Read Online The Cowboy's Little Surprise by Barbara White Daille - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara White Daille
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just getting to know the two older boys.
“All right, Trey.” Andi lifted him down from his high chair. “You be good and play nice.”
The kid didn’t look much younger than Scott, yet as he toddled along, he seemed uncertain on his feet. Since his nephew had been just as shaky when they’d met at the diner a few months ago for their Christmas dinner, Cole knew enough now to shorten his stride.
What he didn’t know was what it would have been like to see his own son like a newborn calf trying out his legs. Taking his first steps. And maybe tumbling a time or two until he got the hang of things.
Thanks to Tina, there were a lot of things he’d never know.
The thought made him stop in his tracks.
Beside him, Andi’s son stopped, too, and tugged on Cole’s jeans. “Me go?”
“Yeah,” Cole said. “Don’t you worry, pardner. We’re going.” He wasn’t about to miss this chance to spend some time with Robbie, especially now he could be in a room without the boy’s mama watching like a hawk.
He had seen her face when he’d stood to leave the dining room. It was clear she didn’t want him with his own kid without her there to supervise.
The two boys had lined up the collection of plastic horses on the sitting room floor. Cole walked between the toys, watching where he set his heavy boots and keeping an eye out for anything in the kid’s path.
They took seats on the floor, Trey crawling over to the boys and Cole leaning up against the couch. To his surprise, Jed entered the room holding Andi’s daughter. “I thought you and the girls were busy making plans.”
“They’re talking drapes and comforters, so I left them to it. I’ll be on hand when they get into the more important stuff.” He took a seat in the low-slung chair near the couch. “Thought I’d keep you company for a bit.”
Or had Tina sent his boss to take her hawk-eyed place?
But no need for such a crazy notion. If he could believe what she’d said—that Jed and Paz didn’t know about the boy—she could hardly have asked Jed to observe him with Robbie.
Cole stretched his legs out, crossing his boots at the ankle. From this position, he could see the boys and Jed.
As he sat watching the old man with the baby cradled in his big, gnarled hands, he had to swallow another wave of resentment at Tina.
He had meant it when he’d told her there was no sense wasting any more time. Thinking of all he had missed of his son’s life, he looked at Jed with his great-granddaughter and shook his head.
Obviously unaware of Cole’s train of thought, Jed caught his reaction and grinned. “Nothing like it.”
For a second, he felt like spilling his guts to the man. But that wouldn’t help the situation. He remained silent about his newfound fatherhood and went into the role he hoped he could play. “Holding a newborn? No, thanks, I’ll pass. Keeping an eye on Scott’s more than enough for me.”
“Not just the holding, but the having,” Jed said solemnly. “Knowing a part of Mary and me lives on in this little girl, there’s nothing like that feeling. Nothing like family.”
Cole didn’t respond.
“Got any plans for settling down yet?”
“No.”
Not yet. Not ever.
He’d learned the hard way marriage wasn’t in the picture for him.
“Ah, you’re young. You’ll change your mind.”
“I doubt it.”
“Then maybe some young lady will change it for you, the way my Mary did mine. Considering the handful of women we’ve got here in the hotel right now, you ought to find one to strike your fancy.”
Cole laughed. “What are you trying to do, get your granddaughters married off?”
“Might be.” The old man looked thoughtful. “I just wish—” He stared into space.
After a few moments of watching him, Cole frowned. “What are you wishing for?”
“Nothing we need to discuss.”
The statement and his abrupt tone came as a surprise.
“Being hardheaded doesn’t get a person very far,” Jed continued.
“All right, Trey.” Andi lifted him down from his high chair. “You be good and play nice.”
The kid didn’t look much younger than Scott, yet as he toddled along, he seemed uncertain on his feet. Since his nephew had been just as shaky when they’d met at the diner a few months ago for their Christmas dinner, Cole knew enough now to shorten his stride.
What he didn’t know was what it would have been like to see his own son like a newborn calf trying out his legs. Taking his first steps. And maybe tumbling a time or two until he got the hang of things.
Thanks to Tina, there were a lot of things he’d never know.
The thought made him stop in his tracks.
Beside him, Andi’s son stopped, too, and tugged on Cole’s jeans. “Me go?”
“Yeah,” Cole said. “Don’t you worry, pardner. We’re going.” He wasn’t about to miss this chance to spend some time with Robbie, especially now he could be in a room without the boy’s mama watching like a hawk.
He had seen her face when he’d stood to leave the dining room. It was clear she didn’t want him with his own kid without her there to supervise.
The two boys had lined up the collection of plastic horses on the sitting room floor. Cole walked between the toys, watching where he set his heavy boots and keeping an eye out for anything in the kid’s path.
They took seats on the floor, Trey crawling over to the boys and Cole leaning up against the couch. To his surprise, Jed entered the room holding Andi’s daughter. “I thought you and the girls were busy making plans.”
“They’re talking drapes and comforters, so I left them to it. I’ll be on hand when they get into the more important stuff.” He took a seat in the low-slung chair near the couch. “Thought I’d keep you company for a bit.”
Or had Tina sent his boss to take her hawk-eyed place?
But no need for such a crazy notion. If he could believe what she’d said—that Jed and Paz didn’t know about the boy—she could hardly have asked Jed to observe him with Robbie.
Cole stretched his legs out, crossing his boots at the ankle. From this position, he could see the boys and Jed.
As he sat watching the old man with the baby cradled in his big, gnarled hands, he had to swallow another wave of resentment at Tina.
He had meant it when he’d told her there was no sense wasting any more time. Thinking of all he had missed of his son’s life, he looked at Jed with his great-granddaughter and shook his head.
Obviously unaware of Cole’s train of thought, Jed caught his reaction and grinned. “Nothing like it.”
For a second, he felt like spilling his guts to the man. But that wouldn’t help the situation. He remained silent about his newfound fatherhood and went into the role he hoped he could play. “Holding a newborn? No, thanks, I’ll pass. Keeping an eye on Scott’s more than enough for me.”
“Not just the holding, but the having,” Jed said solemnly. “Knowing a part of Mary and me lives on in this little girl, there’s nothing like that feeling. Nothing like family.”
Cole didn’t respond.
“Got any plans for settling down yet?”
“No.”
Not yet. Not ever.
He’d learned the hard way marriage wasn’t in the picture for him.
“Ah, you’re young. You’ll change your mind.”
“I doubt it.”
“Then maybe some young lady will change it for you, the way my Mary did mine. Considering the handful of women we’ve got here in the hotel right now, you ought to find one to strike your fancy.”
Cole laughed. “What are you trying to do, get your granddaughters married off?”
“Might be.” The old man looked thoughtful. “I just wish—” He stared into space.
After a few moments of watching him, Cole frowned. “What are you wishing for?”
“Nothing we need to discuss.”
The statement and his abrupt tone came as a surprise.
“Being hardheaded doesn’t get a person very far,” Jed continued.
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