Christmas Baby for the Cowboy (Sweethearts of the Rodeo #4)

Epilogue

Loretta

Six Months Later

L oretta stood in the center of their two-bedroom apartment, arms stretched wide, and spun in a slow circle. The simple act of being able to do this without bumping into anything still felt like a luxury. After a year of cramped quarters in the Winnebago, the spaciousness of their new home never failed to bring a smile to her face.

She paused, catching sight of Georgie in his playpen by the window. The baby gurgled happily, sunlight glinting off his wispy hair as he stacked colorful blocks. In the Winnebago, his playpen had taken up nearly half their living space. Here, it was just a cozy corner in a room filled with possibility.

Loretta’s gaze drifted around the now-familiar space. Taylor’s rodeo memorabilia shared shelf space with her trinkets and treasures, while family photos decorated the walls. Every little bit of personality she’d had to keep in storage after her divorce and her traveling days had found its place, transforming the apartment into a true home.

The sudden ring of her phone pulled Loretta from her reverie. She recognized the number instantly. It was Vivian from the gallery in Austin.

“I have fantastic news,” Vivian said. “Those three landscape pieces you submitted? All sold! Can you believe it?”

Loretta did a fist pump. “Fantastic.”

“You’re becoming quite the sensation, my dear. Now, about the payment…”

As Vivian rattled off the details, Loretta scrambled for a pen and paper, jotting down the figures with a hand that trembled slightly from excitement. After exchanging a few more pleasantries and confirming the logistics, Loretta hung up the phone.

She made her way to the small desk in the corner of the living room. Settling into the chair, she pulled up the spreadsheet she’d been using to track her art sales. As she input the new figures, a smile spread across her face.

Loretta leaned back in her chair, allowing herself a moment to bask in the accomplishment. Her gaze drifted to the easel set up by the window, where her latest work-in-progress stood. It was a departure from her usual style—bolder, more abstract—but she felt a surge of confidence as she looked at it. This was her vision, her voice as an artist, and people were responding to it.

The sound of keys jingling in the lock drew her attention.

“I’m home,” Taylor’s voice called out.

“We’re in here,” she called back, moving to scoop Georgie up from his playpen.

Taylor appeared in the doorway, his face lighting up at the sight of them. Despite the long day evident in the slight slump of his shoulders, his eyes were bright with enthusiasm.

“You won’t believe what happened today,” he said, crossing the room to plant a kiss on Loretta’s cheek and ruffle Georgie’s hair.

“Oh no, what now?” He always had a great story to tell at the end of the day. She liked seeing him so excited about his job. He was happier now than he’d ever had been working the rodeos. The resentment was gone. Taylor was more at ease with himself and with them.

He launched into his story, his hands moving animatedly as he spoke. “So, we were working on this complex stunt sequence for the climax of the film. The director wanted something spectacular, but the lead actor was struggling with the timing. We must’ve run through it a dozen times, and everyone was getting frustrated.”

Loretta nodded, bouncing Georgie gently as she listened. The baby gurgled happily, reaching out for his father.

Taylor took Georgie, seamlessly incorporating him into his storytelling orbit. “Then I had an idea. I remembered this trick my dad used to do in his clown acts, a way of misdirecting the audience’s attention. I suggested we incorporate something similar into the stunt choreography.”

“And it worked?” Loretta asked, already knowing the answer from the pride shining in Taylor’s eyes.

“Like a charm.” Taylor grinned. “The director loved it. Said it added just the right amount of flair without compromising the realism. He even asked me to work with the stunt coordinator to refine a few other sequences.”

“You seem to really fit in there.”

He gave a thoughtful nod. “I do. I really do.”

As Taylor moved to set Georgie back in his playpen, Loretta said, “I hope you’re hungry. I made your favorite—chicken fried steak with all the fixings.”

Taylor’s eyes lit up. “You didn’t have to go to all that trouble. I thought we were getting takeout?”

Loretta shrugged, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. “I wanted to do something special. It is Valentine’s Day, after all.”

“Shoot, is that today?” Taylor’s brow furrowed for a moment before smoothing out into a grin. “I’m just kidding. As if I’d forget.”

“Mama called earlier,” she said, pulling plates from the cabinet. “She offered to come watch Georgie so we could go out tonight.”

Taylor paused in the act of pulling a beer from the fridge. “Yeah? What did you tell her?”

Loretta busied herself with serving the food, avoiding Taylor’s gaze for a moment. “I told her thanks, but we had it covered. That we wanted a quiet night in with Georgie.”

She glanced up to find Taylor watching her, a soft smile on his face. “You didn’t have to do that. I know you love going to Valencia’s.”

Loretta shrugged, feeling a blush creep up her neck. “I do. But we can go on another night. It’ll be mobbed on Valentine’s Day.”

“True,” Taylor said softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Besides, I like the idea of a quiet night at home.”

As they settled at the table, Georgie babbling happily in his high chair, Loretta couldn’t help but compare this scene to a year ago. The fear, the uncertainty, the walls she’d built around herself after her disastrous marriage and ill-fated affair—it all seemed so distant now.

Trust hadn’t come easy. Even after Georgie was born, even after Taylor had proven himself time and time again, there had been moments of doubt. Moments when the old fears crept in, whispering that it was all too good to be true, that she was setting herself up for heartbreak again.

