“You don’t have to. You can say no, you know,” I told him.
“I can?”
“Of course you can. She’s a kid not a damn dictator.”
“You sure about that?”
“Fair call.” I smiled, knowing just how many leadership qualities my daughter displayed. Last night she invented a game called ‘Butler’ where I was supposed to wait on her every whim. Let’s just say that one wasn’t my favorite.
“She’s like her mom.” Jake smirked before stepping out of reach and called out to Cassie. Smart man. I was just about to whip his ass with a tea towel for that comment.
“Mom, are you coming?” Cassie screeched as she ran through the house and barreled into me.
“Do you want me to?” I asked, not wanting to be in the way of their bonding.
“Of course, silly,” Cassie replied. “Let’s go!”
“Whoa! Slow down there, speedy. How about we let Mom get some shoes on?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Jake was so good with her. He might be completely wrapped around her little finger and under her spell, but he was patient and kind and everything I could ever wish for in the father of my baby girl.
While he hustled her out the door, I went and washed my face, retied my hair, and found my boots. I was stalling, I knew it, but I didn’t care. On the other side of the door I could hear Cassie telling Jake all about her week, half of which was completely untrue but made a great story, and I couldn’t help but smile. I’d never been more grateful. He didn’t hate me for keeping her from him, she was so happy she had a dad, and nothing else mattered. It probably helped that she had his undivided attention too.
After grabbing my sunglasses, I stepped out the door only to find Cassie holding court with not only Jake, but Sawyer and Nash had been recruited as well. It worried me about us being here when I knew how busy they were. There was always something to do on a ranch, and there was no doubt when we were here, Jake was distracted. Earlier, Nash had been sweet enough to not say anything or put the blame on me, but right in front of me was a perfect example of what I was afraid of.
“What’s going on here?” I asked as the door swung back behind me and closed with a whack.
“Sawyer said he’s a better dancer than I am, Mom,” Cassie explained.
“Did he now?” I asked, looking at Sawyer, trying to look tough, but his cheeks were burning.
“He did. I even showed him my Irish dancing.”
“Did Sawyer show you his?” I asked, squatting down to Cassie’s eye level and retying the laces on her shoes. The last thing I needed was for my little Irish dancer to trip on a lace and topple down the stairs.
“Kellie…” There was pleading in Sawyer’s voice.
“No, he didn’t. How do we know he’s the best?” Nash teased, leaning against the truck and folding his arms over his chest.
“There’s no music!” Sawyer protested.
“I can sing,” Cassie offered helpfully before starting to belt out the worst rendition of Taylor Swift’s songs anyone had ever heard. It was off-key, she missed words, and was painfully out of tune, but the smile on her face had Sawyer’s feet moving and Nash cackling.
Jake reached for my hand and dragged me into his arms before spinning me under his arm. Instantly, I was taken back. The last time Jake and I had danced like this, I’d been so in love with him. Jake wasn’t a dancer. He’d sit on the sidelines at every school dance we’d ever gone to and watched me like a hawk while I got my groove on. His growl was enough to keep the other boys away, so when the slow songs came on, I ended up slinking off the dance floor with the pretense of getting a drink or going to the bathroom. But the night of our senior prom, Jake surprised me. From the moment we’d walked through the door, hand in hand, he’d spun me around the dance floor like he was a professional dancer. It took me all night, but eventually, I’d managed to squeeze the truth from him—he’d been practicing for months.
Looking down at me, he had a smudge of dirt across his cheek and a wicked grin on his lips. “This takes me back,” he commented as he dipped me low.
“Prom night,” I reminded him.
“Yep. Remember what happened after prom?” He wriggled his eyebrows at me.
Oh, I remembered vividly what happened on prom night, and if Jake played his cards right, we might take a trip down memory lane tonight and really break in that new mattress.
“I think your mom’s the best dancer,” Nash interrupted, and his voice reminded me we weren’t alone.
“I think Dad is,” Cassie declared as Jake straightened me, wrapping my hand in his.
