The Maverick Meets His Match (Hearts of Wyoming Book 2)(69)

“Summarize—good or bad?” Cat said.

“Good.”

“Just good?” Libby sounded disappointed.

“Incredibly good, okay?”

“So that’s not why you called us here, then.” Cat looked over at Jake. “What a nice picture you colored.”

“It’s for Libby’s new baby.” He smiled, and the room seemed to light up.

Cat tore out the page and handed it to Libby.

“Thank you so much, Jake. I will hang it in the baby’s room.”

“Can you find another one, maybe do one in red crayon?” Cat asked her son.

Jake nodded and proceeded to explore his other artistic options in the book.

“It’s weird between us, given the potential to sell the company, but that’s not why I’ve called you here.” Mandy watched Jake page through his book and felt a little squeeze in her heart. “I’m thinking of having a baby with him.”

Libby almost choked on her bite of burger, and Cat laughed. So much for support.

“You’re serious,” Cat said when she stopped laughing.

“Yes. Look, when six months is over, I may be left with nothing. No business, no job, no legacy.”

“But rich,” Libby reminded.

“I think I need a beer after that news,” Cat said, getting up and going to the fridge. She turned back to Mandy. “Want one?”

Mandy shook her head. Cat retrieved the beer and settled back down next to Jake.

“Money isn’t everything. At least not to me.” For Ty it was everything. “Family, my friends, the people who work at Prescott, those are the reasons the company means so much to me. I will lose that if the company is sold. I want something equally special to replace that.”

“But why a baby with a man you don’t…” Cat glanced at Jake. “You know.”

“Because I may never find a man to marry. Odds haven’t been in my favor.” She thought back to Mitch and, unfortunately, several others. “If he sells the company, then at least I’ll have the baby. And the money to raise the child properly. And if he doesn’t sell it, I’ll have double the happily ever after.”

“And what does Ty say to this?” Libby asked.

“I haven’t asked him yet.” Mandy let out a sigh. “I wanted to run it by you guys first to see if I am crazy. Cat, you’re a single mom, and Libby, you’re a mother-to-be. I figured you would know if I’m nuts or not.”

“A child is a big step, Mandy. A lifetime commitment.” Cat smiled at her son who, at that moment, looked up. His ketchup-smeared face beamed as he held up a picture of some mythical figure of a man with streaks of red crayon running through it. “That’s very good. Now eat some of your hot dog.”

“I want to give this to Mandy,” he said.

Cat dutifully tore the page out of the coloring book, and Jake then handed it to Mandy.

“Thank you, Jake. I’ll treasure this picture. It’s going up on the refrigerator as soon as I get home.” Of course, it would have to be the hotel’s mini fridge. At the moment, her life felt very small.

“I’ll make you another,” he said cheerfully. “Do you like orange?”

“I love orange.” Mandy couldn’t resist. She reached over and tousled his hair. He beamed again. “And I love you.”

“I love you too, Mandy,” he said, never losing eye contact with the coloring book.

“That’s what I want, Cat. What you have and Libby is going to have. And I can provide for a child. And with Tucker and Harold around, my child will have men who love him or her.”

“Babysitters.”

“What?” Mandy asked, not sure she heard correctly.

Cat shrugged and took a sip a beer. “That’s what you are going to need. Babysitters. Preferably family. I don’t think anyone ever tells you just how much time and attention our little folks need. Not that it isn’t rewarding. It most definitely is. But relatives willing to babysit—especially if you are going to run the ranch or another stock company—is a must if you are going to be a single mom.” She looked over at Libby. “And even if you aren’t.”

“Chance’s mother is ready to move back to Wyoming for this child,” Libby said. “And my dad, believe it or not, has offered.”

“How does Chance feel about his mother moving?” Chance hadn’t been on good terms with his mother until Libby had stepped into the picture.

“He’s okay with it. A little concerned given her past, but willing to give it a go.”

“My mother has been asking me about grandchildren since I graduated from business school. Did I tell you that she’s going to be marrying Harold soon? They haven’t set a date yet. I think they are waiting until this six-month thing is past. Apparently, they have been sneaking around for some time.”

“How do you feel about your mother remarrying?” Libby asked.

“I love Harold. He is completely different in temperament from my father but a wonderful man. My mother and Harold are surprisingly cute together.”

“Well, they are certainly old enough to make their own decisions, and so are you, Mandy. If you think you can handle a child, go for it. But do you think Ty will agree?” Cat asked.