The Rancher's Second Chance. Brenda Minton

know you don’t want to talk, but if you change your mind, I’m here.”

      “I appreciate that.”

      She bit down on her bottom lip as she studied him. “Brody, I do care. We...”

      “Don’t. We’re not a ‘we’ anymore. Whatever you do or I do, there’s no ‘we’ involved.”

      “I know that. I’m just saying, I know you’re in a lot of pain. And I know your surgery last year didn’t go well. There was a lot of damage that they probably couldn’t...”

      He cut her off, motioning her to get in the truck. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

      “Gotcha. But you know as well as I do that you’re going to have to face it.”

      “It isn’t fatal, Grace.”

      “No, but I’m sure it’s life changing.”

      “Yeah, well, there’s been a lot of those moments in the past year.” With that, he closed the truck door.

      When they got to the mall, he dropped her at the door, then parked the truck. She waited for him at the entrance. Her hand touched his, but then she must have thought better of it because she walked a little ahead of him. He followed her inside.

      The first thing she did was head for the baby stuff. He felt a little itchy when she started touching pretty little dresses and pink shoes. He hadn’t thought about it, really. That baby bump was going to be a little person in a matter of months. It would wear lacy dresses. Or maybe it would wear jeans and cowboy boots. He picked up a pair of miniature cowboy boots and grinned.

      “It’s going to be a girl.” She stepped next to him, taking the boots from his hand and putting them back on the shelf.

      “It’s a boy,” he teased. “I’ve heard that boys are always right out front and girls spread themselves around their momma’s entire middle.

      She looked down, her eyes widening as she covered the bump with her hand. “Do you think?”