Authors: Jennifer Ryan
Bell stood beside him, waiting for him to say something. He didn’t want to do anything without talking with her first.
“Patty, please excuse us for a minute. I need to talk to Bell.”
“Of course. When I came, I expected the decision to be yours alone. I understand that you’ll need to make the decision together.”
Dane took Bell’s hand and dragged her after him to the kitchen. He stopped by the counter and tried to organize his thoughts.
“Why are you hesitating? Tell her you will keep Kaley and raise her as your daughter. You know that is what you want.”
“Yes, damnit, it is what I want, but not if I lose you in the process.”
Bell’s head went back like he’d smacked her. “What?”
“We just started seeing each other . . . what, a month ago. You’ve been nearly hit by a car, had your house burned to the ground, lost your grandmother, moved in with me, and now I’m asking you to raise another woman’s child.”
“So.”
“So?”
“I don’t understand why you think any of that is your fault, or why that would somehow make me want to leave you. I love you more for wanting to keep Kaley and raise her as your own.”
“Not me raise her. Us. As a family.” He held his breath, waiting for her answer. He’d ask her to marry him right now, this second, but he held the words back because he didn’t want her to think he was asking her just because of Kaley. Too many things had happened all at once. He wanted to ask her the right way, at the right time, and for all the right reasons, which were true right now and would still be true when the timing didn’t suck this bad.
“That was a statement, right? Because you can’t seriously be asking me if I want to raise Kaley with you when you already know the answer.”
“Just say it.”
“Yes. I will raise Kaley with you.”
He dragged her into his arms and hugged her close, kissing the top of her head. “You won’t regret this. I swear, Bell, I’ll make you happy the rest of your life.”
“I never doubted that you would. I never thought we’d start this early on the kids,” she teased. “We’re gonna have to work on our communication skills.”
He laughed. “Will Smith.
Independence Day.
Nice one, Bell.”
She looked up at him, her brow scrunched in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He laughed under his breath. He should have known better. She didn’t get the reference at all. “It’s a movie. The guy says that line.”
“Oh.”
“We’ll watch it later tonight after Kaley goes to bed.”
“You noticed the car was full of her stuff, too.”
“I didn’t think she was moving in here, that’s for sure.”
“Let’s go talk to Patty. Which room should we put Kaley in upstairs?”
“I guess the one closest to ours.”
“Makes sense. I hope she sleeps through the night,” Bell said. “If not, you get the first shift.”
“Why me?”
“I’m a doctor. I need my sleep.”
“Oh, I see how this is going to be when we have a baby.”
“Get used to it.”
He didn’t know how to tell her how much it meant to him that they could be like this. Have an argument, make up, make serious decisions, and go back to laughing all in the space of half an hour. Life with her would never be dull, but it would be easy.
“Patty,” Bell said when they reentered the family room. “Dane and I will of course raise Kaley. With your blessing, when the time is right, I will adopt her.”
Patty glanced at Dane, who nodded his agreement. He hadn’t thought that far ahead, but it was exactly what he wanted.
“It’s such a relief to know Kaley will have a mother and a father. You two seem really good together. I can see how much he loves you,” she said to Bell. “You love him, too. A lot, to go along with this.”
“Dane and I want the same things. Love and family. You and Kaley are a part of that now. How long would you like to stay?”
“What?”
“I assume you’ll stay at least a few days to get Kaley settled, teach us what we need to know about her, and make arrangements for your care here.”
“What?”
“Dane led me to believe your husband’s stroke left him incapacitated and mostly unaware of his surroundings.”
“Unfortunately, that is the case. I hate to leave him.”
“Well, I’m a doctor. I work at the hospital in Bozeman and the clinic in Crystal Creek. With your permission, I could make some calls, find out about a facility here for your husband. I can get you in contact with an oncologist at my hospital, who can review your case and make arrangements for your treatment and care. That way you will be close to Kaley during this difficult time. If you pass, I will continue to oversee your husband’s care, and Dane and I will take Kaley to see her grandfather on a regular basis.”
