True Blue Cowboy (The Cash Brothers) (11 page)

“Beth, this is my sister, Dixie, and her husband, Gavin.” He pointed to the child. “And that little buckaroo is Nate.”

“Nice to meet you,” Beth said.

“We won’t stay at the hospital long.” Dixie thrust her son at Beth, taking her by surprise. “I’m glad you’re here. Mack’s great with kids but Nate’s a mama’s boy and he’ll want you.”

Instinctively, Beth settled Nate on her hip. The toddler looked at her, his expression serious. She smiled at the tyke and a warm, cozy feeling filled her when the boy laid his head against her.

Gavin handed a diaper bag to Mack. “There’s an extra set of clothes, his pajamas and food. Good luck.”

“You better let us know when Isi has the babies,” Mack said.

“We’ll call.” Dixie kissed Nate’s forehead. “Be good, honey.” Dixie looked at Beth. “Thank you for helping my brother with the kids.”

Mack stood next to Beth, watching the truck’s taillights disappear. If she allowed herself to, she could almost imagine she was holding her and Mack’s son and they were a family.

“Uncle Mack! Can Nate play with us?” Miguel shouted.

“Nate doesn’t feel good,” Mack said.

“What should I do with him?” She didn’t think it was a silly question but the grin on Mack’s face told her he thought it was.

“Why don’t you ask Nate what he wants to do?”

“Nate, how old are you?” she asked.

The boy held up three fingers. “What do you want to do?” He didn’t answer. “Would you like to sit on the swing and watch the boys play?”

“Good choice,” Mack said. “Nate likes the porch swing. He was a colicky baby and Gavin and Dix would sit outside and rock him for hours while he slept.”

“I like swings, too,” she said.

Mack jogged ahead of Beth and placed the diaper bag on the porch, then joined the soccer game in progress, leaving her alone with Nate.

Beth set him next to her on the swing, but he immediately crawled into her lap and rested his head against her chest. She ran her fingers through his fine, dark hair. Humming softly, she set the swing in motion. After a few minutes Nate fell asleep.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been holding him when the trio of soccer players appeared on the porch, dirty and tuckered out. Mack checked his watch. “It’s six o’clock. Why don’t the twins and I run into town and grab supper.”

“What about Nate?” The child slept through their conversation.

Mack dug in the diaper bag and removed the plastic containers of food. “Dixie packed a bunch of healthy stuff for Nate. I’ll get him chicken fingers. He likes those.”

“That sounds good to me,” she said.

The trio hopped into Mack’s truck and drove off.

She continued to rock Nate, and her thoughts drifted back to adoption. Even though she’d been set against raising someone else’s child, she’d found the courage to bring up the subject with Brad after they’d married. To her relief he’d wanted to concentrate on his career. She’d never shared her fears about adoption with her mother or Brad. Silly as it seemed, she worried that she wouldn’t be able to form a bond with a child that wasn’t a part of her. She’d heard stories of couples who’d adopted and had devoted their lives to making the child happy, then years later the child blamed them for the poor decisions they’d made or the unfortunate circumstances they were in. Beth understood that the same thing could happen to parents with their biological children, but she believed the risks weren’t as high.

She snuggled Nate closer, the long day catching up with her. She closed her eyes, intending to rest for a few minutes. A horn blast startled her and her eyes popped open. She felt disoriented until she remembered she was at the farm helping Mack with his nephews. Nate slept through the noise of Mack’s truck pulling into the yard and the twins piling out, talking a mile a minute.

When they reached the porch, Mack handed the fast-food bags to Miguel. “Take this inside and both of you wash your hands.” He walked over to the swing. “Conway called and asked if I’d spend the night with the boys so he can stay at the hospital with Isi. After Dixie picks up Nate I can drive you out to the dude ranch.”

She didn’t want Mack to have to make the long drive that late at night with the twins. “I don’t mind staying. I can sleep on the couch.”

“Great.”

Nothing was going to happen between her and Mack with the twins around.

He nodded to Nate. “I’ll watch him. You go eat.”

“Are you sure?”

Mack lifted his nephew into his arms and took Beth’s seat when she vacated the swing. “I’m a pro at this.”

To Beth’s way of thinking, Mack was a pro at a lot of things.

Chapter Ten

“Uncle Mack, are you gonna marry Beth?” Javier asked after the boys climbed into the bathtub.

