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“Takes roughly ten months to grow a kid, let’s say that kid’s barely two, you and that witch broke up more than three years ago. String her along, do what you have to do while I get this sorted out.” One thing about Nash, he was like a dog with a bone and would stop at nothing to prove the truth. It was a double-edged sword for him. He couldn’t handle lying, but he had to live with the consequences of finding out the truth.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Kipp, I’m the number’s guy right? I have it handled.” He walked away as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Nash was right, he was the numbers guy, always had been and I trusted him.
As I walked past the kitchen, I saw Nora, she was half out of her chair but I needed to find more out before I talked to her. I shook my head and I watched hurt fill her eyes as she sat back down. Opening the office door, Bella was sitting in a chair with the little boy on her lap. She looked over at me with a sad expression on her face as she smoothed the boy’s hair down. Taking a seat on the opposite side of the desk, I waited. I stared into the face of Nathan and thought I saw some familiarities but I wouldn’t have sworn an oath stating I believed he looked like me. There was a resemblance, but not a huge one.
“How old is he?” I asked, crossing my arms and leaning back on the chair.
“He turned two in July.”
“When?”
“July twenty-sixth,” she said without hesitation. End of October would have been when he was conceived. What was I doing at the end of October almost three years ago? We weren’t together. We’d broken up in September. I was sure of that. “You got drunk and brought me home from The Fencepost. We spent the night together, and well, here is the result.” She smiled when she looked down at him but something was wrong. She fiddled with the arm of the chair. It was her tell. I’d figured it out when she was cheating on me. Just play along. Nash’s words kept ringing in my ear.
“Why didn’t you mention this when you were here for the rodeo?”
“Your cook was too busy hanging all over you for me to even get a moment with you alone.”
“We were alone in the barn.” This wasn’t going to be Nora’s fault, this had nothing to do with her.
“And there you were, being a doting dad to her kid, when you should’ve been a dad to your own.”
“And just how was I supposed to do that when I didn’t know a fuc… thing about him.” I couldn’t deny that spending time with Cooper around had drastically changed the vocabulary around this ranch. “Or I would have stepped up. The outcome for you and I wouldn’t have been different but I would be in his life. So, this really all revolves around you and you being the one that’s brought this on yourself.” She never took responsibility for anything and I watched the sweet persona change into the cold master manipulator that she truly was.
“But Kipp, I was afraid. The last time I saw you, you threatened me. When I tried to tell you I was pregnant, you ran me out of the ranch. Not telling you was what I had to do to keep me and my baby safe.” She made tears well in her eyes and she gripped onto Nathan tighter.
“Nobody would believe you. I don’t lose my temper and this entire county knows it.” That was one thing she couldn’t use against me. “Where are you staying?” This was all going to go badly and I needed to make an attempt at civility.
“With my mother.” She hated her mother, so for her to stay there, she must really be sure of herself.
“Tomorrow, come back with your things, you will stay here until we get this figured out.” I stood and walked to the door. “Wait, what’s your husband’s thoughts on all this?”
“I never pretended Nathan was his, he hasn’t really bonded with him very well, but he wants to get to the bottom of this too.” She smiled and it seemed a little too perfect, all wrapped up in a nice little package. What she hadn’t banked on was if this was true I would fight her every step of the way for custody. No child of mine would be raised with the likes of her. Oh, she’d been a good lay, but there was never anything more than that.
“You’re remembering our times together,” she purred, placing her hand on my arm, smiling up at me.
“No, just thinking you were willing to spread your legs for any man that looked at you sideways. He could be anyone’s.” It was a low blow and I immediately felt a little guilty. She stormed out of my office and out the door.
Walking back into the kitchen, I ran my hands through my hair. “What was that all about?” Ryder asked.
There was no point in beating around the bush, they would all need to know sooner rather than later. “Apparently, her kid is mine.” I collapsed into the chair and let out a deep breath. I glanced up and everyone’s mouth was hanging open. Nobody said a word, it was like they’d all been rendered speechless.
“Come on, Cooper. It’s time for bed,” Nora said quietly.
The little boy gave everyone a hug and then stopped at me. He wrapped his arms around my neck. “He’s really lucky you’re his dad.” He let me go and I looked up at Nora who’d closed her eyes and was biting her lip. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with tears, but she quickly followed Cooper and avoided looking at me.
“What are you going to do?” Linc asked.
“Nash is on the phone with Phil, he’ll start digging.”
“When did it happen?”
“That’s the thing, she said I was drunk one night and brought her home after we broke up. I swore I would never do that again after the incident in Texas. You guys know that. You also like to tell the story, so maybe she thought she could manipulate that.” I rested my elbows on the table and let my head drop into my hands. “What am I going to do?”
“We all know what you’re going to do, if he’s yours you’ll be the best dad ever. We’ve all seen you with Cooper and we have no doubt you will be amazing,” Griff assured me, going to the fridge, grabbing a beer, and heading to his room.
Nora walked back into the kitchen, and Linc and Ryder excused themselves. “Come on, I don't want to sit here.” I stood and took Nora’s hand, and we walked to the living room. Settling into the chair, Nora took her place cuddled beside me. We didn’t talk, we just sat together, her head on my chest, our breathing in sync.
