Chapter 13

It was Friday and Mike Paul was in a good mood. Had been all week. Heck, even his mother couldn’t shake him out of it. She’d stopped by the office the night before—had used the excuse of wanting to make sure he had all the family Christmas dates in order—but he’d seen through it. She’d been hankering for a sit down since the bachelor auction the week before.

Melody Darlington wanted the skinny on how his so-called date had gone with Ivy because she was concerned. He got that. She was his mama, after all. And because she was his mama, he tossed her a bone to keep her happy. Then kept the conversation short and sweet, just like he liked them.

“I already did the deed,” he’d said with a smile.

“What do you mean by that?” He saw the alarm and chuckled to himself.

“We spent Wednesday together.” He wouldn’t give her much to gnaw on, only enough to satisfy her curiosity. He didn’t have all day.

“That so?” She played with the edges of her scarf. “Doing what exactly?”

“What do you think?” He winked, but she didn’t fall for it. She gave him the same no-nonsense look she’d been using since he was five. It still worked.

“She came on the road with me.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “To do what?”

“We took care of some business. Visited a few ranches and farms. Delivered a foal.”

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but he changed the subject. “You talk to Cobi today?”

“No. Why?”

He shrugged. “She left a message for me. Asked me to call her. I was wondering if everything was okay, is all.” He left out the part where Cobi had said, no worries, all was well. She just wanted to ask a favor. Did he feel guilty stirring the pot? Hell no. He was looking for an out with his mother, and his sister was going to take the hit.

“That girl will be the death of me, I swear.” His mom checked her phone. “Nothing.”

“It probably wasn’t important.”

“I’ll have to swing by her place and see.”

Operation Distract Mother was a success.

“I have to go.” Melody Darlington left as quickly as she’d come. But Mike Paul knew sooner or later she’d put him on the spot. Corner him like a badger, and he’d have to give her more. But until then, he could relax, knowing he’d bought himself a few days.

Saturday morning rolled around like any other before it. Mike Paul was up early. Took Weiner and Bun out for a walk before the sun was up. It had been cold as hell, but the dogs needed to let off some steam, so he let them have at it. Once they’d sniffed and peed on every lump of snow and tree they could find, he’d wrangled them up and headed back to the house, where he’d enjoyed his coffee from the comfort of his home.

Recently cleaned by a lovely lady named Janelle, it smelled good, and more importantly, there were no balls of fur sticking to his socks or clinging to the corners. Arlene, angel that she was, had brought him a pan of freshly made brownies, a plate of cookies, and something amazing called Christmas Crunch. The brownies and cookies he’d take to the Sundowner. The Christmas Crunch he’d keep for himself.

By seven a.m., he was dressed in warm clothes, and with the dogs on his heels he headed for the barn. Nate, the guy who cleared snow from his driveway and parking lot, was just finishing up, and now that it was light out, he noticed an older model Chevy off to the side. The snow had been cleared around the vehicle, and there was at least an inch of the stuff covering the entire truck.

He knew the vehicle and frowned as he waved at Nate and jogged to the barn. It was quiet, which wasn’t all that surprising considering he currently only housed a potbellied pig that had been abandoned, an old horse in quarantine that would eventually make it out to Taz Pullman’s sanctuary, two mama cats and their kittens, a female shepherd about to have her pups, and two goats with foot rot that he’d been treating for two days.

He glanced at his dogs and gave them the command to stay. No sense in waking everyone up at the moment.

He didn’t bother with lights; there was enough of the natural stuff coming in through the windows, and he slowly walked through the barn, eyes on a prone figure at the far end. Once he got close enough, he knew it was Jacob on a bale of hay curled onto his side. Mike Paul kept the barn at a comfortable temperature, so the kid wasn’t cold, but he was dressed in his winter gear.

He thought back to what Arlene had shared the week before and figured things must be bad for the kid if he was sleeping in his barn.

Mike Paul decided to look in on the animals before he woke him, and with Weiner and Bun following him around, he managed to feed them all without waking the kid, save for the old horse. He’d just filled a bucket with feed and grabbed some hay when a noise caught his attention. Jacob stood a few feet away, hands in his front pockets, eyes averted.

“Hey,” Jacob said, voice gruff and scratchy.

The kid’s clothes were rumpled, and his jeans looked dirty—and not the kind of dirty you paid big bucks for. The kind of dirty that meant he’d been wearing them for days. Mike Paul pointed behind Jacob.

“Grab the wheelbarrow and follow me. We’ll talk after breakfast.”

Jacob complied without a word, and the two of them finished up the barn chores, listening to the soft knickers from Alf, the horse, and the excited bleats from the goats as they fought each other for the last scraps of food. Once everything was done, he locked up, and Jacob followed him up to the house. They both stomped inside, shedding snow from their boots, and once they doffed them, he grabbed Jacob’s winter coat.

“Wash up. The bathroom is down the hall.”

