The Bull Rider's Fresh Start

by Heidi McCahan

  “C’mon, cutie patootie. Let’s see who’s here.” Kelsey picked up Adeline, went to the front door and opened it. A petite blond-haired woman with a noticeable baby bump stood on the porch. Her bright green eyes immediately zoomed in on Adeline, then her chin wobbled, and she pressed her fingertips to her lips.

  Oh boy. Kelsey shifted from one foot to the other. Who was this pregnant, teary-eyed woman showing up at Landon’s house unannounced?

  “Hi, I’m Kelsey. Are you looking for Landon?”

  The woman shook her head and sniffed, then braced her palms on her rounded abdomen. “I’m Laramie Tomlinson, Landon’s sister. We probably met at Wade and Maggie’s wedding.”

  Ah. She sagged with relief. For a second, she’d wondered if he had a pregnant girlfriend he’d conveniently omitted from last night’s conversation.

  Kelsey quickly scrolled through her mental snapshots from the wedding weekend. She didn’t recall meeting Laramie. Of course, she’d pretty much been obsessed with Landon the entire time. Even though she’d never admit that now.

  “So that makes you Adeline’s aunt. I’m her mother, by the way.” She shook Laramie’s hand, but the woman couldn’t take her eyes off Adeline. She immediately stole the spotlight by blowing raspberries with her adorable little mouth.

  Laramie smiled and knuckled away a tear. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m ridiculous, crying at the sight of your baby. Pregnancy hormones are no joke.”

  “You’re not wrong,” Kelsey said. “I still remember what that was like. When are you due?”

  “November twenty-fifth.”

  “Is this your first?”

  “My husband, Jack, and I have twin girls who are three.”

  Another truck had pulled up and parked beside Laramie’s vehicle. A man exited the driver’s side, then slammed the door and strode toward them. Kelsey studied him, trying to assess his connection to Laramie and Landon.

  “If you’re looking for Landon, I’m not sure when he’ll be back. He left after breakfast and said something about needing to buy parts for a combine.”

  “Hey, Drew.” Laramie ignored Kelsey’s comment and waved to the man. “This is my brother-in-law Drew Tomlinson. Drew, this is Kelsey and Adeline.”

  Kelsey offered him a polite smile as he joined Laramie on the porch. “What can I help you with?”

  While she understood Landon’s family and friends probably wanted to see Adeline, Kelsey would rather they didn’t stick around. After their marathon play session, she desperately needed Adeline to take a solid afternoon nap. Kelsey’s hand traveled to her hair, still piled in a messy bun. Then she glanced down and realized she had baby food spattered on her T-shirt and she was wearing the same shorts she’d slept in. A shower sounded amazing right now.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Drew said. “And this must be the baby girl I’ve heard so much about today.” He reached out and skimmed his fingers across Adeline’s arm.

  Kelsey resisted the urge to step back. They’d had such a fun morning together. Selfishly, she didn’t want Adeline to start crying again because strangers frightened her.

  Adeline’s perfect brow furrowed as her head swiveled between her arm and Drew’s face.

  Oh no. Kelsey held her breath. Please don’t cry.

  Laramie chuckled. “You’re an observant little thing, aren’t you?”

  Adeline rewarded her with a toothy grin, then shoved her thumb in her mouth and rested her head against Kelsey’s shoulder. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I need to get her down for her nap soon. Landon has his phone if you need to text him. Or I’m sure he’ll be back later.”

  Laramie and Drew exchanged glances. “He’s actually the one who asked us to come by. He said you might need some help getting settled at my place. Well, my old place.” Laramie shrugged. “I’m glad you and Adeline are going to stay there. No reason for a cute house to sit empty.”

  “Wait.” Kelsey shifted Adeline to her other hip. “Landon sent you to help me?”

  “Sure did.” Drew grinned. “My sister, Skye, heard you and Adeline might need a few things, too.”

  “We wanted to make sure you knew there was a crib at the house already. You’re welcome to use anything that’s there,” Laramie said.