Silent tears fell down Patty’s cheeks. She didn’t say anything.
Bell sat beside her and took her hands. Kaley slept soundly next to them. “Kaley should be with her family for as long as she has you. You should be with your granddaughter and enjoy her while you can. Dane and I will not take her from you. We will do everything we can to show Kaley family sticks together in good times and bad.”
Patty turned to Dane. “Hold on to her.”
“I am, with both hands.”
“I never expected it to go like this. I thought I’d bring her and go home and . . .”
And die,
Dane thought what she couldn’t bring herself to say. “That’s not the way we want it. Bell’s right. We’re family now. We stick together. So, I’ll get my guys and we’ll unload Kaley’s things and put them upstairs in her new room. I’ve got a room up there with your name on it. Second door on the right off the stairs. It’s only got a double bed right now, but we can get you a table and whatever else you need while you stay here. There’s a bathroom right across the hall. When the time comes, Bell will know how to help you with your final arrangements.”
“I can’t thank you both enough. This is more than I expected. It’ll mean a lot of changes, but if I can stay with Kaley as long as possible . . .”
“I’ll start unpacking the car. Bell, Patty might be hungry after her long trip.”
“Right. Let’s go into the kitchen. I’ll make you some tea and something to eat. We’ll discuss the details, and I’ll make some calls.”
“Just like that?” Patty asked, still trying to process everything.
“Yes, just like that,” Bell confirmed.
God, he loved her so much.
“Ah, is Kaley okay on the couch?” Bell asked.
“She sleeps through just about anything. She’ll be fine for at least an hour.”
Dane winked at Bell, then headed out the door to get his guys to help unload. Maybe he’d send Rodrigo home with Patty in the next couple of days to help her pack their place and get her back here. It would leave him a man short, but Patty needed the help. On second thought, he’d keep Rodrigo here and call his friend Frank. He had a place on the Nevada-Arizona border. Maybe he and a few of his guys could help out Patty. Frank knew Brandy from her days following Rowdy on the circuit. Yeah, Dane would call in a few favors.
He whistled for his guys. They walked out of the stables, and he waved them over to the back of the van. He opened the doors and stared at all the stuff.
“What’s up, man?” Rodrigo asked.
“My daughter is coming to live with me and Bell.” Might as well solidify the story with the people in his life just in case. He didn’t think Rowdy would ever get to see Kaley again, but he didn’t want Rowdy’s family coming and taking her either. Someone like Rowdy didn’t start off bad. Dane could only imagine the people he’d come from. “We need to move her into her new room upstairs. You guys mind helping me unload?”
“Sure thing, boss.” Rodrigo took two big boxes.
The other three guys grabbed boxes and bags and headed for the house. Dane had good people working for him. Always ready to pitch in where help was needed, even when it fell outside their job. Like watching over Bell.
Dane grabbed a huge garbage bag that weighed a lot less than he expected. He felt the bag with his hand and smiled. Stuffed animals. “Looks like I’m going to have to get used to stepping over toys.” He didn’t mind. In fact, he couldn’t wait. He’d loved hanging out with Kaley and Brandy in the past. This would be different. He’d be responsible for raising her. He’d be her father in every sense of the word but one. She might not have his blood, but she had his heart.
B
ell stood in the doorway, watching Patty change Kaley’s diaper. After three days, she and Patty had become good friends. It hurt Bell’s heart to watch Patty with Kaley, knowing these moments were precious. Soon, Patty would succumb to the cancer inside her. She’d waited too long to get treatment. Not her fault. Just a sad fact of life. Like many women, she’d had other priorities. She’d given herself to her husband, daughter, and granddaughter and forgotten to take care of herself first. A lesson Bell intended to take to heart so she’d be here for Kaley and whatever other children she and Dane had in the future.
