Eli grinned, though his heart felt as if it would burst with love. “How like you, Bailey, to worry about other people when you just spent half a day delivering our sons.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Now that it’s over, anyway, and we have two beautiful baby boys to show for our hard work.”
“Our hard work?” Eli had never been a “we’re pregnant” kind of guy. Brynne had been the one to carry twins to term, while being the best wife imaginable, purchasing the Anderson farm, overseeing the ensuing construction projects and entertaining Davey and Maddie Nicholls. They’d visited the Creek twice in the past year, first in April during a school vacation and then again in June, to participate in the wedding, and Eli had come to understand his bride’s lasting love for them; they were great kids. “Seems to me, Mrs. Garrett, that you’re the one who should get all the credit. All I did was have a lot of fun.”
Brynne smiled, placed her hands on either side of Eli’s head and drew him down for a kiss. “We’re in for a wild ride, Sheriff,” she told him. “Identical twin boys growing up in rural Montana. They’re bound to be a little wild.”
“Tricky, too. Telling them apart might be quite a challenge.”
Brynne frowned prettily. But, then, she was always pretty. “What are we going to do about that?” she asked seriously. “They’ll fool us constantly if we don’t figure out a way to defend ourselves.”
Eli chuckled. “Sweetheart, they’re little boys—very little boys, at the moment—so I don’t think we need to worry about being fooled—or defending ourselves. We’ll come up with something.”
“Like what?”
“Tiny tattoos?” Eli suggested, grinning. “Don’t look now, Bailey, but this is definitely a first-world problem.” He kissed her forehead. “Suppose you get some sleep now.”
“Later,” Brynne said. “It’s almost time for a feeding.” A pause. “You’re not serious about the tattoos, right?”
He laughed, low and gruff. “Sure, I am,” Eli teased. “M for Michael and J for Jesse. One tiny initial each, maybe on the inside of their wrists. That way, when they’re trying to pull a switcheroo, all we have to do is ask them to show us their palms.”
Brynne pretended to punch him. “Did you tell Cord and J.P. about the boys’ names?”
Eli shook his head. Michael’s middle name was Cord and Jesse Patrick was named for J.P., whose full name was John Patrick. “Sara said that was your job,” he replied.
“Dad was so pleased to have his first grandson named after him,” Brynne said, grinning at the memory of Mike’s reaction, which had been very moving indeed.
“Cord will be happy. J.P. will ask if we remember why he goes by his initials instead of his full name, since he never liked it. Just the same, he’ll be flattered, whether he lets on or not.”
Brynne looked mildly troubled. “You’re sure you don’t want to call one of our boys ‘Eli’? We haven’t signed the birth certificates yet, so there’s still time.”
“I’m sure,” Eli replied. “I like my name just fine, but I think every kid deserves his or her own. Just my humble opinion.”
Brynne’s worry was replaced by a sweet smile. Again, she pressed her soft palms to the sides of his face.
“I love you so much,” she said.
Again, he kissed her. “And I love you so much,” he replied.
Just then, two nurses entered the room in single file, each one pushing a wheeled cot containing a brand-new—and very hungry—baby boy.
Eli stepped away, moved one of the two giant blue teddy bears occupying the only two chairs in the room, and sat down.
And so it begins, he thought.
* * *
Can’t get enough of Linda Lael Miller’s
Painted Pony Creek series?
Check out this sneak peek at Country Born.
J.P. McCall’s charity work training service dogs is incredibly rewarding and he’s grateful for it. But he’s secretly envious of his friends, Cord and Eli, because they’re both happily married. He’s dated many, many women but he can’t seem to find the right one. Imagine his surprise when he realizes she’s been there the entire time...
Single mom Sara Worth has her hands full. Between her two children and her successful—and secret—writing career, love is the last thing on her mind. But when she realizes that her bestselling hero, Elliott Starr, bears a striking resemblance to J.P., her brother’s best friend, she can’t deny her growing feelings for J.P. any longer.
But when someone from Sara’s past appears in Painted Pony Creek, turning her life upside down, it threatens everything between J.P. and Sara...
Don’t miss Country Born
coming soon from HQN Books!
Preorder your copy today!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Cowboy in Disguise by Allison Leigh.
Cowboy in Disguise
by Allison Leigh
Chapter One
January
“I thought you didn’t eat bread anymore.”
Arabella Fortune jumped guiltily and used the corner of her napkin to cover the roll she’d dropped in her lap, where it sat next to two others just like it. She looked from the empty bread basket to meet her brother’s laughing eyes.
“More bread?”
At the question, she swiftly looked from Brady to the handsome owner of the deep voice. His name badge said Jay Cross and he’d been attending to their table throughout the birthday party for her nephew. She picked up the basket, smiling into his deep green eyes.
“Yes, please.” She sounded breathless and didn’t really care. “If it’s not too much trouble.” Jay was gorgeous. And every time their fingers brushed—when he’d given her a fresh napkin after she’d dropped hers, when he’d refilled her water glass, when she handed him the bread basket for the third time—there was an undeniable zing.
And she knew he’d felt it, too. Right from the start. The way his gaze had zipped to hers...and clung...had made her certain of it.
He had long fingers. She didn’t know if they were smooth or calloused, though he had a raised scar over one knuckle, long and whitish against his tanned skin, that made her think he didn’t spend all of his time on a catering crew.
His smile widened and his gaze was as warm as a caress when he took the basket from her. “No trouble at all.” His fingers grazed her hand and she felt butterflies take flight inside her. That brush of his fingers had to be deliberate. “I’ll be right back.” He walked away with the basket in hand.