He’d been in the schedule early this time around and as soon as he was changed out of his gear, he was allowed to watch the event from the sidelines with some of the other cowboys. The problem was, they weren’t alone.
All the men who had families were seated nearby. Wives, children, big families. All of them had shown up in droves to watch the NFR this year.
Jacob couldn’t help himself. His attention continued to shift to the people in the stands with him. He watched them cheer andsupport their families. He observed the kids and the magnetic chaos that drew him in.
This wasn’t like him. He wasn’t usually interested in the spectators. Normally he was glued to the screen that updated the scores. Because this was the big leagues. This was what he’d been working all year to achieve. He didn’t know how many years he’d have a shot like this.
So why in heaven’s name did he feel so… off?
A drooling toddler scooted his way down the bleacher, his pudgy hands gripping the metal as he inched closer and closer toward Jacob. He had the largest pair of blue eyes Jacob had ever seen. At some point he’d been wearing a small cowboy hat, but now his brown mop of hair was a mussed mess which only added to how adorable he was.
Jeans. A plaid button-down, and boots.
How had Jacob not realized they made boots in that size?
The kid couldn’t have been more than a year and a half. And as he offered Jacob a toothy grin, Jacob couldn’t help but grin right back. “Hey, buddy,” he murmured.
The toddler reached up and made a grasping gesture with his fingers. Jacob’s brows furrowed while the kid made a gurgling sound then said something that sounded suspiciously like ‘hat’.
Understanding washed over him, and he reached for his hat then placed it on the kid’s head.
The boy giggled and reached up with both hands to touch the hat and yank it from his head. In that moment, the boy’s mother darted forward.
“I’m so sorry. Here.” She handed Jacob his hat and gave him an embarrassed smile. Then she turned to her boy. “You have your own hat, Ben. Let’s get it for you.” She cut Jacob one more fleeting look. “Sorry again.”
“It’s fine,” Jacob murmured, his eyes following the mother and her son.
He’d never thought he’d be a good father. In fact, he’d told himself for years that based on his experiences with his dad, he was certain of it. But then Ryker got married and started having kids and it made Jacob wonder if there was a chance he could be good at it. If Ryker could overcome his past, why couldn’t Jacob?
It probably unnerved the woman that he’d been staring for so long, so he forced his focus back to the competition. His thoughts, however, remained on the same track.
Hallie would be a good mother. He knew that without a doubt in his mind. She had a nurturing spirit among other things. She wasn’t selfish like he was.
Then the strangest thought filtered into his mind.
If she was by his side, would they be good parents together? When he was with her, things felt… different. He felt like he had the chance to be the best version of himself. Not only that, but he liked who he was when they were together.
Hallie had this way about her—the ability to make him want to continue being better, if not for himself, than for her.
His focus shifted to the little boy who was now seated on his father’s lap. He wore his dad’s cowboy hat, and he was giggling as he played peek-a-boo beneath it. The mother had a southernaccent. She was definitely not from Nevada. If he had to guess, he would have said somewhere near Georgia.
And yet she was here supporting her husband with a baby in tow.
They looked…
Happy.
A burning sensation started up in his chest again. It had been happening a lot more recently. Ever since he’d cut Hallie out of his life for her own good. She deserved stability.
He repeated that mantra in his head over and over.
Stability.
Family.
Hallie deserved it all.
And yet…