“Javi wants to know ’cause he’s gonna marry Stephanie,” Mig said.

“Am not.”

Amused by the red splotches spreading across Javi’s cheeks, Mack asked, “Who’s Stephanie?”

“His girlfriend.” Mig giggled. “They swing together at recess.”

“We do not.” Javi pretended interest in a mound of soap bubbles.

“Is Stephanie nice?”

“Yeah,” Javi said. “She’s really smart. The teacher picks her first when she raises her hand.”

Mack wondered if Isi and Conway knew their shy son was sweet on a girl. He’d bet they didn’t.

“So are you gonna marry Beth, Uncle Mack?” Javier asked again.

Mack cupped his hands and sent a big splash at their heads. The boys ducked and the bath water hit the tiled wall. Miguel joined in the fun and slapped the surface of the water, soaking the front of Mack’s shirt.

“Uh-oh!” Javi pulled his brother to his side of the tub.

A water war ensued, all three becoming drenched. “Stop!” Mack held his hands up in surrender. “Your dad’s going to be mad if the water on the floor leaks into the kitchen.”

A snuffle sounded outside the door. “Let Bandit in,” Miguel said.

Mack glanced at the puddles on the floor. He supposed the four-legged mutt couldn’t make much more of a mess than the boys had. He opened the door and in less than a second Bandit assessed the situation then bounded past Mack and jumped into the water. Miguel grabbed the edge of the tub and spared himself a dunking, but the dog knocked Javi under the water. Mack pulled the kid up for air and he sputtered and coughed. “You okay, buddy?”

“Bad dog, Bandit.” Javi hugged the Lab’s neck.

“That scolding will teach him not to jump into the tub.” Mack handed Mig the bottle of dog shampoo from beneath the sink. “Might as well wash him while he’s in there.” The boys poured half the bottle on the Lab. Bandit flung his head back and forth, sending globs of lather flying across the room. It would take an hour to clean up after all three dried off.

“Did you wash your hair?” Mack asked Mig. The kid shook his head. “You do your own or does your mother help?”

“She helps ’cause we don’t scrub hard enough,” Javi said.

“Wash each other’s hair.” Mack leaned against the closed door and watched the boys squirt dog shampoo on their heads, then create Mohawk hairstyles. “That’s not scrubbing.”

The boys ignored him, so he got out his iPhone. “Look this way.” He snapped a photo of the trio then sent it to Conway. “Your dad will get a kick out of you three mutts.”

“We’re not mutts,” Mig said.

“That’s up for debate. Pull the plug and don’t move.” He opened the door and stuck his head into the hall. “Beth?”

The boards on the stairs popped and creaked, then a moment later she appeared on the landing. “Will you fetch a pitcher or a bowl I can use to rinse the boys off with?”

“Sure.” Beth rummaged through the kitchen cupboards until she found a plastic juice pitcher. When she delivered the container to Mack, she gaped at the scene in the bathroom.

“Look, Uncle Mack.” Javi pointed to the doorway. “Aunt Beth’s catching flies.”

“That’s what Uncle Porter says to Javi ’cause he never shuts his mouth,” Mig said.

“He says that to you, too.” Javi pushed his brother.

“No shoving in the tub.” Mack took the pitcher. “Thanks.”

While the boys argued, the words
Aunt Beth
wrapped her in a warm hug and a yearning sensation grabbed hold of her heart, squeezing until her chest ached.

This was what it would be like to have children—the amusement, the messes and the love. It was missing out on the love that bothered her most about never having a child of her own.

“Shoot,” Mack said. “I forgot to call Dave and tell him we wouldn’t be back tonight.”

“I spoke to him,” Beth said. “He wants you to let him know in the morning if you need to stay here and help with the boys.”

“Aunt Beth.” Miguel shivered in his towel.

“Yes, Mig?”

“Can we camp outside in a tent?”

“Wait a minute, guys—”

“Sure. As long as you go to sleep when Uncle Mack says. You can’t miss the school bus in the morning.” Beth smiled at Mack’s incredulous stare. “I’d better check on Nate.” The toddler had been sleeping for the past hour in the family room.

“Uncle Mack.” Mig’s voice floated into the hallway and she paused on the landing. “I like Aunt Beth. She’s cool.”

