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I huffed out a sardonic laugh. “No shit.”
“Daddy, that’s a bad word.” Dillon pointed his finger at me and I heard my dad choke down a laugh.
Charlie tilted his head. “Did you say sowwy?”
“I will.” She hugged him. “Be good, for grandpa, okay?”
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck. When he stepped back, Dillon stepped over to her.
“Cans I has a hug?”
“Oh, baby, absolutely.” She pulled him in and squeezed him, making him giggle. “You be good too.”
“You’ll need the car seat from my car, Dad.” I couldn’t stop glaring at her.
“While you get that and help load up the boys, I’m going to take the goat home.” Her voice was soft. “The door’ll be open.”
The four of us stood there watching her and the goat leave. A small hand took mine, and I looked down into Charlie’s brown eyes. “Is you hungry?”
I stared, noticing every little thing about him.
I have two sons.
“Not right now. But maybe you boys can talk Grandpa into bringing a pizza home for me and your mom?”
My stomach flipped and my heart stopped as those words left my mouth.
This has to be a dream.
“You seem to be handling this news well.”
I turned to face my dad. “I’m not.”
“Let’s get the boys in my car, then you and Miranda can talk.” His eyes were glazed with unshed tears.
“C’mon, boys.”
Charlie held my hand through the house and out the front door. When we stood by my dad’s car, he let go so I could go get the car seat from my SUV and I moved it to the back passenger side of the car.
Once I had it in place, I turned and Charlie lifted up his arms for me to pick him up.
I lifted him up, and he smelled like baby lotion, apple juice, and dirt. He wrapped his arms around my neck, hugging me and I hugged my son back.
So much time lost.
Tears burned my eyes, and my voice shook. “Let’s get you strapped in.”
“Okie dokie.”
Once both boys were in and the doors were closed, I let the tears fall.
“You got what you wanted?” My dad’s voice cut through the air.
“Vicki promised if I stayed away she’d leave her alone. So the day after the barn I said what I had to, to keep her safe.”
He nodded slowly, “And you didn’t want it?”
A shudder ran through me. “She asked me to meet her on the trails one night. When I got there, she said she had to tell me something. She said I was going to be a daddy, and I didn’t know who she heard that from. I…” Pressing my lips together, I drew in a deep breath through my nose. “I reacted bad, she looked devastated and said I didn’t want it. I agreed. Confused how she could think I did.”