  “News spreads like wildfire around here,” Drew added. “I can almost guarantee the casserole committee is circling their wagons.”

  Kelsey’s gaze pinged from Drew to Laramie. “A casserole committee?”

  “He means meals,” Laramie said. “Friends from church, neighbors, people who know our family will want to welcome you to Merritt’s Crossing. You’ll probably have a few ladies show up at your door this week with food.”

  “For what?”

  “For you.” Drew patted his flat stomach with his palm. “If I were you, I’d pray for Mrs. Wilkerson’s peach cobbler and Mrs. Johnson’s chicken salad.”

  “Oh.” Kelsey could barely force out the single syllable. She tried to muster up an enthusiastic response, but the idea of more strangers bringing her meals and staring at her baby made her want to climb the walls. This might be Landon’s hometown and his family might welcome outsiders, but that didn’t mean she wanted to build connections or make new friends. Because sooner or later, Landon would fall back on his old habits, forcing her to leave to keep Adeline safe.

  Chapter Five

  “A friend from church just dropped these off.” Landon set the box of diapers on the floor in Laramie’s living room then straightened. Every muscle in his body ached. Between the early-morning visit with Adeline, working all afternoon on the farm and helping Kelsey move into Laramie’s place, he’d pushed himself to the limit. He’d moved past hungry and onto famished, and a thin layer of dust coated his skin. Worse, his chronic back injury screamed at him to get off his feet.

  But he wouldn’t leave until he knew Kelsey felt settled. Comfortable. And the pinched expression on her face hinted that she wasn’t happy.

  “What’s wrong?” He swiped at the sweat on his forehead with the sleeve of his T-shirt while Kelsey paced the living room, a cranky Adeline wedged on her hip.

  “Nothing.”

  The telltale furrow in her brow betrayed her. There was most definitely something going on.

  “Want me to hold her while you eat?”

  Enough food to sustain a large family for a week had paraded through the front door in the last couple of hours. Including Mrs. Wilkerson’s peach cobbler.

  His stomach growled.

  Kelsey shot him a knowing look. “I’m not hungry, but if you are, help yourself.”

  Landon hesitated. Did she mean that? Everything about her vibe screamed, leave me alone! But he was starving. Besides, he felt bad about leaving when Adeline seemed fussy.

  He glanced at the swing Drew had arranged in the corner near the window. With a miniature stuffed hippopotamus, giraffe and elephant dangling from the arm overhead, and a padded light green seat decorated with more safari-themed creatures, he couldn’t imagine why Adeline wouldn’t enjoy it. Laramie had mentioned the multiple speeds and its ability to play a cute lullaby and raved about how Charlotte and Macey had both loved the thing when they were little.

  “Do you want to try putting her in the swing?” Landon asked. “It might help with the crying.”

  Kelsey cast a suspicious glance toward the contraption, as if sizing up whether it was qualified to hold her precious baby girl.

  Landon held in a groan. After all they had done for her—helping her move and get settled, providing food and every possible piece of equipment they could think of for Adeline—a little gratitude might be nice.

  Don’t pick a fight, man. Just don’t, he mentally coached himself as he crossed the room to the swing and fiddled with the settings. He wasn’t going to provoke Kelsey, no matter how tempted he was to confront her about her sour attitude.

&n
bsp; A few seconds later, a familiar soothing tune played from the small speaker. Adeline swiveled in Kelsey’s arms, gnawing on one of her fingers while she stared at the swing. Her fussing had stopped.

  Relief flooded through him, and he couldn’t stop himself from flashing Kelsey a victorious smile. “See? She’s a fan already.”

  “Or maybe she just likes the music.”

  Oh brother. Landon felt his smile slide from his face like an ice cream cone melting on a hot summer day. Did she have to crush every one of his suggestions? He turned away and scanned the swing. Was it not safe? Straps with plastic buckles protruded from the seat. Those looked like they’d pass a thorough inspection. There were no sharp objects within a fifty-foot radius. He’d even arranged the blinds to keep the late-afternoon sun from blasting Adeline in the face.

