Read Online The Cowboy's Little Surprise by Barbara White Daille - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara White Daille
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“You’ll learn that sometime, sooner than later if you’re lucky.”
“I’m not hardheaded. I just know my mind.”
“Ha.”
The older man sounded skeptical but didn’t elaborate. He rose from his seat with the baby in one arm. “Think I’ll head into the kitchen and give Paz a turn. She’ll want to hold this little girl, even if you don’t.”
“As I told you, I’ve got enough to do watching Scott. Who knew a three-year-old could be such a handful.”
Jed laughed. “Easy to see you weren’t around much during your nephew’s ‘terrible twos.’ Now, that’s an age for you. We had quite a time of it with Robbie.”
“Did you?” Another of his son’s stages he had missed. “Guess you’ve had your hands full helping out with him since he was born.”
“Me and Paz both,” Jed agreed.
Cole waited, but the older man didn’t add anything. He had responded naturally enough to the comment, though.
After Jed left, Cole sat watching the boys. Scott and Robbie had taken most of the horses, leaving only a couple for Andi’s son, Trey. As the oldest and owner of the toys, Robbie seemed to be in charge.
“What are you doing?” Cole asked. His chest tightened, almost as if he’d held his breath. This was the first conversation he had initiated with his son.
From now on,
everything
that happened would be a first for them.
The boy eyed him without speaking, taking his time with a response. Taking
his
measure, Cole figured. Robbie didn’t seem fearful or wary. Living here in the hotel, he was probably used to having lots of folks around.
Finally, he said, “We’re playing horses.”
“And what’s that?” Cole pointed to two empty cardboard boxes standing on their sides.
“That’s the corral. The ponies have to stay inside.”
“Why?” Andi’s son demanded.
“So they don’t run away.”
“Why do they run away?” Scott asked.
Robbie frowned. “I don’t know.” After a long pause, he turned to Cole. “Why?”
The boy looked like Tina. Even more, his solemn expression made him think of her in their high-school biology class, where she always took things so seriously. She was especially strict while overseeing experiments that, if not for her, he would probably have messed up.
He didn’t want to mess up now. “Well...maybe the ponies want to find other horses to play with. Or maybe they want to break free of the corral.”
“Do you think that’s why they run away?” Robbie asked.
“Could be. They like to be free.”
That’s what he had wanted. To break free. Free from the constant tension he and Layne lived with while their dad was alive. From the sympathy of the folks—the clueless folks—in town once his dad had passed on. And, almost worst of all, from the never-ending reminders they’d hear from their mom, who just couldn’t let memories of the man die with him.
“Then, no more corral.” Laughing, Robbie knocked over his carefully erected pair of boxes. His wide grin again reminded Cole of Tina and the very few times he’d seen her laugh aloud.
Judging by Jed’s nonresponse a few minutes ago, she must have been telling the truth when she’d said no one on the ranch knew about Robbie’s daddy.
Robbie’s daddy.
She sure hadn’t liked him calling himself that.
She had never wanted him to know the truth.
Years ago, he would never have believed sweet Tina capable of such deception.
He had known she’d been hung up on him all through school, but when he’d started asking girls out, he hadn’t looked her way. She was quiet. Reserved. And so serious about so many things he’d had no plans ever to get serious about. He still didn’t.
He had liked her a lot back then. Sometimes he even dreamed about her. But he knew better than to let himself be tied down. Instead, he’d gone from girl to girl, never getting too involved, never putting his heart on the line. Until senior year.
He’d let down his guard for one weekend, had lowered his defenses long
“I’m not hardheaded. I just know my mind.”
“Ha.”
The older man sounded skeptical but didn’t elaborate. He rose from his seat with the baby in one arm. “Think I’ll head into the kitchen and give Paz a turn. She’ll want to hold this little girl, even if you don’t.”
“As I told you, I’ve got enough to do watching Scott. Who knew a three-year-old could be such a handful.”
Jed laughed. “Easy to see you weren’t around much during your nephew’s ‘terrible twos.’ Now, that’s an age for you. We had quite a time of it with Robbie.”
“Did you?” Another of his son’s stages he had missed. “Guess you’ve had your hands full helping out with him since he was born.”
“Me and Paz both,” Jed agreed.
Cole waited, but the older man didn’t add anything. He had responded naturally enough to the comment, though.
After Jed left, Cole sat watching the boys. Scott and Robbie had taken most of the horses, leaving only a couple for Andi’s son, Trey. As the oldest and owner of the toys, Robbie seemed to be in charge.
“What are you doing?” Cole asked. His chest tightened, almost as if he’d held his breath. This was the first conversation he had initiated with his son.
From now on,
everything
that happened would be a first for them.
The boy eyed him without speaking, taking his time with a response. Taking
his
measure, Cole figured. Robbie didn’t seem fearful or wary. Living here in the hotel, he was probably used to having lots of folks around.
Finally, he said, “We’re playing horses.”
“And what’s that?” Cole pointed to two empty cardboard boxes standing on their sides.
“That’s the corral. The ponies have to stay inside.”
“Why?” Andi’s son demanded.
“So they don’t run away.”
“Why do they run away?” Scott asked.
Robbie frowned. “I don’t know.” After a long pause, he turned to Cole. “Why?”
The boy looked like Tina. Even more, his solemn expression made him think of her in their high-school biology class, where she always took things so seriously. She was especially strict while overseeing experiments that, if not for her, he would probably have messed up.
He didn’t want to mess up now. “Well...maybe the ponies want to find other horses to play with. Or maybe they want to break free of the corral.”
“Do you think that’s why they run away?” Robbie asked.
“Could be. They like to be free.”
That’s what he had wanted. To break free. Free from the constant tension he and Layne lived with while their dad was alive. From the sympathy of the folks—the clueless folks—in town once his dad had passed on. And, almost worst of all, from the never-ending reminders they’d hear from their mom, who just couldn’t let memories of the man die with him.
“Then, no more corral.” Laughing, Robbie knocked over his carefully erected pair of boxes. His wide grin again reminded Cole of Tina and the very few times he’d seen her laugh aloud.
Judging by Jed’s nonresponse a few minutes ago, she must have been telling the truth when she’d said no one on the ranch knew about Robbie’s daddy.
Robbie’s daddy.
She sure hadn’t liked him calling himself that.
She had never wanted him to know the truth.
Years ago, he would never have believed sweet Tina capable of such deception.
He had known she’d been hung up on him all through school, but when he’d started asking girls out, he hadn’t looked her way. She was quiet. Reserved. And so serious about so many things he’d had no plans ever to get serious about. He still didn’t.
He had liked her a lot back then. Sometimes he even dreamed about her. But he knew better than to let himself be tied down. Instead, he’d gone from girl to girl, never getting too involved, never putting his heart on the line. Until senior year.
He’d let down his guard for one weekend, had lowered his defenses long
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