Hunter's Montana Bride (Montana Ranchers and Brides #8) Read Online Free PDF Page A

incredulity.
    Gretchen pulled Hannah closer to her, hugging the little one as tight as she possibly could. She nodded. "Uh huh. It's true. This is your daughter," she said. She looked over toward her mother and Lewis. "And that is your son," she announced, thinking that, as she uttered them, the words sounded simply amazing.
    Hunter let out a lengthy gust of breath that seemed to completely empty his lungs. He bent forward and grasped his knees. Once again Gretchen was worried he was going to pass out.
    After a few moments of trying to calm himself Hunter looked up and strode over to the carriage and thrust open the door. Gretchen could see the intense emotion on his face, the burning need to touch his child, the desperate desire to make sure all of this wasn't some strange illusion. Gretchen turned Hannah so that Hunter could see her face. When his eyes met those of his baby daughter Hunter's composure completely cracked. His eyes filled with tears and Gretchen could see him swallowing back the emotion that was welling up inside him.
    Hunter reached out and placed gentle hands on Hannah's tiny little shoulders. "Hannah," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears and wonder. For a moment all Hunter did was stare in amazement at the beautiful baby.
    Then he turned quickly. Beatrice held out little Lewis. Hunter reached out and touched Lewis on the shoulder. "Lewis," he said. He had a hand on each of his children now. Gretchen thought that the look on Hunter's face just couldn't be put into words. But it was wonderful nonetheless.
    It seemed to Gretchen that Hunter could barely even utter the names of his children. It was as if he'd lost the power over any other words than the names of his newly revealed children.
    Hunter seemed bewildered. Beyond stunned. He lifted his booted foot and set it upon the edge of the open carriage door. He looked toward Gretchen. "I had no idea," he murmured.
    "Of course you didn't," Gretchen said quietly.
    "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Hunter asked.
    "We can talk about that later, Hunter," Gretchen reassured him.
    He looked at her with puzzlement on his face. "Later?"
    Gretchen looked at little Hannah. "I think she needs to be attended to," she said.
    Hunter looked confused for a moment. "Attended to? Where?"
    "Why, here of course," Gretchen said looking toward the house.
    Hunter glanced back at the ranch house. "But, I..." he started to say.
    "We met Trent on the way here," Gretchen said.
    "Trent? What did he say?" Hunter asked.
    "He told us you've been busy."
    Hunter frowned. "How?"
    "Making the ranch house bigger?" Gretchen teased.
    Hunter looked toward the end of the building where the work had been done, work that still had some way to go before being complete.
    "Are you trying to tell me something, Gretchen?" he asked.
    She loved the sound of her name on his lips. Always had. "Of course I am, Hunter," she answered.
    Gretchen heard Gideon sigh impatiently. "Don't you get it, son. Your wife has came back to you. She wants you both and the children to live in this here ramshackle dump," he said bluntly.
    "Gideon. I told you to behave yourself," Beatrice said, still rocking little Lewis against her shoulder.
    "But it is, Beatrice. Look at it? Is this the kind of place you want our grandchildren to grow up in?" Gideon said.
    Gretchen felt her face redden. "This is my decision, papa. You know that I think this is the best for the children," she said defiantly.
    Gideon's shoulders slumped. "It was your own fool decision to marry in the first place. I tried to tell you. But you wouldn't believe me," he said.
    Gretchen glanced at Hunter and saw the irritation on his features once again. How could he not be annoyed, she asked herself. Her father was being his usual difficult self. There was nothing she could do about that. But there was one thing she was determined to do. And that was, make sure that Hunter knew that she had come back. For good.
    But taking one look at Hunter, Gretchen wasn't so