Cowboy Lullaby (The Boones of Texas 6)

“Stop it.” But Tandy couldn’t hold back the laugh. She was so tired, it felt good to laugh. Laughing was a superior reaction to crying. “You two could talk to him, you know. You’re his friends just as much as I am.”

Renata rolled her eyes. “Please, Tandy.” She shook her head. “Your name is tattooed on his body. Yours. Not mine. Not Scarlett. I’m thinking, since you have prime real estate on that holy-wow body, you’re special.”

Holy wow was right. She’d tried to hang curtains over the view of Lynnie’s house, but the wall had wood rot and the curtain rod collapsed to the floor. She’d seen him each night, walking the porch and in her dreams. Some nights she’d had to take a cold shower to ease the ache he caused.

“Whatever,” she said. “See you later.”

“You better get a lot of ice cream,” Renata called out, climbing into Scarlett’s small SUV.

She waved and pushed into the Old Town Soda Shoppe, eager to move on to another topic. Instead, she saw Click sitting at a table, Pearl in a high chair across from him.

“Ta-dee!” Pearl yelled. “Da-gee!” She clapped.

Tandy waved back.

Click had been bent over the table, propped on his elbow. Pearl’s declaration had him jerking upright.

Was he sleeping? She crossed the store, truly concerned by Click’s appearance. His eyes were bloodshot, a heavy stubble covered his jaw and his normally starched-and-pressed app

earance...wasn’t.

“When did you sleep last?” she asked, giving him a thorough once-over. He looked worn out and then some. “You okay?”

He ran a hand over his face. “I’m good.”

She stared at him. She’d done her best not to think about him this week. He hadn’t texted for that walk, and she wasn’t going to make the offer twice. But seeing him this way stirred a twinge of guilt.

“You don’t look good.” Don’t get involved. Don’t ask questions. Smile and leave. She wasn’t responsible for him or Pearl... But she was sitting down, smiling at Banshee as he sat next to Pearl’s high chair. He endured her sticky-finger pats, his long tongue lapping up any ice cream lingering on Pearl’s little hands. “How are you, Pearl? Having ice cream?” she asked.

“She’s a mess,” Click said, as if only now seeing his daughter. She was a mess, sticky and sweet and adorable. Nothing to get worked up over. But he was pushing out of his chair.

“Sit down before you fall down, Click,” Tandy said gently, giving up the fight. For Pearl. She drew in a deep breath. “Let me help. I’ve probably earned a million-plus fieldwork hours with my cousins’ kids.”

“A million plus?” He sat, his jaw locking as he glanced her way. “You’re working just as many hours as I am.”

Meaning he’d been keeping tabs on her, too?

“It’s a new job,” she said, her only explanation. He didn’t need to hear about it, that much was clear. “You can’t take care of Pearl if you’re not taking care of yourself.” She dug through the diaper bag, finding the wipes and pulling two out. She grinned at Pearl as she wiped the remaining stickiness from her pink cheeks and the tip of her little nose. Banshee had already taken care of the ice cream, but Tandy wiped down her fingers and hands all the same. “Thanks for the help, Banshee.”

Click ran another hand over his face, stifling a yawn.

“Click?” she asked. “What’s going on?”

His shoulders drooped, his gaze fixed on the glass of melted ice cream. From the whipped cream and cherry floating on top, it had once been a sundae of some sort. “I’ve had Pearl for...” He paused, staring at the ceiling. “...thirteen days? Two weeks? It’s all starting to run together.”

“You normally just have her for weekends?” she asked. “Guess that’s the normal custody arrangement.”

Click shook his head. “No. I mean, I wouldn’t know.”

Her chest grew tight and heavy. “Did Pearl’s mom... Did she die?” she whispered, looking at the baby. Click had seen more than his fair share of loss.

He shook his head.

She was relieved, yet confused. Until the pieces fell into place. “You mean this is the only time you’ve had her—ever?” Tandy asked. It was the only thing that made sense. Click didn’t have that natural comfort level a father develops with time. Not for a baby this age. He was scared, uncertain, but doing the best he could. But why? He wasn’t the sort to turn his back on his obligations. Well, not the Click she’d thought she’d known.

His gaze fixed on his daughter. He cleared his throat. “Pearl’s mom is in rehab. She told me I was a father right before she left Pearl with me.”

He hadn’t known? And now, he was on his own? Caregiver to a baby he barely knew...