Secret Pressure (Rhinestone Cowgirls Book 4) Read Online Free

the ranch. Ruby packed her bags and before she’d left, she’d made Em swear to secrecy about the baby.
    Whether Ruby had made the right decision or not, she never told Jobe that she was pregnant.              
    She broke the news to her mother and father several weeks after she was back home. They’d been ecstatic, promising to help her every step of the way. And they did. Her family embraced the idea of Ruby’s pregnancy with good charm, positive vibes, and an understanding that she never wanted to talk about the father—not one peep. She’d told them she’d had a one night stand with a stranger, and the conversation was never brought up again. They didn’t push for answers, and she didn’t volunteer any information. Deep down, she believed her mother had known the relationship had been more than a meaningless affair, but she respected Ruby’s need for privacy.
    Every day that had gone by, a heavy guilt weighed on her for not telling Jobe about their child. Conflicting emotions had her up and down, and at times she was so close to calling him, phone-to-ear-close, and then she would lose her bravery.
    In her third-month of pregnancy, things took a nosedive.
    Em had called and reluctantly told Ruby the news that Jobe was engaged to be married. She’d played off her surprise, pretending she didn’t feel like traveling to Walter’s R&R and tar and feather him for breaking her heart. After she’d hung up with Em, she’d given in to the deepest regret and sadness she’d ever known. Ruby had fallen into depression. For days she stayed in bed, crying and upset. Her parents had tried consoling her. Her sisters hadn’t left her side, but her emotions were out of control. Keeping a secret had never been her strong suit, especially from someone she cared for.
    Then came the positive she needed—the one thing that had made the sun shine in her world again. Her doctor’s visit. As her sisters, her biggest supporters, stood around the exam table watching as the technician did her magic, Ruby’s growing baby appeared on the ultrasound screen, a black and white blob and a healthy, beating heart. With each beat on the screen came a new hope. Every nook and cranny of her body filled with love for this precious gift she’d been granted.
    Although she lived with many regrets, being pregnant wasn’t one. Her growing stomach had been proof of the special memory she had of Jobe. She wished for his happiness, even if it wasn’t with her. Unfortunately, the realization of how much he meant to her came a little too late.
    Jack was born with a head full of black curls, so dark it reminded her of a clear, blue-tinged sky. His dimpled rosy cheeks were a target for his aunts who wanted to pinch them. He had the longest eyelashes and cute, little fists that pumped the air as if he practiced throwing a ball. The first time Ruby had held him she’d fallen madly in love and knew there’d never be anyone or anything that could mean more. She’d whispered in his ear, “I love you,” and she swore he’d looked up at her and smiled. He looked just like his father and somehow that pleased her. She couldn’t wait to see if his eyes stayed brown, like hers, or lightened to his father’s pale blue. Either way, there was no mistaking he was the spitting image of a Walters.
    Jack was the best baby, seldom crying or fussing, even when hungry. He was the sunshine of her life. The core of her existence. She was happy, and yet she couldn’t kick the feeling of wondering what could have been if she’d told Jobe about Jack.
    She’d forced herself to move on, not dwell in the past, especially in something that wasn’t meant to be. Jobe had moved on, quickly and without burden.
    Ruby’s mother had succumbed to her illness when Jack turned a year old and they buried her on the family plot on the north side of the ranch. Their father couldn’t get over the pain of losing his wife and died six months later, now they lay in peace