“Yeah, she’s way cool,” Javi said.

“I agree.” Mack’s deeper voice sent shivers down her spine. “Aunt Beth is
way
cool.”

Back in the family room Beth read a magazine article on homemade remedies for laundry stains. Fifteen minutes later the boys and Mack came downstairs, grabbed a snack then went outside to pitch a tent in the yard. Nate made soft snoring sounds from his bed on the couch and soon Beth drifted off to sleep with him.

“Shh...”

The whispered hush woke Beth and she sat up quickly, the magazine in her lap falling to the floor.

“I’m sorry.” Dixie offered a smile as she approached the couch and peered at her son. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Nate fell asleep after supper,” Beth said. “He didn’t eat much, but he did drink a glass of milk.”

“That’s fine.” Dixie felt his head. “He’s warm again.”

“Is that bad?”

“He’s been running a low-grade fever for the past two days. I think we’re going to take the doctor’s advice and have tubes put in his ears.”

“I’ve heard of children having trouble with ear infections,” Beth said.

Dixie lifted her sleeping son into her arms and snuggled him close. “This little cowboy has given me fits since day one. Colicky and never-ending ear infections, but if he grows up to be just like his daddy, then I’m not complaining.” Dixie’s love for her husband echoed strongly in her voice.

“Did Mack tell you about the girls?” Dixie asked.

“No.”

“They each weighed a little over five pounds. They’re tiny like their mother and they both have her dark hair.”

“Have they decided on names?”

“Emma and Molly.”

“Pretty names,” Beth said.

She picked up the magazine and set it on the coffee table. “I should see if Mack needs help with the boys.”

Dixie trailed Beth through the house. “Conway said to tell you and Mack that he’d make it back to the farm tomorrow before the bus brought the boys home from school.”

“I made the twins lunches, and I checked their backpacks for any notes from their teachers.” Beth walked onto the back porch.

“Mack would never have thought to look in their backpacks. Sounds like you have everything under control.” Dixie descended the steps.

“Wait. You forgot the diaper bag.” Beth fetched the tote from the kitchen and handed it to Dixie. Then she got her first good look at the tent. The shelter listed slightly to the right, one side of the canvas sagging. Flashlights inside the tent illuminated the boys’ shadows as they moved about.

Mack and his brother-in-law stood next to the pickups looking at pictures on their phones.

“Beth, did you see the girls?” Mack asked when she and Dixie joined them. He ran his finger across the bottom of the phone, revealing several photos of the happy couple and the newborns.

“They’re sweethearts,” Beth said.

“Check out the photo I sent Conway.” Mack showed his phone to his sister.

“Mack!” Dixie snorted. “Thank God Beth was here to help with Nate. No way am I ever leaving
you
alone with my son.”

“Hey, I’m a great babysitter.” Mack glanced at Beth for confirmation. “Right?”

“I don’t know about great,” she said. “But the boys love you.”

Gavin took Nate from Dixie and put him in his child seat, then the couple got into their truck and drove off.

“Beth.”

“What?”

Mack clasped her face between his hands, his breath puffing against her lips. “Thank you for helping me with the boys. I couldn’t have asked for a better sidekick than you.” He kissed her—not the slow, gentle caress she’d been dreaming about for hours but a hot, deep, lusty, I-want-you kiss.

There was no mistaking the hardening bulge nudging her stomach, and she wished they could send the twins inside to their beds and commandeer the tent for themselves. When they came up for air, he said, “The more I kiss you, the more I want to.”

Beth felt the same.

“Come join us in the tent. There’s plenty of room.”

“One of us needs a decent night’s sleep in order to get the twins ready for school in the morning.”

“Are you always this sensible?”

“Of course.” She nodded. “I’ll say good-night to the boys.” She walked away from Mack—while she still could—and rapped her knuckles on the canvas. “Knock, knock.”

The zipper lowered and two heads poked out.

“I wanted to say good-night.”

“You’re not gonna sleep with us?” Javi asked.

“I’m afraid not.” She bent over and whispered, “But you two are going to have to take care of your uncle because he’s afraid of the dark.”

Miguel’s gaze shifted to Mack, who was texting on his phone. “He is?”

“Yep. But don’t tell him I told you.” She kept a straight face at their befuddled expressions. “As long as you sleep real close to him and hold his hand he’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” Javi said. “We won’t let him be afraid.” The boys retreated inside the tent then Beth spoke to Mack. “Where should I sleep tonight?”

