Kid hesitated a moment before easing himself onto the bed and drawing Lou carefully into his arms. She struggled against him at first, but soon settled into them. She leaned into him and sobbed against his shoulder. He was unashamed of the tears that fell from his eyes and mingled with Lou’s to dampen his shirt.
Lou’s sobs tore at Kid’s heart, fragmenting it until he was certain it would never be whole again. He had done this. It was his fault that Lou was so upset lately. He was the reason why she had left Rock Creek in the first place. If he had treated her better or had understood her reason for turning down his marriage proposal, maybe then she wouldn’t have lost their baby. If anyone was to blame for Lou losing their baby it was him.
Vaguely he became aware that the other riders were awake. There was a difference in their breathing that alerted him to the fact that he and Lou weren’t alone. He appreciated his fellow riders’ willingness to give the two of them as much privacy as they could without leaving the bunkhouse.
Jimmy lay on his bunk and felt as if his heart was permanently lodged in his throat as he listened to Lou’s heart-wrenching sobs. His gut tightened with guilt for his part in making Lou so miserable. Even though he would love to lay all the blame on Kid’s shoulders, but he couldn’t. At every turn he had goaded Kid with words, dirty looks, and even a punch or two for the way the other rider was treating Lou.
He should have never interfered into Kid and Lou’s relationship, but his own deepening feelings for the female rider had spurred him to defend her time and again. Declaring his love for her had added to Lou’s emotional upheaval and led her to flee Rock Creek. Forcing her to come back against her will wasn’t right either, but the thought of her experiencing such a tragedy alone was far worse.
He turned over onto his side and watched as Kid cradled the woman they both loved close and for once didn’t envy him. Despite the fact that Kid hadn’t known about the baby before Lou’s revelation, the chestnut rider was still the father. Suffering such a loss was devastating and only by drawing on each other for comfort, did he think that Kid and Lou could survive their grievous loss.
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