Cowboy Baby Daddy

Proposing to Perri had been a great thing, but it’d left my bro a little distracted. I didn’t mind picking up some of the slack at the ranch, but I hoped he’d snap the hell out of it sooner than later. I only wondered if I’d end up the same when I got around to proposing to Aspyn.

I froze in front of the door. Proposing to Aspyn? It’d felt so natural, so right. I guess once I’d accepted how much I loved her, my mind went to the next natural step. After all, unlike a lot of people, we knew each other very well, even if we’d spent years apart.

Another knock came from the door.

“Damn, Carl, I thought—” I said, opening the door.

Carl wasn’t standing there. Aspyn was standing there, holding Kadie’s hand.

I gave them both a quick kiss on the cheek before motioning inside. “I didn’t know you were coming over. Why didn’t you give me a call?”

Aspyn led Kadie inside. “I thought it’d be good to stop by.”

“You should know you’re always welcome here.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I just wish you would have told me so I could make sure I had some food for you.” I gave her a sheepish grin.

“That’s not a problem. We already ate.” Aspyn sucked in a breath and then slowly let it out. “Just wanted to visit. Before I knew it, I was driving over here.”

I wanted to grin like a drunk fool at hearing those words. I liked the idea of Aspyn wanting to be around me so much that she’d up and drive over, but as I watched her, I knew that wasn’t why she’d come over.

Something was wrong. I didn’t know what, and it wasn’t like she was frowning, but it was almost like she was trying not to frown.

“Everything okay?” I asked. “You feeling okay?”

“No, no. I mean, yes. I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“You know, life and the future and whatnot.”

“Woah. Heavy.”

“I’m thirsty,” Kadie said. “I want juice.”

I laughed. “That’s something I can handle. One second, sweetie.”

I headed into my kitchen to pour her a glass of orange juice. When I returned, Kadie clapped, but that’s not what caught my eye.

Aspyn was standing behind my laptop, a look of complete shock on her face, her skin reddening.

I handed Kadie her orange juice, and she began slurping and sipping away. I ignored Kadie and focused on her mother. A scowl grew on her face.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Aspyn said, her voice full of anger.

“What?” I said, keeping my voice flat. I had no idea why Aspyn was so pissed off, but it was obvious she was angry as hell.

I didn’t get it. I hadn’t even looked at any porn since coming back to town, and so even if she’d been checking my browser history or something, it shouldn’t have made her so angry.

She pointed at the laptop. “I didn’t mean … No, wait. I don’t care to apologize. You’re the one hiding things.”

“Hiding what?”

“You have your account statements right there on your screen.”

I nodded slowly. Things made a bit more sense, but I still didn’t get why she was so angry. Surprise I would have expected; anger, not so much.

I’d meant to bring this all up sooner than later, but this would have to do. “Yeah. What about them?”

“You’re a fucking millionaire?” she said, anger baked into every word.