Cowboy's Law

by B. A. Tortuga

  He was not going to blush. Not.

  “I did. Slept like a baby.” So there. They were gonna push it. They were kids. Hell, he would have pushed it.

  “Cool. Uncle Seth?”

  “I slept like the dead. I was warm and comfy. Got up early to ride with your sister.”

  “Well, cool.” She got some milk for Jordan and Keira, then some for her with a tiny bit of coffee in it.

  Seth met his gaze, and they shared a smile, a little quiet secret between them.

  Well, maybe not a secret, but at least something they sure weren’t ashamed of.

  Wiley and Jordan showed up in time for bacon, and they all sat for Law’s favorite things.

  Jordan bent her head and began to pray. “Dear God, thank you for toasts and Fuzzy and for letting Uncle Seth and Law getting good sleep in Uncle Seth’s room because his bed is nicer.”

  Oh. Oh, well. He—damn.

  “It’s so much nicer than Law’s.” Seth nodded, managing not to blush, much. “Jordan woke up and needed some juice in the middle of the night.”

  “I slept right through, huh?”

  “You were snoring loud,” Jordan agreed. “I was okay. Uncle Seth helped.”

  “Well, you can wake me up even if I’m snoring.” He wasn’t the kind to wake up from bad dreams and hurt anyone. Now, fireworks? Shit.

  “So are you staying in Uncle Seth’s room full-time?” Dawn asked.

  “We haven’t talked about it yet. When we do, we’ll talk with y’all.” Seth didn’t frown or anything, simply left it at that. A fact of life.

  Law liked that approach, so he added a bob of his head to back Seth’s play. He still wanted to totally run screaming from all the eyes watching him.

  Never let ’em see you sweat was a motto in the Army, though, so he poured syrup on his toast. La la la. Bacon.

  “Y’all all ready for next week, homework-wise?” Seth asked, and the awkward moment passed like it had never happened.

  “Law has to help us read one more chapter today,” Jordan piped up.

  “And I need math help,” Bethany said, sighing.

  “I’ll help with that.” Wiley pinked when everyone stared. “What? I liked learning what she’s doing now.”

  “I’m done with all mine, Uncle. I was going to go back out to the barns.” Dawn was in love with those horses.

  “Load your dishes, and I want to see your homework before supper.”

  “Yessir.” She was off in a swirl of ponytail and sparkly jeans.

  Bethany shrugged. “I want to learn to knit after homework. Can I please use the laptop?”

  “Yes. You can. Thank you for asking.”

  Law blinked at her. “Where did you get knitting stuff?”

  “From Momma’s stuff.” She grinned. “I found it all in a box. Uncle said it wasn’t special. That she would be happy to let me have it.”

  Seth nodded. “It’s craft stuff. Yarn, needles, fabric. Not her projects.”

  “Oh, honey, you can have anything of Momma’s. She would want you to have all the stuff y’all want, okay? Some of it might wait until you’re older, but she would be teaching you if she could.”

  “YouTube will work. Breakfast was yummy. Thanks.” Bethany loaded her stuff in the dishwasher and ran too.

  “YouTube is so cool.” Jordan slipped another piece of toast onto her plate.

  “Is it?” Seth took another piece too, and his free hand slid over to touch Law’s leg.

  “It is! It has all this neat stuff on how to make capes. Can I go as Wonder Super Woman for Halloween?”

  “Sure, baby. You can be anything you want to.” Seth was fighting his laughter with all he had. Law could see his shoulders moving.

  He covered Seth’s hand with his. “I like that. Very Captain Spider Ironman.”

  “Yes!” Jordan bounced. “Mix-ups are everything.”

  “Mash-ups,” Law corrected automatically.

  “Mashed-up! Ooh. What’s for supper?”

  He glanced at Seth.

  “I have to run out to the store, so I’ll get Blakes,” Seth said. “I’m craving onion rings.” He got a quick glance, a smile. “Wiley and Dawn can watch the little ones, you want to come with.”

  “I’d love that.” Just to go for a drive, hit the store. Like adults.

  “Rock on.”

  “I want to go…”

  Jordan looked like she was going to fuss, when Bethany looked at her baby sister on the way through to get more juice. “Stay home, and we’ll make slime.”

