Cowboy Daddy (The Single Brothers 4)

Then she slumped into my chest, and we took a short rest, still listening out for the toddler.

Chapter Fourteen

Rachel

“Hey,” Jason called.

I looked over my shoulder from where I was making breakfast for the two of us. We had a bit of a late start for the day, but it was Jack’s first full night sleeping away from home. Jason hadn’t minded the noise at night, even helping me out with Jack, and I couldn’t help but feel warm all over just thinking about it.

Jason was taking care of both me and Jack.

Even though he doesn’t know the full truth yet.

I winced as soon as I had the thought, but luckily, he had his arms wrapped around me from behind so he didn’t see.

When should I tell him, though? I’d pretty much lost the perfect chance when he came over to my place and found me with little Jack. I should have told him then, talked to him if I needed to. But, I had been afraid, and now, I didn’t know how I was going to tell him after letting the deception go on days.

And what the fuck was that? When he asked, giving me another good chance, and my answer was a one-night stand!

There was no excuse for that, besides that I panicked. It would be bad for me, though, if I ended up telling him the toddler was his after I’d said a one-night stand that I didn’t even remember had been responsible. Fuck! What if he thought I was lying when I eventually told him the truth?

If he thought that I’d been cheating on him before we even broke up?

What am I going to do!

“Breakfast smells good,” Jason said, with absolutely no care in the world, not seeming to realize my internal dilemma.

“It’s ready,” I said automatically, my voice coming out completely normal. “Why don’t you sit down at the table so I can serve you?”

He hummed, pecked me on the side of my neck, and then went to sit down. I served up his portions, feeling like mine could wait. The butterflies were back in my stomach again.

Jason arched an eyebrow at me. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

I waved a dismissive hand. “I will, you just eat.”

He didn’t question me, shrugging then digging into his meal.

“I might be out a bit late today,” he said conversationally in between bites. “But I’ll be back for lunch, okay?”

I nodded. “I’ll have something ready.”

This should be it, the perfect chance.

Instead of just waiting for one to present itself, I could make it. I even had time to think about how I would tell him the whole thing.

Perfect.

Jason was done pretty quickly, and he left. I had my breakfast before I rushed to tend to Jack. After I had him fed him, gave him a bath, then set him to play in his room, I was exhausted. Then I was back in the living room, pacing around, wondering about the best way to come out with a secret I’d been keeping for so many years that it started to become second nature.

When Jason had left, a part of me had been sure he wouldn’t be coming back. So, Nathan’s call and his message had been a huge surprise.

I kept a close eye on the time and the baby monitor as I came up with speech after speech in my mind. None of them quite fit. Time was moving, though, and I figured it was about time I started setting up lunch. So, I moved my brainstorming and practiced speeches out loud as I cooked.

The food was ready, and still nothing.

“I’m going to wing it,” I decided. “Or just say it bluntly. ‘Jason, Jack is your son.’ It’s simple, to the point, and hopefully…he’s decided he likes me enough that he won’t dump me again.”

I winced as my pessimistic side tried to rear its head, but I pushed it away. I just had to believe everything would be fine because I wouldn’t have things any other way.

When I heard a knock on the front door minutes later, I was startled out of my musings. I hurried over to the door, feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement in my stomach. Anxiety, obviously because I was worried. But I found myself getting excited. Because, if Jason didn’t throw a fit, then we were doing this. He and I were going to be a family; Jason, me, and little Jack.

I got to the door before I realized anything was strange. Why would Jason be knocking when he could just come right in? I got my answer once I opened the door. It wasn’t Jason on the other side, but what I was pretty sure was a city girl.

She was dressed differently, in the way I only ever saw on TV, with a tight-fitting dress that was bare around the shoulders and only fell to just above mid-thigh. She had a clutch purse in one hand, expensive-looking jewelry on her neck, wrists and fingers, and high heel shoes. Behind her was a car very much like Jason’s. Her blonde hair was pushed behind one shoulder, and she had dark shades over her eyes.

“Hi, there,” she said with a bright smile, pulling off her glasses with one hand, and I noted her nails painted in hot pink. “I’m looking for Jason?”

I blinked at her, wondering what she wanted from him. My body was faster than my mind, though, and I kept one hand on the door, and the other held onto the doorjamb so she could enter.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice coming out sugary sweet and so very fake. “But I’m afraid Jason isn’t here at the moment. He’s out somewhere on the ranch, working.” I narrowed my eyes, feeling defensive. “Who are you?”

“My name is Louisa,” she said. I noted she didn’t offer me her hand to shake. “And can you please call him for me? I’ve been trying his cell, but he’s not picking up. I’m his girlfriend.”

… Girlfriend?

My first thought, when she dropped that word, was one of denial. There was absolutely no way Jason would have a girlfriend and not tell me, right? Besides, he’d sold off everything and moved to the ranch! Weeks had passed already, but there had been no word, or phone call as far as I knew, about some girlfriend he’d left out in the city.

But… this was Jason. Could he not have had a girlfriend?

No way.

It made more sense that he just hadn’t told me.

“Oh,” I murmured, pulling myself away from the door. “Well, you can wait if you want. He should be coming back soon for lunch,” I said quickly.

I wanted to be far away by then.

I avoided Louisa’s eyes as I turned around and headed for the stairs. I had some of my things around, but none of that mattered. I took my toddler’s things, and I picked Jack up in my arms, hoping I could find someone close to the house that wouldn’t mind giving me a ride back to town.

Chapter Fifteen

Jason

I walked back to the ranch, feeling like I was walking on air.

Things between Rachel and me were going great, wonderful even. The only real problem was that she still hadn’t told me the news that I was a father yet. I knew, but I wanted to hear it from her!

If she takes much longer though, I’m just going to tell her that I know tonight, I decided. Because I felt like I’d been waiting long enough. She was taking her sweet time coming out with it.

I whistled as I came up to the house. There was a car in the driveway beside mine, and I frowned at it. When did that appear? And why did it seem so familiar…? But, I put that out of my mind as I jogged up the stairs. My girl and my toddler were waiting for me, hopefully with a hot meal. What could be more important than that?