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“All right. You’ll need a clean knife and something to wrap the baby in.”
“Hold on.” Chance searched through his bag and found a towel and washcloth. In the small first aid kit there was some disinfectant and small bandages. Then he dug into his jeans pocket to find his knife.
“Yeah, I have a small towel and some disinfectant.” He glanced around the room. “But nothing to wrap the baby in.”
“Then take off your shirt and use that. Wash your hands in the disinfectant and hurry, because on the next contraction, she’s going to have to push again. And you need to help guide the baby’s head….”
Chance dropped the phone and did as the doctor directed. He finished just as she cried out again. “All right, blue eyes, let’s get this baby born. Push.”
The blonde bore down hard with a groan, her face red from the exertion.
“Hey, you’re doing just fine,” a surprised Chance said as he cradled the baby’s tiny head in his hands. “Give one more big push. Come on, your baby needs you,” he coaxed.
Tears rolled from her eyes as she panted. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” he argued. “Your baby needs you.”
That did it. With the next pain, she gave it all she had. And Chance could only gasp as the tiny infant slid out into his shaking hands. Already the baby girl was crying. “Hey, you got yourself a daughter,” he whispered.
All at once the woman began to cry in earnest. Chance was busy cutting and tying the cord with his disinfected pocketknife. Once done, he wrapped the baby in his chambray shirt. “Wish it could be pink, little one.” He held her for a moment, watching as the tiny bundle looked up at him, her eyes open and trusting, just like her mother’s. Something tightened in his chest.
“Is she all right?”
The woman’s voice brought him back to reality. “Oh, yeah, I’d say she’s perfect.” He carefully handed her to her mother.
“Oh, she’s beautiful,” she cried.
“She’s a keeper all right,” Chance agreed as his gaze locked with the mother’s bright blue eyes, then turned his attention to the newborn. Unable to resist, he touched his finger to her soft cheek in wonder over this miracle he’d helped bring into world.
Just then the sound of the ambulance pierced the silence. “Looks like help has arrived.”
“I think my daughter and I had all the help we needed. Thank you.”
Chance realized that the doctor was still on the phone. “Hey, it’s a girl,” he said. “She looks fine. The ambulance just pulled up.”
“Chance, you did a good job. Congratulations.”
“Thanks, doc, for all your help.”
“You’re the one who did all the work. Tell the mother that I’ll be waiting for the two of them at the hospital.”
Chance hung up and smiled. Then the paramedics rushed in, and he stepped aside.
Realizing mother and child didn’t need him anymore, disappointment rushed through him. Well, what did he expect? What decent woman would have anything to do with a Randell? He stiffened and turned and walked out. Besides he didn’t need any strays. The last thing he needed was to get involved with a widowed woman and her kid.
Joy was exhausted, but so happy as she looked down at her new baby daughter, Kathryn Rose.
“Oh, Blake, she’s beautiful,” she whispered. Tears clogged her throat at the thought of her husband. It had been only seven months since his sudden death, and although the shock of his passing had lessened with time, she would always miss him. Blake had been her friend, her family, as she was his. Joy glanced down at Katie Rose again. But she wasn’t alone anymore. Never again was she going to be without family. Mother and daughter had each other now and nothing was going to separate them.
The young, dark-haired paramedic approached the ambulance. “We’ll be transporting you shortly, ma’am,” he said.
“Thank you,” Joy answered.
“I’m not the one you should thank,” the man said. “I’d say the cowboy had everything under control by the time we got here.”
Joy glanced out the open doors of the ambulance, and spotted the big man standing back from the attendants. His hands rested on his lean hips, and she could see the evidence of the ordeal of the birth on his damp T-shirt and jeans. Her gaze rose to the hard planes of his face and his steel-gray eyes, now hidden by a dusty cowboy hat.
She motioned for him to come to the ambulance and watched his slow, deliberate gait as he made his way toward her. Joy smiled to herself, as something told her this cowboy did things his way. A tingle erupted deep in her stomach and a blush spread across her cheeks, as she remembered that just moments ago they’d shared the intimacy of her baby’s birth. She recalled his encouraging words as he helped her through her labor, and the tenderness of his touch as he brought her daughter into the world. She didn’t want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t shown up.
The cowboy stopped next to the door and removed his hat, revealing the brown-streaked hair Joy had focused on during her pains.
“Looks like you’re all fixed up,” he said, his expression cool. The change in his mood surprised her.
“I’m fine. And my daughter is perfect. I’m sorry that I had to put you through this.”
“No problem, ma’am. Glad I could help.”
“I’m very happy you were here, too. I’ll always be grateful.”
Chance couldn’t stop looking at the pretty woman on the gurney. Her long blond hair was still damp, and little ringlets curled around her face. Her large blue eyes were the color of the bluebonnets that grew wild along the Texas hillsides. Realizing where his thoughts were headed, he quickly glanced away. “Like I said, just being neighborly.”
“So you’re my neighbor?” she asked.
