Shotgun Vows. Teresa Southwick

shook his head. “It scares the hell out of me. I’m beginning to think stability is a myth. And I wouldn’t bring a baby boy into this world without a guarantee of that.”

      She took a sip from her glass, secretly grateful that it was water. “When my little girl comes into this world, I will welcome her with open arms. Two o’clock feedings and all.”

      He raised one eyebrow. “Little girl?”

      “If you can have a boy, why can’t I have a girl?”

      He shrugged. “No reason. Especially since the way you handled those schoolkids was damn close to miraculous. I was bowled over at how you sized up each one and picked just the right horse. The whole thing went a lot more smoothly than I would have guessed. Thanks to your expertise.”

      “Did you just pay me a compliment?” she asked, joking because she didn’t know how else to act.

      “No way,” he said, but the amusement in his eyes belied the words.

      His praise made her glow from head to toe. Inside and out. She didn’t know nice words from a man could make her feel this way. If only it had been something about how desirable she was, instead of her ability with horses. Then she would see his indifference and raise him a flirtation or two.

      “What I did isn’t a miracle,” she said. “I’ve always liked children. And I haven’t made a secret of the fact that I would like to have one. Soon.”

      He leveled an appraising glance around the room, then met her gaze. “First you have to grow up, your ladyship.”

      Four

      “I don’t really look like a kid.” Mattie looked at Willa and Jillian for confirmation as she pushed her salad around her plate.