by Debra Kayn
Lately, she took on all the problems, grateful for the jobs that kept her mind busy. She hadn't seen Wyatt in over a week, and his absence took up a lot of her thoughts.
She understood he was probably busy with work and his kids, but she'd hoped to see him last Friday at Riverside Bar. While Charlie and the others hadn't requested anymore partnered games, she would've liked to have had Wyatt there.
As it was, she only watched him arrive home from work every night and disappear inside his apartment. She'd thought about going over and knocking on his door, just to say hi. But since he always approached her when his kids were at his mother's house, she thought it best to keep what happened between them...between them.
Cutting across the grass, she rounded the hedge that divided each apartment unit, and almost ran into Travis. Startled, she dropped the bag of dirty rags.
Looking twice at the boy, she smiled, having obviously frightened him, too. "I didn't see you."
Travis peeked out from behind the hedge. "I wasn't bothering anyone."
"I never said you were." She stepped around him and peered in the direction Travis was looking. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," he mumbled.
She spotted Wyatt outside the apartment. Her heart beat faster. He stood, arms crossed, broad shoulders spanning the sidewalk. Even from a distance, she could make out the hardness of his face.
"Are you in trouble?" she asked.
"No."
She glanced over her shoulder. "Then, why are you hiding from your dad?"
"I'm not." Travis pulled down his baseball cap. "I'm hiding from my stepdad or whatever he is now."
She looked back at Wyatt and hummed in surprise. At first glance, she'd missed the man talking with Wyatt.
"Don't tell them where I am. Please?"
"I won't." She cocked her head, hearing raised voices.
Unable to make out what they were arguing about, her concern turned toward Travis. The last thing Wyatt needed was Travis getting upset and running off. She'd seen how concerned Wyatt got knowing his son ran away.
"Hey, you want to help me for a few minutes?" She held out the bag of dirty rags. "I also have something I want to talk to you about."
"What?" He kept his hands in his pockets.
"Well, you'll have to find out after you lug that bag to my apartment." She grinned, tempting him into following.
Travis's stern expression reminded her of Wyatt. Boy, oh, boy, that boy was going to grow up to drive the women wild.
He hadn't yet grown into an adult body. His lanky arms and legs barely filled out his clothes. But he had the too-long hair, the same shade as Wyatt, the rebel James Dean look going on, and a take-no-guff attitude.
At the door to her apartment, she went inside. "You can dump it in the hall. Then, meet me in the kitchen. Are you hungry?"
"Sorta." He disappeared.
She washed her hands and retrieved the pack of Oreos she kept for that time of the month when all she wanted to do was eat and sleep. The cookies motivated her to get up in the morning. It was the only time she allowed herself to eat Oreos for breakfast with a big glass of milk.
Suspecting Travis was young enough to enjoy a treat, she poured him a glass and set it on the table at the same time he returned.
"Sit. Have some cookies." She sat and grabbed one for herself. "The milk is yours unless you want Tang.
"Do you have kids?" Travis scooted the chair out with his sneaker and plopped down, taking a handful of Oreos and dunking one of them in milk.
"Nope." She looked at her half of the cookie left.
"Then why do you have cookies and Tang?"
She laughed. "Because I like them."
"My dad doesn't drink Tang. He buys orange Kool-Aid."
Someday, she'd like to have kids, but she had to find a husband first. Her social life wasn't exactly hopping since her grandpa died, and she moved to Montana to manage the apartments and made it her goal to enter the Blackfoot Tournament at the end of the year.
"I got some bad news today." She popped the rest of the cookie in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "The man I hired to mow the grass around the apartments is moving, and that means I need to find someone else who could do the job."
Travis wiped his mouth off on the back of his hand and drank half the milk. "I don't know anyone."
"Sure, you do." She waited, and when Travis never stopped eating, she continued. "Do you know how to use a lawnmower?"
"Yeah, I had to mow at my mo—at my old house," he muttered.
Concerned that she'd brought up a sensitive topic, she plucked a napkin out of the holder in the middle of the table and slid it over to him. "Right now, the grass has to be mowed every other week, but once June rolls around, it needs to be done once a week. It takes about four hours to do the job, and I pay thirty dollars a week in the summer."
Travis raised his head. "Are you asking if I want the job?"
Teenagers. They weren't always fast at following a conversation.
"Yes—but you'd need to ask your dad for permission if you're interested. He might have other plans for you this summer," she said.
Seeing the interest in his eyes, she hoped Wyatt wouldn't be upset about her asking Travis before seeing if it was okay with him first. A lot of kids work during their teenage years. Her grandpa had started paying her for help around the apartments every summer when she'd turned thirteen years old.
"I want to do it if I'm paid." He wiped off his mouth. "But I can't ask him until tomorrow."
"Okay." She looked at the empty cookie package. The boy could wolf down his weight in cookies faster than anyone she knew.
Her phone rang. "Excuse me."
She hurried into the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"This is Mrs. Carmichael in A3. The light went out in the refrigerator."
"Okay. I'll pick up a new bulb tomorrow and install it for you." She wrote down the information and the apartment number. "Is there anything else?"
