That day was the last day he would get to work in the restaurant. His parents were due to return the next day, and Cole still wasn’t sure what he was going to say to them. Kane had asked him if he wanted to go with him to pick up Denny and Bill at the airport but he opted out. That was the only time he’d seen the owner of the ranch since the day he’d shown Cole to the cabin and the restaurant. Which was completely fine with Cole.
He realized that his attitude toward the other man stemmed from him being attracted to Kane. He wasn’t going to get himself involved with anyone, especially after getting himself out of one fucked-up relationship. Cole’s primary focus was his baby and nothing else. It was going to be hard for him, but he planned on making it on his own.
Getting up from the couch, he took the stairs going to the second bedroom opposite from his parents’ bedroom. The room was cozy, and it seemed as if his parents had set up the room in anticipation that he would’ve visited one day. He heard the sound of his cell telling him that he had a message, walking over he picked it up off the nightstand.
He didn’t need to wonder who was calling him, the only person he’d given his new number to was his best friend, Ezra. He was the only person who knew the truth about what was going on between him and Ryker. Ezra begged him on numerous occasions to leave the man. He didn’t want to put Ezra in danger in case Ryker went to him looking for Cole. He also didn’t tell his friend about the baby, he figured once he got settled he’d tell Ezra everything.
Looking at the screen, his assumption was right. He saw that Ezra had left a message. Putting in his code, he set his phone on speaker.
“Hey, Cole, wherever you are, stay there. Ryker came to see me and he’s pissed. I told him I didn’t know that you left town, but I was happy that you finally got some sense and left his ass.” Ezra took a deep breath. “If you were thinking of coming back, don’t. It’s not safe for you, Cole. He’s out for revenge, other than leaving, I don’t know what else you did. For the first time, I was afraid for myself when he came to see me looking for you. This is the last time I’m going to contact you. I don’t want him to find you through me. So, take care of yourself. Find happiness and try to forget about Ryker. Maybe one day we can link up again.”
Cole stood frozen in the same spot, unable to move after he heard Ezra’s message. Ryker was looking for him. He ignored the part about Ezra not calling him back. They were friends and would see each other again. Cole wasn’t worried about that. What scared him was that Ryker could do something to Ezra for not telling him where Cole was. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Cole dropped his face in his hands and started to cry.
Why won’t Ryker leave me alone? I just want to live my life with my child and not deal with the bullshit.
The only consolation Cole had was that in all the time they were together, Ryker wasn’t interested in his family life. He’d mentioned a time or two who his father was and that he’d quit his job being the head chef at the Wyndham Hotel, to go work and live on some dude ranch.
Ryker had only met his parents once, and Cole was pretty sure that the man couldn’t pick them up out of a police lineup. Drying off his face, Cole reached for his phone and dialed up a number he knew by heart. Ezra answered on the second ring.
“I told you not to call me,” Ezra sighed on the other end of the phone.
“I know, but I needed to check on you.” Cole never wanted to put his friend in danger. “I didn’t think he’d go and see you.”
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. Where are you?”
Cole was about to say something when he heard a familiar voice and froze.
“Hey, babe . . .”
Ryker. Why was Ryker with Ezra? Babe, he called him babe.
The phone fell from his hand as the realization hit him. His best friend and the man that used to be his lover were together. How long had it been going on? Thoughts filled his mind in that short moment.
Was Ezra’s concern for him ever real? Did he and Ryker have a good laugh behind his back at what a fool he’d been the entire time they were together? Cole felt sick to his stomach. Cupping a hand over his mouth he ran to the bathroom and emptied the contents in his stomach. He wasn’t sure how to feel. Shouldn’t he be angry or hurt that he’d just found out that his ex-lover and his friend were sleeping together?
He felt sad, and a bit relieved that he wouldn’t have to worry about Ryker anymore. He could move on with his life. Standing at the sink he washed out his mouth, reaching for the towel he dabbed his face. He looked into the mirror staring at the reflection and realized he’d been naïve. If Ezra was sleeping with Ryker all that time, why the fuck did he call him? His eyes widened and Cole threw the towel to the side of the sink and ran out of the bathroom.
Spotting the cell phone on the floor, grabbing the book that was on his bedside table. Going to his knees he raised it and smashed his cell phone. He wasn’t sure if it was because he’d watched too many spy movies as a kid. But he’d rather not let Ryker have a way to track him down.
He kept hitting the thing with the book until he felt tired and the phone was unrecognizable. He sat back on his shins; breathing hard, he ignored the tears that fell down his cheeks. This will be the last time he was going to let someone hurt him again.
He’d trusted Ezra, thought the man was his friend. But it turned out he trusted the wrong person. Getting up, he stripped out of his work clothes and went to take a shower. He needed to sleep and forget about his dreadful night. He was closing the book on his past and looking toward his future. Whatever that might be.
Cole sat on the couch, then he stood up and paced for a few seconds before he sat back down again. He was nervous and excited to see his parents after so long. Despite finding out that his ex-best friend and lover were sleeping together the night before, he’d had a good night’s sleep. He’d woken up and joined some of the hands that he’d gotten to know over the two days he worked in the restaurant for breakfast.