“Out here, we all watch out for one another. It’s a good thing you found the Kirby place. It’s just too bad it was deserted.”
“I was purposely looking for Lillian Kirby’s place.”
An uneasy feeling suddenly washed over Chance. He remembered that the lawyer handling Miss Kirby’s will had said that her nephew was deceased, and they hadn’t been able to locate any other relatives. Surely this couldn’t be another…? He shook away the thought. “I don’t see why, no one has lived here for nearly a year.”
The woman smiled and looked at her baby. “That’s going to change soon.”
Chance froze. What did she mean by that? All of a sudden the paramedic started to close the door. “Wait!” Chance stopped him and glared at the woman. “What do you mean?”
“That just as soon as Katie Rose and I get released from the hospital we’ll be moving in.”
She was going to live here? “Look Mrs.—” He stopped, realizing he didn’t even know her name. “I guess we never got to introductions. I’m Chance Randell from the Circle B.”
She smiled sweetly. “Nice to meet you Mr. Randell. I’m Lil’s great-niece, Joy Kirby Spencer.”
Chance couldn’t say a word as he let go of the doors, and the attendant pulled them shut. He stared after the ambulance as it drove off down the gravel road, watching until the vehicle finally disappeared, along with his dreams.
Chapter Two
Hell, the last time Chance had been in a hospital was when his friend, Huey Johns, had been tossed off a bull at the rodeo. He’d never visited a maternity ward.
Chance got off the elevator that evening with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and his hat in the other, ready to have a little talk with Mrs. Spencer. But when he started past the nursery, he found himself stopping. Just for a quick glance at the kid, he told himself.
He located the clear, plastic crib with Spencer written at the base and was mesmerized by the sleeping baby wrapped in a soft pink blanket. Her tiny fists were clenched, and her little mouth was in a pout, occasionally making a slow sucking motion. A crown of downy hair covered her head, partially hidden by a pink cap.
Chance heard voices behind him and realized he’d been standing there staring like a silly fool. A sudden sadness overtook him as he thought about his solitary life. Here he was, a bachelor who’d never thought much about having his own family. The ranch had kept him busy enough so he didn’t have much time to think about what he didn’t have. Ever since his brothers had left, it had only been him, Hank and Ella. Not that he would mind if his brothers decided to come home.
Chance took one last look at the baby. No, he wouldn’t mind at all. He continued down the hall to handle the business that had brought him here in the first place. Talking one city lady out of a ranch.
At the nurses’ station, he was given the new mother’s room number and quickly found the two-bed room. Joy Spencer was in the first cubicle. He hesitated when he noticed she was asleep, and couldn’t help studying her. Her long blond hair seemed to have a life of its own, the wayward curls framing her oval face. His gaze lowered to the print hospital gown. The petite woman didn’t look like she’d just given birth, he thought, recalling a few hours earlier when he’d shared the experience with her. All at once his throat went bone-dry, and he couldn’t seem to swallow.
Damn! What was he doing, staring at a woman, and a new mother at that? He’d better just leave and come back tomorrow. Looking for a place to put the flowers, Chance tried to lay them down on the table next to the bed, but only managed to knock over a drinking glass. The plastic tumbler bounced twice on the tiled floor before he could retrieve it.
When he stood up, he found a pair of deep-blue eyes on him. He felt the heat rush up his neck. “Ah…sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” He pointed toward the hall. “The nurse said I could come in.”
Joy Spencer smiled, and his stomach tightened.
“It’s okay. I’m glad you came by, Mr. Randell.”
“Call me Chance.”
Joy couldn’t help but stare at her rescuer. This man who had so confidently taken care of her and Katie seemed all thumbs now. “Chance…I want to thank you again for everything you did today.”
The tall rugged cowboy shook his head of neatly combed sandy hair. “No need, ma’am. Just glad it all worked out.” He gave her a half smile that showed off even white teeth. “I’ve never delivered a baby before. I mean, I’ve helped a few calves and colts into the world, but never a…baby.”
“Well, this is a first for me, too,” she said. “Did you see Katie in the nursery?”
He nodded. “I got a quick look. I picked her out right away.”
A short silence stretched between them, then Joy glanced at the lovely spring flowers he gripped in his hand. “Are those for me?”
“Oh, yeah. I was just going to leave ’em. But I couldn’t find anything to put them in.”
“You can use the water pitcher.”
This time Chance managed to place the bouquet in the makeshift vase.
“They’re lovely. Thank you for bringing them,” Joy said, feeling tears welling up again. Stupid hormones. “You’ve been my only visitor.”
He frowned. “Is there anyone I can call for you?”
Joy shook her head, feeling a sudden fear grip her. “No! I mean, thank you, but since my husband died it’s just me, and now, Katie. When Great Aunt Lil’s lawyers finally located me in Denver and told me about the ranch, I decided to make a new beginning for us here in San Angelo.” A safe place to escape my in-laws, she added silently.
