Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗

“Hang on, I need a drink for this one.” Belinda disappeared behind the front counter and hurried back, holding a giant mug and settling onto the stool across from Carli. “Okay, continue.”

Carli told Belinda about Lexi, and the troubles she’d had with Raven. She talked about the other students who had shown up and about the future of the riding school. She had so many doubts about the entire venture, yet she felt strongly she should keep at it.

“Be patient.” Belinda sipped and swallowed. “Word will get around.”

“I’m still making inquiries about horses that might be good for the kids to learn on. Checking with horse rescues and several owners of sale barns have their eyes on the lookout for me. If you hear of any, let me know.” Carli talked about the problems the project brought and her doubts about making a difference in the kids' lives. It felt good to clear her head and talk to a friend. Belinda was a good listener. Carli slurped the last of her smoothie. It was a relief to have shared so much. Her troubles seemed a little less daunting after she talked about them. Always a big worrier, she sometimes made problems bigger in her mind than they really were. She told Belinda about the opening of her riding school and Belinda responded in the same way Lola had. “Teenagers.”

Carli asked, “Can I have coffee this time around? A double shot.”

“Do you think it’s wise?”

“What do you mean?”

“With your condition and all.” Belinda held up a finger as she stood to flip a switch on the chrome contraption that took up one corner of the room. She opened a lid, turned some dials, and seemingly satisfied with the results, sat back down.

The front door chime tinkled, and a young couple walked up to the counter. Belinda hopped off her stool. “Be right back.”

Carli had no idea what she meant by condition. She hadn’t had a horse wreck of any kind. Hadn’t been sick. She just wanted a good jolt of B & R Beanery coffee and then she would be on her way.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know.” Belinda pointed at her tummy. “The baby.”

“You’re pregnant! Congratulations, but why can’t I have caffeine?”

“No silly, not my baby. Yours and Nathan's,” she said with a sheepish grin.

“What are you talking about? Nathan and I are just friends.”

“I love you Carli, but don’t lie to me,” Belinda said in a very annoyed tone. “You have to face reality. You need to plan a wedding and you’re going to be a mommy soon. The time flies by faster than you can ever imagine, and before you know it, you’ll be holding that sweet baby in your arms.”

Carli took a breath. Belinda’s words sounded familiar. Hadn’t Carli just told a young lady sitting in jail about the real world and the consequences of one's decisions?

“Listen to me. Nathan and I are not having a baby,” she finally said. “We’re friends. Well, he wants to be more, but I can’t decide. Where did you hear this?”

“Christy told me.”

“Christy? That blonde girl who filled in for you one day when Nathan and I came in? She knows him from high school. Why would she think I’m pregnant?”

“She heard you and Nathan talking about a birth certificate, said y’all were making plans for the future.”

“No! She’s wrong.” Carli’s hands came down on the tabletop with a forceful slap making Belinda jump. “It’s not true. I found a birth certificate at my grandparents’ house and it’s mine. I was telling Nathan about it.” Shock registered in Carli’s brain. “You didn’t tell anyone else, did you?”

“I may have mentioned it to Lola,” Belinda said with a sniff.

“Lola knows? And she didn’t say anything to me? Well, if it’s just the two of you, that’s not too bad.” Carli exhaled and leaned back in her chair. Maybe she was overreacting.

Belinda lifted her mug and took a long sip, putting it back on the table. “Crazy Vera told me she heard it at Jack’s Grocery, and she's really good friends with Nathan’s mom. But maybe she didn’t say anything.”

“Wait. Doesn’t Christy work at the Chamber of Commerce office? Wonder how many people she comes in contact with in any given week.”

“Nothing much goes on there. This is Dixon after all.” Belinda took another sip and then snapped two fingers. She looked up. “Oh, I just remembered. They did have their chamber banquet last week.”

“What does that mean? How many people think I’m pregnant with Nathan’s baby?” Carli watched her friend gaze out the front window of the coffee shop. “Belinda?”

“The annual banquet is just a little dinner for all of the businesses in the county. Christy worked the registration that night. This is just my guess, but I’d say the whole town and most of the county knows by now you’re pregnant with Nathan Olsen’s baby.”

“Oh, no!” Carli buried her face in her hands. “I really need caffeine now, and I’m not paying for it.”

“Right away. Double shot, I know.” Belinda slid off the stool and hurried behind the front counter. She didn’t try to hide the silly grin that spread across her face. Carli glared at her and suddenly her chest tightened, and she couldn’t breathe. She was choking. She leaned over and put her head between her legs as she gulped for air.

“Calm down. You’re having a panic attack,” said Belinda with a hint of amusement in her voice.

“What am I gonna do?” Carli stood and paced around the table. “I can’t deal with this right now. Nathan is already bugging me, says he’s falling in love, which is ridiculous. And Lank is acting weird, plus trying to trick me into bonding with his dog. My ranch foreman’s health is bad. And I have the riding school. If this gets out, parents won’t let their kids come to the Wild Cow for lessons. LoveJoy is done before it even gets going. This is horrible!” She sat