Cowboy Up(76)

“I swear, if you don’t get your tail outta my way, I’ll take you out.”

“Quinn, I mean it.”

I look at her as she rolls her eyes. “I know you do, big brother, and I think you understand that I get you. Now get out of my way so I can see my sister and hold the niece you denied me for years, and then I’ll leave.”

Maverick nods at his sister as Tate and I laugh lightly when she starts pushing into the room before the door’s even open all the way. Clayton hangs back while Tate enters, causing Maverick to glance his way.

“I spent ten years worried you’d never come home,” Clayton tells Maverick, his words low. “Ten years I felt nothin’ but fear that I’d lost my brother because I couldn’t protect him enough to keep him here. I’m so happy for you right now. Seein’ you overcome all that pushed you away and kept you gone to find what you were always meant to have . . .” He pauses as his arm tightens around my shoulders. “You made it possible with all that for me to be able to see what I was meant to have. I’m so fuckin’ proud to call you my brother, Mav.”

“I’m just goin’ to . . .” I point toward the open door and try to step out from under Clayton’s arm.

His head tips down to look at me. “Don’t you dare move.”

“We’re all gettin’ what we were meant to have, brother,” Maverick says, breaking the staring contest I had apparently entered with Clayton as we both look to him. “You’ll be in my shoes sooner rather than later, I reckon.” He steps closer to his big brother and lowers his voice. “Don’t let me hear you say you didn’t protect me again, Clay. You’ve always done that. You did it when I was a kid, when I left, and you continued doin’ it when you look care of Leigh when I didn’t. I overcame all that because I had the love of a good woman and the support of you and Quinn. Don’t forget it was you who helped me see my way to her. Means the world to hear you’re proud of me, seein’ that you were the man who taught me how to be one myself.”

I don’t hesitate to step away from Clayton when Maverick finishes, walking into the hospital room and leaving them to have the rest of that moment privately.

An hour later, much to Quinn’s irritation, the four of us walk out of the hospital, leaving Leighton and baby Laelynn Quinn James resting peacefully in Maverick’s strong arms.





23


CAROLINE


“All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait



I wave at Marybeth Perkins and back out of the grocery store as quickly as I can without making it look obvious that I’m trying to get away from the sweet, but extremely nosy, older woman. I could tell she was itching for some gossip with the way she kept looking at my stomach. I knew this would happen the second our engagement news started circulating. What should’ve only taken me fifteen minutes, tops, took close to an hour. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, I encountered asked me a million questions.

It’s been almost two weeks since Clayton asked me to be his wife. I’ve spent every second of that time planning our wedding and going between our home, Maverick and Leighton’s, and Quinn and Tate’s. Since both couples have such tiny newborns, I didn’t want them coming out to our place. It was just easier to go to them. Plus, this way I get tons of time cuddling babies without having to fight off someone else in order to do so.

Lucy’s been out a few times, Luke as well, but we’ve had little time to get together like we normally do. They understand, and I know both are happy for me.

“Caroline.”

I freeze, my body locking tight.

“Please,” the voice continues. Instead of making me feel uneasy, though, the broken tone in his pleading gives me what I need. He doesn’t get to feel broken here. He doesn’t have that right, seeing as he’s the person who did everything in his power to ensure I was the broken one.

I suck in a cleansing breath before turning. “What do you want, John?”

He looks terrible. The once handsome man I knew is long gone. His hair is a little too long. His eyes are bloodshot and sunken, with shadowy bags under them. And he’s lost weight. Not too much, but enough that I know he’s not taking care of himself.

“I’m so sorry,” he rushes out, looking around frantically. “So, so sorry.”

“I moved past needin’ to hear that a long time ago, John.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be like that,” he continues like I didn’t even speak.

I cross my arms and arch a brow, not willing to turn my back and continue loading the car, but I realize my mistake when John’s panicked eyes drop. I glance down and see that my left hand and big diamond ring stick out like a billboard announcing my relationship status.