by Evie Nichole
Darren put an arm around his father and accepted the very masculine one-armed hug. “Thanks, Dad.”
There were handshakes all around, and then everyone found a place to sit. Darren finally realized that Carly was still staring at them all. She had raised her sunglasses and was literally staring hungrily at his younger brothers.
It was Joe Hernandez who decided to mention Carly’s obvious interest in his sons. “Hey,” Joe said to Carly. “You’ve already gotten as much out of us as you’re going to. So, you’d better just put those eyes of yours back in their sockets and turn them in another direction.”
There was some laughter, and some good-natured jeering, while his mother and Maggie twittered behind their hands. Of course, Judge Cox chose that moment to enter the courtroom. The man did a double take at the number of people in the room.
“I see the entire family has come to support you, Mr. Hernandez.” Judge Cox slapped the gavel on the desk. “As long as they observe proper decorum, they can stay.” Then the judge realized that Carly was practically passed out on the table. “Ms. Valdez, sit up and take off your sunglasses.”
“My mother died last night,” Carly mumbled. But her bloodshot eyes did not suggest sleep deprivation as much as they did an alcoholic binge.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Judge Cox actually made a note on the file in front of him. Darren could not help but note that it was a very thick file. He hated to imagine what was in that thing after all this time. The judge looked back up and pegged Carly with a hard stare. “Especially as that has a great bearing on this case.”
Darren felt his heart lift with hope. He reached behind him and felt Maggie’s fingers twine with his. They gave a little squeeze and then he let go. He didn’t want to break any rules, but he needed to know that she was there.
“Mr. Hernandez,” Judge Cox began. “I have been going over the records for this case extensively, and I have to say that you were grossly misrepresented. You seem to have made great strides in attempting to create a stable environment for your son. Is that true?”
Darren’s attorney, Ms. Thomas, started to speak. “Your Honor, my client has done an incredible job of creating a loving and safe environment for his son.”
“Ms. Thomas, I realize that Mr. Hernandez is your client,” Judge Cox said patiently. “But we’re going to deviate from the usual, and I’m going to talk directly to Darren. Do you catch my drift?”
Ms. Thomas paused for a moment. She was quick-minded and very smart. Darren liked her. So, when she gave a nod, Darren decided that he wasn’t going to screw things up by just being truthful. Truth. That was what they needed more than anything else.
Darren took a deep breath and tried to find the words he needed to say. “Yes, sir. I have found a house and made a good home for my son. In the past, I was not successful at doing that kind of thing. My job was certainly not consistent or conducive to a settled lifestyle.” Darren felt no small amount of shame as he thought of his son living with Carly while Darren chased football dreams that went no farther than a twisted knee that would never let him play sports again. “Things have changed a lot for me over the last several years. And as of now, I am firmly fixed here in the Denver area.”
“I can see that you have the support of your family,” Judge Cox observed drily. “And I also have here documents and letters from your new employer as well as your landlord. As a Hernandez, the money thing has never been an issue. Rather, Ms. Valdez made it her issue by demanding more child support than I have ever seen awarded in any other case when there was no marriage or even a long-term relationship involved.”
“I don’t begrudge her that,” Darren said quickly. “The money was—as I understand it—managed a great deal by Nancy Valdez, who was the primary caregiver of our son and who did a fantastic job raising him to this point.”
Judge Cox gave a nod. “That is very decent of you, Mr. Hernandez.”
Darren felt like it was only fair but didn’t say anything else. He was having difficulty breathing. His palms were sweating, and he felt as though there was more adrenaline than blood in his veins. When was the guy going to tell them what he’d decided?
“Ms. Valdez,” Judge Cox said sharply.
“Huh?” Carly’s head shot up like a jack in the box. “Did you ask me something? I’m the kid’s mother. Babies always need their mothers. It’s that simple.”