Chance shifted his stance, then moved closer to the bed. “Look, Mrs. Spencer—”
“If I’m going to call you Chance then I think you can call me Joy.”
Chance frowned. He hadn’t meant to get too familiar with this woman. He came here to convince her that turning the Kirby Ranch into a profitable operation would cost a lot of money and take time, not to mention all the hard work. And it would be impossible for her to handle it on her own. After all, she was a city woman.
“Look, Joy, you probably didn’t get much of a look at the property you inherited, but your aunt hadn’t been running cattle for a long time. Maybe five years or so. It won’t be easy getting things going again. There’s been rain this past week, but we’re still in a drought. The house is in pretty good shape but….”
“I don’t care about the land, Mr. Randell.”
“Chance,” he corrected her.
“As I said, Chance, I’m not planning on raising cattle. Right now my main concern is the house. The Kirby Ranch is going to be my home now.”
“So, you’re not planning on running a herd?”
She shook her head, and Chance felt a weight lift from his shoulders. “I’m not a rancher,” she said. “But I had thought about harvesting my aunt’s pecan orchard and maybe putting in a vegetable garden.” She picked at the bed linen. “But believe me, Katie and I plan on staying.”
“Then you won’t be offended if I offer to take the place off your hands.” Chance began to pace the small area, then stopped and looked at her. “And at a fair price,” he said. “Then you can move into town and take care of your daughter.”
Joy couldn’t believe the gall of this man. He wasn’t listening to her. Most of her life, she’d moved from place to place. Since her parents’ divorce, she hadn’t had a permanent home for any length of time. Her short marriage to Blake had been as close as she’d gotten. But her father’s aunt had left him a cattle ranch, and Joy was his only heir. She’d gladly taken Lil’s place no matter what condition it was in. The ranch had been in her family for generations, and it would be Katie’s one day. Most importantly, Joy desperately needed somewhere for herself and her baby to live, somewhere far away from the Spencers. Far away from any threat to her daughter.
Now, she had this big cowboy trying to get his hands on it. Well, no one was going to take her home away from her.
“I’m very capable of taking care of my daughter, Mr. Randell, we are going to live at the ranch.”
He didn’t look happy. “Fine, suit yourself,” he finally said, then mumbled something about stubborn females as he jammed his cowboy hat on his head and stalked out.
“Thank you for the flowers,” Joy called after him, wishing she hadn’t just lost the only friend she’d made in town.
Chance parked his truck next to the barn, got out and slammed the door. His mood hadn’t improved in the slightest during the twenty-minute drive home from the hospital. He marched across the gravel drive to the yard, then up the walk to the back porch of the large, two-story house he’d lived in for the past twenty-plus years.
That sure as hell didn’t go well, he thought about his talk with Joy Spencer. She’d rejected his offer fast. He couldn’t help but wonder why. He didn’t buy her story about the ranch being a family home. As far as he knew, she’d never once visited Lillian Kirby.
He thought back to his recent talk with Mrs. Spencer, remembering her elusive sapphire eyes. She had a secret. He couldn’t hold that against her. People had a right to start over without everyone nosing into their business.
But there was no law that said he couldn’t try again to buy her land. And he wasn’t giving up. He jerked open the screen door and stepped into the utility room, jammed his hat on the peg and walked into the kitchen. The sunny yellow walls and biscuit-colored tile kept the room bright even at night. He glanced toward the double-door refrigerator. Hank was staring inside.
“What you lookin’ for?” Chance asked.
“Something I’ll never find as long as Ella works here. A decent meal.”
In spite of his mood, Chance found himself smiling. The feud between Hank and the housekeeper had been going on for years. “Why don’t you just fire her?” he asked for the hundredth time.
The older man stretched to his full six feet in height. Even in his mid sixties, Hank’s back was ramrod straight, and his white hair was thick and wavy. Although his face was lined from years in the sun and showed his age, Hank Barrett could still outwork most men. He was a gruff man, but underneath he had a kind heart. How many men would have taken in three boys and given them a home?
“Who’d hire her?” he said. “She’s too old to start over. Besides, I guess I’m used to her ways. How long before she gets back from her sister’s anyway?”
“Tomorrow,” Chance answered. “You should have gotten a temporary cook in here to help. The hands haven’t been too crazy about cooking their own meals.”
“Well, dagnabbit,” Hank said as he slammed the refrigerator door. “You’d think at least one of the men I hired could throw together a decent supper.”
Chance grinned. “I take it it’s your turn to feed us tonight.”
Hank made a rude comment.
“Hey, we used to get into trouble for that kind of language.” Chance couldn’t help but think back to his adolescent days when he thought cursing made him seem tough. “You used to make me muck out stalls every time you caught me swearing, and I had to muck out more when Cade and Travis cursed.”
“It was only fair, they learned that nasty talk from you.”
Hank exchanged a sad glance with him. No doubt he was thinking about the two absent boys. “Sure would be nice if we got to see them once in awhile.”
