Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“I love you, too,” she whispers.
“This doesn’t change that. Not at all. If anything, I love you more. Babe, I intend to build a life with you. That’s what I meant when I said move in here with us. We’re starting a life together, and now that includes someone new.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” She sniffs and takes another breath, readjusting the ice on her knee. “I wish we had more time together before this happened.”
“We’re going to have time,” I assure her. “This baby isn’t an imposition. No more than Jake would be. Sure, it’s quicker than we thought, but we just pivot, babe. I live my life pivoting, and it’s going pretty well for me so far.”
She smiles at me, those beautiful green eyes finally full of happiness and hope. “We’re having a baby, Ryan Wild.”
“It’s a good thing I built a big house.” I kiss her softly. “We have lots of space for a dozen babies.”
“A dozen.” She laughs and drags her hand down my chest. “Let’s start with one and see how that goes.”
“I can live with that.” I pull my fingertips down her jawline. “You are every wildest dream I’ve ever had come true. As long as we’re together, we’ll figure everything else out.”
“You say some really sweet things, you know.”
“It’s the truth.”
“I have an idea,” Jake says as he walks into the room and then stops short. “Whoops. I’ll come back after you’re done sucking face.”
“We’re done,” Polly says with a laugh. “What’s your idea?”
“Well, a while back, Dad and I were talking about what we should call this ranch, since it doesn’t have a name yet.”
“You said you’d think about it,” I reply, remembering. “What did you come up with?”
Jake clears his throat and licks his lips, suddenly nervous. “Maybe it’s stupid.”
“Not stupid,” I reply. “Let’s hear it.”
He shoves his hands into his pockets. “Rising Hope Ranch. Because some of us came here to heal but found love instead. Found hope.”
“Even me,” I murmur and look over at Polly. “What do you think of that?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you,” Jake says. “I mean, you’re gonna live here, too. And you get two votes because there’s two of you.”
“First, I vote that Jake is in charge of always telling me that I get two votes,” Polly says, making us laugh. “And second, yeah. I think that’s beautiful, Jake. What a great name.”
“It’s settled then.” I grin at my boy. “Rising Hope Ranch.”
“Sounds like home to me,” Jake says before rushing off to raid the kitchen, and I turn to Polly, who’s smiling over at me.
“Sounds like home,” she agrees softly.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
POLLY
Two Months Later…
“How long is she going to jail for?” Millie asks as we put cookies from Jackie’s bakery on a platter. Ryan and I are hosting a party at our house today, and everyone thinks it’s just a pre-holiday thing. They don’t know that we’re going to announce that we’re pregnant.
I’m so excited.
“Ten years,” I reply.
“Not long enough,” Erin says, scowling. “She should never get out.”
“I don’t make those rules,” I reply and finish with the cookies. Ryan and I didn’t attend Claudia’s trial, but our attorney kept us informed every day of what was happening, and since she pled guilty, it wasn’t a long one.
“I love your closet,” Summer says as she samples a cookie. “Seriously, Ryan is good at hiring people for renovations. And, given that he added about five thousand square feet to this already massive house, it happened really quickly.”
“Ryan may claim to be patient, but he gets things done fast,” I agree with a laugh, just as the man himself walks into the kitchen.
“What is going on in here?” he asks. “Everyone’s here.”
“We’re just talking,” Abbi tells him. “Getting dessert ready.”
“We’re good to go,” I assure him, kiss him quickly, and then carry a tray to the living room, where our parents, siblings, and friends are all gathered, laughing and having a good time. Even London and Drew have flown in for this, and Caleb is hanging out with the kids.
Jake has Russ here. He wanted his best friend to hear the news with everyone else, and we had no problem with that. And Katie finally asked Jake out on a date about a month ago, and they’ve been seeing each other ever since. She’s here, too, sitting with the guys.
“Mommy!” Daisy says, running over to Abbi. “I asked Brady to be my date for the father-daughter dance, and he said yes! He’s taking me!”
“Oh, uh…” Abbi smiles, but I can see the uncertainty in her eyes as she looks up at Brady, who is blushing. I’ve never seen that man blush before. “You don’t have to—”
“Yes, he does,” Daisy insists. “He said he would.”
“I’m happy to go,” Brady says and smiles sweetly at the little girl. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“You’re welcome. I’m going to wear a pretty dress.”