Lucy, a straight-A student who loved nothing but studying and collecting books, couldn’t stand the thought of her son being used as cannon fodder for some money-grubbing newspaper or tabloid trash. So, she’d kept Jacob’s existence a secret.
It had worked fine for four years now.
Chris inhaled deeply on the other end of the call. Having moved to San Francisco, California shortly after getting married, he kept in constant contact with his little sister. Ever since she’d gotten pregnant and refused to reveal the father, her parent’s had virtually disowned her. They’d died in a freak car accident a month before Jacob was born. Chris was the only family she had left.
“You can’t do this alone, Luce,” her brother said. “You’re gonna need help.”
“And you’re sure neither you nor Amber can come?” she asked again. He’d already told her they couldn’t get the time off of work, but it didn’t hurt to ask again.
“I’m sorry, sweetpea, I wish we could, but Amber just got this big promotion and I need all the hours I can clock for the mortgage. I know it sounds like we’re brushing you off, but I promise you, I’m not. I can’t take any time off until next month and then God Himself won’t stop me, you just need to make it until then -” He trailed off.
“And it isn’t like I can get a babysitter,” Lucy admitted. “This is a 24/7 therapy treatment and they won’t let Jacob stay with me.” No matter how badly she didn’t want to call on Seth, she slowly realized she had no other choice.
“So, bite the bullet and call him. If he’s an ass, then you let me know and I’ll beat him senseless,” Chris threatened. “But honestly, I can’t see him turning his back on his own flesh and blood.”
Lucy caved at her brother’s trust and faith in his friend. Maybe she had been wrong about Seth, maybe she did owe it to him. Mind made up, she decided she’d call him and ask for help, but she refused to throw Jacob in the line of fire just yet. If Seth came and actually showed some interest in being with her son, then maybe she’d tell him. Only time would tell.
Seth
Seth Landers ran his fingers through his spiky, black hair and laughed at the naughty girl sitting next to him. She leaned against him, her breasts pressed as tightly against his bicep as possible and whispered really interesting things in his ear.
Or, at least what he managed to hear was naughty. The pounding bass pumping through the club’s speakers managed to drown out pretty much everything. Her makeup seemed exotic but he knew the flashing, fluorescent lights always camouflaged the smallest flaws. Even though she looked like Marilyn Monroe at the moment, she was probably more of a Molly Toothless in reality.
But hell, he didn’t care. His beer goggles were on tight and he was ready for whatever ride she provided. Even though it was nearing the later part of January, folks were already enjoying the Valentine’s Day theme. Red streamers hung from the ceiling, the warm air filtering from the vents making them wave and dance.
Every song related to love – or sex – in some form or fashion. In his opinion, Valentine’s Day was the single man’s Christmas. There were so many lonely women and so little time to satisfy them all. The holiday was nothing more than a bachelor’s paradise so he’d taken a head start this year and hit the clubs. Imagine his amazement when he realized that he wasn’t the only one who’d had the same idea.
Women crowded the club, their bodies on display for any onlooker. Desperation clung to them like cheap perfume. Seth counted himself lucky he’d found one that looked decent enough.
“C’mon baby,” she cooed, snapping his attention back to the here and now. She smiled and scooted across the seat to exit their booth, her hand grabbing his and urging him along behind her. “Let’s go someplace a little quieter.”
Seth nodded and tossed a few bills on the table to cover their drinks and followed her lead. Once on his feet, he slung his arm around her shoulders and laughed when they both weaved and wobbled their way to the door. Shoving through the blacked out door, he inhaled sharply when the cold Missouri air hit him square in the face. January in Saint Louis was the coldest time of the year.
Shaking his head to dispel the sudden onset of ringing in his ears, he frowned when it didn’t work.
The girl squinted down at his jacket pocket.
“I think your pocket’s ringing,” she slurred and then giggled for no apparent reason.
Seth pulled away from her and dug in his pocket until he found the offensive little device. Pulling it out, a familiar face from years ago flashed across his screen and he sobered in a hurry.
But before he could hit the send button to answer, the connection dropped. His eyes flicked to the signal strength on his screen and he noted he had full service. Had she lost connection?
The little screen went black as he stood there and let his thoughts run wild. He’d had it pretty bad for his best friend’s little sister ever since he first laid eyes on her.
Seth had rolled into town to act as best man for his bud’s wedding and this little slip of a college sophomore flat out stole his breath.
He remembered that day as clear as if it were yesterday.
He’d pulled his rental car up in front of the Conlay’s modest brick home. A petite girl with a long, bouncy ponytail knelt in the front yard gathering the contents of a spilled bag. He’d rushed from his car to help her scoop the books and papers before the wind carried them away.
Contents safely returned to her backpack, they rose and the moment their eyes met, Seth’s heart lurched in excitement.
He faced five-feet-seven-inches of the most adorable bookworm he’d ever met; her big, brown, doe-eyes nearly cut him off at the knees. He still remembered what she’d been wearing that day as well: a yellow sundress with a pair of those little white tennis shoes.
Shaking his head to clear the lustful fog settling over him, he swiped the screen to the right and held his hand up to his drunken date, motioning for her to be quiet. He then waited for Lucy to answer the call.