“You are currently out on bail after being arrested for negligence toward a child. Do you honestly believe that Jaeger Hernandez is better off in your care? I can hardly believe that you would be so naive as to believe the court would grant you custody.” Judge Cox was actually looking a bit flabbergasted. Darren figured this did not bode well for Carly. “I’ll admit that traditionally it is the court’s preference to have both parents involved in the child’s life.”
“Your Honor, this woman is not a fit parent,” Allison Thomas said quickly. “We have a long list of complaints to family services about her parenting both in private and public situations.”
“Agreed, Ms. Thomas.” Judge Cox scratched his head. The middle-aged man looked tired. Darren wondered how many Carly Valdez types drifted in and out of his courtroom every single day. “Ms. Valdez, without the support and help of your mother, this court does not believe that you are capable of providing a safe environment for your son. We are recommending you undergo treatment for alcoholism, at which point we will recommend you have supervised visitation with your son to be handled by Cara Johnson of family services. After a period of six months, we will reevaluate your situation and decide whether or not your visitation periods could be extended to an overnight stay.”
“This is bullshit!” Carly actually shot to her feet. She weaved back and forth a bit as she tried to get her bearings, but she was mad as hell and that helped her straighten up to her full height. “What am I supposed to do without my ma’s check and the child support? I can’t pay my bills!”
“Since the child support was for the child you no longer have a responsibility to take care of, I’m not sure why that’s relevant,” Judge Cox said carefully. There was a gleam of warning in the man’s dark gaze. “And since your mother’s social security checks were for her care, I might suggest trimming back your lifestyle to fit within your own disability income.”
“You bastard! I can’t do that!” Carly turned and pointed at Darren. “You owe me! I bore your child! You think that bitch is going to have your babies? You better think again! I’m the one who had your kid. You owe me for that!”
“Bailiff, remove Ms. Valdez and put her in a holding cell until she can calm down.” Judge Cox sounded tired.
The entire Hernandez family, Darren’s attorney, and the judge watched in awe as the bailiff called in a female officer and the two of them wrestled Carly out of the room. She fought like a hellcat. The table went over as she grabbed a leg and tried to hang on. She was like an animal. She scratched and bit and kicked and screamed as she was pulled out of the room and into the hallway where she continued to throw her tantrum.
Judge Cox heaved a gigantic sigh. “Nancy Valdez was a saint. I swear.”
“Yes, Your Honor, she was.” Darren could certainly concur.
Judge Cox pursed his lips thoughtfully. “The hospital told me that you brought Jaeger to visit his grandmother while she was still alive. That was very decent of you. Most men would not have even thought of that.”
“She raised him,” Darren said simply. “It was as good for him as it was for her. I felt bad for her. Carly was not a great person, but I don’t think what happened between the two of us did her personality any good.”
“Ah, ah, ah,” Judge Cox said, wagging his index finger in front of his face. “We are all responsible for our own behavior. We cannot blame this on other people. It is our own fault. So, don’t take Carly’s behavior upon yourself. You have plenty to answer for on your own.”
Darren certainly couldn’t argue with that. But as the judge’s gavel smacked the desk and everyone
stood up, Darren knew he had been handed a decisive victory. He jumped out of his chair and turned around to sweep Maggie off her feet. Pulling her over the barrier, Darren kissed her deeply and did not care who saw him do it. Right now, he was just so thrilled to be right here with his family and this woman, finding out that he was going to be a part of his son’s life.
“I never thought this could happen,” Darren whispered to Maggie. “I never thought that I would find the girl of my dreams and have my family coming together all at the same time.”
“Darren!”
He turned to see that Cara had entered the courtroom with Jaeger by her side. The little boy was lit up like Christmas. Darren smiled at the social worker. He appreciated her waiting until Carly had been removed before bringing Jaeger inside. There was no need for the little boy to witness his mother acting like that.
“I get to stay with you!” Jaeger said excitedly. He flung himself at Darren and reached out to grab Maggie’s leg too. “I get to stay with both of you!”
“And we get to stay with you,” Darren told his son.
