The Montana McKennas: Prequel (The Montana Ranchers Book 1) by Maddie James & Jan Scarbrough

Author:Maddie James & Jan Scarbrough [James, Maddie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Published: 2015-03-17T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Liz McKenna

The Ranch House

Soon after the hayride, reality had hit full force, as hard as a charging bull, and Liz had been as scared as a cowboy climbing aboard a fifteen hundred pound bull. She was pregnant. She would raise two children alone. As much as she wanted to “cowboy up,” she wrestled with her growing panic.

But pride made her hold it in. What little self-respect she had left caused her to avoid James McKenna—until the day he marched into the shop carrying a bunch of red roses and got down on his knees. That day she didn’t think. She only reacted. She said “yes.”

Things happened quickly after that. James had already told his kids, gotten their permission even. Later in the day, they told Brody. He’d been silent a good long while. That had scared her about as much as the long weeks of separation from James.

Until Brody asked, “Do you think you have a spare horse on the ranch I can ride, Mr. McKenna?”

“Yes, son. I have several that might fit you just fine,” James had told him.

“Okay, then. It’s okay with me.”

Liz had showered her son with her happiness, hugging him and kissing him until he’d pushed her away.

“Aw, Mom. Don’t be doing that in front of those other kids.”

With Brody on board, Liz knew everything would be fine. She and James would somehow make everything all right. She prayed she’d be able to cope with the ups and downs of a blended family.

It had already been difficult. With her hand in James’ hand, they had wed in a small civil ceremony. They had honeymooned a few days down in Jackson Hole. Then she’d packed up her belongings and moved them to the farm.

Her furniture didn’t fit in a house that already was crowded with Parker antiques and McKenna family furniture. She’d been reluctant to change anything, fearing the ghost of Claire McKenna and the sometimes-haunted stare of little Callie.

“We can work through it,” James often said when a problem arose.

Parker had been the first to compromise by moving into the empty room above one of the barns. It gave him the space he needed. Callie had kept her room, and when they’d tried to give Brody the guest room, he’d balked.

“I’ll take that room in the attic. You need the guest room for the baby,” her son had said.

All the kids knew about the baby. It was pretty damn obvious because she was a tall, thin woman and the baby bump showed pretty fast during her second pregnancy. The kids didn’t seem to mind. Even Callie hoped for a girl so she wouldn’t be the only female in the family. She had even promised to babysit. Liz wasn’t sure just how long that would last.

Today, for the first time, she was alone in the house. The kids were in school and James was working with Sam on the ranch. Weak December sunlight filtered through the guest room window. Liz stood in the middle of the floor considering the double bed with the knotty pine headboard.

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