“You resigned?” She was genuinely shocked. Brian’s whole life revolved around being sheriff of Darby Crossing. He was willing to give it up for her?

  “I did,” he said. “I love you so much that I don’t want anything to come between us. My job was, so I delivered my resignation letter to the mayor’s office this morning and drove here, hoping that I’m not too late.”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but he went on.

  “Before you say anything, I want to make you a promise. If you’ll take me back, I swear that I’ll always make you and the baby my first priority. I know now that you’re everything to me and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to convince you of that.”

  His eyes searched her face. She could see hope in his expression, along with fear. She understood that mix of emotions because she’d felt the same until a few moments ago. His willingness to give up his job was all she needed to face down her old fears. Happiness, true and complete happiness, was right in front of her.

  She couldn’t find words, so she grasped his shirt front and pulled him to her. The kiss they shared was sweetest one of her life. Afterwards, she buried her face against his chest and just let him hold her for a moment. His hands stroked her back, and she could have stood like that forever, but she had her own things to say.

  She led him to a shaded bench in the courtyard. “I’d been thinking about you and about us, too. I had made up my mind to call you today and tell you that I’m willing to move back to Darby Crossing so we can be together. I don’t want you to give up the job you love, but I want you to commit to taking some real time off every now and then and delegating responsibilities. When you make a promise to me or the baby, you need to keep it. Can you do that?”

  He seemed shellshocked for a moment. “Are you sure that’s all right with you? I don’t have to be sheriff. I don’t have to live in Darby Crossing.”

  She smiled at that. “Yes, you do. Being sheriff is who you are, and Darby Crossing is where you belong. I don’t want you to change for me, because I love you.”

  His hands gripped hers. “I can talk to Sofia about taking more on. I’ve realized that it’s not good for the department to be so reliant on me. And I want to be able to walk out the door at the end of the day so I can spend time with you and our family without checking my phone every five minutes.” He leaned closer until their foreheads touched. “You are more important to me than anything else in the world.”

  He kissed her again, and her world felt completely whole. She’d have him and their baby. She couldn’t ask for more.

  “What about your parents?” he asked when they parted. His expression showed his concern.

  “I’m going to learn to live near them,” Caitlin declared. She’d let her parents dictate and control so much of her life so far. She was no longer going to let them have power over her any longer. “If they’re willing to play nice, they can be part of their grandchild’s life. If not, it’s their loss.”

  “You know I’ll support whatever you want to do about them,” he said, kissing her again, but he pulled back suddenly. “Wait, you can’t move home. What’ll you do about your business with Maggie? I don’t want you to give that up.”

  She smiled. “We’ve had a change in plans. What do you know about a storefront available in downtown Darby Crossing?”

  “The old Heisler place,” he said instantly. Of course, he would know every inch of the town.

  “That’s the one,” she said, remembering the florist shop that had been in that space when she was a kid. “Maggie and I are looking at it for our business. What do you think?”

  Before answering, he pulled her into his lap. “I think we’re going to have a beautiful life together.” And then they kissed for a long time.

  20

  Brian glanced at his watch. Almost five. He’d declared that hour quitting time two weeks ago when he and Caitlin had returned to Darby Crossing together. That day he’d had to go ask the mayor for his job back. She’d laughed at him and pulled his resignation out of a drawer with an “I-knew-you-weren’t-serious” look.

  Since then, he’d been serious about two things. Making sure his deputies could manage without his constant supervision and assuring that he spent as much time with Caitlin as he could.

  He left his office, putting his hat on as he moved toward the station door. Sofia was on the phone, and she held up a finger for him to stop.

  “What is it?” he asked when she hung up, knowing that something must be going on.

  “The town council members are at it again,” Sofia said. “McCall has blocked Jackson in his parking space. They’re apparently fighting about something that happened during a meeting. Mack’s already there, but they’re insisting you come personally. Sorry.”

  “Not happening,” Brian declared without hesitation. “I’m not going. You can de-escalate that situation as easily as I can. Take Nelson with you so he sees how it’s done.” Brian had hired Nelson as a new part-time officer to fill in for some of the hours that Brian was no longer working.

  “Ready to roll,” Nelson said, getting up from behind his desk. Brian liked the young deputy’s attitude. He was always ready to jump in as needed, but he also had sense and judgement.

  “Do you want me to call you later with the outcome?” Sofia asked, shooting him a questioning look.

  “Nope, I’ve got a date,” Brian said and walked out the door, feeling confident that he’d made the right call. Sofia could handle the situation and a whole lot more.

  He was whistling when he turned down Main Street, headed for the storefront that would soon be Caitlin and Maggie’s tattoo parlor. They’d gotten the keys the day before and were jumping right into readying the space. He’d put the brakes on that a bit. He didn’t want Caitlin overdoing it. She’d argued that she was fine, capable of doing the labor, but he hadn’t budged on that issue. To ensure she didn’t lug, tug, or climb ladders, he’d gotten Jake and Cal to help out for a few days to do the heavy lifting.

  He could see his plan was working when he opened the door and stepped in. Cal was carrying a box toward the dumpster in back of the store, and Jake was up on a ladder storing some items on high shelves. Brian caught his brother’s eye and nodded.