He shoved the phone into his pocket. “You can take one of the boys’ beds. Isi keeps clean sheets in the linen closet at the end of the hallway.”

“I hate to mess up their bed for one night. The couch is fine.”

“Isi wouldn’t want you to sleep on the couch after helping me take care of her sons.”

“Fine. I’ll pick a bed.”

He leaned in and kissed her. “Dream about me.”

After that kiss she didn’t have any choice.

* * *

“H
OW
’
D
I
GET
tricked into helping you again?” Porter maneuvered the wire stretcher into place and pulled the barbed wire taut, then Mack stapled it to the post.

“You don’t have a job. That’s why you’re here.” Mack whipped off his hat and rubbed his shirtsleeve across his brow. The fifty head of cattle from the Still Water Ranch were scheduled to arrive in a couple of days and he and Porter were installing the final leg of fencing to prevent the herd from wandering off to Mexico when Mack’s back was turned.

“I interviewed for a job last week,” Porter said.

“Oh, yeah?” Mack admired their handiwork, his eyes searching for a weak spot in the twelve-foot span. “Where?”

“Del Mar Rodeo Productions.”

“What would you do for them?”

“Haul bulls to rodeos.”

“Seriously? You’re going to give up rodeo to drive a cattle rig?” Porter was a decent rodeo cowboy. If he put his mind to it, he’d make good money on the circuit, but he got sidetracked by all the pretty women and couldn’t concentrate worth a damn.

“Hey, you guys are always telling me I need to think about the future and find steady employment.”

“Yeah, but a job delivering bulls?”

“The owner says I can compete in the rodeos I deliver the bulls to as long as I don’t deviate from the schedule.”

“When do you start?” Mack asked.

“I haven’t gotten the job yet.” Porter grinned. “If they hire me as a driver it’ll be a temporary position.”

Mack busted up laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“How temporary?” One week was Porter’s usual M.O.

“A few months. I’ll show you that I can stick to a job.”

Mack read the seriousness in his brother’s eyes. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why this job? Why now?”

Porter shuffled his feet. “Maybe because my siblings are all tying the knot and settling down.”

“I’m still single.”

“Not for long.” Porter handed the wire stretcher to Mack. “Hoss said you and Beth stayed overnight in Prescott. Are things becoming serious between you two?”

“Maybe.” It sure felt like it on his part, but Mack wasn’t as certain Beth’s feelings for him were traveling down the same road.

“What’s her story? Hoss said you two had met before she showed up at the ranch.” Porter snapped his fingers and his eyes widened. “No way. She’s the Just Beth you talked about that afternoon in the bunkhouse.”

Mack wouldn’t mind sharing with Porter, but Beth was a private person, and she wouldn’t want his brother knowing the details of their one-night stand.

“Beth used to be married to the sportscaster for Channel 3.”

“Brad Stevens?”

“That’s the—”
jerk
“—guy.”

“Why’d they divorce?”

“Same reasons most people get divorced.”

“Which one cheated?” Porter asked.

“Stevens cheated with Beth’s boss.”

“Ouch.”
Porter frowned. “That means you’re her rebound guy.”

Acid churned in Mack’s stomach. As much as he wanted to believe he wasn’t Beth’s boy toy, she’d given him no reason to suggest otherwise. As a matter of fact she’d tried to tell him that he wasn’t her forever guy the morning after in Prescott.

“Did I hit a nerve?” Porter asked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

Mack walked to the pickup and hopped in, then drove it to where they’d set the last fence post. He hauled another post from the truck bed and dropped it on the ground. When Porter caught up, he said, “I’m thinking we should reinforce this section.”

The fence didn’t require an additional post but the frustration that had been building inside Mack needed an outlet. He and Beth hadn’t had any privacy since they’d returned from Prescott. First they had to take care of the twins, and then the next group of guests arrived at the dude ranch, and he had to entertain three families while Beth remained hidden away in her cabin. And as soon as the guests departed this morning, he and Porter had gone out to finish the fence.

Mack was suffering from severe Beth withdrawal.

His brother’s phone went off but Mack barely heard the conversation. After Porter hung up, he said, “That was Conway. He wants to know when we’re coming to see the girls.”