The Cowboy’s Curvy Forever Bonus Scene

Jenna

I haven’t been this scared since I began my relationship with Nate. At first, it was hard for me to trust anyone much less believe in love.

But he’s proved me wrong.

Marrying him, doing life together on our ranch, has been the most amazing journey of my life.

He’s kept every promise he made to me before we wed. He shows me he loves me every day. He’s always there when I need him.

I’m amazed at how perfectly our lives fit together. How he loves me despite my inner scars.

Over the last three years together, we’ve handled whatever issue that cropped up together and it’s been good.

But this? I don’t know how to handle this. I know I’m not like my mother. I know Nate is not like my stepfather.

But that doesn’t stop the fear from slamming into me as I stare at the stick telling me I’m pregnant.

My hands are shaking as I leave the bathroom. We weren’t trying to have a baby yet. We were going to wait another year.

I rake a hand through my hair. I’m not even sure how this happened. The thought disrupts my fear and makes me laugh at myself.

Well, of course I know how it happened. Just not why it was possible. I was extra careful. I never skipped a pill and always took it at the same time.

Grabbing my phone, I start searching to see what could have happened. I read site after site saying that it’s not impossible to get pregnant on birth control.

I toss the phone onto the sofa and pace the living room.

Nate and I have been working on some landscaping for the front yard and I came in for something to drink.

When I realized I’m late and it registered how exhausted I’ve been for the last few weeks, I took one of the tests Nate’s sister, Connie, had given me several months ago “just in case.”

I’d told her our plans, how we were planning to wait, and she’d only smiled.

She’d become the sister I’d never had, and we talked on the phone almost every day.

I start to sit on the sofa but stop myself. I’m dirty and sweaty. I’m trying to calm myself before I seek out Nate because I don’t want to cry.

I’m not unhappy to learn I’m pregnant. It’s just that all those old fears are hammering at me.

I never had an example of a good mom. How can I be one? I feel a little sorry for the baby and put a hand on my abdomen.

What if I go wrong? What if I’m incapable?

I take a deep breath. “Get ahold of yourself,” I say out loud. “You’re not your past.”

My shoulders relax. I go to the kitchen to get us some waters, then turning, I stride to the door, then out onto the porch.

I search the yard, but don’t see Nate. He must be around the side of the house.

I’d mentioned wanting to add some curb appeal to the lawn and first thing this morning, he’d made a beeline to town to get supplies.

Walking around the side of the house, I spot him kneeling, patting dirt around flowers he just planted.

When I come to a stop beside him, I hold out the water.

He gets to his feet. “Thanks, babe.” He unscrews the top and takes a drink. As he caps the lid back, he looks at me.

“What is it?” he asks.

I love he’s so in tune with me and how I feel he knows when something is off.

“I don’t feel well.”

Instant concern darkens his eyes. He sets the bottle down and takes my hands. “Do you need to go see the doctor?”

I nod. “I’ll make an appointment.”

His eyes widen before he scans me from head to toe. “Doc Miller and I go way back. He was my childhood doctor, and our families are close friends. I can call him, and we can get in today.”

He takes my hand, intent on leading me along behind him to the house.

I stop him. “Wait, honey.”

He stops, whirling around to face me.

“I’ll be back to my usual self in about nine months.”

“What kind of—” His mouth drops open. “Are you…we’re going to…”

I nod. “Our family is expanding.”

He lets out a whoop, picks me up and yells “I’m going to be a daddy!” at the sky.

I put a finger against his lips. “You’ll bring the ranch hands yelling like that. They’ll think something’s wrong.”

“I don’t care.” He kisses me, then sets me back on my feet. “How far along are you? What do we need to get?”

“Seeing that Connie already outfitted a nursery before we ever married, there’s not a lot we have to buy other than baby clothes.”

He takes my hand again. “Let’s go to town right now.”

I stop him with a laugh. “First, I have to shower.” I grin at him. “That’s where you and I started.”

He picks me up, lifting me high in his arms and laughs. “I remember. That’s something I’ll never forget.”

As he carries me to the house, he starts singing and I put my head on his shoulder, thankful all over again that I married this cowboy.

***

Nate

I was able to get Jenna in the next day after she told me we were going to have a baby. The new doctor in town introduces herself as Madison Pierce.

“You don’t have any other patients,” I say, unable to keep the suspicion from my voice.

Jenna is the most important person in the world to me and I want to be sure she’s in good hands.

Dr. Pierce lets out a sigh as she pulls a stool up next to the bed where Jenna is. “I expected it would take time to build my practice here. But I didn’t expect people to be so resistant to a younger doctor coming in.”

I could have told her that while the town is filled with good people, change doesn’t happen overnight. “If he wasn’t out of town for a family emergency, we’d have gone to see Doc Miller. He’s been the town physician for as long as I can remember.” 

The doctor pushes down the waistband of Jenna’s pants and spreads gel on her abdomen. “I know that, but he’s the one who suggested I come here. He’s nearly eight-six and getting ready to retire soon.”

This was news to me.

“He’s directed people my way, but they refuse to come.”

“They will,” Jenna says. “Just give them time.”

The doctor runs the tool across the gel and smiles as she announces that everything looks good.

She wipes off the gel and hands us a printout of our baby. 

I stare at the image, gripping it tightly. That’s my son or daughter. My heart squeezes and I choke up.

“Let me know if you experience morning sickness and the nausea gets to be too difficult for you. I’m going to prescribe prenatal vitamins and you’ll need regular visits going forward whichever doctor you choose to see.”

I’m still looking at the image as we leave and get into the truck.

Jenna takes it out of my hand and smiles down at it. “I have a good feeling about Dr. Pierce. I’m going to stick with her.”

“Doc Miller has more experience.”

“You don’t know anything about the new doctor, though.” Jenna hesitates, then adds, “I’ll feel more comfortable with a woman. When I was growing up, I saw a doctor in the next county because my mom knew her from school, but she moved to North Carolina last month.”

I give in at that. What Jenna wants, Jenna gets. I want her to be happy and to feel safe.

On the drive through town, she calls my parents to tell them the news.

I hear my mother’s excited chatter from across the seat.

“Bet you they’ll beat us to the ranch,” I say after Jenna’s done. “And when my mother tells my grandmother, it’ll spread through town by the end of the day.”

Jenna laughs. “That’s okay, I don’t mind everyone knowing my business now.” She puts a hand on her rumbling stomach and makes a face. “I was too nervous to eat before we left.”

I immediately stop in front of Bear’s Diner. “What do you want? And do you want to eat in or take the food to go?”

“Let’s get something to go. I want to head back to the ranch.”

I smile, understanding what she’s getting at. “Home to family.”

She nods. “Family. My beautiful family,” she whispers, blinking back tears.

I lean over and kiss her, my heart full. This woman will always be my sun and my moon. My forever.

***

If you loved Nate and Jenna’s story, you’ll enjoy reading The Cowboy’s Curvy Honey with Wyatt and Lila. Preorder the book now!