  “Thanks for being here,” Brian said. He could always call on family to help him, and he was hoping Caitlin felt that she had the same family support herself now.

  “Just making sure my new niece or nephew stays safe,” Jake said as he came down from the ladder.

  “Uncle Brian!” Henry ran into the room and skidded to a stop in front of him. “I’ve been helping.” Brian’s nephew wore patched jeans and a t-shirt that proclaimed him a “Ranch Kid.” He was dusty and had grime streaked across his cheek, but he also had a huge smile on his face.

  “Cal brought him along,” Jake said, rubbing his hand over Henry’s head. “And he’s been darn useful.”

  “I carried a ginormous box.” Henry gestured with his arms showing the size. “And I killed a really big spider,” Henry lowered his voice, “but Uncle Jake said that we shouldn’t mention that to the women.”

  “Good call,” Brian said, making a mental note to contact an exterminator. Since the building had sat empty for over a year, that spider probably had friends. The front door opened, and Amy came in. This was getting to be a true family affair.

  “Mom, can I ask him?” Henry rushed over to his mother. “Please.”

  “Yes, you can.” Amy caught Brian’s eye and flashed him a smile. “Henry has questions for you. He’s been waiting for a good time to ask.”

  “Uncle Brian, when the baby gets here, it’ll be really little, right?” Henry asked.

  “I expect so,” Brian responded. Brian was plenty anxious for the baby to arrive, too, but he wondered where this line of questioning was going.

  Henry hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and rocked back on his heels in the same fashion as Jake often stood. “What I want to know is how long do I have to wait until he can ride a pony?” The kid was obviously looking for a playmate.

  “Or she,” Jake corrected. “Could be a girl.”

  “That’s okay. Girls can ride, too,” Henry said.

  “I’m no expert on the subject. We’ll have to wait and see, but I think you started riding when you were two. Is that right, Amy?” Brian looked to Henry’s mother for confirmation.

  “That’s what I told him,” Amy said, eyeing her son, “but he wanted to hear it from you. Satisfied?” She addressed the question to Henry.

  “Yep, but it’s a long time to wait,” Henry said, though he seemed to accept it.

  “I thought I heard your voice.” Caitlin came down the hall, followed by Maggie. Caitlin wore a kerchief over her hair and her clothes were dusty, but she had a smile just for him.

  He went to her immediately and pulled her in for a kiss. “What have you been doing?” He wanted to make sure she hadn’t overexerted herself.

  “Stripping wallpaper in what’ll be our tattoo rooms,” she said. “There was hideous textured purple paper in one room, and bright shiny yellow in the other. Maggie did the high parts and I did the low. We got a lot done.” She seemed satisfied with her work for the day. “Tomorrow, we’ll take a trip to the paint store. With this much help, we’ll be open before you know it.”

  “Here,” Amy said. “I’ve got some information about business programs in town that I thought you’d be interested in.” Amy took some papers from her bag and handed them to Maggie and Caitlin. “We like to encourage small businesses.”

  Cal came in from outside then and went to Amy and kissed her.

  “More kissing,” Henry commented with a sigh, making them all laugh.

  “Knock, knock.” Aurora stepped in the front door. She carried several bags. “You’ve all been working so hard over here that I thought you might like some dinner. I had Marc whip up something special for you after we closed for the day.”

  Caitlin looked up at Brian, a happy smile on her face. He understood her expression. Everyone was coming together to help her dream become a reality. It was just as wonderful as the way that everything was coming together for them. And he had plans to celebrate that, which didn’t involve a room full of family and friends.

  “We appreciate it, Aurora,” Brian said, “but I think you all should eat that food someplace else. We’re locking the door on this joint for the night. Caitlin and I have a date.”

  “We do?” she asked, blinking in surprise. “But there’s so much to get done.”

  He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Three months ago tonight I met up with a beautiful woman from my past at a country swing bar and she changed my life. Call me sentimental, but I want to take you there tonight.”

  “Oh, in that case…” She turned to address everyone. “Thanks so much for all your help today.”

  “Come over to the diner and eat,” Aurora offered. Jake and Maggie took some of the bags from her and they went out together.

  “I’ll send my boys back to help you tomorrow,” Amy told Caitlin as she headed out with Cal and Henry. “Have fun tonight!”

  When the door closed, Brian pulled Caitlin against him. Her arms went around him, and they stood there for a moment looking at each other.

  “Are you happy to be home?” Brian asked. He felt sure she was, but he wanted to hear her say it.

  “How can you even ask that? Everyone has been so kind.” She paused. “And I have you.”

  “And I have you,” he said and kissed her. He knew then and there that he’d love her forever. He’d been lucky enough to find complete happiness.

  After another long kiss, they linked hands and headed out for their date.

  Epilogue

  Caitlin glanced at the clock in Brian’s truck. She wished he’d drive faster. They were running late for the baby shower. How would it look if the guests of honor arrived late? She was sure Laura and Amy, who were co-hosting the party, wouldn’t mind, but it felt wrong to her. They’d put in so much effort not only for the shower itself, but also to make Caitlin feel welcome to the family and to the town.

