It wasn’t just Catie’s baby.
It was his baby.
He curved his lips slightly upward and stroked Sean’s baby soft blond hair.
His baby.
He’d be there for this one. In more ways than just his money. He wouldn’t just be a father. He’d be a daddy.
Chapter Seventeen
The meeting with the Bakersville alderman had been uneventful. Now Catie was loading her clothes into the closet in the guestroom where she had spent the night in Chad’s house.
She had no idea where Chad was, and she didn’t righteously care.
What a big ol’ lie. She cared. She’d cared for seventeen years, and she wasn’t about to stop caring now. She sighed, sat down on the bed, and touched her tummy.
“It’ll be okay, little one,” she said. “You’ll have a mommy and daddy who love you. And a mommy who loves your daddy, even if he’ll never love her back. I promise.”
The phone rang. A football phone. This was her room now and that would be the first thing to go. She picked it up. Chad’s home phone. Heck, her home phone now.
“Hello. McCray residence.”
“Yes, hello. I need to speak to Chad McCray please.”
“I’m sorry. He’s out right now. May I take a message?”
“Who’s this?”
&nb
sp; The woman’s tone was a bit on the snotty side. Well, Catie could give it right back.
“This is Chad’s wife. Who’s this?”
“Wife?”
“Yes. I’m Caitlyn McCray. And you are?”
Click.
Stupid football phone didn’t have caller ID. Catie raced to the kitchen where she hit the history button. Rhine, L.
Well, Rhine, L., whatever you wanted Chad for, forget it. He’s mine now.
* * *
Catie sighed as she drove out to the nearest stable, where Ladybird had been housed.
“Hi there, ma’am.” A dark and handsome man tipped his Stetson to her. “Can I help you?”
“I’m just going to visit my horse.”
“I’m Rafe Grayhawk, ma’am, foreman in charge of this particular stable. You the owner of that pretty new mare brought in this morning?”
“If you mean the dark chestnut, yes, that’s Ladybird.”
“That’s some mighty fine horseflesh, ma’am.”