Patty lifted Kaley’s shirt and blew a zerbert on her belly. Kaley laughed and tried to push her shirt down, but Patty gave her another zerbert. Kaley’s giggle filled the room. Bell would remember to do that in the future to help remind Kaley of her grandmother. They’d already taken several pictures. Bell emailed them to a shop in town to be printed and framed for Kaley’s room. She included a few of the snapshots of Brandy and Kaley together that Brandy had sent to Dane’s phone. They’d put them around the house, so that no matter where Kaley went, she’d be surrounded by family. Kaley would know that Bell and Dane considered Brandy and Patty family. Bell would have to get some pictures of Patty’s husband.
The room turned out great. Dane had already painted it Cottage Cream. The pine furniture Patty brought suited the room perfectly. The rocking chair got to Bell the most. She imagined Brandy in that chair feeding her child late at night. Such touching and intimate moments mother and daughter shared, gone now that Rowdy had killed Kaley’s mother. Bell vowed she’d try to fill that void by loving Kaley as her own.
Kaley’s toy box overflowed with stuffed friends. She didn’t go in for the baby dolls. No, she had a whole farm and zoo happening in the room. Dane sorted the animals between the toy box and another bin by the crib, Patty pointing out which were her favorites for nighttime and playtime.
Kaley’s lavender blanket lay in the crib. The yellow one with the purple violets was probably on the couch where Kaley and Dane watched Looney Tunes this morning. So sweet, they’d shared a bowl of Oh’s cereal. Kaley had sat on Dane’s lap, mesmerized by Bugs Bunny.
“Look, Kaley. Mommy’s here.” Bell’s heart melted when Kaley put her hands out to her. She’d been hesitant to allow Kaley to call her Mommy so soon after Brandy had disappeared from her life, but Patty insisted they teach Kaley now where she was going to live and who was going to be her mother and father.
Kaley continued to call Dane Da. Now they used Daddy, too, to indicate to her that
Da
meant “Daddy.”
They put on happy smiles and played their new parts, hoping that as Kaley adjusted to her new home and new parents, she didn’t notice their sadness for all she’d lost and would soon lose.
Bell didn’t need time to adjust. She loved Kaley. Once she made the decision to be her mother, every time she looked at the bright-haired little girl she felt it inside. Kaley belonged to her. Even if things didn’t work out with Dane, she’d never walk away from Kaley.
She’d assured Patty of that fact.
Patty smiled and shook her head, saying, “No way that man ever lets you go.”
“Ma-ma,” Kaley said, sitting up on the changing table.
Bell walked over, put her hands under Kaley’s arms, and lifted her up, spinning her around in a circle with her legs stretched out in the air. Just like Brandy used to do with her, Patty said.
Kaley landed on her hip, and Bell touched her nose with her index finger. “How’s my sweet baby girl.”
“Andy. Orse.”
“You want to give candy to the horse.”
Kaley nodded and kicked her feet.
“Let’s go find Daddy. Patty, how are you this morning? I didn’t see you at breakfast.”
“I slept in for the first time in I don’t know how long. Thank you for getting up with this one at the crack of dawn.” Patty poked Kaley in the ribs to make her giggle.
“Dane is an early riser to check on the horses and cattle. He brought me Kaley. She slept in our bed for another hour with me, then she shared some cereal with her dad.”
“Thank you for doing this. Going along with being Mom and Dad so soon. I know it’s not easy.”
“I don’t want her to ever think I took her mother’s place.”
“You are so good with her. She’ll only know you as her mother. I’m okay with that, because you’ll tell Kaley about Brandy.”
“I wish I’d known her. I met her once, but I don’t have the memories you do.”
“I’ve thought about that. I think I’ll get one of those recorders and leave Kaley some messages she can watch throughout her life. Dane suggested it.”
“We can pick one up when I take you to your doctor appointment tomorrow.”
“Andy. Orse.”
“Okay, sweet baby, let’s go give Demon some candy.”
“Demon!” Kaley yelled.
“Great, the only word she gets right is that one.”
Patty smiled and touched Kaley’s shoulder. “Tell Dane and his guys to watch what they say around her. You never know which words will become her new favorites.”
