Page 27 of Dream Weaver

“It’s not the first time Jay’s done this, right?” Pippa pointed out.

Unfortunately, no. Every couple of years, my ex would get it in his head that, hey, maybe he ought to be a father after all, and demand his “rightful” place in Claire’s life.

The shithead hadn’t even been at Claire’s birth. Erin and Pippa had, and their tears of joy had matched mine when they’d held Claire for the first time. But Jay? No call to check on us. No card. Nothing.

“He’s probably just trying to impress some woman,” I grumbled, thinking about his last call, two years earlier.

Pippa snorted. “If he is, I feel sorry for her.”

I did too — exceptshemight as well have beenme. Hell, ithadbeen me. The old me, at least, who’d not just fallen for Jay’s undeniable charms but plunged headfirst down a cliff — a cliff like the one our horses steadily picked their way along on the way to our favorite sunset viewpoint.

A hunk of a bull rider with twinkling, cornflower-blue eyes, Jay could have had any of the groupies who’d thrown themselves at him, but he’d wantedme. One look at me in the stands of a rodeo had been enough for him to hunt me down the next day and the next and the next, armed with that devastating smile each time.

No one had ever shown that much interest in me. No one.

Leather creaked as I shifted in my saddle, wishing Lucky would pick up the pace. Maybe that way, we could outrun my memories.

After a few days of fairy-tale pursuit, I’d relented and ended up in Jay’s bed. I’d loved every minute of those amazing couple of weeks. Every stroke of his callused hands, every kiss, every whisper, every hot, hard thrust. He’d truly made me feel like a queen.

You had to give it to Jay: he knew how to put a woman on a pedestal and worship her.

Unfortunately, his attention span was only marginally longer than his bull rides. Before I knew it, he was on to the next cute chick who’d caught his eye — and the next and the next. Jay could staff his own rodeo, and fill the stands, with the women he’d sweet-talked into his saddle over the years.

Sorry, baby,he’d had the nerve to say when I’d found him in bed with my successor.But, hey. We had a good time, didn’t we?

He’d dumped her just as quickly, but that was little comfort to me.

I’d been Jay’s queen, but the day I hunted him down to say I was pregnant, he’d treated me like a whore.

How can you be sure it’s mine?

Like I was the one with a lover at every stop on the rodeo tour.

“Maybe he’s just after a free place to stay,” Erin grumbled.

Equally possible. Nine years ago, Jay had been on top of the world. Now, injured and broke, he was a washed-up ex-rodeo star living off friends, dusty trophies, and rapidly fading star allure.

“He said he wants custody.” My voice cracked.

“He’ll never get it,” Pippa assured me. “Not after what he did five years ago.”

Erin shot her a look. I touched the scar on my cheek, gritting my teeth.

“He’ll never follow through,” Erin said firmly.

Apache’s hooves scraped over rock, emphasizing her words.

“All bark and no bite,” Pippa tried a joke.

“Ha-ha,” I grumbled.

But she was right. Jay was a wolf shifter, and he rarely followed through on promises.

Threats, on the other hand…

Lucky tossed his head, telling me to enjoy the view while I could.

I patted his pale mane. “Beautiful.”

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