Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Thankfully, the ranch is thriving, and when the tractor broke down last month, we had the money to fix it. Dustin’s training business is picking up, and I’m sure becoming the bulldogging champion helped with that a lot. I can only think of one thing that could make me happier, and I’m going to talk to Dustin about it today.
“Annie!” Dustin calls as he comes in the front door.
I practically float toward his voice, and when he sees me, he opens his arms. I dive into them, and he’s laughing. “Baby, I’m all dusty, and I don’t wanna get you dirty.”
I press myself against his body. “I don’t care about that.”
He kisses my forehead. “I have a surprise for you.”
I clap my hands together, excited. “What is it? Is this what you’ve been working on in the barn for the last two weeks?”
He nods, obviously proud of himself. “It is.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door. I stop long enough to step into my sandals and laugh. “Wait. I need my shoes.”
As soon as they’re on, he pulls me with him out the door. “Close your eyes.”
We’re standing at the bottom of the steps from the porch, and he looks at me expectantly.
“You want me to close my eyes?”
He nods, smiling ear to ear. “I do.”
I shake my head. “I won’t see anything.”
He towers over me. “Trust me?”
I lean into him, putting my hands against his waist. “You know I do.”
All of a sudden, my feet are off the ground and Dustin is pulling me into his arms. He’s holding me with one arm behind my back and one under my knees. He swings me around, and we’re both laughing. He takes a few steps around the side of the house and then stops. “Cover your eyes.”
I roll my eyes and then put my hands over them. I smile cheekily and split my fingers so I can spy on him.
He stops walking again. “Uh-uh. No cheating. Cover your eyes.”
“Okay, okay.” I moan as if I’m irritated, but in fact I’m loving every part of this.
I cover my eyes as he walks around the house toward the barn. “Are you getting tired, D?”
He kisses my cheek. “Baby, I can carry you all day long.”
We come to a sudden stop, and he sets me on my feet. I still have my eyes closed and covered, and I bounce up and down on the balls of my feet. “Can I open them?”
He wraps his arms around my waist from behind me and whispers in my ear, “Open them.”
I uncover my eyes and look in front of us and then cover my mouth in surprise. Eyes and mouth wide open, I look at the structure in front of us and then at the man standing behind me. “Dustin, you built me a chicken coop!”
I run toward the coop and walk around it. “Oh my, it’s perfect.”
Dustin walks over and picks up a sign leaning against the fence. He hangs it on a nail and makes a flourish of it with his hand. “And this is for you too.”
I read the sign. “Annie’s chicken coop.”
A tear rolls down my cheek, and Dustin is shocked. “No, no, you’re not supposed to cry. This is a good thing. You said you wanted this.”
“I do want this.” I nod happily.
He takes his thumbs and wipes them across my cheeks. “Then why are you crying? Baby, no, please, I can’t stand it when you cry.”
I choke on a sob. “Well, how are you going to handle it when our child cries?”
He loops his arms around me, pulling me flush against his body. “I won’t be able to handle it.”
I nod and look up at him. I had planned to have a special way to tell him, but I can’t keep it back any longer. “Well, you’re going to have to figure it out.”
It takes him a second to get it, but when he does, it’s obvious he’s shocked. “Wait… are you saying… do you mean to tell me…”
“We’re going to have a baby.”
He whoops, he yee-haws, and then he pulls me up in his arms and swings me around. Just as quickly, he stops and sets me on my feet. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t—”
I cut him off. “No way, none of that, mister. I won’t break.”
He holds up his hand and starts ticking off commands on his fingers. “No more helping with the horses, no more mending fences… Can you still ride?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer and shakes his head. “Nope. No more riding.”
I go to my tiptoes and put a hand over his mouth. “Dustin, I’m pregnant. I can still ride and help with the horses and the chores.”
He cups my face in his hands. “Not on my watch, baby.”