’t know why. I’ve never had one of my own. Hopefully, I have the same effect on horses and cows.”

Seth was such a charmer that Rachel suspected he might have that effect on every living creature he came in contact with, including every pretty young lady who crossed his path, and most of the older ones, too. Cats were especially intuitive, and Myst obviously thought highly of Seth.

But as far as the play yard went—

“Don’t worry about building anything for me. I’m officially absolving you of any obligation. You have way too much going for you to be concerned about my needs.”

She was worried about what she’d be able to do, with the recertification coming up so rapidly, but it wasn’t fair to bring Seth in on it. He’d just landed himself a baby. That took precedence over any problems she was experiencing.

She’d just have to figure out how to handle this herself. The most logical thing to do would be to break down the old play equipment on her own and rent a trash bin one weekend to get rid of all the pieces. She could clean up the backyard well enough to pass the inspection. New equipment would have to wait.

“No, Rachel. Let me do this for you. You’re helping me out so much by caring for Caden and with all the instructions you’ve given me.”

He made it sound as if she were a how-to manual. The thought made her smile.

“You’ll be paying me for the day care, remember? Although like I said earlier, don’t forget that the first week is on the house.”

“And you paid for me at the auction,” he shot back. He gestured toward the door. “I mean it. I don’t mind building you a new play yard. I know you said you have someone coming to assess the day care soon for recertification. This is important to you—and honestly, I think it will be good for me. Building a project like a playhouse that I know I’ll excel in will take my mind off all the stuff I don’t know how to do. So you see, you’re doing me a favor.”

She didn’t see how he could possibly smile after all he’d been through in the past twenty-four hours, but the toothy grin he flashed her worked its charm.

She was not immune.

How could she say no?

With Caden still in her arms, she led Seth out to the backyard and then let the toddler down to play while she talked to his new guardian.

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