Wild On My Mind

by Laurel Kerr

  As Abby skipped up the sidewalk, he followed at a more sedate pace, his grip tight on the container of corn salad he’d brought. He felt Lou’s hand grip his shoulder.

  “You’ll do fine,” Lou said quietly.

  “Am I that obvious?” Bowie asked in an undertone.

  Lou shook his head. “I know you, Bowie. You held yourself like you are now for almost a full year when you first came to live with Gretchen and me. We’re all just people. You’re a good man. Katie is lucky to have you, and I’m glad she’s finally realized that.”

  Although Lou’s words didn’t completely remove the queasiness in Bowie’s stomach, they did make him feel marginally better. He wasn’t the kid no one wanted. He ran a zoo. He had a daughter who loved him and a father figure in Lou. Sure, Bowie might need to work a little harder to prove to Chief Underwood that he was worthy of dating his daughter, but he could do that.

  When Bowie knocked on the door, Katie opened it. The warm smile on her face curled around his heart. She’d never looked at him like that before—as though he belonged and just his presence made her happy. He could grow accustomed to expressions like that.

  Katie looked great. She had on reddish-orange shorts and a summery top. She probably wouldn’t find the outfit particularly special or sexy, but he did. It was down-to-earth and yet bright and cheery, just like the woman herself.

  She stood on her tiptoes and planted a brief kiss on his lips. The public acknowledgment of their relationship warmed him. Abby emitted a happy little squeak that caused Bowie to smile. His daughter had been campaigning for this development for some time now.

  Katie greeted Lou and Abby. “My parents are in the living room, and the rest of my family and June and Josh are in the backyard,” she informed them. “I thought it would be less overwhelming if we did this in stages.”

  “Thanks,” Bowie said.

  “Just to warn you, my mother is ecstatic,” Katie said. “Visions of grandbabies are already dancing in her head. Don’t let that scare you.”

  Bowie grinned as he followed her. Abby piped up, “I wouldn’t mind a brother or sister.”

  Katie groaned. “Not you too. I’ll need to keep you and my mother apart.”

  Of course, that didn’t happen. When they entered the living room, Katie’s mother instantly zeroed in on Abby. That was the easy part for Bowie. He was proud of his kid, and he’d raised her to feel comfortable in any home. Abby was wearing one of the outfits from her shopping trip with Katie and June. She twirled about, showing her dress to Katie’s mom as she happily chattered about the fun she had buying it. Katie’s mom shot a pleased expression at her daughter over Abby’s head.

  The conversation soon turned to the zoo. Although Katie’s dad didn’t say much, he asked Lou a couple of questions. The two apparently knew each other, which didn’t surprise Bowie. Up until Gretchen’s death, Lou had been active in the community and had even served on the town council.

  After about ten minutes, Katie’s mom brought her hands together. “I think it’s time we adjourn to the backyard. The boys are grilling hot dogs and burgers. The grandchildren will be playing some sort of game. The oldest are about your age, Abby.”

  As everyone started to file out of the room, Katie’s father remained where he stood.

  “Bowie, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have a quick chat.”

  Katie groaned. “Really, Dad, I’m not sixteen. You don’t have to grill my boyfriend.”

  “It’s okay, Katie,” Bowie told her before he addressed her father. “I’d be more than happy to talk to you, sir.”

  Katie still lingered in the doorway, but Bowie sent her a look. He understood that she didn’t want her dad giving him the third degree, but the man wouldn’t be satisfied until he did so.

  Besides, Bowie didn’t blame him.

  Katie still didn’t know his history with her father. He needed to tell her soon, but he’d blurted out enough yesterday without going through his teenage rap sheet. Besides, she already knew that he’d been arrested for vandalism—just not by whom.

  Katie turned toward her dad. “I like this one, so go easy, okay?”

  Her dad only grunted, but her words pleased Bowie. Once she had resolved to be in a real relationship, she’d approached it like she did everything—with full commitment.

