Roping the Daddy: A Contemporary Western Romance (Kester Ranch Cowboys Book 3)

by Tori Kayson

  “Yeah?” Finally. Maybe this nightmare would soon be over. Or would it just be the bell signaling a new round? “When is it?”

  “A week from tomorrow.”

  Hawk squinted through a mental calendar. “As in next Thursday?”

  “Yes. Four o’clock. I’ll meet you there. Try to get there a few minutes early if you can.”

  “Will do.” He finally pulled into the school parking lot. Tracked a cluster of kids still waiting to be picked up and slowed to a turtle’s pace. “Oh, Harris?”

  “Yes?”

  “Will Brigit go to jail?”

  “Don’t think so, but she might. Depends on her role in the whole scenario. But her boyfriend will definitely spend time in a cell. Turns out that he’s wanted for some other infractions under his real name.”

  His real name? “He’s using a fake name?” Who did that?

  “Several aliases actually. Covering up non-payment of child support. A few DUI’s. Burglary.”

  Stunned, Hawk pressed the brake and parked against the curb a good distance away from the stragglers. Held up a hand at Cody’s look of surprise, cautioning his son to stay put.

  He was no saint, but his ex-wife harbored a fugitive in her household?

  Anger simmered and churned with dread, regret, failure. Fear. How could he possibly protect his son when he didn’t even know who he was dealing with? Several aliases?

  “Does this help my case?” Hawk forced the words past the giant glob of emotion threatening to close his throat. Rubbed hands over his eyes, swiping the gathering moisture. He had to pull it together before Cody got in the truck.

  “Surely don’t think it’ll hurt. But I’d caution you not to become overly optimistic. You just never know how things will turn out in the courtroom.”

  “Sure. Thanks. See you next week.”

  “No problem. I’ll pass along any updates in the meantime.” The Bluetooth screen flicked back over to the radio.

  Hawk blew out a whistle, his leg quivering as he let off the brake.

  Optimistic? If the attorney only knew. That word wasn’t part of his vocabulary.

  19

  “I can’t remember the last time I did this.” Kierra pumped her legs, making the swing go even higher.

  Actually, that was a lie. She remembered exactly.

  The crisp spring bite to the evening, much like the invigorating autumn breeze tonight. The scent of hamburgers and hot dogs grilling. Laughter and excited squeals from children. The contentment shining from Hawk’s face as he unpacked the goodies from the tattered wicker basket he’d brought. They’d just made up over whatever stupid issue separated them, and it was their first night back together. A night full of hope and wonder, anticipation. She’d thought, hoped, he might propose that night or the next, Prom night.

  The weekend before everything unraveled.

  Hawk chuckled as he gave her another push. “What? You mean I was your only cheap date? None of your other boyfriends ever brought you to the park?” Sarcasm punctuated his voice, but she also recognized a tinge of insecurity.

  “Nope. None of them were as fun or innovative as you.” There. That made up for the small untruth, right?

  “Or flat out poor.”

  She twisted around to glance at him, fighting a wave of dizziness as the ground rushed toward her. Shoes scuffing the dirt, the swing finally stopped for her. Dust swirling, she coughed and swatted it away, faced him. “That didn’t matter. Still wouldn’t.”

  His silver eyes softened and that dimple on the left side of his mouth twitched. “I know.” He laced their fingers together and led her toward the boardwalk around the lake.

  They passed a friendly volleyball game in progress. A couple players looked to be about Cody’s age.

  “We should’ve brought Cody,” she said.

  “Think we might need a chaperone tonight, eh?” he teased, challenging her with a devilish expression.

  “Ha! With this crowd in the park tonight? Totally unnecessary. I’m quite confident you’ll behave.” Still, a trill of anticipation rocketed up from her toes. What if he didn’t? Was she ready for their relationship to move to another level? Could she survive another broken, bleeding heart if he moved away again?

  The answer to that question murdered the tingle.

  A beautiful evening stretched out in front of them. Why not just take it a day at a time? Just share a quiet dinner with Hawk and leave it at that. She could do that, right?

