Page 35 of Brett and Rowdy
“Once upon a time, sure, but that was, you know, before your mom.”
This was going to be interesting. Madison was aware that he wasn’t her biological father, had been since she was a teenager. She’d immediately come to him and asked if he had to adopt her, and he’d told her no. He was the father on the birth certificate, and as far as he was concerned, she was his baby girl.
That had been enough for her.
“What?” Madison snorted. “Momma and Daddy weren’t a thing.”
Ashley leaned against his arm, and she smelled like coconut. He loved that she wore fun scents for him. “Fun, fun, fun.”
“Mmhmm.”
“I’m just saying that we were a thing before him and your mom got together.” Brett sounded confused as hell.
“Listen.” And Madison was obviously aggravated. “You do know that Daddy is, like, gay and stuff, right? He does not identify as bisexual.”
Oh, now. That was a bridge too far. “We do not discuss with people what your father identifies as, clear?”
“Daddy!”
“I’m serious. No identifying.” He didn’t need that kind of issue with Brett right now.
“You’re such a derp, Dad. I mean, seriously.”
“Yes, I know that’s me. I’m such a Luddite. Can we just focus on things like what we’re going to do today and getting your Daddy Dan?” Hopefully, she would let it go, at least for now.
“Sure, no problem, I was thinking axe throwing and barbecue.”
He loved the way that she chuckled. The sound still just brought to mind the image of his little girl—three years old and filled with wickedness and light. And God, he did love her more than life itself. “Axe throwing, huh? I would never have guessed.”
“Right. It’s just not something you do a lot in New Mexico, Daddy.”
He chuckled, jumping as Ash pinched him. “I guess you’re right there. It’s not something we do a lot. I mean, I’m sure we do have it, but it’s not for fun.”
“Yeah, I think it’s an amazing stress reliever, so…” Madison sighed softly. “Not that I have anything to get stressed about.”
“Nope, not that you have anything to be stressed about.” Ashley tensed beside him and sighed softly, tears in the sound. “We can just buy you a ranch here, you know. You don’t have to go all the way to?—”
Madison cleared her throat. “Nope, Momma, stop it. I’m going. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. And you knowwhat? I’ve been here for twenty-one years. I get to go home now.”
Rowdy understood that passion on a bone-deep level.
“You sound like your dad,” Brett said. There was a wealth of emotion in those words that Rowdy didn’t know how to parse, if he was honest. “That’s exactly like something your dad would say.”
“Sure. It doesn’t surprise me. He did raise me after all.”
Ashley chuckled and poked his ribs, sending a sharp zing through him. “I blame you for this.”
“Yes,” he said. “I get it. It really do, but, honey, this can’t be a surprise. She’s been talking about this since the day she was able to decide that she wanted to be a cowgirl.”
“I know, I know that I’m always going to be welcome at your place to visit, but I know that my heart hurts. And that I’m gonna miss her so much. We might have to talk about that whole retirement home in New Mexico thing, because I don’t know if I can live the rest of my life and not be close to my girl.”
“You know it.” Because one day there were going to be grandbabies.
He couldn’t wait for babies to be back at the ranch.
Ash’s phone beeped and she stood, sniffling softly. “Dan’s about ten minutes away, and then we’ll get all suited up for axe throwing.”
“He’s not going to be too jet lagged?” Rowdy would personally be out like a light.
