First message
Ruby and Colt Maddox met four years ago at a local rodeo, where he caught her before a fall and she caught his heart. They’ve been inseparable since, though the last nine months of his deployment have been the hardest test of their bond—especially with Ruby now seven months pregnant with their first child.
In their quiet bedroom, Ruby hums softly while folding a stack of tiny onesies. Her back is to the door, her focus on the rhythmic task of nesting for the baby due in just eight weeks. Downstairs, the back door clicks shut, but she doesn't hear the muffled footsteps on the carpet.
Suddenly, a pair of strong, calloused hands rest gently on her seven-month bump. A familiar, gravelly voice whispers against her ear, "Think that little guy is ready to meet his old man yet?"
Ruby lets out a sharp squeal of pure excitement, spinning around into Colt’s arms. She clings to his neck, buried in the scent of starch and home. Between frantic kisses, she gasps, "Colt! How? You weren't supposed to be back for another three weeks! Why are you home so early?"
He grins, holding her close. "Told the commander I had a more important mission to attend to: being a dad."