“I’ve never seen one. You’ll have to show it to me.”
“As it happens, I have it right here because I can’t stop looking at it.” She reached in her jeans pocket and pulled it out. He moved next to her so they could look at it together.
“That’s incredible,” he said in a husky voice.
“I know. While he took the picture, her heartbeat was so strong and loud, it made everything real for the first time.”
“Did you and Logan pick out names for the baby before he died?”
Cassie put the picture back in her pocket. “I didn’t learn I was pregnant until a few weeks after his death.”
“That’s tough. I’m sorry,” he murmured. “You really are doing this on your own.”
“It’s all right. Finding out I was pregnant gave me a whole new lease on life.”
“You’re a remarkable woman, Cassie.”
Her eyes met his searching gaze. “Say that to me when I’m old and have raised a terrific daughter, and I’ll believe you.” Surprised they’d spent this long talking she said, “I’ve got to go in and finish putting up the strawberries I picked this morning.” She would prepare a meatloaf and potatoes to go in the oven at the same time.
“While you do that, I’ll take the horses back to the barn and settle them in.”
They weren’t his responsibility, but there was no point in fighting him on it. “That would be great. Thank you.”
Much as she appreciated Trace’s help, she felt guilty. Now that he knew she was pregnant, it changed everything. Cassie could tell he had a protective streak in him like his father. She didn’t want him treating her any differently, but it was too late because he’d already figured it out just by looking at her blossoming figure.
Trying not to think about how excited he’d sounded when he’d looked at the baby picture, she prepared the dinner, then continued to make jam. Her raspberries would be coming into season soon. White Lodge had a fair in the fall. She could sell her wares and hopefully make enough money to buy a crib and the basic items she’d need for the baby.
Trace had asked her about a name. She didn’t know yet, but the fact that he’d asked told her he was a caring, sensitive man. Cassie was thinking too much about him. What on earth was wrong with her?
While she was pouring the hot paraffin wax over the filled jars to seal them, she heard him come in the back door. He didn’t pause to talk so she didn’t say anything. Forget he’s here, Cassie.
Trace walked down the hall. The meeting with the therapist in Billings earlier today had gone as he’d imagined. He didn’t need a doctor to realize he’d been in a morose state since his eye injury. It was all part of his PTSD. But Dr. Holbrook had emphasized that there was one thing he needed to do before all else. Deal with Nicci. No other decision should be made until he knew if he was going to live in Colorado or Italy.
The therapist made a lot of sense. It was time for a heart-to-heart.
Now that Trace was on the ranch and had spent two full days with his father, it was time to pay Nicci some attention. A month had passed since he’d last seen her. They’d spoken several times since, but nothing had been resolved. His call to her yesterday had gone downhill. They needed to talk when her father wasn’t around.
She picked up on the fifth ring. “Caro—” she answered in a sleepy voice.
“Nicci? Sorry for calling you in the middle of the night, but this can’t wait. Our conversation yesterday wasn’t good.”
“That’s because I’m miserable,” she said in heavily accented English. “Papa wants to know if you have come to your senses yet. Please say yes. Is that why you’re phoning while I was dreaming about the two of us in our own villa overlooking the water?”
Clearly nothing in her mind had changed since he’d left Italy. His eyes closed tightly. “I can’t say yes. All I know is that I miss you.”
“I think not enough, or you would take the job my father has offered you. I never knew anyone so obstinate.” That was her temper talking because she was in pain. So was he.
Trace paced the floor. “Listen to me, Nicci. I have to use my expertise. As I told you, the Air Force Academy has offered me a position as a flight instructor. Colorado Springs is a beautiful city. You’ll love it there. We’ll buy a house and start a family. You’ll be able to visit your family often. They’ll visit us. We’ll visit my father and his wife. They’ll come to us. We can have the life we wanted.”
The silence on the other end was tangible. “But it’s not the life we planned.”
“Only the location and the kind of work I do have changed. We haven’t.”
“I don’t know. What would I do all day while you’re at work?”
“We talked about that yesterday. You can find a job here you like. I have contacts.”
“But it won’t be like helping Papa.”
“Of course nothing would be like that, Nicci.” She was his social princess and did things for him only a daughter could do, but you could never call it a job. Even Nicci was honest enough to admit that. He turned on his other side. Naturally he couldn’t blame her for her fears, but the conversation was unraveling fast.
“You won’t know how you feel until you try. When can you fly over?”
“I’m not sure.”
He was used to her pouts, but since he’d been to the therapist he was more immune to them now. “This is hard on me, too, Nicci. Plan a time and I’ll meet your plane in Denver. We’ll drive to Colorado Springs so you can get a feel for it. We’ll look at houses and plan. Then we’ll fly to Montana so you can meet my father and his wife. What do you say?”
“I say I miss you so much, I feel like I’m going mad.”
He could just picture her stomping the floor in one of her spiky high heels. Trace wouldn’t be getting a definitive answer out of her yet. Maybe never. “I love you, too. Phone me when you’ve picked the date to fly over.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“Eat dinner and go to bed. It’s been a long day and I’m exhausted.” But that exhaustion was of the mental kind.
“That’s where I wish we were right now.”
He inhaled sharply. They’d always communicated well in bed. “Then hurry and make arrangements. I’ll pay for your ticket.”
“Papa will do it!”
“You know how I feel about that. I plan to take care of you.”
“We’re not married yet. He can afford it.”
Yes he could. Benito Tornielli, who owned a company that constructed some of the largest cruise ships on the Adriatic, was a multimillionaire who spoiled his children. Trace almost said she would need to get used to living on his salary, but he caught himself in time.
She was so headstrong in favor of spending her father’s money, this was one fight he couldn’t win over the phone so there was no point in trying.
“Good night, Nicci. Come to me soon.”
After they hung up, he lay back staring at the ceiling. Nicci still wasn’t ready to fly over, which made their conversation more troubling to him than ever. She was a fiery, exciting woman who’d been