Darren swept the kid up in his arms and accepted a family-sized hug that could only come from a family like the Hernandez bunch who knew how to play hard and love harder. Wrapping his arms around Maggie and Jaeger, Darren hoped this was exactly the way he would remain for the rest of his life.
STUCK UP COWBOY
Chapter One
Laredo Hernandez put his hands flat on the smooth marble top of the sink. It was cool to the touch. He leaned forward and kept his head bowed so that he couldn’t see his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Nobody wanted to see that, least of all him. He knew he looked like hell. He felt like hell. He’d felt that way for years now. Ever since Helena had left him for that no-good saddle tramp Jerome.
Laredo reached for the shining chrome tap and flipped on the water. It took almost no time for steam to rise from the hot liquid spraying into the stainless steel sink bowl. He had paid the extra money for a top-of-the-line hot water heater. Growing up with eight people in an old ranch house and not enough hot water had taught Laredo that he never wanted to be without that one necessity.
Reaching for a fluffy washcloth, he soaked it underneath the tap and lifted it to his face. The searing heat seemed to leech the crud from his pores. Laredo wondered if the bathroom smelled of vodka since that’s pretty much what he had been drinking nonstop the night before. He couldn’t smell it, but then he couldn’t smell much these days. It was a side effect of the binge drinking. Or maybe he was just getting very old. God knew he felt like it.
Finally, he looked up and caught a glimpse of his reflection. The bathroom lights were off, but that didn’t do nearly enough to make him look better. Even in the dim glow of dawn seeping through the blinds, he looked ancient. His black hair wasn’t just curly or tousled. It was literally sticking up at all angles. The right side of his hair was mashed to his head, and he had red marks from his bedsheets creased all over his cheek and half his forehead. His blue eyes were dull and flat, and his face looked slack. Hernandez men were graced with an olive complexion that made them look tan all year round, and yet Laredo still managed to look pale.
“If I died tomorrow, I’d look the same,” he muttered.
“What?”
Laredo leaped into the air and came down hard on the side of the bathroom sink. His hip banged painfully into the marble, and he had to throw out his arm to keep from hitting the floor. His heart was hammering against his ribs, and he felt as though a gallon of adrenaline had just been poured into his unprepared veins.
Swinging around, Laredo glared at his nine-year-old daughter. “Bella! Knock or something, kiddo! You scared me half to death.”
But instead of being contrite, Bella only laughed. If Laredo looked horrible, then Bella looked amazing. The kid had his curly black hair and bright blue eyes, but her hair was bouncy and her eyes were sparkling. She had just started using ponytail holders to put her hair up on her own, and the lopsided ponytail was so damned cute that Laredo would bet she’d get a dozen compliments on the mess at school today.
“Sorry, Daddy!” Bella was bouncing from foot to foot. “But I stood at the other door knocking for like—ever! You never answered. So, I came in!”
The energetic little girl was already wearing her plaid school jumper, and if the crumbs on the front were any indicator, she’d had her breakfast downstairs with Mrs. Naranjo. The housekeeper arrived at the house every day at six in the morning to start cooking breakfast. It cost Laredo a fortune to keep Mrs. Naranjo there pretty much seven days a week, but he considered it a worthwhile expense. Besides, it wasn’t like he had money problems.
“Daddy needs a few minutes to get ready, kiddo.” Laredo figured a few minutes and a few hours were the same thing at this point. It didn’t matter either way.
“We got to leave in three minutes,” Bella informed him. “You always say we have to be in the car at seven fifty-five in the morning, and it’s seven fifty-two.”
Shit. He was that late? Where was the damn sun? Was it raining outside or something? And what day was it? Bella needed to have all her crap ready for her after-school activities, and right now, Laredo really didn’t feel like he gave a shit if she went to dance class or not.
“Daddy!” Bella sang out as she started doing pirouettes in his bathroom. “Hurry!”
“Get out of my bathroom and I will,” he groaned.