She picked up on the fourth ring.
“Seth?” she whispered. “I’m sorry it’s so late, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Nah, Luce,” he scoffed. “It’s good to hear from you. What’s it been – six years?” he asked and batted his hand when the drunken woman grabbed at his arm, her face scrunched in a jealous sneer.
“More like five years, give or take a few months,” she answered drolly.
Seth laughed at her sassiness, his gut feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with alcohol.
He’d instantly fell in lust with her the day they’d met, so when he had the chance to spend some one-on-one time with her after Chris’s wedding, he fulfilled his fantasies by giving her the night of her life. A small part of him hated leaving her behind the next morning, but she just wasn’t a good fit for the lifestyle he’d wanted.
She was the kind of woman a man settled down with, raised a family with and grew old with. Three things he didn’t want.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of this little call?” he asked playfully and then scowled at himself. The alcohol was messing with his mojo.
“I need your help,” Lucy admitted gently.
Sensing a chance to rekindle some romance, Seth shoved his date back inside the club and pushed the door shut behind her. Leaning against it, he put all his weight into keeping her inside while he made other plans.
“When and where darlin’?” he drawled. “Give me the details and I’ll be there,” he promised.
***
“Why can’t I go with you, Mommy?” Jacob asked in a low and frightened voice. “I don’t want to stay with a sitter, I want you,” he insisted and Lucy pressed her eyelids closed to avert the tears.
She’d had no idea how difficult it would be to look down into her baby’s big blue eyes and tell him that he had to stay with a stranger while Mommy went to the hospital to get better. The only time he’d been out of her sight was when she’d gone to work; barring that, the duo were never far from one a
nother.
When she’d gotten the Librarian position at Erie’s public library, she’d found Jacob a day care just next door. That convenience allowed her to see him on days when the library sponsored children’s activities. She took solace in knowing he was just next door and she could pop over to see him anytime she’d wanted to.
He only had a few more months and then he’d be ready for kindergarten. She wasn’t sure how either of them would handle that step, but she vowed to cross that bridge when the time came.
She set the shirt she’d been folding down on her bed and knelt before her son. Little tears escaped his eyes, snaking shiny, moist patches down over his baby cheeks. She took his glasses and dabbed at his eyes with a tissue.
“I know sweetie,” she cooed reassuringly. “I don’t like this either, but Mommy has to get better and the doctors need me to stay there while they give me medicine.” Shoving his little glasses back onto his freckle-smattered nose, she bent down and gave him a quick peck on his protruding lips.
“You get to stay right here at home and Mr. Seth is Uncle Chris’s best friend, so you’ll be just fine with him. I’ve made him a list of all your favorite foods and television shows -” Her voice trailed off when anxiety caused her chest wall to tighten to the point of hyperventilation. Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly and did her best to smile.
“Uncle Chris will call and check on you and you can come visit me, can you be a big boy for me?” Lucy asked with a pasted smile on her face.
Jacob tucked his chin and hugged the raggedy teddy bear a little tighter to his chest. He nodded gently and climbed up on the bed to watch her pack.
She’d just zipped the rolling suitcase closed when someone knocked on their door. Jacob jumped at the unexpected pounding and gripped his bear a little tighter.
Lucy inhaled deeply and steeled herself for the upcoming performance. She looked back down at her son and prayed Seth wouldn’t see himself in the boy’s eyes like she did. Her baby had taken after his father in every way but two: he had his mother’s bad eyesight and he was shy to the point of terror; which was in direct contrast to Seth’s confidence.
“You ready to meet Mr. Seth?” Lucy asked Jacob and held her hand out for him to take. He nodded once and slipped his small fingers through hers.
Seth
Seth popped a mint in his mouth and ran his hands through the thick black spikes on his head. After hanging up with Lucy, he’d gone straight home, tossed some clothes in a gym bag and hopped the next flight out. Upon arrival at Erie International Airport, he’d promptly rented a car – a 2017 candy apple red Ford Mustang GT – and hauled ass to her apartment complex.
It was the longest fifteen miles of his life. He glanced down at his watch and the indigo blue digits read 5:27 a.m. Damn, he’d made good time, he thought to himself. After one last, deep, breath, he raised his hand and knocked twice.
However, he wasn’t prepared for the rush of emotions that assaulted him with she opened the door. Although a small woman to begin with, Lucy’s petite frame barely managed to hold her skin on her bones, her hollow cheek bones and drooping eyes betrayed her condition without her uttering a word. Fear tore through Seth on a level he’d never felt before.
“Seth,” Lucy greeted him softly. “Thank you for getting here so quickly. I’m sorry I bothered you with this, I just don’t have anyone else to turn to,” she apologized and moved aside to allow him room to pass.
Narrowing his eyes, Seth studied the gray pallor of her once vibrant skin, and pressed his lips firmly shut as he brushed past her into the small, yet cozy apartment. Mismatched furniture spread throughout the simple flow of rooms. He dropped his duffel bag on the butternut yellow sofa and let his eyes roam past the living room to the kitchen – slash – dining room beyond where a small dining table and four chairs sat in the far right corner.