  Oh, she did love him best.

  “Sliiiime.” Jordan nodded. “Can I have chicken hands?”

  “You can. I’ll take orders before I leave.”

  “Okay.” Jordan rolled her last piece of French toast around a bacon and stuffed the whole thing in her mouth.

  Seth didn’t comment, and what was Law going to say? He’d seen worse. From thirty-year-old men in the officer’s mess.

  Seth’s hand stayed where it was, right on his thigh.

  Once the kids had all fled, even Jordan, they set to eating the rest of the bacon and French toast. He glanced sideways at Seth. “You okay with all this?”

  “I am. We’re both into each other, we both love the kids, and we’re grown-ups.”

  “Cool. That was my thinking, but I didn’t want to step on your toes.”

  “It’ll happen. Probably not today.” Seth winked at him.

  “Yeah. As much as I stagger around, there are bound to be sore toes sooner or later.” Law had to laugh.

  “Long, short, short. Long, short, short.” Seth stretched long, back popping. “You got a lot planned today?”

  “Just going out with you. And I need to do some therapy exercises so I can say I did my homework too.”

  “I’m going to sit for a while before we go and watch TV.” Seth grinned. “And yeah, I know, it’s called a nap. Dawn told me.”

  “Works for me.” He would go work out, then watch Seth nap.

  “Thanks for breakfast.” To his utter, total shock, Seth leaned over and kissed him before standing and gathering the dishes.

  Law sat and blinked, then smiled so wide it hurt his cheeks. “You’re totally welcome, baby.”

  Damn. Damn, he… he had a lover.

  A live-in one. No one back in the unit would believe it.

  He did, though. He believed.

  Damn.

  15

  Law was going to lose his mind.

  “Dammit, Wiley. I need you to get Jordan to her Girl Scouts meeting. Carefully.”

  “Hey!” Wiley sighed. “Never gonna let me live it down.”

  “I am. Just not today. I have to get Bethany to the read-a-thon at the library and Dawn to her flag royalty thingy.” Dawn had been named one of the princesses at the rodeo, and she had stuff to do all year long.

  “And me to dance, Uncle Law!” Keira was still wearing her leotard, a pair of rubber boots, and a coat. “And someone needs to do my hairs!”

  To everyone’s surprise, Jordan had decided to stick with Scouts while Keira picked dance. Goodie.

  “I can do it real quick,” Dawn said. “Come here.”

  “Can you do it in the van, honey?”

  “Sure. Come on, guys. Law’s going to have a fit.”

  They hadn’t seen a fit yet. He was fixin’ to show them, though. Seth was dealing with bulls and semen and straws and was spending the night in Dallas.

  He figured this was his trial by fire. The kids had taken the gloves off now he’d been there a bit.

  “What are we doing for supper?” Jordan asked on her way to the car.

  “Is Uncle bringing chicken?”

  “No, he’s staying in town.” Overnight. God.

  “Oh. Can we have tacos?”

  Wiley rolled his eyes at Jordan. “Get in the car, silly. We got to go. You want me to pick up tacos for everyone, man?”

  “Yeah.” He handed Wiley a couple of bills. “Thanks. Remember, no dropping off unles
s someone is there.”

  “Got it. I’ll get beef and chicken both?”

  “Yeah. Some rice for Jordan and some beans and cheese for Keira? And get some churros.” Wiley looked panicked for a second, and Law shook his head. “I’ll text, okay?”

  “Thanks, man! You rock.”

  “No worries.” He got it. Too much to remember could be a mess. “All right, train is leaving!”

  “Choo-choo!” Keira’s joy made him laugh.

  They headed out, Jordan waving madly from Wiley’s back seat. Wiley made it out without falling in a ditch, so he figured that was a win.

  Dawn did Keira’s hair while Bethany read her book in the front seat. Library, dance class, arena, dance class, library, and then arena.

  Text Wiley, text Seth.

  Lord. Today was a big circle.

  “Don’t panic, Law. You got this.” Dawn smiled at him. “I have to go hang out with the other princesses, all who have parents and plans for the future.”

  “Hey! You have plans.” He thought. Maybe not college like some of the girls. Dawn really didn’t want that right away, but that was okay.

