Page 8 of Rough Cowboy
Sammy meets me there with the clothes I’ve already thrown in my suitcase. “We can work through this.”
I scoff, a high-pitched deafening sound that scares me almost as much as being connected to Silver forever. “We?! You’re not even part of this. This kid will be lucky to see you on holidays.”
“About that—”
“Don’t try is argue. Your track record for coming home is terrible. For fuck’s sake, there’s a little baby Silver inside me.” Warm tears stream down my face. “I’m your brother without a penis. This kid doesn’t stand a chance.” My shoulders begin to heave, and my voice pours out in a crying, long, painful sound.
Sammy embraces me. His strong arms comfort and calm the nerves I’ve never experienced.
“I wish you were the dad.” The words leave my mouth without permission, but they’re true. But the reality is, he’s not the father. He’s the father material that Silver isn’t.
I pull away and pick up the clothes he dropped at my feet. I carry them back to my suitcase.
“Can you sneak me out of here?” I wipe the dampness under my eyes before I yank open a dresser drawer. “If you drop me off at Cowboy Cafe, I can have my sister meet me and drive me to the airport.”
“The airport?”
“Yes. I need to go home.” I throw bunches of panties in the suitcase that don’t fit me anymore. My aim is horrific, and they tumble onto the floor. “Shit.”
I bend beside the bed, and Sammy kneels, catching my hands.
“You’ve been texting me for months about how you’ve never felt at home like you do in Whiskey Ridge Creek.”
“Things change.”
He catches my chin again and lifts my gaze to meet his. “I know babies weren’t in your life plans. And they sure as hell aren’t in Silver’s, but kids have always been in my life plan. Lots of kids. I was hopeful for twins.”
I scoff.
“What I’m sayin’, Elsie is that I’ve been convinced this baby was mine. Silver’s always braggin’ about his lack of swimmers, and I thought the asshole knew what he was talkin’ about. I bought a ranch outside of town. I hired an interior designer to decorate a nursery. A nursery that is now fully stocked.”
My heart swells. “You did that?”
He nods. “I wanted the baby.”
I plop down on my rear end and sigh. “I wanted you to be the father.”
I run my hands over my belly.
Look at us, sweet baby.
I love the kid. It’s the weirdest feeling to love someone I’ve never met as much as I love the baby inside me.
“I haven’t told anyone yet, but I left the circuit. I handed in my notice. Blamed it on my concussion last month.”
My head whips up to look at him. “I thought you said you were fine after the concussion?”
“I am fine,” he assures me. “But I wanted to be here for you and the baby.”
Waterworks continue down my cheeks, and I don’t fight them.
“Elsie, you and I are the only two who know the paternity results. I don’t think your sister looked at the results for a second, and she had the reveal banner made out of town so word wouldn’t spread before the party.”
“What are you saying?” I know what he’s hinting at, but the idea would be ridiculous—wouldn’t it?
“You don’t want to raise this kid with Silver; I want to raise the baby.” He pauses and rushes the following words out. “Let’s swap Silver’s name with mine.”
My jaw hits the ground, I swear. Or else I pucker my face into a shocked look of disgust and want somehow mashed together.