It was clean to the point of immaculate and he remembered that Lucy had been a neat freak. To his right were two rooms – a bedroom on the right and a painfully small bathroom on the left. To his left was another bedroom, a bit larger than the other.
Frowning, Seth realized he could fit her entire apartment in his bathroom alone. How had she ended up like this? A straight-A student with a promising future in Journalism, Lucy was the smartest person he’d ever met.
Turning back to face her, his eyes widened when they landed on a smaller person standing beside Lucy, his little fingers clinging tightly to her leg.
“And who is this big guy?” Seth asked gently, squatting so he was almost eye level with the child.
“Are you really my Uncle Chris’s best friend?” the little boy demanded suddenly, his own blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. Using a small finger, he reached up and pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.
Uncle Chris? Seth pondered. As revelation hit, his eyes went from the boy’s to Lucy’s and he raised his eyebrows in question. Lucy answered by slowly shaking her head and then smoothing her hand over the top of the little one’s spiky black hair.
“Jacob, this is Mr. Seth Landers,” she introduced gently. “Seth, this is my son, Jacob Conlay.”
“Seth Landers?” Jacob squealed in delight, his shyness all but disappearing in a blur of excitement Lucy rarely seen. “You’re the pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals,” the little boy shrieked. “Mommy, I know him,” he insisted gleefully and reached up to pull on her loose t-shirt. “This is Uncle Chris’s best friend?” he asked again as if he couldn’t wrap his little mind around the fact that his uncle was friends with a famous person.
Seth chuckled good-naturedly at the little boy and extended his hand.
“Nice to meet you, buddy, it’s always awesome to meet a fan,” he said, genuinely touched that his fan-following reached a younger audience as well as adults.
Lucy smiled as her shy little son came out from behind her and started talking baseball with Seth. She hadn’t known he would recognize Seth from the games he watched on television.
On more than one occasion, she caught Seth studying Jacob’s eyes and hair and hoped he didn’t put two-and-two together. She wasn’t ready to tell either of them just yet. She had to make sure they’d get along and only then Seth would have to show concrete interest in her baby before she shoved him in front of that particular bus.
“Jacob,” Lucy called her son. “Why don’t you go find your card collection for Mr. Seth while he and I have a little grown-up talk?”
Jacob nodded at his mother and then leaned closer to Seth’s ear.
“That means she doesn’t want me to hear what you talk about,” Jacob whispered conspiratorially and patted Seth on the shoulder in sympathy. “I hope you’re not in trouble,” he added and then raced off to his room, which Seth noticed was the one beside the minute bathroom.
Rising back to his feet, Seth turned inquisitive eyes on Lucy and smiled when he noticed she squirmed nervously.
“Looks like we have some catchin’ up to do,” Seth drawled and jammed his hands into his jean’s pockets.
Lucy nodded and pulled her open hoodie most snugly around her frail body.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked. “I have two hours before I have to be at the clinic.”
“Coffee sounds good,” Seth agreed. For some reason, he suddenly wanted to pull her into his embrace and hold her and ‘never let her go’ echoed throughout his mind. He also wanted to go get a truckload of food and feed her until her skin was pink and healthy again.
“You can tell me just what exactly is goin’ on in the meantime,” he suggested and didn’t miss the way her shoulders instantly stiffened.
“Yes,” she agreed reluctantly. “I asked a big favor of you, I’ll explain.”
With a curt nod, she turned and headed into the little kitchen and began rummaging through the cabinet above the double sink. After loading the coffee maker, she turned back to Seth and motioned for him to sit with her at the dining table.
“As you can see, I’m not in the best health,
” Lucy explained. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over two months ago.”
Seth’s heart lurched when Lucy said the word “cancer.” Like most people, when he thought about that fatal condition, fear seized him. Both his parents had died from different types of it, and he knew very well how it affected not just the patient, but their families as well.
“Why didn’t you ask a friend to help you?” Seth demanded when he realized she’d been dealing with the situation on her own all this time. “Why isn’t Chris or Amber here?”
Lucy sighed and dropped her head onto the tiny table. For a moment Seth thought she’d passed out, but before he could react, she sat back up and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her hoodie.
“I don’t have any friends,” she admitted. “Jacob is my life. Between work and my son, I don’t have time to mingle with the natives,” she snapped.
When Seth sat back in his chair and crossed his arms in defense, her angry expression fell.
“I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized. “I’m tired. I’m always so tired,” she confessed and sniffled. “Up until now, Chris has been flying in to sit with Jacob, but now that I need chemotherapy and radiation, I’ll need to stay around the clock at the hospital for a couple of weeks. Chris doesn’t have time off available and Amber just got a promotion, so she can’t leave work yet. But I promise you, just as soon as Chris is able, he’ll be here and you can go about your life.”
“Hey,” Seth barked in resentment and quickly placed his hand on her shoulder when she started to get up. “I’m not complaining. Chris is like a brother to me -” His voice trailed off when his next thought was that Lucy was anything but like a little sister. How did he explain his affection and tie to her? How could he without sounding like a player or perv?
Wrangling the Cowboy: An Older Man & A Virgin Romance Page 23