  “Sure. But no one wants to hear the word rodeo when it goes pro.”

  “You do you, Dawn. You come from rodeo people. Successful rodeo people.”

  “I hope so.” She chuckled. “The girls are just jealous because I can ride my flag around faster than they can.”

  “What’s today all about?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Waving.”

  “Waving.”

  Bethany snorted. “Dawn is a champion waver. She’s also going to be the next Brittany Pozzi.”

  “Waving is stupid. Winning the money for rodeo princess is another step toward a new barrel horse.”

  “There you go. Goals.”

  “I want a new goat,” Keira piped up. “I like goats.”

  “Yeah? Are you saving your allowance?”

  “Nope. I asked Uncle.”

  “And what did he say?” He would have to ask Seth too. He’d learned that the kids embellished the truth. They were worse than any soldier.

  “He said when one of the nannies had a baby goat, I could name her!”

  “Oh, well, that’s a good deal, kiddo.” Whew. Keira needed to start with… rabbits or something.

  Really, their Keira wasn’t particularly… outdoorsy.

  He grinned at Dawn, who was smiling at him in that sideways kind of way, but she didn’t say anything.

  Bethany just snorted again, but that was her only contribution. When he pulled up at the library, she hopped out eagerly, her whole face lighting up. Like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, the prospect of all those books in one place made her happy. “Okay, call me if you need me earlier than we planned.”

  “I won’t. Mrs. Simpson is going to show me some fantasy novels she thinks I’ll like after.”

  “Okay, kiddo. Be good.” Law waited until she was inside. “Dance class ho!”

  “Yay! We’re working on our Christmas pageant. I want to be Mrs. Claus so bad!”

  “Do you have to try out for that, or does the teacher assign stuff?” He headed back out on the main road.

  “I have to try out. Miss Flora says not to hold my breath because the big girls are trying too, and they can do toe shoes.”

  “Well, some things you have to work your way up to, huh? I bet you’ll have fun no matter what.” Christ, he was turning into his mother. That was one of her lines.

  “You sound like Uncle. He’s all about working.”

  “That’s because you have to cowboy up and learn what you’re doing so you don’t hurt yourself, your buddies, or your critters.” The weight of thirteen years of concentrated cowboy was in Dawn’s words.

  “That’s the cowboy way,” Law agreed. “It’s what they teach you in the Army too.”

  “But you got hurt,” Keira said seriously.

  “I did, but I got back up, huh? Thanks to y’all.” He winked at her in the rearview. “You’re the best therapy.”

  “You’re a hero, though. I’m a little girl. I’m not ever going to be a hero, I don’t think.”

  “Sure you are, silly. Everybody’s somebody’s hero, huh? Uncle says that’s why you have to try your hardest, because you never know when someone’s watching you.” Dawn smiled back at Keira. “You’re Jordan’s hero, you know? You always will be.”

  Oh man. He’d bet there was history behind that little gem of wisdom.

  A lot of people were watching Seth, at least through the scope of the rodeo lens. Still.

  “Okay, kiddo. Dance your heart out. Have your teacher holler if you need me.”

  “Yes, sir!” She hopped out while Dawn slipped into the front seat.

  “You exhausted yet, Law?”

  “God, yes.”

  She hooted, and he laughed with her.

  “Seriously, you guys are busy creatures.”

  “Right? It’s crazy, but in three years I’ll have my license, and then it’ll get easier.”

  Right. Sure. Easier. Shit. By then Wiley would be out at college or whatever, and the other girls would be as busy as Dawn. God knew what Jordan would want to do. Dance, softball, and FFA.

  “Do you think Uncle will let me start at the big circuit when I’m sixteen? I mean, I want to. I want to get out there and get sponsors.” Jesus. Sponsors? The kid was thirteen.

  “Honey, I have no idea, but I can talk to him about it.” In a year. Maybe two. “I know you’re good enough, for sure.”

  “Yeah? Cool. Thanks.”

  “Yep. We’ll see what he says.” Seth would have to sign off on it, he knew.

  They chatted all the way to the arena. “I’ll pick you up at six thirty, honey.”

  “Then tacos!” She gave him a thumbs-up and trotted off.

