Page 87 of The Cowboy's Bullfighter
Kase shook his hand and man-hugged him. “Well, let’s get you to the hospital.”
“Sounds good. Who has the kids?” They got out to the truck, and he settled in so they could hit the road.
Kase glanced at him as they headed out of the airport. “Ryder took them to the ranch. Watson is helping keep an eye on everyone.”
“Good. Good.” Jesus, he should have been there. He would have taken Coop in to the hospital long before he fell over, dammit.
“You want to talk about it?”
He shook his head, but his mouth opened and words started falling out. “I’m so fucking scared, man.”
“Yeah. He’s gonna be okay.”
“He has to be. I have a lot of things to tell him.”
“You got a lot to deal with, too,” Kase said knowingly.
“Lord, don’t even get me started.” It was safer to talk about the shit with the kids.
“You mad at Ricky?”
“No. Yes. No.” He sighed, knowing that he was conflicted as hell, but also knowing it felt like a reasonable response. “I’m disappointed for Ricky; this wasn’t the smartest thing to do. I’m trying really hard not to be mad because I was a horny teenager, and the only reason I didn’t get some girl pregnant was I wasn’t screwing girls.”
“Yeah, and from what I understand, your brother?—”
“Do not talk ill about the dead.” He stuck one finger up and waggled it, chuckling. “Don’t do it, man.”
“So what’s the plan? I know that Ryder is talking to her family.”
Brooks kind of winced. “I guess better him than Coop.”
Coop was horrified to think anyone—anyone—would turn their backs on a child.
“I think that is a reasonable response. Ryder will be calm, cool. Possibly icy, and he will get signed whatever it is that Coop wanted him to get signed. No question.”
“Yeah?”
Kase nodded and rolled his shoulders. “Coop’s pretty damn hot.”
He wanted to ask if Coop was mad at him, but he kind of knew the answer to that question. “I wasn’t screwing around out there. He wouldn’t give me my money.”
“I don’t think Coop thinks you were out there being an ass. Coop’s not a horse guy. You know that. I mean, he knows how to keep them fed, but he’s not fond, not like you, not even like that little girl.” Kase shook his head, moving them faster, the miles getting eaten up. “And then? Well, it’s been afew days. Johnny’s ended up at the home school with us for now, Mason is still suspended, and Mina’s wetting the bed again. They’re just—they’re not ready for anything else to change and having all this happen has been a nightmare.”
“You’re absolutely right. I didn’t… I thought I’d be gone a week, and I’m going to apologize, and I’m going to make it right, and I’m going to take whatever licks Coop decides I need.” No matter what. He was going to make it up to his lover.
“Buddy, Coop just wants you home so you can make dinner and let him sit for a minute and get well.”
“God, I want that too. I want to be home with my people and my horses. I want to sit down and talk to Ricky and Bella and find out what their damn plans are because they’re going to have to raise a baby. And I want to know that they have the sense God gave a goat between the two of them.” All of this would happen. Coop would make it, and he would get well, and…
“Yeah, otherwise Coop could be raising an infant.”
He shook his head. “Nope.” He’d thought about this the entire flight home. “We’ll be grandparents; that’s fine.”
Even though that was terrifying beyond all reason and it kind of made him want to throw up.
“But we are not raising another baby. We’re being a family and helping out.”
Kase’s shoulders shook as he fought his laugh. “You just grasp onto that, man. You just keep holding that rein, see what happens.”
