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.”
38
Cowgirls Don’t Cry
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?”
Jessie shook her head. “Tea would be fine. I think if I start drinking I won’t stop and that won’t help anyone.”
After they settled in wicker rockers in the three-season porch, Skylar sighed. “I thought the girls would sleep in this morning after their late night at the wedding reception, but they were up at the crack of dawn, as usual. They definitely take after their father in that respect.”
How would Landon take after Luke? Just in looks? Or in temperament?
Jessie braced herself for more questions because Skylar wouldn’t pull any punches.
“I hope you don’t think I’m taking advantage of the situation, but there’s something else I needed to talk to you about anyway.”
That didn’t sound very good. “Am I in trouble?”
“No. Not even close. Despite the circumstances that brought you to Sky Blue, Jessie, I’m thrilled to have you working for me.”
“But?” she prompted.
“But it seems the dynamic in the daycare has changed in the last year. I’ve always had the daycare for just my employee’s children, but with those kids growing up we’ve got vacancies. Even my girls aren’t around fulltime anymore.”
“You thinking of opening up the daycare for non-employees?”
“Just family. You, naturally, for as long as Landon needs it. I know India has been dropping Hudson off occasionally and taking Ellison with her to the shop. Ginger needs to go back to work soon, but she
39
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doesn’t want to put the burden of caring for twins on Kade and Kane’s mother Kimi, although Kimi has volunteered.” Skylar smiled. “Grama Kimi loves her grandbabies. She’d happily take all three of our girls and all three of Kane and Ginger’s kids every day.”
Kimi McKay was the mother-in-law Jessie wished she’d had. Vivacious, caring, fun, fiercely protective of her family, yet the blonde spitfire didn’t take any crap from either of her twin sons or her husband or the rest of the McKay clan.
“Ginger and I talked last night at Keely’s wedding reception, she weighed her options, and I sort of volunteered the daycare at Sky Blue.”
“Of course you did, she’s your family. And it’s your business Sky, you can do whatever you want.”
“True. I just don’t want to take advantage of the situation, or you, especially now that Landon will be part of the mix.”
Jessie was quiet for a minute or so while she considered the options. “To be honest, it’d be easiest for everyone if we could arrange it so the twins and Landon weren’t there the same days.”
“Ginger plans to work four days a week. Have you given any thought to what Landon’s schedule will be?”
“Brandt and I discussed having Landon come on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”
“So it’s okay if I tell Ginger Tuesdays and Thursdays work best? The babies won’t start coming for another two weeks.”
“Sure. Thanks, Sky, you have no idea how much…”
Don’t cry because once you start you won’t be
able to stop.
Jessie sipped her tea and tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
“Okay, now that we’re done with the business portion of this conversation, Jess, tell me how you’re really doing.”
“I’m…”
A mess.
“Handling it. Yes, I’m in shock. Yes, I’m pissed off. Really pissed off at Luke on so many levels I don’t think I’ve even discovered them all yet. And this probably will sound horrible, but right after Brandt told me about this kid, I wanted to hate him. Before I ever laid eyes on him. I thought I could look at him and not feel a goddamned thing.
“But when I saw him? I didn’t see a dead ringer for Luke, or a kid who should’ve been my son. I saw a lost little boy. A kid who wouldn’t have anyone to see to his basic needs if not for Brandt stepping up to the plate. But Brandt is smart enough to admit he can’t do it alone. He’s also smart enough to know that if he left Landon’s future in his father’s hands, Casper would take legal action to ensure the boy’s mother never saw her son again. Landon doesn’t need that. None of us needs that. What Landon needs is the stability Brandt and I can provide until his mother cleans up her act.”
When Jessie looked up because Skylar hadn’t made a peep, her gut constricted at the tears rolling down Sky’s face.
Shit.
40
Cowgirls Don’t Cry
“I promised myself I wouldn’t do this.” Skylar swept her fingertips under her eyes. “And I agree with Kade. I was tempted to track Brandt down, grab a two by four and beat him over the head for acting so much like his father.” She shook her head. “But between your call and you showing up here, I’ve had time to rethink my original response, and Brandt’s head is safe.”
“Because you’ve come to the same conclusion everyone else will?” she asked tightly. “That I’m a spineless twit?”
Skylar’s eyes filled with shock. “God no. I think you’re closer to a saint.”
Jessie scowled. “I’m far from that, Sky, trust me.”
“Listen, I understand why Brandt asked you. Not because you’re spineless. Not because you’re a sucker. But because you’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I know,”
She was highly unnerved with the conversation. It was disconcerting to be praised for something she hadn’t yet done, when she knew it’d be a miracle if she made it through the next four hours, let alone the next four months.
“And now that I’ve made you uncomfortable, let’s talk about something else.” Ice rattled as Skylar fiddled with her tea glass. “Why didn’t you stick around for the bouquet toss last night at Keely’s wedding?”
“It would’ve been awkward since it was Luke’s family’s event. Plus, I’m not eager to get married again. Especially not after being blindsided with proof of my husband’s infidelity.” And she’d been doing so well keeping a lid on the whining. “Who caught the bouquet? Ramona West? I think she might’ve actually brought a catcher’s mitt.”
“No. Some family friend from down by Casper’s section of the ranch. She seemed to know Dalton.
I’ve never seen her before. Sorry, but I don’t remember her name.”
“That’s okay.” Jessie stood. “I should be going. I appreciate you taking time out of your day off to talk to me, Sky.”
