The Cowboy's Twin Surprise. Stephanie Dees

pretty ironic now that what stood between them was the terrible secret he’d been hiding and the wall Lacey had put up to protect herself. For all of their sakes, especially two little babies he had yet to meet, he prayed they could get beyond it.

      Pushing the envelope had been his MO. He was always good for a gasp from the crowd. And he’d loved the approval and the admiration of an audience. But the proposition he’d made to Lacey seemed like the biggest risk he’d ever taken. He wasn’t just risking his heart, he was risking the peace he’d found here. In a real way, risking his future.

      It didn’t make sense—not in a practical way—what he was asking, but when he thought about their babies, it made all the sense in the world. His security and peace were nothing compared with theirs.

      His fingers brushed against Lacey’s as he took the flower, and she jerked her hand back like she’d been burned.

      He sighed as he slid the netting over the deep yellow bloom. “So have you had a chance to think about our conversation yesterday morning?”

      She breathed, the words flowing out of her with her exhalation. “I haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

      His fingers stilled for a moment, but then he took the next flower, torn between wanting to hear what she had to say and wanting to be able to imagine he had a chance with her.

      He opened his mouth to ask, just as his brother Tanner strode out of the field of sunflowers with two five-gallon buckets of flowers, Sadie ambling along beside him. Perfect timing.

      “Devin put you to work?” Tanner nodded to Lacey, who shot him a breezy smile.

      “Got to earn my keep. These sunflowers are gorgeous.”

      Devin scowled as he tugged another net over the head of a sunflower. “We were right in the middle of something, Tanner.”

      Tanner took one look at Devin’s face and a single quirk of a smile flitted across his face. He pulled one of the newly cut stems out of the bucket and handed it to Lacey. “For you. The only payment you’re likely to get out of a day’s work at Triple Creek Ranch.”

      “And well worth it.”

      Devin rolled his eyes. “If you two are done, can we please get back to work?”

      Lacey shrugged at Tanner and turned back to the table, carefully sliding a straw over one of the stems they would be selling.

      Tanner gestured at the buckets on the ground beside Lacey. “Make sure Devin’s the one picking these up when it’s time for the next batch of flowers. They’re really heavy.”

      “I’ve got it, Tanner.” Devin tried to keep the edge out of his voice.

      With a shrug, Tanner lifted a trio of empty buckets and disappeared between the rows of sunflowers.

      “He seems sweet.”

      Devin sighed as he lifted the next bucket of flowers to the table.

      “Why doesn’t he have a wife and a couple of kids by now?”

      The bucket slammed onto the table, water sloshing over the side. Devin steadied himself against the unexpected wave of grief.

      Lacey looked up in alarm. “What’s wrong? Did you hurt your ankle?”

      He should be able to handle an innocent question by now. The accident was simply a part of his story, something that happened in the past. He just wasn’t prepared for her to ask it. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s... Look, don’t bring this up with Tanner, okay? He lost his wife and baby in the same accident that killed our parents.”

      Tears formed in her eyes. She looked away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I never should’ve made that kind of assumption.”

      “It’s okay. It is. It just...creeps up on you from time to time. You think you’ve gotten used to the idea that it happened and you’ve moved on and then, well, you’re not okay. And that stinks. I don’t think Tanner’s been okay for a really long time.”

      “He must’ve been so devastated.” She laid her hand over his and laced their fingers together. “You were both so young.”

      He turned toward her, bringing her hand to his chest. He didn’t want to wait anymore. “What do you say, Lace? Are we going to give this thing a chance?”

      She shook her head and his heart plummeted to his feet. “What we’re doing seems so backward. You don’t get married, pregnant and then decide whether or not to stay together. I mean, who does that?”

      “Maybe we do.” He tucked one long dark curl behind her ear. “I mean, so what? We’re married. We’re pregnant. The pressure’s off. Now we have a real chance to see what it’s like to be together. Without the press, without the cameras. Without all the other stuff. Just—us.”

      Her gaze locked on his. She whispered, “I feel like I barely know you.”

      “That’s exactly why you should stay.” Devin kissed her fingers, still laced with his. “Give us a chance, Lacey. That’s all I’m asking for.”

      “I gave us a chance, Devin. And we both saw how that turned out.” She pulled her hand away. “But I’ll stay. Because our babies need a dad. And because one way or another, I want to be free of this hold you have over me. I care about you but I’m not along for the roller coaster anymore. I’ve had enough adventure.”

      She backed away from the table. “I’ll see you at dinner. I need some space right now.”

      Devin watched her walk away, a knot that felt like a boulder in the pit of his stomach. It was too much to expect her to trust him so soon after what he’d done. But she was staying and he had six months to prove to her that he was a different person. That he was a man who knew how to be responsible, who would step up when things got hard and take care of his family.

      He had six months to win her heart.