Page 66 of A Cowboy's Trust
Tansy bustled off to make up two plates. Declan, Aiden, and Petra settled in the living room, alert and wary as if ready to be Jake’s backup.
He really didn’t know which direction to turn. Just kept looking at the kid at the table and hoping something would eventually make sense.
“His name is Jeffrey,” Melissa offered quietly.
God. Jake’s throat tightened. “Hey, kiddo. We’ll get you something to eat right away.”
He turned to grab a glass of milk because that was safer than trying to speak. Of course, she’d named her boy Jeffrey. The namehe’dtalked about wanting to use to honour his stepdad.
If Tansy hadn’t bumped into his side, he might have stood staring into the fridge for long enough for someone else to notice. “Deep breath. You got this,” Tansy whispered. “I take it you know this woman?”
Dear God. She didn’t know.
He poured the milk with shaky hands into the glass on the counter before putting the jug down and meeting Tansy’s gaze. “That’s my ex-wife, Melissa.”
Tansy’s eyes widened briefly, but other than that fleeting tell, her expression didn’t budge. “Okay.”
No. Nothing about this was remotely okay.
The entire house felt still and silent, even as full as it was. Tansy slid food in front of Melissa and her son, putting the plates down without a word before returning to the kitchen and keeping herself busy.
Thank goodness part of his brain was still working, because he registered Tansy keeping ample distance between the two of them. Which was a hell no in his books. He might not know what was going on with Melissa, but he absolutely knew hiding the relationship between himself and Tansy would do more to upset than help with any awkward situation.
He’d gouge out his own eyeballs before he deliberately hurt Tansy.
He slipped to the kitchen counter, standing close enough their bodies touched. “I didn’t know she was coming.”
“I figured.” She stopped her busy work in the sink and met his gaze, forcing a smile to her lips. “Don’t worry about me. You do what you need to do.”
Which was enough of a go-ahead to slip his knuckles under her chin and lift her face far enough to press a sweet kiss to her lips. It was miles away from the heat they’d shared outside but exactly what was needed. Then he pressed their foreheads together. “I might need Declan to call the shots on this one.”
“He’s got your back,” Tansy agreed. She slid her hands around his waist, a deliberate connection and comfort all in one. “We all do, Jake. With every bit of us.”
Which made it easier to turn back to the table. Melissa’s gaze was steady on him and Tansy, calculation in her eyes. It wasn’t her Jake was worried about, though, but the little tyke next to her who hadn’t stopped eating except to take deep gulps of the milk before returning to shoveling food down his gullet.
“Declan? You want to join us?” Jake met his brother’s nod of approval as they pulled out chairs opposite where Melissa sat. “Finish your meal.”
Melissa pushed her plate away. “Don’t really have much of an appetite.”
Declan eyed Jeffrey. “Hey, kiddo. You want to watch a show while we talk with your mom?”
“You can take your plate,” Tansy said, standing to the side of him and curling her finger to motion him forward. “You want some more macaroni and cheese?”
The kid nodded, leaving the table willingly. Tansy had him settled in the living room at the coffee table, some Disney program clicked on with Aiden and Petra supervising.
“What’s going on?” Jake asked quietly.
His ex-wife took a deep breath and let it out, her shoulders sagging. “I had to leave. The guy I was living with started to make demands that I couldn’t deal with. Not with Jeffrey. I packed a few things and headed west. I didn’t have anywhere in mind, then I thought of you.”
Christ. “This guy you just left. Is he Jeffrey’s father?”
She shook her head. “That man is not in the picture. He never really was, and it’s better that way,” she admitted. “He didn’t want kids.”
So no angry ex would be following her to get back his child. Good and horrifying at the same time.
Melissa went on, quiet but steady now. “After he left, I was doing okay by myself. Had a good job hairdressing with a great daycare for Jeffrey. When I met Nathan, it seemed like a good situation. He didn’t mind that I had a kid, and he seemed gentle and understanding.”
Her voice broke on the last word.
