I hadn’t put too much thought into it before, but I can’t help the calming effect those words have on me. My calloused hand brushes over her hair, and I stare down at the golden eyelashes fanned out across her cheek. I count the tiny apricot-hued freckles speckling the bridge of her nose, losing myself in how incredible it is to finally hold her. Technically, since we’re supposed to have no feelings, we should get dressed. I should go home. But neither of us moves for at least ten minutes.
We’re perfectly content until the sound of Cassidy’s front door lock cuts through the silence and throws her from my arms.
“Oh shit—my dad.” She springs to her feet.
Fuck. Shit. Fucking shit.It can’t be later than seven o’clock. Does he always come here this early in the morning?
“What do you want me to do?” I whisper back.
She’s on the brink of tears as she rushes to dress. Any hopes of spending the morning wrapped up with her are long gone. Both well aware my truck’s in her driveway. In hindsight, I should’ve been parking it down the block this whole time. It’s incredible it took this long for him to find out—gossip typically travels fast in a small town. None of that matters anymore. The jig is up. I should be thrilled she finally has to tell Dave the truth, but this isn’t the way it was supposed to go.
“Just… crap, crap, crap. I guess get dressed and come with me.”
I feel around under the sheets for my boxers, then quickly throw my clothes on and follow her down the hall. It’s not the first time I’ve walked into a situation where I’m about to be punched for sleeping with a woman, but itisthe first time I’m sick to my stomach over it. Could I hold my own against Dave, despite the fact that it looks like he spends hours at the gym daily? Probably. But I already know if he punches me,I have to find a way to stop myself from hitting back. For Cass. For the baby.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” Cass walks in ahead of me and sits opposite him on the couch. I hang back, leaning against the door frame so I can make a quick exit if I need to. She and I are likely nose blind to the sex smell, but this is a small house… no way he doesn’t notice it. As if coming out of her bedroom together wasn’t bad enough.
“Powers out across town from the storm, so I came to see if you’re okay.”
Huh, I glance around the room, and it seems he’s right. We were too busy creating body heat in her darkened bedroom to notice the chill in the air and the lack of working lights.
“What’shedoing here?” Dave’s head gestures in my direction, but he doesn’t actually acknowledge me.
“Um…” Cass’s eyes cut back and forth between me and her dad. “The roads were bad so he couldn’t get back to the ranch.”
“Right. But whyis hehere?”
I watch her fiddle with her shirt. She twists the loose fabric around her finger, untwisting, twisting again. Giving a small glimpse of the kissable skin on her lower stomach.
“Well, I didn’t tell you the whole truth earlier… Shelby didn’t come with me yesterday. Red—uh, Chase, did. The baby isn’t Derek’s.”
Even though his back is to me, the way his big-ass shoulders quickly rise and fall tells me he’spissed. I can’t say I’m shocked. I knew he wouldn’t like finding out Red Thompson had sex with his little princess.
The way he’s sitting—hunched over and massaging his temples—brings me back to childhood mornings with my dad hungover on the couch. We’d watch cartoons on mute while he groaned in agony. His fingers clenched his head so tight I thought sure as shit they’d press right through to his brain—my older brother told me the temples were a thin spot, and that’s exactly where Dad’s pointer fingers were gripping. I was torn about whether that happening would be super badass or terrifying. Maybe it would even kill him. Maybe we’d all finally get to be happy.
“This isn’t how I wanted to tell you,” she continues. “I was just nervous and kept putting it off. He wanted me to tell you, and that’s why he hasn’t been to the bar in weeks, because he’s been trying to respect my wishes. So be mad or disappointed or upset with me, Dad. It was a rebound thing after Derek, and I was serious when I told you about planning to do this alone. But then Red—Chase—found out, and he’s been great.”
My heart’s damn-near bursting from the amount of times she’s called me Chase. Even when her instinct is to say Red—which makes sense given that’s what I’ve gone by since we were kids—she quickly corrects it.
“Like, the Jolly Ranchers? Those were from him. And he’s been bringing me dinner multiple nights a week, even though he works all day. He made sure we got home safe in the blizzard last night. So don’t hate him.”
She’s listing facts, but the tone of her voice makes them sound like compliments. It’s as close to a woman bragging about me, being proud to have me, as I’ve ever gotten.
Dave’s silence is fucking unnerving. Cass looks at me with impossibly wide eyes, and I wish I’d told her there are already feelings involved on my end. Maybe then she’d be okay with me comforting her in front of him. The tendons in my arms are aching to reach out to her. I want to scoop her up, take her back to bed, and show her how thankful I am that she’s not keeping me a secret anymore. Even if coming clean was against her will.
Finally, he clears his throat. “Red, sit.”
I keep a wide berth around him, like he’s an untamed horse liable to kick or bite, and sit in the recliner. The same one Cass sat in when she told me the baby was mine. Seeing Dave’s face, I understand the horror in Cassidy’s expression. He’s seriously pissed off.
“Not that I wanted Derek to be the father, but I gotta say I’m not fucking happy about this alternative, Cassie.” He shakes his head, forcing an exhale through gritted teeth. “Are you together then?”
“No.” Cass is quick to answer.
“Christ.” He pinches the bridge of his nose between his finger and thumb. “Now what? Are you going to be involved?”
Oh, he’s talking to me.
“Yeah—yes.” I have no idea why but I’m suddenly tempted to call him sir. “As much as Cass lets me. Obviously, this wasn’t planned, but I’m happy it’s happening.”