“Right. You sure you don’t want to stay longer? We can move your flight from the day after next to sometime next week.”
“Nana.” Kaley held out her hands to Patty.
“Go ahead. Take her. She needs all the hugs she can get from you.” Bell handed over Kaley, despite Patty’s trying her best to let go little by little.
“She’ll get lots of hugs from Dane’s family today. What time are they coming?” Patty asked.
“In about half an hour. I’m kind of nervous having them all here at the same time. Dane’s got such a large family.”
“It’s growing even larger with his two sisters pregnant.”
“Kaley will have cousins to play with for sure. It won’t be easy for Kaley no matter what you do, so fill in this time with as much love as you can.”
They stepped out onto the porch and found Dane standing in the middle of the chicken coop with a hammer and some extra wire.
“Da,” Kaley called, pointing at Dane.
“Let’s go see what Daddy is doing with Mommy’s chickens.”
Lacking the energy and strength she needed to carry Kaley, Patty set her down and took her hand. Kaley tugged on Patty’s hand to get free.
“Da.”
“Go get him,” Patty said, releasing Kaley’s hand. She ran for Dane, calling Da, but Dane couldn’t hear her this far away.
Bell whistled like Dane and his guys did all the time to get their attention when they were far away. Dane’s head shot up, concerned she’d alerted him to some threat. Instead, she pointed to Kaley on the run toward him. His smile spread across his face and warmed Bell’s heart. His delight in the little girl touched a place deep in her heart. Here was a man who knew how to love and love well.
She and Patty stopped several yards away from the chicken coop and rescued a wayward chick that had escaped through a hole in the fencing. Funny, it looked like someone had kicked it in, intent on destroying it. Bell studied the coop. One of the doors had been ripped off, the hinges broken. One of the Dorkings lay dead in the corner.
Bell didn’t want to frighten Patty. Her suspicions that it wasn’t an animal who’d gotten into the pen and coop were unfounded. She was jumping to conclusions because of the threat Rowdy posed every second of every day. Right?
“They are so cute. My grandmother raised her own chickens in Kansas. I used to love to visit the farm,” Patty said.
Bell patted the soft little chick in her hands with her thumbs to calm it. As she held her hands out so Patty could take the chick, a movement past Patty’s shoulder caught her attention. The barrel of a rifle pointed right at Patty’s back. The dark silhouette of a man standing just inside the stables shifted and stilled.
With only seconds to decide what to do, Bell shifted so the person in the stables couldn’t see her speak to Patty.
Bell reached out and held Patty’s arm to keep her from bolting. “Take the chick. Walk over to Dane. Act like nothing is wrong. Give him the chick and tell him that Rowdy is in the stables with a rifle pointed right at you. Get Kaley and yourself to safety.”
“What are you going to do?”
Bell snuck a peek around Patty. Sure enough, Rowdy held up his hand and crooked his finger for her to come to him.
“Go now. Take Kaley up to the road where the sheriff’s vehicle is parked.”
Bell stepped around Patty and walked toward Rowdy and certain death. Fear washed through her but turned to a determination she’d never felt when Kaley called out, “Ma-ma.”
“Bell,” Dane called when she didn’t turn their way.
Instead, she walked right into the hands of a killer, knowing only one of them would leave the stables. She’d do anything and everything to keep her promise to raise and love Kaley. She’d do anything to keep the life and love she’d found with Dane.
She stepped into the stables, her eyesight off due to the darker interior. To give herself a moment to adjust, she went on the defensive.
“You killed Brandy and my grandmother. Why the hell would you be so stupid as to show up here?”
“Don’t call me stupid, you fucking bitch.” Rowdy stepped out from behind a feed bin.
The smell hit her all at once. Stale beer, cigarettes, acrid body odor, musty earth, and the unmistakable smell of rotting flesh. He held the rifle pointed at her chest, his left hand holding the barrel. His right hand, at the trigger, was completely covered in third-degree burns. Red and raw like meat, blackened at the edges and scabbed. He could barely close his hand around the gun. Infected, pussy blisters formed at his wrist and on some of his fingers. The burns went so deep that a few of his bones were exposed.