There was still the faintest bruise beneath Jacob’s eye, but Mike Paul couldn’t see any other evidence of abuse. Still, there was a story here, and he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be anything good.

He had a fresh pot of coffee brewing and eggs and bacon on the go when Jacob slid onto a stool. His bony shoulders were hunched forward, his eyes downcast.

“Juice is in the fridge.” Mike Paul looked over his shoulder. “How do you like your eggs?”

For a moment, the boy said nothing, and when he finally spoke, it was obvious he was close to tears.

“Sunnyside.”

Angry at the thought of what might have transpired, Mike Paul got busy chopping an onion and kept his mouth closed. It wasn’t time to get into it. He tossed bread into the toaster and proceeded to make a mountain of food. And later, after the kid had eaten enough eggs and bacon to feed at least three adults, Jacob got up and started clearing away the dishes.

“Hold on with that,” Mike Paul said quietly. “Let’s talk.”

Jacob slowly set down a juice glass and then walked over to the sofa. Weiner, sensing something was off with the teen, sidled up alongside him and practically sat on his lap, tail wagging crazily.

Mike Paul sat down across from Jacob. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Jacob’s foot tapped. His hands were clenched, and he stared at the floor. Long, silent moments passed, and then the kid sighed and shrugged. “I got locked out of the house. Didn’t think you’d care if I crashed in the barn.”

“You don’t have a key?” Mike Paul kept his voice neutral while inside, he raged. He knew the reputation Jacob’s father had. He was a no-good drunk with a mean streak and a nasty drug habit to boot.

“It’s a code, and I…” Jacob kicked at the edge of the coffee table. “I forgot it.”

Mike Paul didn’t believe that for a second. “Is it true your mom left town?”

Jacob’s head shot up at that. His eyes shimmered, and it was obvious he was fighting back tears. He was full up with anger and pain and fear.

Manley Bridgestone, his buddy Cal’s dad, had been a drunk up until a few years ago. This right here was familiar. And it was tragic.

Jacob nodded but didn’t answer. He went back to staring at the floor.

“How bad are things?” Mike Paul asked, concerned and angry for the kid. He wasn’t sure Jacob was going to answer, but then he looked up.

“He’s been on a bender for days now, and last night, he had a bunch of people in the house. People I didn’t know. They’re not from Big Bend, and I…they…I don’t like them. He tried to pick a fight with me. Came after me with an empty bottle of Jack. I left but not before…”

“Before?” he prodded.

Jacob’s face fell. “Not before I took a swipe at him. Clocked him, but good. I’ve never seen him that pissed. He looked insane, you know?” Jacob shook his head, and his voice dropped. “I had to leave because he would have killed me if I stayed.”

Mike Paul slowly got to his feet. He walked over to Jacob. “Tell you what we’re going to do. You’ll stay here for the weekend. Grab a shower, and I’ll get you some clean clothes that should fit. We’ll give your dad a chance to cool off, and then I’ll go see him tomorrow night.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. You seeing him.” Jacob sounded small, and that fed Mike Paul’s anger. No parent had the right to do that to a child.

“We’ll figure it out as we go.” Mike Paul pointed to the stairs. “Shower’s at the top. The far end of the hall. There’s a spare bedroom to the left of it. I’ll leave some clothes on the bed.”

He stood aside as Jacob got to his feet. “Things will be okay,” he said softly. He wanted them to be true, but also know that they were empty words because Mike Paul had no control over the future.

Jacob shrugged. “Doubt it,” was all he said.

Weiner followed Jacob while Bun stood at Mike Paul’s feet, both of them watching as Jacob disappeared upstairs. He looked down at the dog and ruffled the back of his head, giving a good scratch between the ears, then got busy cleaning up from breakfast.

Jacob stayed in the room most of the day—he’d fallen asleep after his shower. Mike Paul didn’t bother him. Figured he needed the rest. Figured that more than that, the kid needed some space. Plus, he had a party to get ready for himself.

Around five, he checked on his animals, gave out meds and fed them, then hopped in the shower. He was supposed to be at the Sundowner by six o’clock and would be late, but extenuating circumstances and all that.

There’d been no contact from Ivy since Wednesday. He wasn’t too worried. Absence was supposed to make the heart grow fonder. Could be it was a load of crap, but Mike Paul hoped it was true. After all, this endeavor was a delicate matter and had to be handled properly. Besides, he knew she was going—he’d asked Millie Sue. Even better, he knew that Lafferty wasn’t back from Japan yet. That tidbit he’d seen online—the athlete had been pictured at some fancy car reveal party hours earlier.

It was a sad state indeed that he was googling a damn baseball player.

It was just before six, and he was busy writing Jacob a note telling him there was pizza on the counter when there was a knock at the door. The dogs, who in another life were vicious wolves, began to bark like the place was being robbed. He held up his hand, and they immediately stopped, though the two of them trailed behind him when he opened the door.