Before she said goodbye, she'd heard about Mrs. Carmichael's daughter in Seattle having a baby, her cousin on her mother's side getting married, and been lectured about the twenty-four-hour maintenance service in the rental agreement.
She hung up the phone, turned to check on Travis, and found him gone. She peeked at the front door. He'd snuck out without her even hearing.
Chapter 10
Wyatt
Outside of Joey's door, Wyatt turned around and looked for Travis. It was less than two hundred feet from his apartment, and his son had already split.
"Hold this." He passed the pizza box to Jess. "Stay here. Don't move."
Halfway back to the apartment, he found Travis darting between the cars in the parking lot. He stopped on the sidewalk and whistled.
Travis's head snapped up, and he froze. Wyatt motioned him over, grabbed the back of his neck, and pulled his son close.
"Is there a problem with going over to Joey's and taking her dinner?" He squeezed Travis's neck, surprised at the tension in his slim body.
At almost five feet nine inches tall, his son had more growing to do. More and more, he noticed the strength in his son. Not only in the way he moved, but when he was angry, the kid was a regular bulldog.
"No."
"Then, do you want to tell me why you're snooping around in the parking lot and not beside your sister waiting to go inside and eat?"
Travis pulled away. He let his son go. At least he was moving in the right direction.
Over the last year, before the kids' mom died, Travis had become moody and withdrawn. When he'd tried to talk to his son, he got nowhere. Meeting with Claudia to discuss their child had only frustrated him. She'd already given up on being a supportive parent and let the kids run wild. He'd done all he could do when he had them on the weekends, but the kids, especially Travis, resorted to withdrawing into himself.
Having the kids living with him full-time, even with the death of their mother, he thought they'd settle faster. With
him, they could be kids and put their worries behind them.
Then, their stepfather showed up, and Travis went back to sneaking around and not talking to him.
"Hey." He caught up with Travis. "How about I pick you up after school tomorrow. You know Frank, who works for me. He's got a couple of dirt bikes he's mentioned I could borrow. Do you think you want to learn—"
"Yeah." Travis straightened his shoulders. "For real?"
He smacked his son on the back and chuckled. "Not joking."
"Cool." The corner of Travis's mouth lifted.
Confident he'd done something right that interested Travis, he looped his arm across his son's shoulders, and for once, Travis never pulled away.
They arrived at Joey's apartment door together. He took the pizza box from Jess.
His daughter glanced from him to Travis. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, baby, we're good." He kissed the top of her head. "Let's get going. The pizza is probably getting cold, and you guys have homework tonight and school tomorrow."
"Cold pizza is okay," said Travis.
"Not as good as hot pizza," argued Jess.
Stretching his arm out between his kids, he knocked on the door before they started fighting over the color of the sun.
The door opened, and Joey's smile made his decision to surprise her with dinner the best choice he'd made all day.
"What are you guys doing?" She waved them inside. "Come on in."
"We thought we'd share our dinner with you." He walked inside, going straight to the table, and set the pizza down in the middle. "Have you eaten?"
"Uh...no." She followed him and picked up the ledger, envelopes, and empty water glasses, moving them out of the way. "What's the occasion?"
"Travis has something to tell you." He picked up a slice of pizza and handed it to her, then took one for himself.
The kids had already started eating. Food was no joke to them.
"I'm curious." Joey stood at the end of the table. "What's going on?"
"Dad said, yes." Travis continued to chew. "I can work for you."
Joey raised her gaze to Wyatt, her gaze softening before she smiled at his son. "Awesome. Come over on Saturday, and I'll show you the mower and what needs to be done."
Travis nodded and picked up another piece of pizza. "Cool."
Wyatt leaned against the wall, taking in the calmness being with Joey brought over his family. The kids were comfortable around her. Even in her apartment, they attacked the pizza as if they were at home, and Joey never blinked at them, arriving without calling ahead of time.
He crooked his finger. Joey's eyes warmed, and she stepped over to him. It'd been a hell of a week. Work was jammed, his kids were unsettled, and one look at Joey and he was ready to go up against anyone who got in his way. He'd storm the school, work all the overtime he could do, and go to battle over anyone who told him he was incapable of parenting his kids by himself.
She gave him that because all week, he'd thought about her. He'd wanted to come over and take out his frustrations with mind-blowing sex, but he'd forced himself to stay away because it wasn't fair to her.
Joey could've taken his absence as a slap in the face, and instead, she walked to him, open and willing, and non-judgmental.
He slipped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. She stiffened, and he held her close.
"The kids," she whispered.
"Are old enough to see who makes their dad happy." He kissed her solidly, inhaling deeply through his nostrils, and just taking that softness, the caring, the excitement from her. Pulling back an inch, he said, "I missed you."
"You did?" Her hand came up and fisted his T-shirt.
"Mm-hm." He kissed her lightly. "Thought about walking over here every day. Every night."
"You could've," she whispered. "I wanted you, too."
His chest inflated. "I got shit going on, tiger. Stuff that shouldn't touch you."