“That looks bad. Turn yourself in now, and maybe you’ll keep your hand. If not, it’ll rot off, and you’ll die from sepsis. You need to go to a hospital.”
“And end up in a fucking cell. No way. I’m here to tie up loose ends and see that fuck gets what’s his. He thinks he can take my woman, my child, and get away with it.”
“Dane and Brandy were friends. Can you say the same? Did you care for her, keep her safe, love her the way she deserved to be loved?”
“She was mine!” His warped mind only saw Brandy as a possession. Not a person to be respected and loved. Something to hold on to and show the world,
Look what I have.
“You made her afraid of you. You made her want to stay as far away from you as possible.”
“I loved her.”
Angry he couldn’t see the truth, she let her fury fly with her words. “You hit her. That’s not love. That’s abuse. That’s you trying to be in control when you are not. That gun doesn’t put you in control. You’re sweating like crazy because you’ve spiked a fever. I’ll bet you’re suffering from dizziness. Soon, you’ll pass out. Right now, the only thing keeping you going is your lust for revenge against someone who did nothing to you.”
“How about I just shoot you now, bitch, and get it over with?” His finger contracted on the trigger.
She held her breath, trying to think past the fear clouding her mind. “Because we both know you’re waiting for Dane to come in here. What fun would it be to kill me without him being here to see it?” She hoped that made him wait.
“Exactly.”
She tried not to show her relief that she’d bought herself a few more moments.
Rowdy’s hands shook. He swayed side to side, his feet wide to steady himself. Desperate, Rowdy had chosen this place and time to make his last stand, because he didn’t have much time left if he didn’t get medical help.
“We both know one other thing.”
“What the fuck is that?”
“Dane will never let you get away with this.”
Patty walked up
to Dane at the fence. She dropped the chick at his feet and took Kaley from his arms.
“Where is Bell going?”
“Rowdy is in the stables with a rifle pointed this way. I’m taking Kaley to the sheriff’s car up on the road.”
“Shit.”
“Sit,” Kaley repeated.
He almost swore again. “Get moving. I’ll get Bell.”
“Be careful.”
Dane didn’t know if Rowdy could see him or not. He took a chance and went the opposite way, along the back of the toolshed, to come around the stables from the other side. Rodrigo had been working with the horses in the stables. Dane wondered how Rowdy had gotten onto the property without being seen by one of his guys. They’d been so vigilant these last days, especially with Kaley on the property. Gabe had even sent Dane a couple more guys. He checked the house and saw them keeping watch from the front and back porch. They wouldn’t have been able to see the stable doors from their vantage point.
Fuck. He should have put a man in the hayloft.
No sense beating himself up about it now. He needed to think and figure out the best way to take Rowdy down.
He whistled to the guys up at the house and pointed to the stables. He put his index finger to his lips to indicate they should be silent. He pointed two fingers at his eyes, then back at them, letting them know if they moved down toward the stables, Rowdy would see them. He pointed toward the road, indicating they should walk away from the stables and come around the way he’d gone, in order to stay out of Rowdy’s sight.
Rodrigo lay sprawled in the dirt at the back of the building. Blood seeped out of a nasty wound on his forehead. Dane checked his pulse, relieved the man was still alive.
Bell’s calm voice drifted out to him. He needed to get to her, so he reluctantly left his friend.
With his back pressed to the stable wall, he poked his head around the side and caught a glimpse of Bell standing in front of Rowdy, the rifle trained on her chest. Rowdy looked like shit.
They stood in the center aisle, past the stalls. No way for him to get inside without being seen.
With nothing but bad options to choose from, he went with the one thing that always got him through. Attitude. Sometimes you had to fake your way through a situation to come out on top. When you rode a hulking beast of a bull, you got on, gritted your teeth, and hoped for the best. Right now, he’d set his fear for Bell aside and do what he had to do to keep her safe.