  With one final glance at Bowie, Katie left the room. Her father gestured sharply toward one of the armchairs. Bowie sat as Chief Underwood slowly lowered himself into a recliner. Although Katie had said his injuries from Eddie’s attack were almost healed, the man still moved stiffly. He didn’t fully sink into his chair but stayed on the edge of his seat, his posture unyielding. For a long moment, neither spoke.

  Katie’s father studied Bowie. It took all of Bowie’s self-control not to fidget. Chief Underwood couldn’t have been more intimidating if he’d taken out his old service revolver and cleaned it. Still, Bowie managed to meet his gaze. He wasn’t a boy. Although he wasn’t proud of everything in his past, he’d turned into a decent man.

  Katie’s father finally spoke. “Didn’t I arrest you? Twice.”

  Bowie answered, “Yes, sir. For vandalism and trespassing.”

  Chief Underwood’s mouth pursed slightly. Bowie couldn’t tell if the man was displeased or simply mulling something over. Bowie waited in silence and didn’t rush to excuse his past actions. He’d committed the crimes.

  “Lou Warrenton seems to think pretty highly of you,” Chief Underwood said.

  Bowie didn’t know how to respond without seeming like an ingrate or a pompous ass. He settled for a brusque nod.

  “Lou Warrenton is a good man,” Katie’s father continued.

  That, Bowie had no trouble seconding. “Yes. Yes, he is.”

  “I’ve generally found him to be a good judge of character.”

  Once again, Bowie gave a quick bob of his head, keeping his back ramrod straight. Chief Underwood hadn’t relaxed his posture either, and Bowie knew he hadn’t passed the test yet.

  “I was behind the two-way mirror that night, you know,” Chief Underwood said.

  Bowie started at the unexpected statement before studying the other man’s face. It remained completely impassive. Katie’s father continued, his casual tone belying his words. “The night you spray-painted the zoo.”

  Bowie held himself very still.

  “Before Lou pressed charges, he wanted to speak with you,” Chief Underwood said. “Since you were a repeat offender and an adult, I wasn’t so keen on the idea.”

  Bowie wet his lips. He’d only talked about his childhood in detail twice—the night of his arrest for spray-painting the zoo and yesterday with Katie. Although he hadn’t told Lou much, it wouldn’t have been hard for the police chief to fill in the blanks. “So you heard my conversation with Lou?”

  Chief Underwood nodded. He was silent for a second. “Your daughter seems like a fine young lady.”

  Under normal circumstances, Bowie would have grinned proudly. His mouth, however, felt frozen into an emotionless flat line. He jerked his head in agreement instead. “She’s a great kid.”

  “Lou told me that he wanted to drop the charges, to give you a fighting chance to be a good father,” Chief Underwood said. “Given what I knew about your parents and your own record, I had my doubts. I was wrong.”

  “I never did drugs,” Bowie said. He wanted to make that clear. Even when Sawyer and her friends had done E, he’d made some excuse. He’d watched how it made people so desperate that they’d do anything for their next fix. As a kid, he’d had little control over his life as it was without making himself a slave to a dealer like his dad.

  Chief Underwood nodded. “Lou was right. You’re nothing like your parents, but what I want to know is that you’re also not that angry kid I arrested. Twice.”

  “No, sir,” Bowie said. “I haven’t been since I fir
st held my daughter.”

  Katie’s father considered that for a moment. Then, he leaned forward again and asked Bowie, “Why did you charge Eddie when you knew he had a gun?”

  “There wasn’t an option. I didn’t have another way to stop him.”

  Chief Underwood’s mouth twisted. “There’s always an option. You could have stood down. Most people would’ve.”

  “I couldn’t let him take Katie into that van,” Bowie said simply.

  “I owe you for that. All of us do.”

  Bowie shifted uncomfortably. Even stated in a matter-of-fact fashion, praise still rested uneasily on him. Chief Underwood didn’t miss his slight movement, but to Bowie’s surprise, he thought he saw the man’s expression soften.

  Chief Underwood finally settled into the recliner. “So how much does my girl know about your past?”

  “Some,” Bowie said. “She knows I was arrested for vandalism. She doesn’t know that you’re the officer who arrested me. I’m planning to tell her everything when the timing’s right, which will be soon.”

