Alex smiled. “So you like water, huh?”
Brody squealed and slapped the surface. A spray of water hit Alex in the face, stinging his eyes. He grimaced. Brody cackled and bounced harder in Alex’s arms, the sheer joy in his face so reminiscent of Dean’s fun-loving nature.
“Your daddy liked the water, too.” Alex smiled, an ache returning to his chest. “We used to go swimming out here every summer.” He swallowed hard, his throat burning. “Those days were the best ones of my life.”
Brody stared up at him, his gaze drifting from Alex’s forehead down to his chin, then he reached up and tugged at Alex’s hair.
Alex laughed and drew Brody closer. “Yeah. We were a lot younger then, and I didn’t have all this gray.”
He gently untangled Brody’s fingers from his hair, then examined the baby’s hand as it nestled within his own. Brody’s palm was so small against his, but the tiny fingers curled tight around his thumb and squeezed, proving there was more strength in that little body than he might’ve initially guessed. The firm tug traveled up his forearm, across his shoulder, then seeped into his chest, blurring his vision.
“I know you miss your daddy as much as your mama. Your daddy was a good man,” Alex whispered. “One of the best.”
He didn’t know how long he stayed still in the water, studying the color of Brody’s eyes, the shape of his nose and the playful expressions that flitted across the baby’s face. All he knew as Brody’s small chest lifted against his rhythmically was that Brody was breathing. He was strong and alive. And every beat of that baby’s heart meant that, in some small way, Dean would go on living, too.
“Alex?”
He blinked and dragged his eyes from Brody. Tammy sat at the edge of the creek with a towel wrapped around her, watching him with a concerned expression as the last bit of daylight began to fade.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
“Yeah.” He stilled at the husky note in his voice, realizing the wetness coating his cheeks was no longer creek water. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m fine.”
Brody resumed splashing and babbling.
“I think the power’s back on,” Tammy said, gesturing toward the field behind her. “I can see a light over in the direction of the house. I think it’s the porch light you turned on earlier.” She hesitated. “Are you ready to go in?”
Alex looked down at Brody, peace settling sweetly inside him as the baby laughed and splashed in the water. Then he looked at Tammy, savoring the gentle tone in her voice and the patient tenderness in her eyes.
He smiled. “Not yet. Would you mind if we stayed a little longer?”
“Not at all.” She returned his smile, hugged her knees to her chest, then whispered, “I’d like that a lot.”
Chapter Six
A sweet satisfaction existed in hard work. The kind Alex never failed to appreciate.
“Feels good, don’t it?”
Alex lowered his glass of iced tea, stretched his legs out across the porch steps, then smiled up at Earl. “Sure does.”
Earl laughed, then tipped his glass up and drank heavily, the clink of ice mingling with his contented groan.
One perk of the power coming back on was being able to enjoy a cold drink in the late-afternoon sun. And after a week and a half of repairing the stable, caring for the horses and clearing fallen trees from the field, Alex had every intention of soaking it up.
Apparently, Scout did, too. He ran from one end of the newly cleared field to the other, stopping to snuffle and roll around in the grass every few feet.
Alex chuckled, propped his elbows on the top step behind him and closed his eyes. His T-shirt clung to his sweat-slicked back and his jeans had become stiflingly hot, but, hell, what did that matter after all he’d accomplished over the past few days? The steady progress in reparations to the ranch had returned a sense of control to the day. And each newly restored section of the stable and fields, however small, made him think he actually had a say in what the future held for him.
Which was the exact opposite of how he’d felt after attending Dean and Gloria’s funeral last week. That had been one of the longest days of his life and he’d been anxious to get back to the ranch with Tammy to resume a sense of normalcy. And help Brody find the same.
A squeal pierced his eardrums, then a small body climbed over his shoulder and onto his chest, almost dislodging the glass from his hand.
“Brody, wait.”