  Although to be honest, the land of baby equipment was so foreign, he really didn’t know what to look for. As a former professional bull rider who’d lived for the adrenaline rush of riding a savage beast, safety had admittedly never been his top priority.

  Until now. Until he had become a father.

  “You can trust my sister,” he said quietly. “She wouldn’t loan you anything that wasn’t safe.”

  Kelsey quirked her lips to one side. “All right, I suppose we can try it. Just for a few minutes, though.”

  She skirted the coffee table as she crossed the room, then carefully lowered Adeline into the seat.

  Adeline kicked her bare legs and cooed at the animals dangling over her head while Kelsey buckled her in.

  “I’m sure this will be fine.” Kelsey straightened but kept hovering, as if Adeline needed her to stand by and avert the next impending disaster.

  “Then why are you so irritated? Did you have a bad experience with baby swings?”

  He instantly regretted his lame attempt at making a joke when Kelsey turned and walked toward the kitchen, her bare feet smacking out a determined rhythm on the hardwood floor.

  He followed her. “You’re not superhuman, Kels. She’ll be okay if she uses a baby swing, especially if you need to eat or spend a few minutes by yourself.”

  “I’ve been away from her for months, remember?”

  She snatched a pie-shaped container wrapped in aluminum foil and plastic wrap from the counter then slid it into the freezer without looking at him. “That’s plenty of time by myself. Plenty of time to feel guilty and worry about whether I’m making the right decisions.”

  “Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.” He propped his shoulder against the door frame, grimacing as pain zinged from his lower back down his leg, hot and fierce. Her feistiness was a little easier to overlook once he realized she’d lashed out because of her fear and uncertainty. He wasn’t a big fan of fear, either. Trying to ride an angry bull had never not terrified him. And being a parent proved equally frightening.

  That didn’t mean he’d give up, though. And he wasn’t about to let Kelsey keep hiding behind her protective walls—no matter how hard she fought to maintain her emotional distance. Deep down, he knew he could be the father their daughter needed. Maybe even the kind of man Kelsey needed.

  She ignored him and scooped up three plastic containers of what appeared to be brownies and cookies and shoved them in the pantry. Next, she opened every single cabinet in Laramie’s kitchen. They were all empty. Laramie had left quite a bit of furniture, but she’d taken all her personal belongings, including almost everything in the kitchen, with her when she’d moved out.

  Landon still kept his distance, silently hoping no casseroles or desserts were harmed while she vented her frustration on the donations spread across the granite countertop.

  Kelsey pulled back the aluminum foil on a pan of macaroni and cheese sitting on top of the stove. A tendril of steam curled into the air.

  “Do you want some?” she asked, brandishing a paper plate she’d discovered in a stack on the counter.

  “I’ll get it. You don’t have to serve me.” He moved closer, but Adeline released an earsplitting wail, halting his steps.

  Kelsey looked up at him. The pain swimming in her eyes caught him off guard. “She doesn’t need that swing. She needs us.”

  Whoa. Adeline’s crying really bothered her. This glimpse of Kelsey’s tender concern for their daughter sent him back to the living room. “You eat. I’ll get her.”

  While every stride ratcheted up the pain gripping his lower back, Landon couldn’t possibly leave now. Because if he left while Adeline was screaming, then he’d prove Kelsey right. He’d show he was selfish and unreliable. Besides, her words pierced him like an arrow of truth.

  She needs us.

  He and Kelsey might not agree on much, but he couldn’t argue with that. Adeline needed her mother and her father. There was no way he’d miss out on an opportunity to comfort their sweet baby girl. Or give Kelsey any more reasons to discredit him.

  * * *

  Why? Why was he still here?

  Annoyance flared, burning through her veins. Hadn’t he played the hero enough today?

  Suddenly famished, Kelsey rummaged in a container of kitchen supplies Landon’s mother had dropped off earlier and found a serving spoon. Then she loaded a generous serving of macaroni and cheese onto her plate and added salad plus a dollop of dressing from the container someone had brought along with the macaroni and cheese.