She raised her gaze and frowned. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not now." He glanced at the kids and then back at her. "Better take another piece before the kids finish off the pizza."
She grabbed one for herself and him. Then, she returned to his side, leaning against him.
"Next time, I want taco pizza." Jess plucked a pepperoni off her half-eaten piece. "Or, just tacos. Dad, have you ever made them?"
His cooking leaned toward sandwiches, cereal, burgers, and picking up a pizza on his way home from work. "No. Have you?"
When their mother was alive, Jess was often left to make meals for Travis and herself. Now that she lived with him, he wanted to take that responsibility away from her. It wasn't a fifteen-year old's job to raise her little brother. Even if that meant eating the same food all the time, he would be the one who fed his kids.
Jess shook her head. "I don't know what spices to use."
"I don't have spices," he said, remembering to ask about that at the store next time he bought groceries.
Beside Wyatt, Joey's body shifted. "I know how to make tacos."
Both kids stopped eating and looked at her. Wyatt could feel their interest filling the room.
"I could make dinner for everyone." She looked up at Wyatt. "Tomorrow?"
He already knew his answer. "What do you say, kids?"
"Yes," said both of them.
Jess laughed. "Can I come early and help you?"
"Absolutely." Joey reached over and grabbed a napkin, wiping off her hands. "Sure, I can use two more hands in the kitchen. I think between Travis mowing the lawns all day and your dad working, they'll eat a lot."
Travis grinned, ducking his head. Wyatt squeezed Joey's hip, pulling her closer. That right there. That gift of importance Joey gave to his son. That attention. That respect. It meant something to him.
"How old are you?" Travis looked at Joey.
Wyatt cleared his throat, gave a slight shake of his head, but his son never caught the warming.
Jess slapped her brother's arm and whispered, "Don't be rude."
"I'm not." Travis glanced at Joey. "She can cook, and she doesn't look that old."
Joey grinned. "I'm twenty-six years old."
"Whoa...Dad is way older than you, and he still can't cook," said Travis.
"Hey." Wyatt stepped over and took the piece of pizza out of Travis's hand, making him get another piece. "Guys don't cook."
"They should. They have to eat, don't they?" said Joey.
"Oh...burn." Jess held up her hand, and Joey gave her a high-five.
Wyatt chuckled, okay with being the source of entertainment. "And for your information, son. I'm not old."
Joey glowed, enjoying the banter. He cocked his brow. His manhood suffering blows left and right, he had no problem showing her he was still young enough to wear her out in bed.
Chapter 11
Joey
JESS LEANED AGAINST the corner of Joey's davenport and watched television. Travis, sprawled on the floor on his back, tossed a hacky sack in the air and caught it. Joey put the foil over the platter she filled with extra tacos left over from dinner and set it on the counter for the Carr family to take home with them.
Wyatt got up from the La-Z-Boy and walked into the kitchen, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. "I'll be back."
Knowing he was going outside to have a smoke and greedy for some alone time with him, she said, "Hang on. I'll come out with you."
He held out his hand. She grabbed onto him. Her stomach doing somersaults at the chance to touch him.
Around the kids, she tried to keep her hands to herself. Though Wyatt made no attempt at keeping his distance. He'd kissed her four times—once on the lips, three on the temple, and that was only during the time she was in the kitchen making the tacos. To her surprise, neither one of his kids seemed to think the display of affection was shocking or wrong.
Their opinion probably formed because she also noticed how much Wyatt showered attention to his kids. She often found him puttin
g his hand on their shoulders, smoothing their hair, and nudging them while sharing a grin.
He was a loving father. That was something that surprised her. Going by appearance and gruffness, she assumed he'd have zero patience with kids, but he was soft when he needed to be and stern when the kids started pushing the limits.
Outside, Wyatt leaned against the building. She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his chest. It seemed like forever since she'd been able to hold him.
He blew smoke into the air and tangled his hand in her hair, stroking her head. "Tired?"
"No." She inhaled deeply. "I'm too happy that you're here with me."
"Cancel your plans for tonight."
She looked up at him. "Why?"
"Cause I'm going to send the kids home, and I'm staying here for a couple of hours." He wound his finger in her hair, brought her higher, and kissed her. "I want you naked and underneath me."
"You can't send the kids away just because you want to be alone with me."
"It won't be a problem tonight." He kissed the tip of her nose. "I stopped at Blockbuster and picked up two movies to entertain them after they finish their homework. They won't even realize I'm gone."
"That's the place that lets you rent VCR movies, right?" She leaned against him. "I didn't know they had one in Missoula. I haven't rented movies yet."
"The kids are too old to need a babysitter, but the way Travis has been running off whenever he wants, I'm going to test him and see if a movie will keep him inside when I'm not around."
It was easy to worry about Travis. A motherless boy, trying to fit in at a new school, he was someone she wanted to hug and not let go.
"Are you afraid of him running away again?" she asked.
His hand stilled, and he took a hit from the cigarette, tilting back his head and sent a stream of smoke above them. "I think about it every time he's out of my sight."
