Page 29 of Knocked up By the Mountain Man

He shrugs, but there’s a twinkle in his eye that tells me he’s more invested than he’s letting on.

I watch as Wyatt and Thomas head back towards the guest house, their easy banter making me smile.

As the afternoon stretches on into evening, I can’t shake the feeling that I need to talk to Clara. Toreallytalk to her, just like I intended to in the car, but things got a little heated and I almost kissed her instead. There’s too much left unsaid, and if I’m ever going to understand the woman she’s become, I need to bridge this gap.

Once Wyatt leaves for his date, I walk out of the main house and head over to the guest house. The door is slightly ajar. I knock twice, but when there’s no answer, I push the door open a bit more and step inside.

“Clara?” I call out softly, hoping not to startle anyone.

Silence.

I step further into the cozy living room and spot Thomas on the floor, surrounded by his toys. He’s deeply engrossed with aset of wooden barn animals, his small hands moving animatedly as he talks to himself.

“Hey there, Thomas,” I say gently, kneeling down to his level.

He looks up, his big eyes wide with curiosity. “Hi boss man.”

“You can call me Beau,” I chuckle.

“Okay… Beau.”

“Mind if I join you?” I ask, nodding towards his toys.

Thomas nods eagerly, scooting over to make room for me. “Look! I got my cars and my animals. This one’s my favorite,” he says, holding up a toy horse.

I smile, taking the horse from him to examine it. “That’s a fine looking horse you’ve got there. You like playing with these?”

“Yeah!” Thomas says enthusiastically. “Uncle Wyatt said I could be a cowboy someday.”

“I think you’d make a great cowboy,” I say, setting the horse back down. “You seem to really like animals.”

Thomas nods, his eyes lighting up. “I do! Mom says they’re our friends and we have to take care of them.”

“Your mom’s a smart lady,” I say, my tone softening. “She’s right, you know. Taking care of animals is important.”

Thomas looks at me, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Do you take care of animals too, Beau?”

“I do. We have a lot of animals on the ranch, and they all need looking after.”

“Can I help sometime?” he asks, his voice hopeful.

“I’d like that,” I reply, smiling at him. “We’ll have to ask your mom, but I’m sure we can work something out.”

Thomas grins broadly, clearly pleased with the prospect.

Before I can say anything else, Clara’s voice cuts through the air, sharp and incredulous. “What are you doing here?” she demands, her tone carrying a mix of surprise and disapproval.

Thomas looks up at his mother, sensing her tension. “Mom, Beau was just playing with me. He said I could help with the animals.”

Clara’s eyes flicker briefly with irritation before she masks it with a forced smile directed at Thomas. “That’s nice, honey. Why don’t you go to your room for a bit? I need to talk to Beau.”

Thomas hesitates, glancing between us uncertainly. “Okay, Mom.” With a reluctant nod, he gathers his toys and heads out of the room, casting me a curious glance over his shoulder.

Clara waits until Thomas is out of earshot before rounding on me, her demeanor tense and defensive. She steps closer, invading my personal space as she speaks in a low, terse voice.

“What are you doing here, Beau?” Her words are laced with accusation, her eyes narrowing as if trying to read my intentions.

“I… I wanted to talk to you,” I begin, taken aback by her sudden aggression. “Wyatt mentioned he was out, and…”

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