  Law sat and stared a moment. Maybe he could take a nap. How had Seth done all this alone?

  How had Seth done this with no fucking practice?

  Maybe herding cowboys and kids were not that much different, just like soldier logistics helped him out. Maybe Seth was meant to be a dad. Whatever. Pistol had been a lucky son of a bitch to have someone like Seth there for him.

  Law hoped he made Seth feel lucky. He sure wanted to.

  He pulled up next to the dance studio, texted the food order to Wiley, then sent a text to Seth: “How goes?”

  “Fair to middlin. Two bulls didn’t buck. Four bucked like fiends. Sold three already. Going to bring home steaks. All the straws are sold.”

  “Good deal. The kids are very busy.” He sent a little smiley too.

  “Yeah. Wednesdays. :P I’ll be home tomorrow night at supper. Will bring food if you want.”

  “Sounds perfect. Having Wiley get tacos on his way home tonight.” He missed Seth’s face, and the thought of sleeping alone was no bueno.

  “We’re having something fancy. :((((”

  “Jealous.” He wasn’t, really. He knew Seth hated to wine and dine and schmooz. “Take pics and annoy everyone.”

  “I will. I’ll send them. You share. Miss you. Bad.”

  “Miss you too.” Like a sore tooth. Seth had become like breathing.

  “Bought stuff at the store. For hard riding.”

  “Yeah? Like that kind best.” His ears went hot. Do not get all hot and bothered in the car.

  “When I get home. I been wanting.”

  “God yes. So not liking the empty-bed thing.”

  “No. Hotels are weird. Ready to be home.” Yes. For a man who had traveled most of his life, Seth had settled, like a tree with deep roots.

  “Well, come on. I’m ready.” He looked at the time. No need to move yet.

  “Got to meet a man about a horse in the morning. Found Dawn a racer. Real quality.”

  “She’ll be tickled. Wants to go pro at 16.”

  “We’ll see. That’s a lot of travel. A lot of work. By then W will be in college and the others will be busy. But if that’s her thing…”

  “Yeah. I tol
d her we’d talk.” He loved seeing that we written out on his screen.

  “Nods. We got time.”

  “Thank God. If they all grew up at the same time I would go nuts.”

  “No shit on that, baby. Just remember, the last two are going to be booger bears. *g*”

  Oh. Oh damn. Baby. Okay. Also, whoa. He sat there, his heart thudding, and he wished he could teleport right about now.

  He needed a long, hard kiss. Possibly a blow job. Yeah, a blow job would be nice.

  “Got to go. Love you.”

  His fingers wouldn’t move fast enough to tell Seth anything he could think of in response to that, so he typed, “You too,” like a teenager.

  Love you. Jesus. He whooped a little, tickled as all get-out. No one heard him except maybe a few birds, but damn. Damn.

  Seth loved him. God. No one had ever said that to him, not as an adult.

  No one.

  He thought this was a pretty good way to hear it.

  He couldn’t wait to see those gray eyes in person and hear it with his own ears.

  16

  Seth sang along with Alan Jackson and George Jones, as happy as a lark. He had a decent barrel horse, a padded bank account, a couple beer coolers full of beef, and five Beefmaster calves.

  He was ready to have his happy ass home for the winter. Holidays and wood fires, relaxing some and letting the world build up energy for the spring.

  He chuckled at the idealized vision. There would be Christmas dance recitals and broken hearts when certain boys didn’t give teenaged girls a present and a Halloween candy high and dry turkey and and and… Somehow it seemed easier this year, just thinking about it.

  They’d passed through all the firsts without Pistol, and damn, the firsts with Law were a hell of a lot more fun.

  He hit the gate opener as he pulled into his road. Home. Thank God for favors, large and small.

  Fuzzy was the first one to meet him, charging up the drive, barking a few times, which was pretty energetic for him. Then Wiley met him by the kitchen door.

  “Need a hand unloading?”

  “I do. Get your sister for me.” He texted Bonner too. They needed to get everyone in and settled.

  “Dawnie?” Wiley looked at the trailer, then grinned. “Yessir.” He was off in a flash, and Dawn came running out seconds later, Law limping along behind her.