  And they’d been an enormous help in getting her business up and running. The tattoo parlor had opened two weeks ago, following a month of remodeling. In the days since they’d been open, business had been steady, and Caitlin felt optimistic that the tattoo parlor would be a success.

  Laura had even come in and gotten a small tattoo of an ornate heart with her late husband’s name on it. Caitlin had thought it was sweet, and she’d enjoyed hearing Laura talk about Brian’s father while she worked on the design. It made her feel even more a part of the family.

  She was less confident about her connection with her parents. She’d met her mother for coffee one morning and begun to forge a tentative relationship. Maybe that would work out, too. She hoped so for the sake of her baby, but if it didn’t, it wouldn’t prevent Caitlin from being happy.

  A car whipped into the passing lane and cruised past them, honking its horn. Caitlin caught sight of the driver, a gray-haired granny, and laughed.

  “You could drive faster, you know,” she suggested to Brian. “We’re running really tight on time.”

  “They’ll wait for us, and I don’t speed, not even for you. I’m not taking any risks with your life or hers,” Brian insisted, with a glance down at her expanding waistline.

  Just that week they’d found out that the baby was a girl, and Brian had been beyond excited. He’d made lists of girl’s names, and she’d noticed him searching online for ideas on how to decorate a girl’s bedroom. He was already talking about moving to a larger house so there would be space for a playhouse in the yard. She’d objected, saying it wasn’t necessary, but she knew they would move when he found the perfect house. He wanted the best for all of them.

  If she didn’t already love him so much, she’d love him even more for that. He still took his work responsibilities seriously and he could be stubborn, but he was the best man she’d ever known. That had been true back in college, and it still was. She sometimes wished they’d been able to see then how perfect they were for each other, and not wasted all those years. But maybe they needed the time apart to truly appreciate how special their love was.

  “We’ll be having a wedding to go to soon,” Brian commented when they parked in front of the ranch house. He got out and came around to her side of the truck and opened the door for her. He insisted on helping her, even if she didn’t need it.

  “That’ll be fun.” Caitlin was looking forward to the event. “It should seem odd that Amy and Cal got engaged after only a month, but when you see them together, it seems so natural. I guess when you know, you know, right?” She stepped up on the porch to head to the door, but Brian stopped walking beside her, so she turned to him. What was going on?

  “I’m glad you think so,” he said. “Because I’ve got something to ask you.” Brian dropped down to one knee in front of her and her hand flew to her mouth in surprise.

  In the background, she heard Laura’s voice calling out, “Brian just went down on one knee, y’all.” Brian didn’t seem to hear it or see the faces of his family appearing in the windows, peering at them.

  “Darlin’,” he said, his gaze steady on her face, “I don’t have to tell you that you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, but I’m going to tell you that I love you and I will until we’re old and gray. You’re the only woman for me, and I feel so lucky I got a second chance with you.”

  Caitlin’s shock was wearing off, but she still felt absolute wonder. Could this be real? It seemed too good to be true—until he opened the ring box he’d pulled from his pocket and showed her what was inside. She gasped. Flowers, like the ones she loved, decorated the gold band of the diamond solitaire ring. It was breathtaking and perfect. Those little yellow flowers were a symbol of their love for one another, going back to the morning she’d left him the drawing in place of saying she loved him. He’d gotten that tattoo because he’d continued to love and miss her. She felt tears come to her eyes, happy tears. They’d loved each other for so long. Despite the time they’d been apart, in the end, they’d chosen each other. And she was going to keep choosing him for the rest of her days.

  “I had this made special for you.” His face was so serious, which somehow made him absolutely adorable. “And I didn’t want to wait another minute to ask you.”

  “Yes,” she said even though he hadn’t gotten around to formally asking her to be his wife. His care in selecting the ring said everything she needed to hear. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ll absolutely marry you. But you have to come up here so I can give you a real kiss.”

  “My pleasure, darlin’.” He slipped the ring onto her finger before rising. He cupped her face in his hand for just a second as their eyes met and then he kissed her.

  The kiss lasted until Brian’s family—her family now, too—poured out onto the porch to hug and congratulate them. Caitlin felt so welcome and loved, but there was no greater love than what she felt for Brian.

  As everyone was going back in, she slipped her hand in his. She felt his warmth and the strength of his touch and knew that there was so much happiness yet to come for them.

  End of Sheriff’s Pregnant Ex

  Thorne Ranch Brothers Book Two

  Cowboy’s Unexpected Family, June 17, 2021

  Sheriff’s Pregnant Ex, June 24, 2021

  Cowboy’s Pregnant Partner, July 1, 2021

  PS: Want more sexy cowboys? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from Cowboy’s Pregnant Partner (Thorne Ranch Brothers Book Three) and The Cowboy’s Surprise Nanny (Grant Brothers Series Book One).

  Thank You

  Thank you so much for purchasing my book. It’s hard for me to put into words how much I appreciate my readers. If you enjoyed this book, please remember to leave a review. Reviews are crucial for an author’s success and I would greatly appreciate it if you took the time to review the book. I love hearing from you!