  His laugh wasn’t a joyful sound, and the arm he wrapped around her waist felt tense. “You wouldn’t have minded?”

  Something was wrong. “Of course not.” How could she? Hawk and Cody were a package deal, and the kid was beyond adorable. “But this is nice too. Just us.”

  Their boots clomped across the wood boards of the boardwalk. They stopped halfway, the noise of the picnic area fading into background hum.

  He squeezed her hand then dropped it to rest his forearms over the rail, staring out at the water, a serious expression on his face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “What makes you think—” He must’ve seen the raised eyebrow, the look that said don’t bother denying. He huffed. “The attorney called. The custody hearing is on Thursday.”

  “That’s great news, right?”

  “Hopefully.”

  “Regardless of what the judge rules, Hawk, you’re an awesome daddy.”

  He swallowed hard. “Thanks. That means a lot. Especially considering how wonderful your dad was.”

  “Yeah.” Pain pricked Kierra’s heart, the loss of her own daddy rising up fresh and new, as if it was yesterday. “You didn’t have a role model whatsoever, but you overcame.”

  Smiling, he moved to stand behind her, sandwiching her against his chest and the rail, both of his palms bracing the wood, not touching her. “Thank you for that vote of confidence, sweetheart, but I doubt the judge will consider that.” The words rumbled against her head where his stubbled chin rested, his body radiating heat.

  Mercy! More heat. As if her limbs weren’t already fried! The cowboy could sizzle her insides with just a look, but now she filled her lungs with him. Hard work and man, earth and sea. Yearning just about swallowed her whole, threatened to undo her, definitely whittled away at her resolve. “Maybe not the judge, but I do. You were amazing before, but now?” Her chest swelled with emotion, her entire body trembling with need. “Your limitless patience is enough to drive me crazy!” She flipped around to face him. Dragged his arms away from the rail and wound them around her back herself, butting chests with him.

  “Kierra…” Her name sounded practically ripped from his throat. His gaze dove to her mouth. Was that desperation? Hunger?

  Not as hungry as her.

  She laced her hands around his back, scooting as close as their clothes allowed. “Kiss me already.”

  ****

  She didn’t need to tell him twice.

  The stress of the last few days since the attorney’s phone call. The constant desire from being around Kierra climbing his limbs, clamoring for release. Ten years of want. All met in one pulse-stopping kiss.

  His mouth landed on hers, his hands tugging her even closer. Stupid rebellious fingers wandered to the waistband of her jeans. At her gasp, he mustered steely discipline and refused to let them go any farther than the smooth skin skimming the hem of her shirt.

  A soft moan gurgled from her throat. Just about unleashed the cowboy from his past. The one she’d dumped years ago. The one who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  But the tugging of his shirt from his belt behind him and the cool hands that suddenly slid up his back stopped him cold.

  He wrestled with the old man inside of him who had no qualms about carrying her to the nearest private section of woods and finishing what they’d started, the wiser Hawk yearning to have it all. A life, a forever home, a family, here in Coldwater Ridge, with her and his son.

  “Honey…” Dragging her hands out from underneath
his shirt in the back wasn’t easy. Especially when they kept escaping his grip, her fingers rolling up again to splay across his shoulders, pressing them more tightly together.

  Lord, have mercy!

  Finally, he managed to snag her palms between his hands and fisted them against his heart. “Sweetheart, please. You don’t know what you’re asking.”

  Leaning into him, hooded lashes fluttered open against tanned cheeks, espresso eyes wide and so dark. Clearly, her answer wouldn’t be no this time. “Oh, I think I do.”

  The volleyball players across the lake, in all their hoopla and commotion, could probably hear his gulp. He shifted his weight on the boardwalk planks, backed up an inch so he could breathe, so he could think. Because he couldn’t, not with her soft curves swelling against him, his pulse thundering in his head, the swooshing of his blood galloping to every single body part.

  But all he inhaled was a lungful of her. And a thousand wishes and a decade of dreams of happily-ever-after threatened to implode in one nanosecond.