“Like I said, anytime. Kade meant it too. Anything you need, just ask us. Not because I’m your boss but because you’re family.”
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Chapter Four
Now that Brandt was waiting on his brothers to show up, he’d begun to have doubts. Maybe Tell and Dalton wouldn’t want to help out with Landon. God knew they were scarce as soon as the workday ended and they spent most Monday mornings sharing the down and dirty details of their wild weekends.
You ain’t exactly a saint. You’ve ripped it up plenty. Especially in the last ten months.
Landon’s face turned red, he grunted and the odor chased the air from Brandt’s living room. Sighing, Brandt grabbed a diaper and had just finished changing Landon when his brothers burst in.
Tell and Dalton stopped inside the door, noses wrinkled. “I don’t know what the hell you’ve been eatin’, bro, but it’s nasty…” Dalton’s voice trailed away when Landon scampered off the couch.
Before the little devil could make a break for the open door, Brandt snatched the back of his overalls.
“Whoa, not so fast there, partner.” To Tell, he said, “Would you please shut the damn door?”
“Ah. Sure.” Once the latch clicked, Brandt released Landon.
But the boy stopped, apparently scared by the two bigger men. Tell and Dalton topped Brandt’s five feet ten by a good four inches, and while he’d hated being the shortest of his brothers, he’d never considered their height imposing. But then again everything probably seemed enormous when you were only two feet tall.
They stared at one another in silence, but Dalton or Tell were focused solely on Landon.
Dalton cleared his throat. “Uh, Brandt, you wanna tell us what’s goin’ on? Why you’ve got a kid here that looks exactly like—”
“Luke,” Tell finished.
“No, I was gonna say like a mini-version of Brandt.”
Tell strode over and crouched in front of Landon. “Hey, buddy. You don’t gotta be scared.”
Landon blinked those McKay blue eyes at Tell and shrank against Brandt’s leg.
Brandt rubbed his hand over Landon’s head. “This is Landon. He’s Luke’s son.”
“For sure?” Tell asked.
“Yeah. Did the paternity test and everything.”
Dalton whistled. “I’ll be damned.”
“How long have you known about him?” This from Tell.
“A month.”
Both sets of his brothers’ eyes zoomed to him.
Cowgirls Don’t Cry
“Look. Samantha, Landon’s mother, contacted me. Fed me this story about her and Luke…which turned out to be completely true. But I didn’t believe her, not at first, which is why I insisted on a paternity test before I told you guys.”
“Jesus. You’ve worked with us every goddamn day for a freakin’ month and you couldn’t let us know this was goin’ on?”
Brandt held Dalton’s angry gaze. “No. First of all, it’s been a rough month anyway, with Dad bein’ a first class jackass about how bad we—I—fucked up by lettin’ the north pasture stay fallow this year. I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up about Landon in case it was bullshit. Second, because Samantha asked me not to.”
“I don’t think she gets a say in nothin’ since she’s kept Luke’s kid a secret from us,” Dalton shot back.
“Chill out, Dalton,” Tell said. He pinned Brandt with a hard look. “Start from the beginning.”
By the time he’d finished, Dalton had plopped in the easy chair and Tell had coaxed Landon into sitting on the floor with him.
“Well, Mom and Dad are gonna shit bricks.”
“Ya think? That’s why I need you guys to go over there with me when we break the news about their first grandchild.”
“Oh hell no. I ain’t gonna pretend I knew anything about this. You know how dad is, Brandt.”
“Which is exactly my point. We’ve gotta show him we’re united on this, on doin’ what’s best for Landon.”
“Given the fact Luke is dead, if this Samantha chick is goin’ to jail, then Dad will wanna sue for permanent guardianship,” Tell pointed out.
“I won’t allow that to happen. Before you argue that turnin’ Landon over to Mom and Dad is the best option, I’ll remind you this is a temporary situation. And if we show Samantha we want Landon to be part of our lives, without the threat of takin’ him away from her, the better it’ll be for everybody in the long run.” Brandt glanced down at Landon, surprised the rambunctious kid was sitting still.
“You so sure Samantha will want her kid back when she gets outta jail?”
No.
Brandt wasn’t surprised his brothers had voiced the same question Jessie had. “I’ve got no choice but to believe it.”
Dalton and Tell traded a skeptical look before Tell spoke. “Fine. We’re with you on this. But how in the hell do you plan to baby-sit this kid for the next four months? We’ve got a ranch to run. I’ll remind you the workload has increased since Luke died and Dad ain’t doin’ diddly anymore.”
“It’d be really shitty if you expect Mom to watch Landon all the time and then in four months just snatch him away from her like he didn’t exist,” Dalton added.
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That option wasn’t any better for Jessie, either. “I know. Which is why I’m gonna suggest Mom watches him one weekday, and then the three of us could rotate and take over on the other weekday and I’d have him on weekends.”
Tell frowned. “And what about the three other days during the workweek?”
Brandt said, “Jessie has agreed to take Landon to Sky Blue daycare those three days,” and braced himself for their reaction.
“Jessie knows about this?”
“I told her last night after the wedding reception.”
Dalton launched himself out of the chair. “You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me! You not only blabbed to Jessie about Luke’s bastard child, you asked her to help you take care of him?” He stomped closer and loomed over his older brother. “Is this your way of makin’ sure she hates you so you can stay the hell away from her for good?”