Alex caught the baby with one arm and held his iced tea up with the other as Tammy ran up behind him. “Aw, he’s all right.” He sat up, cradling Brody to his midsection and tipped his drink toward him. “You want some of this, too, little man?”
Brody babbled, reached out and tugged the glass toward his mouth.
The sun glinted off the glass, and Alex squinted up at Tammy. “Is it okay for him to have some?”
“I put a lot of sugar in it, so it’s not good for his teeth.” Tammy grinned. “But I don’t think a little will hurt.”
Alex smiled, admiring the pretty blush in her cheeks and playful sparkle in her eyes, but he wasn’t sure he agreed with her comment. He’d spent only a little time at the creek with her and Brody last week, but that brief hour had been enough to keep the image of her tempting mouth and soft curves reemerging behind his eyelids each night despite his attempts to sleep in the recently restored guest room.
She’d managed to slip farther past his guard than he’d realized, and the thought should’ve prompted him to keep his distance. Instead, he found himself wanting to spend more time with her. Wanting to enjoy more of her feisty banter, warm laugh and gentle flirtations.
Brody fussed, and Alex glanced down, tipping the glass carefully to the baby’s lips and helping him sip the tea. Brody grinned, licked his lips and reached for more.
Tammy laughed, bringing Alex’s eyes back to her. He wasn’t sure if the way she’d helped him heal with Brody last week was the cause of the lingering gratitude he had for her or not. But he wanted to keep her as smiling and content as she was now, without a trace of the fear or panic that had shadowed her expression when she’d first arrived.
“Looks like Ms. Maxine is making the rounds again today.” Earl nodded toward the driveway, where a small car eased up the path, dust particles dancing in the sun behind it.
Alex set his glass down, stood with Brody in his arms, then walked over to greet Maxine.
“Now, isn’t this a sight?” Maxine chimed as she exited the car and shut the door. “I guess you figured out how to handle a baby after all, hmm?”
Alex smiled. Maxine beamed up at him, then leaned in and kissed Brody’s cheek. Brody patted her cheek, then pointed toward Scout in the field.
“We were just having iced tea,” Tammy said, walking up with Earl. “Would you like a glass?”
“Oh, no, thank you, Tammy. I can only stay a minute. I’ve got business to tend to but thought I’d stop by and give you this.” She held out something square, which was wrapped in a white cloth. “Sam at the auto body shop found it this morning when he was working on your truck. He thought you’d like to keep it safe while your repairs are being finished.”
Tammy took it and removed the cloth, revealing a cracked glass case with a gold buckle mounted inside. World Champion was etched across the top edge of the glass in elegant script.
Alex stilled, securing his grip on Brody as the baby leaned over and grabbed at it. “You won at Vegas last year?”
Tammy smiled, her fingers drifting slowly over the large words. “We won at Vegas.” She nodded toward the stable. “I told you Razz was fast.”
“Well, what do you know?” Earl poked his head over Tammy’s shoulder for a better look at the medal, then winked at Alex. “You had a celebrity in the house all this time and didn’t even know it.”
/>
An uneasiness settled in Alex’s gut. World champion. Celebrity. They were stark reminders of the differences in his and Tammy’s lifestyles. And an even more unwelcome reminder of how little they knew about each other.
He forced a tight smile and tried to shrug off the awkward tension knotting between his shoulder blades. Had the traumatic experiences of the past weeks clouded his judgment more than he’d thought? Was the newfound connection he’d begun to feel with Tammy no more than misplaced grief?
Hell, he should’ve been more worried about himself falling prey to a compulsive attraction rather than Tammy.
“...update.”
Alex refocused on Maxine. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I said, I also stopped by to give you an update on Brody’s situation.” Maxine reached out and brushed a wisp of hair from Brody’s forehead. “I finally got in touch with Dean’s half brother, John Nichols, and explained the situation.” She frowned. “I didn’t realize how little he and Dean had to do with each other, and I’m not sure he’ll come forward. John just turned twenty-one and got engaged. He and his fiancée agreed to think it over and will let me know in a week or two if they’re willing to take responsibility for Brody. If he doesn’t let me know by then, I’ll need to take Brody to the children’s home in Atlanta.”