  Letting go of her hands, he framed her face to soften his rejection. “Honey, it isn’t that I don’t want to. Believe me, I have never wanted anything more in my whole life. But I can’t. Not right now. I would undo everything I’ve worked for to get Cody.”

  Would she understand that he was trying to be better? That he no longer lived his life for the moment, but in the moment? That his life was bigger than just him now?

  Her lips quivered and those gorgeous irises glimmered. Like a few dozen different jewels melting in flame, speckles of amber and tawny and marigold warmed the wide espresso orbs. After a couple frantic beats of his heart, calling himself more than a few names—fool making the top of the list—she nodded. Smiled even, although it was a bit on the weak side. Thank the sweet Lord, she inserted even more space between them.

  Now, maybe, he had a chance at behaving.

  With her hip nudged against the rail, hands stuffed deep in her jeans pockets, she studied him. “You have changed.” Her voice came out breathy, almost…awed?

  “Is that in a good way or…” He left the last word off. No need to give her ammunition.

  “The best way. I believe you—”

  His name ripped from someone’s mouth. Footsteps pounded the boardwalk.

  He turned around. Focused on the female stalking toward them, hands bunched in fists at her sides. Brigit?

  What in—

  Hawk stepped in front of Kierra, shielding her.

  “How dare you call the sheriff on me! He’s my son!” Brigit’s face echoed her tone, hatred etched in the lines and hard angles. Anger vibrated off her body in violent waves. Dark circles rimmed hollow cheeks and her shorts swallowed stick-thin legs. Was she into the rock again?

  “He’s our son.” The words came out quiet, but with measured precision. It was past time for his ex-wife to realize he was no longer a puppet with strings to be pulled at her whim.

  Kierra moved to stand next to him, her hand on his arm. “Brigit, I know you want what’s best for your son. Jimmie hurt Cody. Are you really okay with that?” The brave, beautiful woman attempted to reason with his ex-wife.

  “You!” Brigit pointed at Kierra, screamed. “This is none of your business! Cody is mine, not yours!”

  “Enough, Brigit!” he said.

  The volleyball game paused as the players moved to the shore, gaping at the spectacle. A couple of the males stepped out on the boardwalk, quiet reinforcement a few yards away. Parents took their kids’ hands and hustled them to their cars, their fun in the playground ended.

  “Enough? Yes!” A brittle laugh just about snapped Brigit’s ultrathin body in half. Had she gone mad? Or was this antagonistic behavior due to the drugs? “I’ve had enough.” Spittle landed on the wood planks. “Enough of you fighting me all the time. As if it wasn’t bad enough that you loved her the whole time we were married, now you’re flaunting it in front of my son?” A bony finger pointed at Kierra. “So much for being such a goodie, goodie. Maybe the judge would like to know what you two have been doing.” She brandished her phone in the air.

  Heaven help him, had she photographed them kissing?

  Kierra gasped.

  Dread. Helplessness. Fear. Swirled in his gut. He wanted to punch something. Brigit, namely. “One kiss, Brigit.”

  Brigit jerked her head, a sneer marring her once pretty features. “Right. That was more than just a kiss.”

  How could he argue? She was right.

  “Now call off the sheriff and your attorney,” she hissed.

  Indecision ravaged him. Threatened to topple him over like an ancient, thirsty tree. If he gave in to her demands, Kierra would be left out of this whole, ugly scenario. But, Brigit would never change, and his and Cody’s lives would stay the same, a never ending vicious cycle of moves and uprooting.

  One thing would change. Cody would hate him.

  “No.”

  The single word transformed the look of victory on her face to disbelief. “No?”

  He shook his head.

  “Why you—” His ex-wife rushed forward on wobbly legs, rage blotching her face tomato red.

  The pair of male volleyball players moved in, but not fast enough to snag the enraged Brigit.

  Hawk pressed Kierra back with his arm, waited until the last second then sidestepped Brigit’s attack.

  His ex-wife smacked into the wood rail, her momentum so top heavy, so unstable, that she toppled over the rail. The water drowned out her scream.

