“He doesn’t count.”

Katie moved on to her other foot. “Oh, why not?”

“Near-death experiences have a way of skewing the facts.”

“What facts are those?”

“That we were never going to be anything but temporary. A nice diversion from the crap on that island.” OK, a mind-blowing diversion. A rock your world diversion. A nocturnal emissions diversion.

“There’s that look again, darlin’. And you’re not even watching the hottie on the TV.”

“What look?”

“The ‘Is it getting warm in here?’ look. So, you and this Trent guy… you spooned?”

“Not spooned so much as he was my personal pillow. The cave was pitch black at night. And so damn quiet.” She shivered with the memory. “I could hear the constant drip from the hole above into the pool of poisoned water and kept thinking I knew what Chinese water torture felt like. The only thing that broke it up was if it started to rain.”

Memories flooded her senses. The smell of the cave, of Trent. He’d certainly become more earthy as the days had passed but Monica had never been put off by it. They used the one towel to wash off as best they could, but a lack of shower for that many days resulted in discomfort. She still hadn’t been able to take a completely proper shower. A bath with her leg hanging out to avoid soaking her cast was the best she could manage. She wondered if Trent lingered in the hot spray for an hour once given the opportunity.

“I’ll bet you were scared,” Katie said, pulling Monica out of her thoughts.

“Shitless. But he made it better. We talked about stupid stuff. Old movies, whatever we could to get our mind off the fact that we might… well, that we might not make it out.”

Katie sighed. “And you spooned.”

“Cuddled. Kind of.”

They paused for a moment, both thinking and not talking.

Then Katie said, “Sounds like you connected with him.”

Monica shrugged. “Must not have. He didn’t even say good-bye when he left.”

“But you wanted him to?”

No. Actually… Monica didn’t want to say good-bye at all.

“We’re pregnant.” Jack stood at the head of the table with Jessie at his side and made the announcement just about everyone was expecting.

Monica glanced over at Katie and said, “You owe me five bucks.”

Katie rolled her eyes and Jessie laughed. “You guys knew?”

“Guessed,” Monica told her.

Gaylord walked around the table and bear-hugged his daughter-in-law before taking Jack’s hand in his. “Well, I didn’t know.” His face beamed and his cheeks warmed to a rosy color. He glanced back at Jessie and hugged her again, lifting her off her feet.

With the exception of Monica, everyone took their turn hugging Jessie and Jack and offering advice to Danny. “I’d jump up for a hug, but my jumping days will have to wait.”

Jessie walked over and leaned down for a sister hug. “I’m happy for you,” Monica said.

Jessie lowered her voice. “So different than the first time.”

Monica understood. When Jessie found out she was knocked up in high school, they both thought her life was over. Their mom had been good about it. As much as a mom could be, but never once did Jessie think being a parent on her own at such a young age was going to be a picnic. Still, she brought Danny into the world, alone because the dirtbag who didn’t glove up split soon after she announced she was expecting, and put her life on hold to raise him. This time she’d have a husband, a family to support her… everything a new mom could want.

Monica reached up and hugged Jack. “Congrats, stud man.”

He beamed.

Danny took that moment to pull on Jack’s sleeve. Without hesitating, Jack scooped Danny up into his arms. “Can my baby brother sleep in my room?”

Jack ruffled Danny’s mop of hair. “Maybe. What if you have a baby sister?”

Danny regarded that possibility and dismissed it. “I don’t think Mommy can have girls.”

Jack shook his head and laughed. “She might have a girl.”

“As long as she doesn’t have too many dolls, she can sleep in my room.”

The adults at the table laughed.

They settled into their seats again, and champagne was served to everyone but Jessie, who opted for milk in a crystal flute.

Sometime before the meal was over, Danny asked a question that had Jack earning his daddy stripes.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, sport?”

His young brow pitched together as he picked his words carefully.

“How did Mommy get the baby in her belly?”

A hush went over the table.

Katie and Monica exchanged glances and waited Jack’s reply.

“I-I ah, I put the baby there.”

Dean chuckled under his breath and drank his beer.

“Yeah, but how?”

Jack ran a hand over his chin and glanced around the table. Not even Gaylord was offering any help.

Then Jack sat a little taller and said, “A special hug.”

Danny pushed out his lips and looked at his mom. “Oh.” And then he went back to the food on his plate.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jessie sat with Katie on the split rail fence surrounding the corral that held Danny and his horse. Jack had insisted Danny learn to ride shortly after they moved to Texas. He received no complaint from Danny, who loved all animals big and small. The kid was going to either be a veterinarian or a rancher.