girl, and I will go forth and smite.”
She nodded, fighting the tears for all she was. “He was an ass, Dad, and I just want to feel pretty and wanted and like I’m special.”
Which, okay, was most likely what everyone wanted, but that didn’t change how she felt.
“Of course you do. Just don’t let that get you into trouble, okay? And I don’t mean pregnant, though you ought to be careful on that, too.” He kissed the top of her head.
That made her snort. “What? You’re not ready to be a grandpa?”
“Oh, I am. I could be the best Pappy on earth. But you’re not married.” He winked down at her and patted her back, and Addie wished, for the eighty millionth time, that people would stop being short-sighted assholes and let her dads get married, too. They deserved it, just like she did. “Until you’re ready to think on that, I want you to be careful.”
“I am. I mean, I really am. Condoms are a girl’s best friend.”
“Good girl.” He gave her one last squeeze. “So, you ready to talk about your daddy’s birthday present?”
“Oh, yes! I have the cake ordered for him, and I know Maddie’s having his old saddle repaired. What should I get him?”
Daddy Chris’ birthday was always a blast.
“Well, I figured you could go in with me on a pair of boots. He needs a new dress pair, and you know how vain he is.”
“Oh, I do. I’d love to do that. You thinking snakeskin?”
“Cayman, maybe. He sure liked Mattheus’ boots last spring. Man, that Brazilian can train horses.”
“Is that the green-eyed monster peeking, Dad?”
“Me? Nah.” Her dad grinned wryly, though, which belied his words. “He sure liked your daddy, though.”
“Daddy Chris has an excess of personality.”
“He does. You get that from him.” Dad Brandt’s stomach rumbled. “Wanna go get lunch?”
“God, yes. Race you home?”
He gave her a bright grin, his big brown eyes just dancing. “Last one home has to make the Rice Krispie treats.”
“Oh, the horror. You’re on, old man. I love you in an apron.”
Dad jumped on his horse and wheeled around, taking off like lightning. She whooped and vaulted into the saddle, laughing when Cherry went from zero to gallop in no time. Fool mare hated to be left behind.
By the time the house came into view, she was laughing, head thrown back, the worries of the world just ridden away.
Chapter Six
Bodie stood in the aisle at the Ace hardware, staring at paint chips.
Why he had the sudden urge to paint the guest bath, he had no idea. Could be that a certain redhead might have said it was too bad his master didn’t have two sinks. Apparently shaving was a messy thing. That and his counter didn’t have enough room for all that girlie stuff she was leaving around.
He grinned. She wasn’t that girlie, really, but that didn’t stop him from peering at the thousand and one shades of pink.
“Man, you painting the barn again?” Hector Morales came up, a big boxes of paint stirrers in his arms.
“Nope. Redoing the guest bathroom.”
“Oh. That butter yellow, it’s got a good look to it.”
Bodie nodded, picking out the chip. Away from all the other yellows, the color had a nice, homey appearance that he liked. “I like it. You think I should paint the chair rail brown?”
“I go for white, a lot, but brown works too.”
“Huh.” God, this was crazy. What did it matter if his bathroom was yellow or denim blue? “Primer?”
Hector pointed. “We got a special. Free brushes and drop cloths if you buy both.”
“Well, there you go. Might as well pony up.”
“You ain’t fixin’ to sell, are you?”
“What? No. Where would I go?” Hell, he loved that land.
“Well, nowhere, I hope. You just got things going real good.” Hector shrugged. “You’re not the home decorator type, is all.”
“I know. I also haven’t had anyone to impress in a bit, though.” He almost bit his lip clean through, letting that slip. Hector was a good guy, but
She nodded, fighting the tears for all she was. “He was an ass, Dad, and I just want to feel pretty and wanted and like I’m special.”
Which, okay, was most likely what everyone wanted, but that didn’t change how she felt.
“Of course you do. Just don’t let that get you into trouble, okay? And I don’t mean pregnant, though you ought to be careful on that, too.” He kissed the top of her head.
That made her snort. “What? You’re not ready to be a grandpa?”
“Oh, I am. I could be the best Pappy on earth. But you’re not married.” He winked down at her and patted her back, and Addie wished, for the eighty millionth time, that people would stop being short-sighted assholes and let her dads get married, too. They deserved it, just like she did. “Until you’re ready to think on that, I want you to be careful.”
“I am. I mean, I really am. Condoms are a girl’s best friend.”
“Good girl.” He gave her one last squeeze. “So, you ready to talk about your daddy’s birthday present?”
“Oh, yes! I have the cake ordered for him, and I know Maddie’s having his old saddle repaired. What should I get him?”
Daddy Chris’ birthday was always a blast.
“Well, I figured you could go in with me on a pair of boots. He needs a new dress pair, and you know how vain he is.”
“Oh, I do. I’d love to do that. You thinking snakeskin?”
“Cayman, maybe. He sure liked Mattheus’ boots last spring. Man, that Brazilian can train horses.”
“Is that the green-eyed monster peeking, Dad?”
“Me? Nah.” Her dad grinned wryly, though, which belied his words. “He sure liked your daddy, though.”
“Daddy Chris has an excess of personality.”
“He does. You get that from him.” Dad Brandt’s stomach rumbled. “Wanna go get lunch?”
“God, yes. Race you home?”
He gave her a bright grin, his big brown eyes just dancing. “Last one home has to make the Rice Krispie treats.”
“Oh, the horror. You’re on, old man. I love you in an apron.”
Dad jumped on his horse and wheeled around, taking off like lightning. She whooped and vaulted into the saddle, laughing when Cherry went from zero to gallop in no time. Fool mare hated to be left behind.
By the time the house came into view, she was laughing, head thrown back, the worries of the world just ridden away.
Chapter Six
Bodie stood in the aisle at the Ace hardware, staring at paint chips.
Why he had the sudden urge to paint the guest bath, he had no idea. Could be that a certain redhead might have said it was too bad his master didn’t have two sinks. Apparently shaving was a messy thing. That and his counter didn’t have enough room for all that girlie stuff she was leaving around.
He grinned. She wasn’t that girlie, really, but that didn’t stop him from peering at the thousand and one shades of pink.
“Man, you painting the barn again?” Hector Morales came up, a big boxes of paint stirrers in his arms.
“Nope. Redoing the guest bathroom.”
“Oh. That butter yellow, it’s got a good look to it.”
Bodie nodded, picking out the chip. Away from all the other yellows, the color had a nice, homey appearance that he liked. “I like it. You think I should paint the chair rail brown?”
“I go for white, a lot, but brown works too.”
“Huh.” God, this was crazy. What did it matter if his bathroom was yellow or denim blue? “Primer?”
Hector pointed. “We got a special. Free brushes and drop cloths if you buy both.”
“Well, there you go. Might as well pony up.”
“You ain’t fixin’ to sell, are you?”
“What? No. Where would I go?” Hell, he loved that land.
“Well, nowhere, I hope. You just got things going real good.” Hector shrugged. “You’re not the home decorator type, is all.”
“I know. I also haven’t had anyone to impress in a bit, though.” He almost bit his lip clean through, letting that slip. Hector was a good guy, but
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