“We’ll get one then. We’ll travel and take home with us.”
It sounded lovely. And perfect for doing with a baby.
“Have you eaten yet?” Chance asked.
Cordy stepped back. “I’ll make us something. You must be tired.”
“I am, but I’m still going to feed my woman,” he growled. “You’re nursing our girl. You need to keep your strength up.”
“How about I help?” Cordy wanted to do something for him since his day had been awful.
“How about you keep me company in the kitchen and tell me what this little girl got up to today?” He kissed Madeleine's soft hair. “I missed you guys.”
“We missed you too.”
For a moment, Chance’s face went stark. “If you’d left, I would have followed. To the ends of the earth. To hell and back. Wherever you go, I’ll be right there behind.”
A weight settled in Cordy’s chest—the weight of that commitment. Loving a Kessal man wasn’t for the weak—he’d do exactly what he’d threatened. She had to be careful what she asked of him.
She put her hand to his jaw, studied his beloved features. Thank God he’d answered her ad. “We’re staying here. No going to the ends of the earth. Or hell. Or into a blizzard together. We’ve got too much to live for.”
“Damn right.”
They walked hand in hand to the kitchen, the dogs following. And it was then that Cordy truly understood they’d both come home.
thirty
Cordy was yankedout of sleep by her phone ringing. It was a deep, delicious sleep, the kind she was desperate for. But the phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
She’d better answer in case it was about Holden. He was supposed to leave the hospital today and enter the Shady Oaks nursing home. Although why anyone was calling her instead of Chance, she couldn’t say.
Or it could be the Saxons calling about Reed’s house.
They’d been upset when Cordy had told them she wouldn’t be moving out of Chance’s house. It had seemed for a few days things would go back to how they had been, with the Saxons freezing her out, but they’d eventually come around. Cordy suspected Hailey had pushed them to accept what was happening with good grace.
They’d all agreed to rent out Reed’s house and set aside the money for whatever Madeleine might need. “That way, Reed will still be providing for her,” Cordy had said. Thankfully, Mr. and Mrs. Saxon had agreed. But now they needed to find someone to rent the house.
Cordy grabbed her phone, resisting the urge to toss it against the wall. The number was international, but the caller ID didn’t say exactly where. Maybe Dad was trying to contact her.
“Hello?” She heaved herself up, her eyes sliding closed again. Next to her, Chance rolled over and groaned.
There was a long pause on the other end. Damn it, if Cordy had woken up to answer some telemarketer, she was going to smash the phone.
“Honey? Cordelia Grace, can you hear me?”
Cordy’s eyes flew open. “Mom?”
Chance sat up. Immediately, he put his hand on her knee, letting her know he was there. After how the call with her dad had gone, Chance must be worried.
Cordy was more than a little worried herself. Mom had no idea Cordy had even been pregnant, and she was about to get hit with an emotional tidal wave. Cordy might get hit, too, if Mom acted like Dad had. Mom hadn’t been excited about being a mom, but she might be excited about being a grandma. Who wouldn’t love Madeleine?
“Oh honey, I’m so glad to hear your voice. What’s with all the emails telling me to call you? Are you okay?”
“Um, I’m fine.” Cordy found Chance’s hand and twined her fingers in his. “I didn’t want to tell you the news over email.”
“News? What news?” Mom’s voice took a downward turn. “Don’t tell me you got married.”
Oh Lord, this was already going bad. “No, but I will in a few months.”
