Cole stepped onto the sidewalk and locked the door. He gave the exterior a once-over and followed Luke to his truck. Before he could open the door and get in, however, his phone rang.
“Cole, it’s Bella,” the voice on the other end said when he accepted the call. “You got a minute?”
“Sure.” He got into the truck and fastened his seatbelt one handed. Luke got Pam into her car seat and went to start the engine.
“You’ve probably got all your Christmas shopping done for Sunshine, but if you’re still looking for something, I have an idea.”
“What is it?” He was pretty sure that nothing Bella could come up with could top the restaurant.
“Back when you two stayed with us, I showed her the animals in my shelter and she fell in love with one of the dogs. Duke’s a mutt—a big yellow dog that’s got some retriever in him and who knows what else—”
“I’ll take him.” Cole cut her off.
“But I haven’t even—”
“If Sunshine wants a big, yellow dog, she’s getting a big, yellow dog,” Cole said. “It’s a done deal.” He remembered how he’d thought she might be cheating on him, and then he’d thought that she was trying to buy him a dog. Now he knew she’d been worried about juggling a career and kids.
“Well… great! How about I bring him by tomorrow? I can take him home again until you have a place to keep him.”
“I appreciate that. We’ll work that out as quickly as we can.”
“See you tonight!”
“See you.”
“You’re getting a dog?” Luke asked as he pulled out into traffic.
“That’s right.”
“Now all you need is a ranch.”
Exactly. But not a cattle ranch. A chicken and wind turbine ranch. Cole chuckled. Would all his friends think he was nuts?
Maybe he was—for Sunshine, for Chance Creek—for this whole crazy life he was building.
Pam squealed in the back seat.
“Yeah, honey—I know how you feel,” Cole said.
“It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas, it’s Christmas, it’s Christmas!” Mia sang as she packed the food she’d prepared in covered dishes and stacked them in preparation to load in her truck.
“You love the holidays, don’t you?” Sunshine said. It was obvious. Mia and Luke’s cabin was decorated to the hilt and the petite brunette had been almost dancing around the kitchen for the last few hours.
“I adore them. People, food, celebrations—all of it. I’m so glad we decided to celebrate all together tonight.”
Sunshine agreed. While they’d all spend tomorrow with their families, tonight they’d join together. The plan was for an early potluck dinner at the Cruz ranch and an informal secret Santa gift exchange. Each of them had pulled a name out of a hat and there’d been a lot of speculation about who had whom. Sunshine looked forward to the look on Ned Matheson’s face when he saw the funny tie with horses on it she’d bought him. The women were supposed to play their song and the men were supposed to do their dance. Then the whole lot of them would load up their vehicles and go to church for the candlelight service. The evening sounded wonderful, although she had a few nervous pangs about performing. And really—everything was lovely now that she was engaged to Cole.
Cole, Luke and Pam came in, bringing a rush of cold air. Pam thrust her arms out toward Mia and she crossed the room to hug her baby girl.
“Just about ready?” Luke asked Mia.
“Let me change Pam and we’ll go.”
Twenty minutes later, they spilled through the front door of the Cruz ranch guest house to find the party already in full swing. In the kitchen, Autumn and some of the other women were setting out trays of food, dishes and silverware. Sunshine went to join them, helping to carry Mia’s offerings. Without a kitchen to cook in, she hadn’t been able to contribute, so she’d asked Cole to pick up several bottles of wine. Morgan handed her a corkscrew when she went looking for one and she got to work opening one of the best. She wouldn’t be able to drink any; nor would several other women attending. Good thing she and Mia had picked up some non-alcoholic wine, as well.
With toddlers racing underfoot and grownups seated and standing anywhere they could find space, the occasion was certainly festive. There were faces Sunshine didn’t know, members of her friends’ families who had come to stay for the holidays, but there were others she recognized from when she lived in town before, including the Matheson boys’ parents, Lisa and Holt. She had to smile, remembering the gruff old man who used to drop by Cole’s rifle range. Rose grabbed her hand. “Help me pass around the appetizers.”
Between making the rounds of the room, eating plateful after plateful of delicious food and laughing at the antics of the children, the time passed swiftly, until Ethan pulled out a cordless microphone, turned it on and tapped it, making everyone cover their ears.
“Howdy, folks,” he said. “I know, I know—what has it come to that I need a microphone? I knew we’d have a rowdy bunch tonight, though.” He was interrupted by cheers and catcalls. Ethan waved them down. “Find a seat if you can so we can get things started. We’re going to begin with some announcements. Apparently a bunch of you have been busy. So let’s start with babies.” A murmur of interest ran around the room. “We’ve got several expecting mothers in the audience,” Ethan went on.
Sunshine went cold as Cole moved to stand beside her. Had someone told Ethan her news? Was he going to announce it?
“The first is my own lovely wife, Autumn! We’re due in June, and I can’t wait.”
A cheer went up from the crowd. Autumn blushed becomingly and patted her belly.
“Next is Morgan. Good job, Rob! Way to go!”
Everyone laughed. Morgan beamed. “We’re due in May,” she called.
“And now we have a new mother. Bella? Stand up—when are you due?”
“July,” Bella called out, not bothering to get up from the plush sofa.
“And Fila is another first-time mom. Lots more Mathesons to terrorize the world, huh, boys?”
“You got that right,” Holt Matheson called out.
“And before you ask, we’re due in June, too,” Ned said.
Sunshine couldn’t believe how many babies were coming. She wished she’d told Cole so that they could announce theirs, too. But she was grateful no one had spilled the beans.
“And last, but certainly not least, Mia and Luke!”
Luke kissed his wife. “We’re due in May, as well. I bet we beat everyone!”
Cole slipped an arm around Sunshine. “Can’t wait until we can announce a baby of ours is coming.”
Sunshine sucked in a breath. She’d meant to keep her news a secret until the morning, but he’d caught her by surprise and his enthusiasm disarmed her. Cole turned to peer down at her. Sunshine met his gaze. She tried not to show her feelings, but her eyes stung with tears.
“Sunshine? Are you—?”
She nodded.
“You’re pregnant?”
She nodded again, then realized his words had fallen into a quiet room. Ethan had covered the mic and turned to consult with Jamie about something, so the people who stood around Sunshine and Cole had definitely overheard what Cole said.