Cowboy Baby Daddy

Still, it’d been hard being a single parent, and it looked like that was going to change soon whether I liked it or not.

Chapter 8

Alex

I woke up to the Tennessee sun beaming on my face. Even though I knew it shouldn’t feel any different in Tennessee than in Texas, somehow those rays still felt warmer and nicer to me, more inviting. It was like even the sunlight was reminding me things would have been better if I’d never left Livingston.

Sure, I knew that was probably all in my head, but it didn’t matter. The main reason I’d come back was the trouble in my head.

A loud yawn came out, and I sat up. It took me a bit to realize I wasn’t tired at all. It was a normal thing for most people: a nice, solid restful sleep. That wasn’t normal for me. Not at all.

That filled me with hope. I wasn’t sure if my plan for coming back to Livingston would work, but it was a good sign. I’d been prepared to spend weeks in town before I got any good rest.

After a quick shower and some sausage for breakfast, I stepped out of the cabin and stretched. It was still early, so I figured Carl would be checking on the horses. It’d been years, but I’d worked on this ranch enough as a teen to burn the routine into my brain.

I walked toward the stable in the distance, taking in the rest of the ranch. His parents had been far more into cattle than horses, but Carl seemed to have gone in the opposite direction with only a small number of cows out in the pasture. I’d always liked horses more than cows myself.

I spotted Carl patting a beautiful black stallion on the head.

He waved and walked toward me.

“I guess we haven’t talked much about what I’m going to have you do here, bro,” Carl said, scratching his eyebrow. “I have all sorts of things I can have you do, but what did you have in mind?”

I shrugged. “I figured the same things your dad had me do in the summers when I worked the ranch. You don’t have to pay me much more than he did.”

An uncomfortable look appeared on Carl’s face. “That was summer work for kids. You know. I …”

“It’s fine. I’m here to clear my head. Good, solid work will help with that.”

“Are you sure, Alex?”

“The worst thing that happens is I get tired of it. If it’s a problem later, then we can talk about it then. Until then, I just want to work, not prove I’m King of All Ranchers.”

Carl laughed. “Well, first things first, then. I guess you can clean up the stable.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know you’re doing this because you need it, but honestly, this is gonna be a big help, even if you stick to doing the kinds of things you did before.”

“Really?” I glanced around. Nothing looked too dirty. The animals all looked in good condition. “You having problems?”

“I don’t have much help most of the time. It’s hard to afford other people.” He shrugged. “I’ve had a lot of offers to sell the ranch, and I know I could make a lot of money selling the land, but this is part of my family’s heritage. I want to make it work. I know I can make it work.”

“I can understand that.”

Carl grunted and looked away. “I’m just saying we’re both getting something out of this, so keep that in mind. I’m grateful, bro.”

“So am I, Carl. So am I.”

He nodded toward the stable. “Everything you need should be in the cabinet. Holler if you need anything else.” He turned and started walking away. After a couple of yards, he stopped and looked over his shoulder, a frown on his face.

“Yes?” I said. “What’s up?”

Carl furrowed his brow as if he were going to say something but then shrugged and walked away.

Something was going on. I knew it. There was something he was holding back from me. I wasn’t as worried anymore about Carl being upset that I’d come. A night of good, solid, nightmare-free sleep and the little talk we’d just had convinced me of that.

If anything, it seemed like it was the opposite, but that only made me think more about what he might be wanting to tell me.

I watched him as he walked away, thinking about what might be bothering a man like Carl. He was many things, including a good friend and rancher, but he wasn’t a complex guy. He never gave a crap about most things other than his friends, beer, and the ranch.

I turned toward the stable. It didn’t matter. At least not then. I wanted what he had, a simple life around people who liked him, and I didn’t want to mess that up by pressing him on some secret he didn’t want to reveal. Whatever secret he was holding onto, he’d tell me eventually, and I’d deal with it then.