  “Fair enough,” Chief Underwood said. “Just make sure you’re open with Katie. If you hurt her…” His voice trailed off meaningfully.

  Bowie finished for him, “I know. Mike made the same threat.”

  This time, Chief Underwood grinned broadly. “My other sons will do the same.”

  “I know,” Bowie repeated dryly.

  Katie’s father rose and gestured for Bowie to follow suit. “We’d better head outside, or Helen will have my head for monopolizing you.”

  As soon as Bowie stepped out the door, Katie was at his side. She twined her arm through his uninjured one and shifted her body so it was flush against his. He smiled down at her. He could get used to this.

  “You survived?” she asked.

  Bowie grinned. “He wasn’t that bad. Don’t forget that I’m a father too.”

  Katie groaned. “Oh, poor Abby. I hope you didn’t take notes, or her dates will be running from the house.”

  “You have to weed out the bad ones.” Bowie shrugged his good shoulder.

  “Are you ready to meet the rest of the family?” Katie jerked her head in the direction of two couples sitting in lawn chairs and talking to Lou. Bowie assumed they were her older brothers and their wives. Although Luke had agreed to represent him if Sawyer attempted to gain custody, Bowie hadn’t met the lawyer in person.

  “Are they going to threaten to kill me if I hurt you?” Bowie asked.

  Katie laughed. “Only my brothers. The wives will be nice.”

  After the introductions were over, Bowie found himself nursing a beer as Katie and her siblings—along with her sisters-in-law and June—played an intense game of badminton. Evidently, it was a family tradition. The kids were engaged in a squirt-gun battle, and Abby was holding her own. Lou was talking with Katie’s parents. Bowie was pretending to watch the game, but he couldn’t stop the awkward feeling creeping through him. It should feel normal, natural, but instead, it was like watching an old seventies sitcom.

  “It’s weird, isn’t it?” Josh asked, causing Bowie to start. He hadn’t heard the man coming up beside him. In his hand, Josh held one of the fancy beers he’d brought to the party.

  “What’s weird?” Bowie asked. He didn’t particularly want to talk to the jerk, but he was one of Katie’s best friends.

  “Being at a family picnic.” Josh gestured with his beer bottle. “The old-fashioned games, the inside jokes, the backyard barbecue. It’s supposed to be so damn normal.”

  Shock pierced Bowie. How was this asshole echoing his thoughts?

  Josh must have sensed his consternation, because he added, “I’m a former foster kid too.”

  Bowie froze. “Katie told you.”

  “Not much,” Josh said. “Nothing at all, really. She tore me a new one for the whole villain thing. I might have accused you of being a golden boy, but she set me straight. All she said is that you were in the system. That’s it. She didn’t say why you were in foster care or what it was like for you. My own experience was pretty fucked up.”

  Bowie relaxed. He didn’t mind that Katie had told Josh that he’d been a ward of the state. It was common knowledge. The private details—the stories of how his parents and guardians had bullied, ignored, or used him for cheap labor—were the parts he wanted kept private.

  “It gets better,” Josh said.

  “What does?” Bowie asked.

  “Going to Underwood family functions,” Josh told him. “I almost freaked out during my first one freshman year. Then, when Katie and her mom found out that I didn’t have a place to go in the summer, I ended up staying here.”

  Suddenly, Josh’s overprotectiveness made sense. He’d spoken the truth when he said June and Katie were the closest thing he had to family. Like Bowie, he’d created his own de facto family unit. Josh wasn’t jealous. He’d truly been worried about Katie.

  “This is my first backyard party,” Bowie admitted. “Lou and his wife used to entertain, but nothing like this.”

  Josh nodded understandingly and then asked, “Why’d you do it? Pick on Katie back then.”

  “To fit in,” Bowie said honestly as he took a swig of his beer. “The girl I liked was popular. I was finally part of something. I never enjoyed pulling pranks on Katie. I knew it was wrong, even back then.”

