I’m a man of my word. Honest and trustworthy. A provider.
I’d make a good husband to her and an excellent father for Jesse.
If she only gives me a chance.
9
DAVIE
“Talk about a silver fox. Your sister sure knows how to pick them,” Linnea says, fanning herself while I flip on my turn signal to merge onto the highway.
After Dr. Landish called yesterday to share the news—yes, CormacisJesse’s biological father—it was decided that Cormac would follow us back home, so he could complete the official, court-approved testing.
Now, we’re hours away from arriving at the tiny apartment Jesse and I used to share with his mom and having Cormac camped out on our couch.
Why did I invite him to stay with us? Despite spending a few hours together yesterday so Cormac and Jesse could bond, the man is still a stranger.
A ruggedly handsome one, too.
“This isn’t new,” I grouse. “Hot guys flock to Jessica.”
The personalities of my sister’s string of men may be sketchy and no-good, but their physical attractiveness has never been in question. Her type is always hot and full of bad habits, although Cormac seems to break the mold.
Owning and running a ranch is too dirty and backbreaking for her flaky ex-boyfriends. Plus, Cormac is older than her usual man.
“True… Even Cody is cute at first glance, then he opens his mouth.” Linnea met Jessica’s ex at the first custody hearing and grumbled about his fake concern for Jesse the entire way home afterwards.
“It’s a shame when you think about it. Pretty privilege is a real thing,” I say. “He could use it to his advantage, and instead, he wastes his life on drugs and causing trouble.”
“At least you won’t have to deal with him anymore. Cormac is lightyears better.”
“Yeah, but he brings his own set of problems. I can’t leave Jesse with a stranger just because they share blood. And I wouldn’t feel right fighting him for custody when I’m the one who sought him out in the first place.”
“You could always marry him,” Linnea suggests, shrugging beneath her seatbelt.
“What?” My knuckles turn white around the steering wheel. I’d kept Cormac’s proposal a secret because it was too ridiculous to consider, but now my best friend was suggesting the same thing? “What part of him being a stranger didn’t you understand?”
“I’m serious.” She starts ticking off points on her fingers. “The man owns a ranch, so you know he’s responsible and stable—two of your top sought after traits in a partner. The judge favors fathers, and Cormac being married to Jesse’s biological aunt solidifies you both as the best parents. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’s got that whole gruff cowboy thing going on.”
What the hell?Linnea’s reasons sounded eerily similar to Cormac’s when he mentioned marriage at the Rocking M.
Minus the note about my dream man checklist.
Not that there’s a real list, but Linnea isn’t wrong about me craving security and stability in life. In a partner.
It’s something I’ve been missing from the moment I realized my childhood wasn’t like other kids’.
“We need to talk about your media consumption because I think all those fairytale books and movies are rotting your brain.” Joking about potentially marrying Cormac stops me from privately admitting that maybe it’s not such a wild idea, after all.
Like it might be the most reasonable thing for me to do.
Yeah, right, and the ten bucks in my wallet will magically transform into a one-hundred-dollar bill.
Unreasonable andimpossible.
“We’re talking about marriage. Vows of forever! Not whether or not I should get highlights,” I say, silently urging my best friend to talk sense into me.
Notsupport Cormac’s idea for keeping everyone together.
