The Deputy's Lost and Found Read online

  “Shopping!” She shot him a wry look. “You don’t care anything about shopping!”

  “I do when I go with a purpose. And Christmas is coming. We have all sorts of gifts to buy.”

  As they continued on toward the house, a dreamy expression drifted over her face. It would be her first Christmas as Brady’s wife and this morning she’d learned she was going to be giving him a special gift. Now she was waiting for the right moment to tell him.

  “Oh, well, I’d better get my thinking cap on,” she told him. “Because I don’t have a clue as what to buy you.”

  He chuckled. “Forget about getting me a gift. I’m a man who has everything.”

  Lass only smiled.

  At the house, they warmed themselves with short cups of coffee, then climbed the stairs to the bedroom they shared. While Brady showered, Lass changed into a long black peasant skirt and topped it with a bright red sweater.

  After she’d brushed her hair loose on her shoulders and attached sparkling earrings to her ears, she walked over to the plate glass door leading out to the balcony. This morning the sky was overcast with high gray clouds. Every now and then tiny bits of snow flew through the air.

  Already the mountains surrounding the ranch were capped with white and Ruidoso was full of skiers come to enjoy the fresh powder on Sierra Blanca. For Lass, becoming accustomed to the high mountain climate had taken some getting used to. Already the area had been doused with several inches of snow, but she’d learned to dress for the cold and enjoy the winter season. Just as she was learning to be a Donovan and take pleasure in being part of a big family.

  Thankfully, even distant Conall had accepted and welcomed her in his own stern way. She felt truly at home now, yet there were moments like this morning, when she’d used the pregnancy test, that she ached to have her mother back with her. There were so many things she wished she could tell her. Like how happy Brady had made her, how much she loved him and how much he loved her. She longed to tell her about her work at the stables, about all the horses she’d grown so attached to, the lovely children who looked to her for help and guidance. And she also wanted Judith to know that her marriage to Ward had not been a complete failure.

  These past few months, Lass had tried to open her heart and her mind to her father. They’d had several lengthy talks over the phone and she was beginning to realize that, in spite of his mistakes, Ward had loved his family. After David had pled guilty to his crimes and was sentenced with jail time, her father had taken a new turn with his life. He’d seemed to suddenly realize that he needed to change, to take time for the things that are most important. He’d completely cut ties with Jane and hired a new assistant to fill David’s vacancy. He was even coming out to the Diamond D for a visit during the Christmas holiday and this time Lass was actually looking forward to seeing him.

  Forgiveness was not an easy thing, she thought, but it was the right thing. She could see that now. And how could she not forgive, when she’d been blessed with so much happiness?

  Behind her, she heard the door to the walk-in closet open, then close. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Brady shrugging into a dark green shirt that made his tawny hair look even more like a wild lion’s mane.

  Her eyes full of pleasure, she watched him button the shirt as he walked toward her.

  “My, my, you’re looking too pretty this morning to be going out with a guy like me. Maybe I’d better go back to the closet and pick out something a little fancier than this ol’ shirt.”

  Turning, she reached to fasten the button in the middle of his chest. “I don’t want you to change anything. You happen to look very handsome in this shirt.”

  Smiling, he bent his head and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Spoken like a true, loving wife.”

  “I am a true, loving wife.”

  “You don’t have to convince me of that. But you do need to tell me what you’d like for Christmas. I want to give you something really special. Something you’ll love for a long time.”

  Love swelled in her chest. It didn’t matter what sort of gifts Brady gave her. The love he put behind them was the thing that made them precious to her.

  “Now what are you planning to give me? You don’t have to tell me outright. Give me a little hint and let me guess first.”

  Dimples carved her cheeks as she gazed up at him. “Well, it’s already ordered. But I can’t tell you precisely what the gift will be until it gets here.”

  “Hmm. That sounds intriguing.”

  “More like shocking,” she replied as she struggled to keep an ecstatic smile from breaking across her face.

  He arched a skeptical brow at her. “Okay, now you’ve done it. Why can’t you tell me—precisely? Because you want it to be a surprise?”

  Chuckles bubbled in her throat. “No. Because I wasn’t able to make an exact order. I had to leave it up to God to make the final decision. And that’s a fifty-fifty tossup. I can only tell you that it will either be a little deputy or a little cowgirl.”

  Confusion puckered his features and then suddenly it all fell in place. Stunned elation swept over his face as he grabbed her by the shoulders.

  “A baby?” he asked incredulously. “You’re telling me that we have a baby coming?”

  Once Lass nodded, he threw back his head and howled with glee.

  “Oh, darling! You’ve made me the happiest man alive!” Bending his head, he kissed her, then kissed her again. “How will I ever be able to top this Christmas gift you’ve given me?”

  Her eyes misty, she smiled at him. “Oh, I don’t know, try for another one next Christmas, I suppose.”

  Laughing, he ran out of the room and onto the landing. “Hey everybody, come here and listen to this!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “We’re going to have a baby!”

  Her heart overflowing with love, Lass left the room to help her husband spread the news.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-5216-9

  THE DEPUTY’S LOST AND FOUND

  Copyright © 2010 by Stella Bagwell

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].

  ® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

  Visit Silhouette Books at www.eHarlequin.com

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  *Twins on the Doorstep

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  †Men of the West

  *Twins on the Doorstep

  *Twins on the Doorstep

 

 

 
: grayscale(100%); -moz-filter: grayscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share