  When she turned from the stove, her plate nearly slid from her hands. Landon’s pale blue T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders as he leaned over and scooped Adeline from the swing.

  “Hey, pretty girl.” His voice was low and soft, those strong, capable hands suddenly gentle as he cocooned Adeline against his shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

  Kelsey’s traitorous insides puddled.

  “I’ll take her outside so you can eat.” Landon crossed the living room in long strides, then opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the deck.

  “Thank you.” She managed to force out the words, but Landon had already closed the door. He patted Adeline’s back while he walked slowly across the wooden deck burnished to a coppery brown from the hot sunshine. The skirt of Adeline’s yellow sleeveless dress fluttered in the breeze. As he changed directions, Kelsey caught a glimpse of his lips moving. Was he singing? No matter how much his presence aggravated her, Kelsey couldn’t look away.

  The heat from her food warmed her hand through the thin paper plate, and she slid it back onto the counter. She picked out a plastic fork from a bag of utensils lying beside the disposable cups and plates contributed by yet another stranger and dug in. While she’d claimed she wasn’t hungry, her body proved otherwise. She devoured the meal standing up as though she hadn’t eaten in days. The crispy bread-crumb crust topping the creamy macaroni and cheese was amazing and reminded her of her mom’s cooking. Kelsey paused midbite, closed her eyes and released a satisfied sigh.

  This was so not fair. Landon must’ve rallied his friends and family to woo her. Well, nice try. She wouldn’t let them. Opening her eyes, she stabbed a bite of salad with her fork. Sure, Laramie’s house was cute and conveniently located, and the amount of food that had arrived would feed a hungry platoon for days. The ladies who’d come with Landon’s mom had even made up the bed in the guest room for her, and she couldn’t believe how quickly they’d found sheets for the crib and a bin full of baby toys.

  Their generosity wouldn’t last, though. These ladies had only shown up for her because they didn’t want Landon to lose Adeline. She hated that she’d grown so cynical. So jaded. But watching her father manipulate her mother for years, only to leave them hungry and alone while he disappeared for days or weeks, had taught her she couldn’t afford to trust anyone.

  She stole a glance through the sliding glass door. Landon stood facing Laramie’s fenced backyard. Adeline had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

  Kelsey’s heart
pinched. Why did he have to look so good holding her? Few things made her swoon—but evidently an incredibly attractive man holding her baby girl was one.

  Stop. Almost anyone could hold a sleeping infant for a few minutes. That didn’t mean he could be a decent, reliable father for the long haul. She forced herself to look away, letting her gaze wander around the room. If she and Adeline had to stick around for a couple of weeks, there were worse places to hang out. As much as she distrusted the kindness and generosity of these strangers, this adorable, partially furnished house with fresh white paint, trendy gray cabinets and stainless-steel appliances was more than she could’ve hoped for.

  Her years in the military had afforded little time or energy for customizing her on-base housing into anything that felt like her own. She wasn’t there much, anyway. And as a diver, she relished every opportunity to leave the ordinary world behind and submerge herself in the depths of the sea, devoted to fulfilling her orders. Completing the mission for the good of the order. Then she didn’t have to think about how lonely her solitary existence had become, or how many thousands of miles stretched between her and her baby girl.

  Unexpected emotion tightened her throat. She pushed her plate away, grabbed a cup and filled it with water from the kitchen sink. Gulping down a long sip, she mentally scratched and clawed for control. These people, Landon’s family and friends, wanted her around. Or at least they behaved like they did.

  You can stop running now. He can’t hurt you anymore.

  The thought was so ridiculous, so insane, that she sucked in a breath, which made her choke on her water. She wasn’t running. A strong, independent woman didn’t run. She stood firm. Protected her child. Like a good mother was supposed to. Being cautious did not mean she was pushing anyone away.

  Was she?

  The sound of the door sliding open sent a wave of panic sweeping through her. She gripped the edge of the counter. He couldn’t see that she was battling back tears. Not again. If he saw her cry twice in two days, then he’d know his friends’ and family’s generosity had gotten to her. She couldn’t have that.