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“I should check on Cooper.” I set my plate on the ground and went to stand.
“Oh, we know why you want to check on your child who was completely passed out and in no threat of waking up,” Sonja jested, grinning at the other ladies. I knew I was turning eight shades of red. As I turned, Kipp walked back outside and caught my eye. He smiled and mouthed, “Still asleep,” before taking his chair again with some of the other men. I couldn’t wait until tonight when we were alone again.
CHAPTER TWENTY
KIPP
It didn’t seem fair that the sun was already on the rise. I’d waited up for Linc and Griff to get home from the hospital. Linc and I had sat up for a while talking after we got high as a kite Griff to bed. So, when my alarm went off, I wanted to ignore it, but there was so much work to get done before the rodeo. The house was quiet and the only thing on was the coffee pot. I knew Nora had programmed it late last night before I sent her to bed. She was exhausted, and wanted to wait for Griff, but I tucked her in and fought climbing into the bed beside her. Coffee without her in the morning just didn’t feel right.
Silence around the ranch was a change from the last week. The buzz of people, the noise of cattle was gone for a few hours, anyway. “Kipp.” Cooper’s little voice called from the porch. We’d made a deal that if vehicles were in motion, he waited for me to come to him. The last thing I needed was Cooper getting hurt by something completely preventable. Agricultural life was a great way for kids to grow up, but it was also dangerous and the sooner he learned that, the better off he would be.
“Good morning, little man,” I greeted him as I got closer to the porch. He held out his arms for a hug, and I grabbed him up and swung him around. I had no idea how much a child that wasn’t mine could change my life for the better.
“Mommy said you didn’t have breakfast. She said I had to bring you in for something to eat.” He squirmed and I set him down. Glancing up at the kitchen window, I saw a flash of her dark hair as she moved behind the cupboard. She was watching.
“Well, I suppose if mom said I have to eat I better listen.” I pulled open the door and we walked into the house together. “You should wash up.” I told Cooper, who frowned.
“You should too.” He pulled me along behind him to the bathroom. I had intended to stay in the kitchen so I could steal a kiss from his mom, but he wasn’t letting me go this morning. I would have to think of something else.
“Mom, I got him,” Cooper said as we walked into the kitchen.
“Yes, you did. Good morning.” Her smile could make the alfalfa bloom, the sun shine, and my heart ache for more.
“Morning.” I smiled as it took all my restraint not to walk over to her. Cooper sat at the table and I hung back, pouring my coffee. Nora swept past me, placing a hand on my waist, before sliding it across my back. It was a simple touch, but it made me happy.
“There you go, you eat up, we've got a busy day.” She kissed the top of her son's head and Cooper groaned.
“Oh, Mom, that’s gross.” He wiped at his head as he filled his mouth with a pancake.
“Nora, can I speak to you please?” My coffee cup slammed to the table, which wasn’t what I’d intended. I walked out to the porch and waited. She came around the corner of the hallway with deep creases between her eyes.
“Kipp, what’s the…” I didn’t let her finish. My hand snaked around her waist and I wrenched her to me. I wove my fingers through her dark hair and lowered my head to her, teasing her as I barely brushed a kiss over her lips. Her sigh was all I needed to press further. She melted into me, and I held her tighter.
“Kipp, you’re kissing my mom.” A giggle came from the screen door and as I looked up, it slapped shut and I saw Cooper disappear back into the kitchen. She rested her head on my chest and groaned.
“So, I guess he knows. I mean, we almost got through a week, so that’s a bonus.” I couldn’t help the laughter that rumbled through me.
“I wanted to tell him. We’d been so careful.”
“Nora, we really haven’t been.” She glared up at me with a puzzled look on her face. “Every single person that’s been here this week could see it. Fine, we didn’t make out in front of him and he’s never seen you with anyone, so it probably looked like I was just a friend, until now. And he’s four, Nora. Horses and cows are more important than anything else.” I leaned down again and quickly kissed her. Letting her go, I held out my hand and we walked back into the house.
Nora sat at the table beside Cooper and I put her coffee in front of her and sat on his other side. “Buddy, do you want to talk about what you saw?” She was sweet and caring, just like any mother should be, but there was something different about the way Nora spoke to Cooper. She didn’t talk to him like he was a baby, or a grown man, but just on his level. I was in awe of how she managed to get this far with so little.
“Nope, it’s okay if you kiss my mom, Kipp,” he mumbled with a mouth full of pancakes as he looked over at me and smiled. I cut my eyes to Nora, who didn’t seem any more relaxed. Her eyes were still locked on Cooper. He reached for his glass of milk and eyed his mom. “So, you marrying Kipp?” He furrowed his brow and sounded exactly like Griff. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, trying to refrain from laughing.
“No, I’m not marrying Kipp.” She rubbed her forehead as she shook her head.
“But you kissed him. That means you have to get married.”
“How about we see what happens, a long, long, long time from now?” Nora asked.
“Not too long, Kipp’s old.”
“Hey!” I said, finally taking offence to something. A commotion outside ended this conversation, and my rowdy companions walked through the door.
“Morning, Cooper. Is the coffee still on, Nora?” Linc asked, tossing his hat on the bench in the hallway and grabbing his plate for breakfast.
“Sure is,” Nora answered, forcing a smile as she got up from the table.