He’d walked back from the Meadow Brook and cleaned his parents' cabin, even though it was already immaculate. His head snapped up when he heard the lock turn in the door. His father Bill stopped and stared at him before a wide smile broke out on his face.
“Cole,” Bill said excitedly. Dropping the bag that was in his hand and taking the few short steps over to him. He pulled him off the couch and into his arms. “What are you doing here? You know what, forget the reason why you’re here. It’s so good to see and hold you after so long.”
Cole wrapped his arms around his father and sighed in his embrace. He never realized how much he’d missed being held in his papa’s strong arms until now.
“Bill, how many times have I told you not to leave your bag at the door.” Cole heard Denny complain, but he didn’t make a sound. He knew that Denny didn’t see him since Bill’s larger body hid him from his dad.
“Stop your complaining and come over here and hug our son.” Bill released him and stepped to the side with his arm wrapped around Cole’s shoulder.
Denny’s eyes widened and he rushed over to Cole, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. “Colton, what are you doing here?” he asked. “You know what, I don’t care. I’m just glad to see you.”
Cole chuckled at Denny’s excitement. He was no longer as nervous as he was before they walked in the door. Denny pulled back from their hug and rested a hand on his right cheek. His brows creasing together in concern.
“Why do you look so thin? Have you been eating?” His dad always asked that question whenever he saw him. But right then, it needled at his insecurities and brought back Ryker’s insults about his weight.
Cole smiled brighter and leaned in to kiss Denny on his cheek. “I missed you too, Dad.”
“Hey, guys.”
All three turned to see Kane standing at the door with a couple more bags in his arms.
“Oh, Kane, I’m so sorry,” Bill said going over and grabbing the bags from their boss and setting them over in the corner.
�
��What the hell did you guys buy?” Kane asked. “You were only gone for a week.”
“We’ll tell you about it over dinner,” Denny said leaving Cole’s side. “And why didn’t you tell us that Cole was here when you picked us up from the airport?”
Kane shrugged. “He wanted it to be a surprise.”
Denny turned and looked at Cole with a smile on his face. “Well, it was. I hope I can convince him to stay.”
Cole didn’t say anything and was thankful when his other dad spoke up.
“Give it a rest, Denny. He’s here now, let’s just enjoy it.”
“Oh, I will. But . . .” The look in his dad’s eyes told him that the man was going to try to do more than convince him to stay.
“Denny,” Bill said shutting his dad up.
“Fine,” he relented and then turned back to Kane. “We’ll see you at dinner tonight, right?”
Kane went to say something but Bill stopped him. “Just give in, you know you can never pass up Denny’s cooking. And if I know him, he’s going to make Cole’s favorite, which happens to be yours as well.”
“Fine,” Kane sighed. “What time should I be here?”
“Seven, like always,” Denny answered.
Kane nodded at all three of them, touched the bill of his baseball cap and left.
Denny closed the door and turned to look at him. “Okay, now that Kane is gone. Tell me what’s wrong and who do we need to kill? We know someone who can bury the body with no questions asked.”
Cole stared at his dad for a few seconds before he burst out in laughter. He fell back on the couch holding his stomach. Leave it to his father to say something to make him feel as if everything was going to be all right.
“What did I say that was so funny?” he heard Denny ask over his laughter.
Chapter Three
Kane opened the door to his parents’ cabin and walked in without knocking. He took his cap off, hanging it on the hook.
“Hey, son,” his mom, Julia, greeted, walking out of the kitchen drying her hands on the bottom of her apron.
“Hey, Mom.” He bent down, kissing her on her upturned cheek. “How’s the old man doing today?”
“He’s doing good.”
After his father, Preston, had his stroke, he had to learn how to do everything again. From talking to walking, learning how to eat and feed himself; it was a very hard time for him and his mother. Preston was a proud man and Kane knew it was harder on his father to depend on his mother for everything, even the simplest things. He couldn’t count on his hands the many times he’d held his mother while she cried on his shoulder. They had both lost something the day his father almost died.
“He wants to go for a ride later,” his mother told him.
“Okay.”
The doctors had recommended that the more mobility his father regained, it would be safe for him to go for short, smooth horseback rides.
“So what brings you by?” Julia asked him.
“Can’t I want to visit with my parents?” Julia gave him the “who are you trying to kid” expression before she turned and walked back into the kitchen. “Fine,” he said following behind her. “I just dropped Denny and Bill off at their cabin and I witnessed a touching moment between them and their son.”
“And it made you miss your mama,” she said going back over to the stove.
“Sort of.” He shrugged, looking over her shoulder to see what she was making. It was asopao de pollo which was his dad’s favorite. His mother was born in Puerto Rico and was on vacation at Black Meadow when she met and fell in love with Preston Cartwright.
“I heard their son came for a visit, finally,” Julia commented. She looked at Kane over her shoulder.
“Yeah, I had him working in the restaurant for a couple of days.”
“Kane, now why would you do that?” his mother turned around asking him with a spoon in her hand.
