Callahan Cowboy Triplets. Tina Leonard

ego?

      “You were.” He stumped forward, resting his weight on a crutch crudely fashioned from the forked limb of a tree. “I’m glad you were worried about me, but I could have told you there was no need.”

      “Then I’ll be going.” She didn’t feel like putting up with his macho attitude when he’d worried her half to death for days. “I’ll let your family know you’re fine.”

      “I may return with you for a bit. You got room in your ride?”

      She’d driven the military jeep, which had plenty of space for cargo. “I suppose.”

      He got in without needing assistance and grinned at her. “Unless you want a tour, I’m ready to head back.”

      She looked at the cowboy, the man who invaded her dreams and kept her breathless whenever she thought about him. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

      “For the moment. That’s how I live—I’m totally in the moment.” He grinned, pleased with his lone-wolf persona.

      She gazed at his rangy body, and his long hair, which hadn’t seen much of a brush in the three weeks he’d been gone. He looked as delectable as ever. It was annoying that a man could hunker in the wilderness and not suffer ill effects. “I have to admit I was afraid of what I’d find.”

      “You don’t think I can live without Fiona’s cookies.” Tighe laughed. “I miss the comforts of home, but mostly the children, I have to admit.” He caught her hand as she put it on the shift. “Sometimes I even missed you.”

      “Did you?” She shifted, moving his hand away. “I didn’t miss you a bit.”

      It was a lie, of course, to save face.

      “I think you did,” he said cheerfully. “But I understand you want to keep it to yourself. It was sweet of you to come find me. I’m surprised my family didn’t tell you there was nothing to worry about.”

      He was so annoying she wanted to dump him out of the jeep. The thing was, everything he was teasing her about was true—she had missed him, and she had worried. Did anything ever get under his skin? “Hey, fun fact,” River said, “I’ve skipped my period.”

      Oh, for a photo of Tighe’s expression. He looked...stunned. River kept driving, curious to see what he’d say, pretty pleased that she’d found the one thing that would shut him up for just a moment.

      A loud whoop erupted from him. Tighe threw his straw Resistol into the air and laughed out loud, loudly enough to startle birds from trees, if there’d been any around.

      Apparently he wasn’t so much the silent type as his siblings had claimed.

      “That’s awesome! When will we know for certain? How long do these things take?”

      “In a couple of weeks I’ll go to the doctor. I keep telling myself maybe I’m late because of worrying—”

      “About me—”

      “No. About things at the ranch,” River interrupted, “but I’ve always been completely regular.”

      “You cute little thing,” Tighe said. “That night you and my brother and sister were plotting against me, you had your own little plot going.”

      “Not hardly.” River was getting mad. “Perhaps you didn’t do a decent job wrapping up.”

      “You helped, as I recall,” he said gleefully, “and I remember you seemed to be impressed.”

      “Oh, for crying out loud.” River parked the jeep at the house, jumped down. “You can just wait there until one of your siblings finds you. Or Wolf. Right now, I don’t care.”

      She went inside, aggravated beyond belief.

      “Did you find my brother?” Jace asked.

      “I found a jackass. It might have been your brother. You can go out to the jeep and see for yourself.”

      With that, she went to check on the twins.

      Chapter Four

      “Whew. What’d you say to River to get her in a knot?” Jace asked, as Tighe helped himself down from the jeep, still grinning from ear to ear.

      “That amazing woman is highly annoyed because she’s caught herself a man.”

      “Who?” Jace glanced around. “Why is that annoying? Don’t women want a man like a bee wants a flower?”

      “Yes, they do. They just don’t want to admit it.” Tighe’s heart was singing. “There’s a good chance I’m going to be a father.” He laughed, pleased.

      “How did that happen?” Jace frowned. “You mean you may have gotten River in a family way?”

      “I think she got me in a family way. As I recall, the two of you plotted against me. I just fell willingly into the trap.” He went inside to hit the cookie tray and gloat.

      “What are you going to do?” Jace sat down at the kitchen counter next to him. “I don’t envision you settling down.”

      “I didn’t say a word about settling down.” Tighe munched on a sugar cookie. “She didn’t say anything about that, either.” He looked at his brother. “We’ll know for sure in a couple of weeks, but I know now what the spirits were trying to tell me. I’m definitely going to be a dad.” He let out a wolf howl, bringing Fiona into the kitchen.

      “Mercy!” She glared at her nephew. “I thought a wild animal got into the house!”

      “One did. My brother,” Jace said drily. “He thinks he’s going to be a father.”

      Fiona’s jaw dropped. “A father? Weren’t you supposed to be on a wilderness sabbatical, resting and considering the stars?”

      “It’s what he did before the sabbatical,” Jace explained, and Tighe reached out to hug his aunt.

      “I have you to thank, Aunt Fiona. If you hadn’t been so determined to keep me from my destiny—”

      “Your destiny?” She frowned.

      “Firefreak,” Tighe said reverently. “You sent an angel to keep me from my destiny, and my destiny was the angel. What a wise aunt you are.”

      “Yes, well,” Fiona said, her voice uncertain. “You sound like you have dehydration symptoms and perhaps starvation issues. I’ll put in a meat loaf.”

      She crossed the kitchen and pulled out some pans, not proffering him the excited congratulations Tighe thought he’d earned. “Aren’t you excited that there will be another Callahan tot around, Aunt Fiona?”

      She looked at him as she unwrapped some meat. “I’ll have to talk to River.”

      “My baby mama is going to be beautiful when she’s in full bloom,” Tighe said, very satisfied. “I’m going to love being a dad.”

      “You’re going to have to figure out a way to get her to the altar then,” Fiona said.

      “Piece of cake.”

      “That’s what you’d been saying for the past year, that you had River all wrapped up,” Jace pointed out. “But then we figured out she didn’t have a boyfriend in Tempest, that she was just trying to stay away from you. And just because she slept with you once doesn’t mean she’s inclined to do it again. Especially since you showed deficient skills at simple tasks, like wearing a—”

      “I have plenty of skill, thanks.” Tighe got up. “I’m going to go find her. You doubters will see, the woman is crazy about me. She’s just a little shy, doesn’t want to seem too eager about catching her a Callahan cowboy. But I like her eager,” he said, remembering the night he’d made love to her. “In fact, if you don’t see me again tonight,