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Authors: Barbara White Daille
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whined through the room. He lowered the volume again and tossed the remote onto the coffee table. “If you can take money from Jill’s daddy—”
“Who said I’m accepting anything from him?”
Damn. She supported not one but two kids on her own? “What happened between you?” He hadn’t meant to ask, but now the question hung there, he realized how much he wanted to know.
“That’s not any of your business. And I told you, he’s out of the picture.”
“All the more reason for me to man up and take responsibility.”
“I don’t need your money. I do fine.”
“Mommy.”
Scott’s voice startled them both. They turned toward the door to the hall. The boy stood framed in the doorway, rubbing his eyes just the way he’d done the past couple of nights after Jason settled him in bed.
Tucking his son in at night and reading him a bedtime story—two things he’d never thought he would get the chance to do.
Two things he’d probably never do again if Layne insisted on going back to work and kicking him out of her life.
“The sheriff is coming?” Scott asked.
“No, honey,” Layne said. “That siren you heard was on television.”
“Oh.” He crossed the room and climbed up onto the edge of the couch. Layne still sat back with the pillow against the arm of the chair. Scott leaned against her side.
Jason eyed the boy, then looked at Layne again and said quietly, “I’m not buying into your doing fine, either. Not when you wake up in a sickbed and the first thoughts you have—after your kids—are about the bills you need to pay.”
“Everybody’s got bills.”
“Right. Responsibilities they take care of. So let me take care of mine.” He needed her agreement on this. His self-respect demanded it.
But what exactly had he expected? That he could waltz into town and explain all this to Layne and receive her smile and a handshake? Gentlemen settled their arguments that way. But Layne sure was no gentleman. And she sure didn’t seem interested in ending this argument.
Even fighting the flu—and still fighting him—she was a beautiful woman. She’d always been beautiful to him.
The thoughts had him shifting his gaze back to the television. Physical responses had him shifting in his seat. Neither reaction was going to get him anywhere. He knew better than most what happened when Layne’s stubborn streak or his own took control of their relationship. Plenty of times, they’d dug in their heels over something, fought it out, then made up and made love.
He didn’t have those options anymore. He had to think with his head, not with his...gut reactions. Had to rely on what he knew about her.
“Look, you told me you waitress for Sugar, which means you don’t bring in a salary. You work for an hourly wage and tips, right?”
She nodded.
“Then all these days away from the job had to have set you back. Let me tide you over until you get on your feet.” Let me get you used to accepting financial help from me. Because it’s the least you deserve . “If nothing else, I can buy a few groceries.”
“I’ve got a full refrigerator and pantry.”
“You think so?” He forced a smile. “Not since Scott and I have taken over the kitchen. We’re a couple of growing boys. Right, pardner?” he asked, holding his hand palm-out toward Scott.
“Right!” the kid exclaimed, reaching up for a high five.
The sound of his laugh turned Jason’s smile into a genuine grin.
* * *
“I FORGOT PAPER TOWELS , ” Layne murmured.
They stood in the cereal aisle at the Local-General Store, Cowboy Creek’s primary grocery store, known to the locals as the L-G.
“I’ll backtrack and pick ’em up,” Jason volunteered.
“Me, too, me, too,” Scott insisted.
The idea of the pair of them wandering away together made her edgy, though she wasn’t sure why. They had spent plenty of time together this week.
As they went past her and down the aisle behind her again, she caught sight of Shay
“Who said I’m accepting anything from him?”
Damn. She supported not one but two kids on her own? “What happened between you?” He hadn’t meant to ask, but now the question hung there, he realized how much he wanted to know.
“That’s not any of your business. And I told you, he’s out of the picture.”
“All the more reason for me to man up and take responsibility.”
“I don’t need your money. I do fine.”
“Mommy.”
Scott’s voice startled them both. They turned toward the door to the hall. The boy stood framed in the doorway, rubbing his eyes just the way he’d done the past couple of nights after Jason settled him in bed.
Tucking his son in at night and reading him a bedtime story—two things he’d never thought he would get the chance to do.
Two things he’d probably never do again if Layne insisted on going back to work and kicking him out of her life.
“The sheriff is coming?” Scott asked.
“No, honey,” Layne said. “That siren you heard was on television.”
“Oh.” He crossed the room and climbed up onto the edge of the couch. Layne still sat back with the pillow against the arm of the chair. Scott leaned against her side.
Jason eyed the boy, then looked at Layne again and said quietly, “I’m not buying into your doing fine, either. Not when you wake up in a sickbed and the first thoughts you have—after your kids—are about the bills you need to pay.”
“Everybody’s got bills.”
“Right. Responsibilities they take care of. So let me take care of mine.” He needed her agreement on this. His self-respect demanded it.
But what exactly had he expected? That he could waltz into town and explain all this to Layne and receive her smile and a handshake? Gentlemen settled their arguments that way. But Layne sure was no gentleman. And she sure didn’t seem interested in ending this argument.
Even fighting the flu—and still fighting him—she was a beautiful woman. She’d always been beautiful to him.
The thoughts had him shifting his gaze back to the television. Physical responses had him shifting in his seat. Neither reaction was going to get him anywhere. He knew better than most what happened when Layne’s stubborn streak or his own took control of their relationship. Plenty of times, they’d dug in their heels over something, fought it out, then made up and made love.
He didn’t have those options anymore. He had to think with his head, not with his...gut reactions. Had to rely on what he knew about her.
“Look, you told me you waitress for Sugar, which means you don’t bring in a salary. You work for an hourly wage and tips, right?”
She nodded.
“Then all these days away from the job had to have set you back. Let me tide you over until you get on your feet.” Let me get you used to accepting financial help from me. Because it’s the least you deserve . “If nothing else, I can buy a few groceries.”
“I’ve got a full refrigerator and pantry.”
“You think so?” He forced a smile. “Not since Scott and I have taken over the kitchen. We’re a couple of growing boys. Right, pardner?” he asked, holding his hand palm-out toward Scott.
“Right!” the kid exclaimed, reaching up for a high five.
The sound of his laugh turned Jason’s smile into a genuine grin.
* * *
“I FORGOT PAPER TOWELS , ” Layne murmured.
They stood in the cereal aisle at the Local-General Store, Cowboy Creek’s primary grocery store, known to the locals as the L-G.
“I’ll backtrack and pick ’em up,” Jason volunteered.
“Me, too, me, too,” Scott insisted.
The idea of the pair of them wandering away together made her edgy, though she wasn’t sure why. They had spent plenty of time together this week.
As they went past her and down the aisle behind her again, she caught sight of Shay
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