Why, oh why, did kids have so much damn energy? And why was he doing this fatherhood shit by himself? That had not been his intention. He hadn’t wanted to be a single parent. Did anyone claim to want that thankless task? Parenting was supposed to be a tag-team event. In fact, Laredo’s own parents had made a sport out of it.
“Okay, I’m going to get in the car,” Bella informed him. Then she turned around and pointed her index finger at him in the most accusing manner a nine-year-old could muster. “But you better not forget me again! You did that last week, remember?”
Like he could ever forget. Laredo waved her out of his bathroom and started stripping out of his baggy pajama bottoms and plain white T-shirt. He didn’t feel like himself anymore. When had he started wearing pajamas to bed? What had happened to the man who used to sleep in a bedroll out in the open in front of a fire? He used to stare at the stars all night and make jokes with his brothers about the constellations looking like sparkling genitalia in the sky. Now he was nothing but a desk jockey. Even his brothers poked fun at him for that. It was pathetic.
Laredo managed to pull on his suit, but when it came time to get his boots on, he sank down onto the bed and felt as though he were going to lose last night’s liquid dinner all over the plush rug in his bedroom.
He looked at the clock. Seventy fifty-seven. He wasn’t doing so well on time. It was going to take him another twenty minutes to get his damn boots on. Maybe he’d give up. Maybe he would just wear loafers or something. Businessmen did that, right? Not usually in the offices of the Hernandez Land & Cattle Company, but why was his company the trendsetter in Western fashion?
Yes. Loafers. That was the answer. Laredo got to his feet and threw his tooled cowboy boots onto the floor. For some reason, he actually felt angry with the damned things. They were some kind of sign. He didn’t know what, but they made him feel older and more tired than he really was. They reminded him of too many things that were no longer part of his life. Horses and Helena and all of those things about ranching that Laredo Hernandez avoided like the plague.
His dress shoes were sitting innocuously on the floor of his palatial walk-in closet. Laredo placed his hand flat against the closet wall and stuffed his feet inside the shoes. His boot socks were a little thick for these, but nobody was going to notice that. The socks were black knee-high affairs. At least they weren’t those patterned, neon-colored things that Helena had always worn underneath her boots.
Finally heading downstairs, Laredo avoided the kitchen. He didn’t care to see Mrs. Naranjo’s disapproving glare right now
. He would get enough of that later on. The woman was there to make sure Bella got her breakfast and that someone packed Bella a lunch to take to school since she didn’t like the cafeteria food at her private school. Beyond that, Laredo didn’t need a woman fussing over him and bossing him around. If he had wanted that, he would have begged Helena to come back.
Laredo’s keys were not where he had left them. He stood and stared dumbly at the wall of his laundry room while his sluggish brain tried to remember where he’d hung the keys when he came in the night before. Unfortunately, Laredo couldn’t even remember having the keys, much less where he had hung them up. He couldn’t even remember coming home. Obviously he had, so where had he put his keys?
“Daddy!” Bella was shouting in the garage. “Daa-dd-eeeee!”
Laredo yanked the garage door open and leaned out into the cool interior of the cavernous space. “What?” he shouted irritably. “You’re yelling so loud I can actually hear you inside the house. What are you doing…?”
Laredo trailed off as he got a good look at his truck. He had a feeling that the keys were still in the ignition. Not that the truck was running. It was parked. Sort of. The front end was buried in his workbench. There were tools scattered across the painted cement garage floor. His motorcycle was lying on its side. And the back end of the truck was lodged underneath the garage door. Apparently, he had taken out the sensor on his way in, so the thing did not go back up as a safety measure. Nope. It was just sitting on his vehicle.
There was a honk from the direction of the street out front as someone drove by. No doubt his neighbors were enjoying the hell out of this. There wasn’t a resident of Denver that didn’t like it when a Hernandez got taken down a peg or ten.
“Daddy?” Bella was staring up at him with her hands on her hips. Oddly enough, in that moment she reminded Laredo almost too much of his adopted sister, Jesse. “How am I supposed to get to school?”