But Taylor had been patient. He’d given her space when she needed it, stood firm when she tried to push him away. And slowly, day by day, Loretta had found herself opening up. Trusting not just in Taylor, but in herself—in her ability to love and be loved in return.

Their meal was interrupted by the shrill ring of Taylor’s phone. He glanced at the screen, frowning slightly.

“It’s my dad,” he said, a note of surprise in his voice. “Do you mind if I…?”

Loretta shook her head. “Go ahead. I’ll keep your plate warm.”

As Taylor stepped into the other room to take the call, Loretta found herself straining to hear the conversation. She caught snatches of words: “big opportunity,” “good money,” “just like old times.” She hoped Barney wasn’t giving Taylor a hard time.

But then she heard Taylor’s voice, clear and firm. “I appreciate the offer, Dad, I really do. But I’m happy where I am. This consulting gig is good for me. Good for us. I’m home every night and I still get to be part of the rodeo world. It’s the best of both worlds.”

There was a pause, and then Taylor continued, “Although, you know what? Maybe we could work something out. What if I did some bullfighting, but only for local rodeos? Part-time, you know? It’d be a good way to earn some extra cash.”

Loretta’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected this turn in the conversation.

When Taylor returned to the table, Loretta tried to act nonchalant. “Everything okay?”

Taylor nodded, settling back into his seat. “Yeah, just my dad trying to get me to go back out on the road with him.”

She snorted. “He’ll never give up, will he?”

“It’s not in his nature. I did agree to do some part-time bullfighting at local rodeos to earn some extra money.”

“Anything special you had in mind for that?”

Taylor’s eyes twinkled. “Our honeymoon.”

“Sounds good.” They’d have to review their budget, but depending on his paycheck that might be a nice little nest egg they could put aside for that purpose.

After dinner, as Loretta was clearing the plates, Taylor disappeared into their bedroom. He returned a few moments later, carrying something big with a sheet over it.

“So, I know we said no big gifts this year,” he started, a hint of nervousness in his voice. “But I found something I think you’re going to love.”

Loretta dried her hands on a dish towel, eyeing him curiously. He better not have hocked anything again. Taylor led her to the living room and set the object down. As he whipped off the sheet, Loretta put her hand to her chest.

It was a drawing table. Not just any drawing table, but one that looked strikingly similar to the one she’d sold to buy Taylor’s Christmas present.

“Taylor,” she breathed, running her fingers over the smooth surface. “How did you…?”

He shrugged, a pleased smile playing at his lips. “I found it at a thrift store. It needed some work, so I repainted it and added a little something extra.”

Loretta leaned in closer, noticing for the first time the delicate lettering along the edge of the table. Loretta Keller Keating was etched into the wood in beautiful, flowing script.

“It’s perfect. I can’t believe you did this.”

“I figured we have room for it now and you needed one.”

“I love it,” Loretta said, throwing her arms around Taylor’s neck and pulling him in for a sweet kiss.

When they parted, both slightly breathless, Loretta remembered her own gift. “Oh! I have something for you too. It’s not as fancy, but…”

She hurried to retrieve the wrapped frame from its hiding spot behind the couch. As Taylor unwrapped it, his eyes widened.

It was a sketch Loretta had done, capturing a moment she’d witnessed a few weeks ago. Taylor was asleep on the couch, Georgie curled up on his chest, both of them looking perfectly peaceful.

“I love it,” Taylor said softly, his fingers tracing the lines of the drawing.

“I just wanted to capture that moment. To show you how I see you, how much you mean to us.”

Taylor set the frame carefully on the coffee table, then pulled Loretta close. “Thank you,” he murmured into her hair.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, a sense of peace settled over her. It wasn’t just the gifts, though they were lovely. It was the understanding behind them, the way they reflected how well they knew each other, how much they’d grown together.

“I’ve been thinking about the wedding,” Taylor said.

Her breath caught in her throat. “Oh?”

“Yeah,” Taylor said, shifting to face her more fully. “I know we said we’d wait until next year, but how would you feel about moving it up to April?”

Loretta blinked, surprised. “April? That’s…that’s only a couple months away.”

Taylor nodded, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice. “I know it’s soon, but it’s when the bluebonnets are in full bloom. I remember you saying once how much you loved them.”

The fact that he’d remembered that offhand comment meant so much to her.

“April sounds perfect,” she said softly, reaching out to take his hand.

“Yeah? You’re sure?”

Loretta nodded. “Absolutely. But…” She paused. “I have one condition.”

“Name it.”

“For our honeymoon, I want to go to that big art festival in Santa Fe. I’ve always wanted to go, and I think it could be a great opportunity for my work.”

She held her breath, half expecting Taylor to balk at the idea. But he just grinned, pulling her close.

“An April wedding in Texas and a honeymoon at an art festival in New Mexico? Sounds perfect to me. And with the extra money from the local rodeos, we can make it extra special.”

As Loretta nestled into Taylor’s embrace, a sense of contentment settled deep within her. The idea of a spring wedding surrounded by bluebonnets, followed by a trip to Santa Fe, filled her with a joy she hadn’t dared to imagine just a year ago. She thought about the painting she’d create to capture this moment—the soft blues of the flowers, the vibrant reds of the Santa Fe sun, all intertwined with the golden threads of their shared future. It would be another brushstroke in the ever-evolving canvas of their lives. And she was excited to see what colors the future might bring them.

The End