Cowgirls Don't Cry (Rough Riders 10)

“Fine.”

“I know I won’t have to spell it out to you that I won’t be doing everything myself for this kid, like feeding him, changing him, entertaining him, plus all the regular household stuff I already do.”

“And why don’t you have to spell it out for me?”

Jessie looked away. “Because you’re not like Luke. For the record, that’s a compliment. You’d never ask me to help you and then abandon me.”

Yeah, Luke had been awesome at that. He’d called it delegating. Everyone else called it bullshit.

“Anything else?” he asked.

“Last thing. You won’t bring women into my house and no expecting me to baby-sit while you’re out on the town.”

Brandt looked at her sharply but kept his voice down. “Jesus, Jessie, you really think I’d bring another woman into your home? You think I’m that heartless I wouldn’t give a damn about your feelings just so I could get my rocks off? Wrong, especially now that I’m—” He snapped his mouth shut, just in time.

Dammit, he’d almost been goaded into admitting that he was exactly where he wanted to be.

“What Brandt? Now that…?”

“Now that I’m forced to pick up the pieces of Luke’s stupidity once again. The thought of me causin’

more shit for you to deal with rips me apart, Jess. What don’t you understand about that?”

By her startled look, she hadn’t foreseen that answer. Then again, he hadn’t expected Jessie to make demands of her own. And he had a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t done making demands.

Evidently Brandt hadn’t been successful in keeping his voice down. Landon’s eyes popped open and he wiggled until he was sitting on Brandt’s lap.

Jessie stood. “I’ve said my piece, you’ve said yours. Can we just move onto the next thing? Because there’s plenty of other stuff we have to deal with today.”

“Yeah.” He squinted at the clock. “I need to get goin’. I’m supposed to meet my brothers at my place in an hour.”

“I’ll call Skylar and give her a heads up, but it’d probably be best if I drove out there and talked to her.”

“True.” He reached for Landon’s coat. “Come on buddy. Let’s ride.”

Jessie insisted on meeting Skylar face to face because she had the overwhelming urge to put distance between herself and Brandt.

Don’t you mean between you and Landon?

What’d happened to her backbone? She’d sworn last night she’d say no. She’d said it out loud. Hell, she’d screamed it. No one in the world would blame her for washing her hands of the situation. In fact, now she’d have the exact opposite problem. People in the community would think she was a masochist or a martyr.

But when she’d seen that sweet little innocent face…something shifted inside her. Something big.

Something beyond pity or a sense of duty. Something she was afraid to put a name to.

She turned off the highway and bypassed the Sky Blue manufacturing plant. Seemed strange to drive past it and through the gate that divided the manufacturing plant are from Kade and Skylar McKay’s private residence. As handy as it was for Skylar to have her business so close to her home, she kept the two buildings separated.

Girls and dogs raced up as soon as Jessie parked.

“Miss Jessie,” Peyton exclaimed. “Mama said you were comin’ here.” She stood on tiptoe and peered around Jessie.

“Someone else you’re looking for, Peyton?”

“She’s checkin’ to see if you brought the llamas, which is just stupid,” Eliza drawled.

“I’m tellin’ Mama you called me stupid,” Peyton shot back.

“Go ahead.”

Shannie stepped between her warring sisters. “Stop or Daddy won’t take us ridin’.”

“’Cause you’ll tattle,” Eliza said.

“Yeah,” Peyton added. “You got us all in trouble last night.”

Three dogs sniffed Jessie as three girls argued.

The screen door slammed and Skylar started down the steps, followed by Kade.

The girls’ fighting ended immediately and they lined up, all sweet smiles, the pictures of innocence.

Jessie bit her cheek to keep from laughing.

“Hey, Jess. It’s good to see you, but you didn’t have to drive out here.”

Maybe she was interrupting some family thing. “Oh, if this is a bad time, I can go.”

“No,” Skylar assured her, “it’s fine. Actually, I’m happy to see you.”

Kade set his hands on Skylar’s shoulders and spoke to his daughters. “You girls get the tack ready for the horses and I’ll be right there.”

“’Kay. Bye!” All three girls took off, boots clomping on the gravel, pigtails flying as they raced each other to the barn.

Before Jessie uttered a word, Kade demanded, “What’s this I hear about Luke havin’ a kid?”

“Kade,” Skylar murmured.

“No sense in beatin’ around the bush, Sky.”

Jessie jammed her hands in the pockets of her vest. “Obviously it was news to me too, but Brandt has been dealing with the boy’s mother for the last month.” She relayed the story, knowing she’d better get used to telling it, even when the news would spread through the McKay family like wildfire.

Both Kade and Skylar were quiet, yet Jessie could sense some silent communication between them.

Kade sighed. “Hell, Jessie. I don’t even know what to say. I’m sorry none of us can kick Luke’s ass for what he done. But I’d be lyin’ if I didn’t tell you I wanna kick Brandt’s butt for even suggesting that you be a party to takin’ care of this kid.”

“I’m pretty sure you’d have to get in line. Not to mention how Casper…”

“Casper can shut his big goddamn mouth, as far as I’m concerned. He’s never—”

“Kade,” Skylar said, stopping his tirade. “This isn’t helping. Go hit the trail with the girls. They’re waiting for you.”

“All right.” Kade held Jessie eyes with a sympathetic look from beneath his gray cowboy hat. “If you need anything at all, just ask.”

“Thanks, Kade. I appreciate it.”

Kade kissed his wife and sauntered off.

Skylar grabbed Jessie’s shirtsleeve. “I made iced tea. Or maybe you’d prefer something stronger?”