  Hawk groaned. Considered for all of one nanosecond leaving Brigit underwater, knowing she couldn’t swim.

  But, he wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. Would never be able to face his son and tell Cody that he didn’t give his best to save his mother.

  So, he dived into the frigid water, followed by the two volleyball players. But his first thought coming up out of the water, dragging a sputtering ex-wife behind him wasn’t on the upcoming court case or how he’d keep Cody from hearing about his mother’s latest escapade. No. His watery gaze tracked to Kierra, standing by the rail where Brigit went in, hugging her waist.

  So much for their first date.

  Would she risk a redo? Or would she call it quits before they ever had a chance to explore whether their teenaged love could survive the distance?

  He couldn’t blame her if she chose not to see him again. Who would ever want to put up with scenes like this?

  20

  The cowboy could’ve left his ex-wife in the water for the two volleyball players to rescue, but no! He dived in there like the hero he was and saved the belligerent woman from drowning.

  Did Brigit even give him credit or say thanks? Ha! When Hawk hoisted her out of the water and plopped her on the shore, she’d sputtered her rage. Once she made it to her feet, she kicked and threw punches, screaming obscenities at Hawk until half the volleyball team subdued her.

  Someone called the police. A couple squad cars squealed in to the park and two officers raced to the scene. One officer spoke with Hawk and interviewed a handful of witnesses. The other subdued Brigit long enough to determine that she should be handcuffed. Now, she sat confined in the back seat of a police cruiser, staring out the window, glaring hate to all on the outside.

  Kierra remained on the boardwalk. Her legs still trembled from the encounter and her fingers shook as she called her mother to explain why they’d be late. She hung up and sank down on the wooden bench to wait for Hawk.

  What if Brigit had brought a gun? What if she’d shot Hawk? What if he’d been hurt, or worse, died?

  Was his nightmare with this woman finally over? Or would his and Brigit’s relationship continue to deteriorate, end with someone in a hospital bed or a morgue?

  Moaning, Kierra covered her face with her hands.

  How many minutes she sat there, she didn’t know. Long enough for the roar of the voices to fade. Doors slammed and engines cranked, cars drove away. Ducks stopped their agitated quacks and splashes. The sun sur
rendered to night.

  And still she sat. Because all the thoughts that tumbled through her head involved the chopper cowboy and his son. What they’d lived through, how wonderful their attitudes in spite of the woman they called wife and mother. How cold and lonely life without them would be.

  Boots squished and slogged across the boardwalk until they paused a few feet away from the bench. Hawk’s deep voice, remorseful, and yes, even a bit afraid, rumbled through the quiet. “I’m sorry for that.”

  She dropped her hands, not sure if she was ready to face the world again, to admit that she’d fallen in love with the cowboy all over again.

  Water pooled on the wood planks. Wet jeans hugged Hawk’s legs and his light cotton tee plastered his chest. A couple drops of moisture clung to his short hair before dribbling down his neck.

  She slid her gaze up to his face. Her heart sank, all the fun and laughter from this beautiful day stolen.

  He was going to break up with her. She could see it in the clamped jaw, the stiff set to his shoulders, the uplifted chin and firm straight line of his mouth. The lump that worked its way down his throat.

  “Kierra, I can’t—”

  “Yes, you can.”

  He licked his lips. Closed his eyes. Shuddered. “What if she’d hurt you?”

  “What if she’d hurt you? Or Cody?” She fired right back.

  He sighed, something from deep inside. “I couldn’t bear to lose either of you. Maybe it’s just best—”

  “Best for who?” Best wouldn’t make her heart ache like this, right? How could he think that breaking up solved anything?

  “Please.” His eyelids lifted revealing silver eyes churning with anguish and regret. “Don’t make this harder than what it already is.”

  She dipped her head to cover her sniffle and to shut out the wounded look on the cowboy’s face.

  A hand cupped her elbow. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

  ****

  How could he have ever thought that starting something with Kierra was a good idea? It wasn’t fair to ask her to share his load of baggage. Especially when all this crap with Brigit was a result of his poor choices to start with.