  Josh sipped his own drink as he stared at the badminton game. Then he shrugged. “Hell, I might have done something like that too.”

  “Katie wouldn’t have,” Bowie pointed out.

  Josh sighed. “She’s an amazing person, but she’s always had family. We didn’t. At least, not while growing up.”

  “Does that mean we’re good now?” Bowie asked.

  Josh contemplated that for a moment. Then he turned toward Bowie. “Katie says you’ve changed and that she wants a relationship with you. Even I can tell you’re a decent father, and it’s not like you had role models growing up. There’s also the little fact that you took a bullet for her. I’m willing to give you a chance, but if you hurt Katie again—”

  “You’ll kill me,” Bowie finished for him. “You’ll have to get in line. Every male in Katie’s family has threatened me with that. My money is on her dad reaching me first. I don’t think there’d be much left of me by the time you arrived from San Francisco.”

  Josh chuckled. “I drive fast.”

  “Great,” Bowie pretended to mumble before he turned serious. “I’m not going to hurt her, Josh. Katie means a great deal to me. I don’t generally let people get close, and when I do, they have my loyalty.”

  Josh held Bowie’s gaze for a long moment and then nodded.

  Just then, the badminton game ended, and Katie crossed the yard to join them. She immediately zeroed in on Josh. “Do you remember what I said last night?”

  “Relax, Katie,” he said. “I was making nice. You’re right. He isn’t half bad.”

  Clearly unimpressed, she turned toward Bowie. “Is he bothering you?”

  Bowie shook his head. “Nope. We just cleared things up. We should be good now.”

  Katie exhaled, and a bright smile replaced her frown. “Good, because you happen to be two of my favorite guys.”

  Bowie smiled at her as he allowed her to tug him over to where Mike and Matt stood with June. The twins greeted him warmly—although they threatened to cream him in badminton when his arm wasn’t in a sling. Slowly, Bowie felt himself relax. This wasn’t all that different from family dinners at Lou’s. He could do this. He could belong. He just hoped Katie stuck around long enough to make this real.

  Chapter 13

  “Do you think Sawyer will like me?” Abby asked for the third time as she fidgeted on the couch.

  Bowie ruffled her hair affectionately. “You’re pretty hard not to like, Abby Bear.”

  Abby turne
d to Katie, her face scrunched with worry. “What do you think?”

  Katie suppressed a groan and wondered, not for the first time, what she was doing here.

  The last thing she wanted was to meet Sawyer again, especially under these circumstances, but Abby had asked her. Plus, even if Bowie hadn’t said anything, Katie knew he wanted her by his side too. This wasn’t easy for either of them, and they needed her more than she needed to avoid her high-school nemesis. Personally, Katie didn’t know if her presence would improve the situation, since Sawyer had never liked her. Still, if Sawyer decided to go on the attack, at least Katie could draw her attention away from Bowie and, even more important, from Abby.

  “I think your father is right.” Lou saved Katie from answering Abby’s question. “Anyone who meets you will love you.”

  Abby frowned. “But she already did meet me, and she gave me away.”

  “She was young and probably scared,” Katie said, refraining from adding that Sawyer was also horribly self-centered. For Abby’s sake, Katie wouldn’t judge Sawyer based on high school. Abby had a chance at a relationship with her mother, and Katie certainly wouldn’t taint it. As long as Sawyer didn’t hurt Abby and Abby wanted to continue to meet her mother, Katie would not say anything against her in Abby’s presence.

  The doorbell rang, and Abby slid across the couch like a magnet to her father’s side. She pressed against Bowie as she gnawed her lip. Lou stood up.

  “I’ll get the door,” he said.

  “Thanks,” Bowie said as he squeezed Abby close with a one-armed hug. “It’ll be okay. No matter what happens, you’ll always have me. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Katie’s heart gave a pang. Not only were his words incredibly sweet, but they reminded her of how often Bowie had been alone during his childhood. No one had held him when he’d met his next set of foster parents for the first time. Careful not to touch his healing gunshot wound, Katie reached over and gently rested her hand on his arm. At the contact, he gave her a grateful smile.