For a second, he felt like a kid about to be spanked with that spoon. He backed up, putting some space between them. “Now, hold on, Mama, he wanted to work. He said he’d work in the kitchen to help out.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, looking at him critically. “Can he cook at least?”
“He impressed Marla, if that’s any indication. He baked for her too.”
His mama nodded. She knew no one impressed Marla even if she was Denny’s assistant.
“And how about you?”
Kane’s brows creased together. “What about me?”
“Did he impress you?”
“From the little time I spent with him, I think he’s rude. And is in desperate need of a spanking to curb that attitude of his.”
His mother stared at him for a few seconds and smiled. “That’s good, dear. I’m glad you like him,” she said to him. “Are you staying for lunch?”
Kane looked at her as if she’d lost her marbles. Where the hell did she get the impression that I like Cole? Shaking his head, Kane answered her question. “Yeah, who could pass up your chicken soup?”
“Wonderful, set the table while I go and get your father.”
Kane nodded and went about getting three bowls and spoons. His mind drifted off to the scene that he’d seen earlier. Although Bill and Denny were very surprised but happy to see Cole, Kane was still suspicious as to why Cole decided to show up out of the blue.
He’d kept his distance purposely from the Brook because he didn’t want Cole to figure out that he was interrogating Marla and the other cooks on how he was doing. Kane might have allowed him on his ranch, but there was something about the man that had him feeling off-kilter. He didn’t care who Cole was related to, there was something about him that Kane didn’t trust. He’d heard about the friendly new cook.
Friendly, hardly, the first day they met, the man snapped at him.
Kane wanted to tell them it was all a front, he couldn’t understand what they were seeing. After spending a little over two minutes with the other man, he realized he didn’t like him. Kane knew that some of the hands had asked Cole out but he’d turned them down nicely.
Well, he’s not a slut, that’s a good thing. Fuck, I don’t even know the man and I’m thinking terrible things about him.
In two days he’d garnered attention from the guests as well. Kane had to admit the man was beautiful. A person could lose himself in the man’s bright blue eyes. Kane wasn’t sure why he was bothered by the other man. Or his presence on his property. He became more annoyed with his ranch hands when they bragged about how great of a cook Cole was, especially his baked treats.
Are you annoyed or jealous? asked a sarcastic voice that sounded like Winston.
Why the fuck would I be jealous?
Maybe because he didn’t fall to his knees, ready to worship your cock like some of the men who’ve visited the ranch have done. I’ve been telling you that you’re full of yourself.
Oh, for fuck’s sake, shut up, he mentally screamed to the annoying voice. He was going to kick his best friend’s ass the minute he saw him.
“Hey, son.”
Kane whipped his head around quickly, thankful to see his father taking his time walking into the kitchen with his cane. He wasn’t fully mended, even though he had his stroke three years earlier. For a full year, Preston was in a state of paralysis. With most patients, it would happen to one side of their body. But because he was driving his truck home from picking up supplies, he had broken his legs and collarbone when he’d hit the tree head-on.
“Hey, Pop, how are you feeling?”
“You know,” he said. His voice was not as deep as it used to be and at times his words came out slurred. “Your mother worries.”
Kane smiled. “She only cares, Pop.”
Preston grunted and sat down, resting his hands on his lap. “Well, I can take care of myself.”
“I’m sure you can,” Kane said, appeasing his dad.
True there were some things Preston was able to do for himself again like feeding himself and brushing his teeth, u
sing his cane to walk a few steps before he started to feel winded. The doctors did tell Kane and his mother that Preston’s recovery would be slow going because he’d lost consciousness right after he had his stroke, which meant that he had limited oxygen going to his brain.
Kane kneeled, taking one of his dad’s hands in his. “I know she worries and I know you hate not feeling like yourself, but remember, she loves you and you her.”
Preston nodded. “I want to go riding later.”
Kane knew what his father was doing but didn’t call him out on it. Preston wasn’t the type to deal with the emotional stuff.
“All right, after we have lunch I’ll take you. Before we leave, I’ll call Kevin and ask him to get Misty ready for you.”
“I want to ride my own horse, not that crazy one,” Preston complained.
“Stop your complaining, Pres,” Julia said when she walked into the kitchen.
“I’m a grown man dammit, not some child,” Preston yelled, or tried to but it came out in gasps of breath.
“Of course, you are, dear, but remember our deal. When you can walk a full mile without needing to sit down, then and only then will I be okay with you riding Smokey on your own.” Running a hand through his black, salt-and-pepper hair she bent down and kissed him on his lips.
Kane had seen them kiss over the years growing up, but there was something different that time. Julia leaned back and cupped Preston’s cheek.
“I love you, Preston, never doubt that and there’s never a day that goes by that I see you as a child and you are not a burden to me. I promised to love you in sickness and in health. You will ride Smokey again.” Preston turned his head and kissed her on the palm of her hand nodding.
They loved each other more now than they ever did. Kane was happy to see his parents so in love with each other, despite his father’s illness. Preston lightly tapped Julia’s hand then looked at Kane.
The Cowboy's Baby_Mpreg Romance Page 3