Alex stiffened, his arms tightening around Brody. What a fool he was. He’d known this was only temporary, so this wasn’t a surprise. But it didn’t dull the pain throbbing in his chest at the thought of Brody leaving. Or quell the panic that arose at the thought of losing the last connection he had to Dean.
“But Brody will stay here for now, right?” Tammy curved her hand around Alex’s biceps, staring at Maxine as though pleading for confirmation. “With us?”
Maxine remained silent as she scrutinized Tammy’s face, then glanced at Alex. “Yes,” she said, a small smile appearing. “Brody will stay with you for now.”
Tammy’s relieved breath whispered across Alex’s neck. Alex shifted Brody to his other hip, then took Tammy’s hand in his own, threading his fingers through hers and tugging her close to his side.
“There’s one more thing I discovered when I was completing paperwork for Brody,” Maxine said, her smile growing wider. “His first birthday is at the end of next week. Saturday, to be exact. Thought I’d let you know in case you wanted to plan something special for him.”
“Oh, that’s perfect, Alex.” Tammy grinned up at him. “With the power back on, I could make Brody a birthday cake. One of those little individual ones with lots of colorful icing. And we could blow up some balloons and get party favors—”
Alex laughed, gesturing with their joined hands toward the fields surrounding them. “And where exactly do you plan on rounding all this stuff up?”
Tammy fell silent, frowning and biting her lip.
“The grocery store in Deer Creek reopened a few days ago,” Maxine said. “I’m sure you’ll find most of what you need there. But you’ll want to get there soon. From what I hear, the lines are stretching out of the front door, and they’re already getting low on milk and bread.”
Tammy’s expression brightened, and she clutched the medal to her chest, her body practically vibrating against his with excitement. “How ’bout it? Want to take a trip to town?”
Not particularly. Alex rolled his shoulders and sighed. How long had it been since he’d actually shown his face in Deer Creek? Dean and Gloria had undertaken all the errands for the ranch, and normally he drove an hour in the opposite direction to get groceries in a different county.
He grimaced. Going to Deer Creek meant potentially bumping into old friends and classmates whose calls and visits he’d avoided for years. And he damned sure didn’t relish the idea of carrying on conversations about what he’d been doing with his life since his split with Susan.
“Please, Alex. We need groceries anyway, and it’ll be Brody’s first birthday. He deserves to have a special day.” Tammy leaned over and kissed Brody’s forehead. “Don’t you, handsome?”
Brody chortled, squished Tammy’s cheeks with both hands and tugged her closer for more kisses. They both giggled, then glanced up at Alex with beaming smiles.
Aw, hell. The cute factor was off the charts. And he knew when he was beaten.
He chuckled. “When do you want to leave?”
It took longer than he remembered to drive into the city limits of Deer Creek, the distance seeming greater than usual. The houses and businesses in town had been damaged and there were a lot of downed trees, but the bulk of debris had been cleared from the roads, and the small business district of the community was bustling.
Maxine had definitely heard right. Two lines stretched out of the Deer Creek Market’s front entrance, and the parking lot was packed.
“I think everybody and their brother are here restocking supplies.” Alex eased his truck into a parking space and cut the engine. “Want to divide and conquer? Or bulldoze our way through there together?”
Tammy unsnapped her seat belt and lifted her chin. “Bulldoze our way in together.” She twisted and peered into the back of the cab. “That okay with you, Brody?”
The baby squealed and kicked his feet against the car seat.
Decision made, they wove their way through the crowd, snagged a shopping cart and headed straight for the dairy section. Tammy held Brody while Alex grabbed the last two gallons of milk and a carton of eggs. Diapers and baby food were next, then they eventually made their way to the cake mix aisle.
