Page 91 of Surly Sheriff
Boy and dog. Best friends.
“They’re the same age. To the day.”
He jerked when Rae spoke beside him. “What?”
“Jack and Xena. They share a birthday.”
Birthday. His gut twisted. “When?” The lump in his throat prevented a more coherent question.
“Second of July,” she whispered. “Four years ago.”
Next month. The kid turned four in three-and-a-bit weeks.
Four years gone. Wasted.
“If he’s mine,” Beau bit out, “I will never forgive you, Raegan.Never.”
She held out the tube. “I know.” Her voice was low, filled with sorrow.
His hand closed around hers, and he met her gaze.
Her eyes shimmered with tears. With guilt.
And he knew with utter certainty that Jack was his. “Why did you leave?” The question tore out of him.
Rae tugged her hand away. “It’s a long story. Best left till later. And you’ve things to do.”
He wanted to chuck the test aside, grab her by the shoulders, and shake every treacherous lie right out of her until there was nothing left but the hard truth.
But he did the sensible thing — he turned his back on her without another word and walked away.
She was right, he had stuff to do.
One of them being the DNA test.
He needed irrefutable proof for the custody suit he was filing, because dammed if he was missing another milestone in his son’s life.
21
Hostility
In a classic déjà vu moment of her first day in Clearbrook, she parked right outside the bookstore now calledBooks and Bakes. The name change took place when Bella and Ruth — the latter now a full partner after Harlan’s tragic death in Afghanistan — expanded the bookstore to include the coffee shop next door after the owner retired.
She had debated the wisdom of approaching Bella in such a public place, but after her disastrous meetings with Beau, she wanted this one done. She exited the vehicle and rounded the front to open for Jack. He jumped out of the car onto the sidewalk, and taking hold of Jack’s hand, she approached the store.
“Look, Momma! A puppy puzzle!” Jack tugged on her hand, and she sidestepped to the window display.
“It’s cute,” she said.
“Can I get it, Momma? Please. Xena will like it.”
Despite her anxiety, a smile broke through. “Xena will like it” was Jack’s latest cajoling tactic. “We’ll have to see if you have enough pocket money.”
“I have enough,” he said with complete confidence, patting his pocket where he’d stashed his little wallet when she told him they were going to a bookstore.
And she believed him. Even at his young age, Jack was frugal with the bit of money he earned for tidying his room and feeding Xena. And he hadn’t spent his last two weeks’ allowance yet.
Movement on the other side of the window beyond the display caught her eye.