“Hey.” His sister smiled, though it quickly faded when she must have seen the surprise on his face. “I knew you’d forget, Jesus, Mike Paul.”

“What? No. I didn’t forget.”

He wracked his brain for something to break loose, because why in hell was his sister standing in front of him with a baby bag and a little bundle of pink wrapped up in a car carrier?

She set down the bag and smiled, her relief obvious. “Okay, everything you need is in here. I’ve pumped a massive amount of milk.” Cobi chuckled and stared down at her chest. “Who knew these things could produce copious amounts of that stuff?”

“Okay,” Mike Paul sputtered. “Your boobs are not something I want to think about.”

“She’s taken to the bottle like a champ, and I won’t be longer than a couple hours. I’ll meet you later.”

“I’m taking the baby.”

Cobi glanced up, accusation all over her face. “You forgot.”

There was no point in denying it, so he said nothing.

“We had a conversation last night?”

Damn. Right. The favor. “Hey, but I’ve got this thing,” he said, as if that was explanation enough.

“I know. I have that same thing to attend. Did you not listen to anything I said?”

Apparently not. “I might be light on the details,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Before Friend Christmas at the Sundowner, I have the other thing that I desperately need, and this is the only time I could get in before the holidays. Brandy is doing me a favor. I mean, look at my ends.” She yanked on her hair.

Her hair looked fine to Mike Paul.

“And my nails.” She shoved her hands in his face. “And every other part of me. I just want to feel normal again.”

“You’re only a few weeks out from having a baby. I think you need to give it some time.” Personally, he thought his sister looked great.

“It’s a Christmas party. I need to look good.”

He got it. Sort of. “And you didn’t ask Mom because…”

Cobi made a face. “We got into it about the sperm bank thing. She was asking too many questions, wanting to see the paperwork and all the details. I don’t want her to know how Belinda was conceived. God, I’d never hear the end of it.” Mike Paul was the only soul on the planet who knew Cobi had gone on a business trip to Austin, and had come home pregnant.

“Those one-night stands will bite you in the butt every time,” he quipped.

She glared at him. “You want to debate men and sex and responsibilities with me right now?”

“No. But I don’t think you’re giving mom enough credit.” He’d never understood the tension between his sister and their mother because, unlike his own easy relationship, theirs was a tangled mess most of the time.

Cobi waved her hands in the air. “She’s too judgemental.” She winked. “Besides, my baby girl loves her uncle, and it will only be for a few hours. I just fed her, and she probably won’t wake up anyway. I’ll be at the Sundowner by eight.” Cobi bent low and pressed a kiss to her newborn. “I owe you big time.”

“You do and I aim to collect.”

“See you in a couple of hours.” She cranked her neck and looked past him. “Who’s that?”

Mike Paul turned and caught sight of Jacob, who stood at the bottom of the stairs. The teenager gave a small wave and shoved his hands back into his front pockets. “I’m Jacob.”

“Oh, nice to meet you.” She gave Mike Paul a curious glance, but it was loaded. He knew she’d have questions. “I’ll see you at the Sundowner.”

Then, like a storm that swirled in a mad circle and left in seconds, Cobi Darlington disappeared into the night, leaving Mike Paul a bit dazed.

Jacob shuffled over. The jeans he’d given the kid were a bit long and too big in the waist, but they held up okay with an old belt. And the sweatshirt, while oversized on his thin frame, was on point with what the kids wore these days. His hair was on the long side and curled around his neck, while his jaw was shadowed with peach fuzz.

“What’s that?” Jacob asked, eyes glued to the car seat. The baby was hardly visible, with a pink fuzzy hat that practically smothered her.

“It’s not a what. It’s a who.” Mike Paul fixed the hat, then grabbed his keys off the hook by the door. He activated the remote start for his truck. “She’s my niece, and she’s pretty new.” He glanced at the pizza box, then made an executive decision. “I’ve got to watch her for a couple of hours, so she’ll be coming with us.”

“Us?” Jacob’s head shot up. “Where are we going?”

“Family dinner with friends.”

“I don’t do family dinners.” Churlish, the kid dug in and shook his head.

“You’re going to do this one.” Mike Paul nodded toward the young man’s jacket and boots. “Non-negotiable.”

He waited—thought that maybe he’d get some pushback—but was surprised when Jacob gave an exaggerated sigh and walked over to his boots. While the boy got dressed for outdoors, Mike Paul slipped into his leather jacket, double checked to make sure Belinda was secure in her baby carrier, then nodded toward the kitchen where the trays Arlene had brought the day before sat.

“Grab those will ya?”

“Anything else, captain?”

Mike Paul smiled to himself. “That should do it.”

The three of them headed off into the early winter evening. A man. A baby. And a surly teen.

Not exactly the Saturday night he’d been expecting, but Mike Paul was okay with that. He still had plans to execute. It was time to ramp things up. The clock was ticking, after all, and he wasn’t above using a little extra sugar to get what he wanted.

Maybe a cute baby was the perfect way to level up.