“Mind holding him for a sec?” Tammy asked, passing Brody to Alex, then bending to inspect the various boxes.
Alex settled Brody on his hip while Tammy picked out a box of cake mix and a can of icing, tossing them in the cart. He glanced around, noticing a few curious looks from other shoppers. He shifted from one boot to the other as Tammy browsed a small selection of pans.
She poked around the items on the shelf, then held up a cupcake tin in one hand and a large griddle in the other. “Which one?”
Alex bit back a laugh. “Have you ever baked a cake before?”
She grinned sheepishly, then shrugged. “There’s a first time for everything, right?” Blushing, she added firmly, “I’ve decided to make this a summer of firsts.”
Something in her eyes provoked a strong hunger within him. One that had nothing to do with food. He waved a hand at the cart. “Throw ’em both in there. We’ll figure it out together.”
Together. He held the word on his tongue, relishing the feel of it. Shopping together with a woman and a baby was definitely a first for him. A first he wouldn’t mind repeating with Tammy and Brody for as long as current circumstances allowed.
“We’re getting a lot of interested stares,” Tammy whispered, eyeing a couple craning their necks for a better glimpse as they passed. “Do I look that out of place?”
Alex shook his head. “It’s not you, it’s me. It’s been a while since I came into town. Deer Creek is small, and news travels fast.” He winced. “I haven’t been all that friendly to people lately.”
“Yeah.” She nodded, adopting a solemn expression. “They’re probably afraid of you.”
He frowned, heat snaking up his neck. “Afraid?”
“Well, you are a very manly kind of man,” she said, eyeing his chest and arms. “Some people might find that intimidating.” Her mouth twitched. “Except for me and Brody. We know you’re just a big ol’ teddy bear.”
As if on cue, Brody yawned, blinked heavily, then laid his cheek against Alex’s chest.
Tammy laughed. “See what I mean?” She froze, then threw her hands in the air. “Oh, I forgot the balloons. We can’t have a party without those. I’ll be back in a minute.”
And she was off, rushing down the aisle and around the corner.
Alex chuckled under his breath, t
hen bent his head to Brody’s ear and whispered, “She’s got a lot more energy than either of us right now, huh, little man?”
Brody rubbed his eyes, then stuck his thumb in his mouth.
Alex smiled, lingering close to Brody’s hair and breathing in his soft baby scent. The light weight of him in his arms was comforting—soothing, almost—and he couldn’t help but remember how happy Dean had looked holding his son.
His chest tightened, a devoted pride swelling within him. Was this how it had been for Dean? Was this how it felt to be a father?
“Alex?”
He froze. The voice was soft. Barely discernible. But he recognized it instantly.
He lifted his head, swallowed hard and turned. “Susan.”
She hadn’t changed much. She still had the same thick blond hair, bright blue eyes and clear complexion. The lines beside her mouth were a bit deeper, but they just drew attention to her appealing smile. Time had been good to her.
“I...I thought it was you, but...” Her hesitant words trailed off, and she shifted restlessly behind her shopping cart as her eyes drifted down and hovered on Brody.
Alex forced a smile. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes,” she said softly, looking up at him again. “It has.”
“You look well.”
“Thank you. So do you.” She glanced down, cheeks flushing. “I heard about Dean and Gloria. I’m so sorry. I know I didn’t keep in touch, but I still loved them.” Glancing at Brody, she bit her lip, then asked, “Is he their son?” At Alex’s nod, she continued, “It’s so unfair for him to have to grow up without them. I can’t bear to think of my girls having to go through something like that.”
His throat constricted, and it hurt to speak. “You have children?”
Susan nodded, smiling. “Three daughters. The oldest is six, and the twins are four. They’re at home, helping their dad clean up the damage from the storm.” Her voice weakened. “I remarried seven years ago.”
“That’s good. You always said you wanted a big family.” He clutched Brody tighter, his voice hoarse. “I’m happy for you.”
The Rancher's Miracle Baby Page 10
