The Bull Rider's Baby Bombshell

by Amanda Renee

  Jade tried to pull from his grip, but he refused to let go. Not when she was in so much pain. Her heart beat wildly against him as he held her tight to his chest. Despite the past or the resentment he still felt toward her, he wanted nothing more than to ease the guilt she carried.

  “It’s okay.” He smoothed her hair and rested his cheek against the top of her head. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find Liv, make sure she gets the help she needs and bring her home to her children.”

  “I’m scared she’s not going to be okay or that she’ll do this again.” Jade sobbed against him. “She came back, Wes. She was here, and she left. She walked away twice. How could she do that?”

  Wes eased her onto the couch, summoning every ounce of strength he had not to panic. Between the abandoned triplets he’d never wanted to be involved with and Liv’s fragile emotional state, he felt the overwhelming need to protect the Scott women, even if that included Jade...the woman who had made his life pure hell.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  After Jade explained about the car seats she’d found earlier, he figured there was a fifty-fifty chance Liv had seen them together. Since she’d purposely kept their identities from the other, he understood how watching him and Jade with the girls might upset her.

  “I’m not trying to belittle your concerns in any way, but why do you think seeing us together would push her over the edge?”

  Jade shifted on the couch to face him and tucked her bare legs underneath her jean-short-covered bottom. Coupled with her deep V-neck white cotton T-shirt, she wore ultracasual extremely well. A little too well since his jeans felt snugger than they had a minute ago.

  “I think my sister had a thing for you and maybe still does.”

  Wes threw his head back and laughed, knocking his hat on the back of the couch. He removed it and set it brim side up on the coffee table while running his other hand through his hair.

  “Trust me, your sister was not interested in me romantically.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because she’s still in love with Kevin. That’s one broken heart I don’t think she’ll ever get past.”

  “She divorced him years ago.”

  “He divorced her,” Wes corrected, surprised she didn’t know. “I was with her the night she was served. And she was served very publicly in the middle of the Iron Horse.”

  Jade’s mouth hung open in disbelief. “Is she so afraid of failure that she has to hide her pain from me? Or am I that cold of a person she didn’t think I would understand?”

  Wes couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. “Get over yourself. It isn’t about you. From the little she told me about both of your pasts, she was the one taking care of you while you did whatever you wanted.”

  “That was hardly the case.”

  “Really, because the Jade I remember was constantly getting into trouble. You were an angry kid. And mean. God, you were mean.”

  “I’ll own up to having an attitude, but I was mean to only you and that’s because you said I’d slept with you. Your lie almost got me raped by your friend.”

  “What?” His fists clenched. Wes couldn’t imagine any of his friends forcing themselves on a girl. “Who are you talking about?”

  “Oh, come on. You know damn well I’m talking about your buddy Burke. Every time I saw you two together afterward you were laughing at me.”

  “Burke tried to rape you?” A slow rage began to build in his chest. Burke had been more of a rival than a friend. They’d competed against each other in all aspects of their lives. From bull riding to girls. “When?”

  “Our ninth-grade fall harvest dance. How can you not remember?” Jade jumped up from the couch as if it was on fire and faced him. “You two were sitting on the gym bleachers laughing and pointing at me. I’d had enough and decided to leave. Burke followed me into the hallway, threw me against the lockers and reached under my skirt. He tore off my underwear!” Her eyes filled with tears. “He told me he wanted what I gave you. I physically had to fight him to break free. He had his zipper down and was ready to go.”

  Wes’s stomach churned. “He said you two had hooked up. He even showed me your underwear. I was crushed you chose him over me. Jade, I had no idea what really happened.”

  “It wasn’t consensual! Torn underwear should have been your clue?” Jade shook her head in disgust. “It happened because you told everyone we had slept together. You told everyone I was easy. He assumed I was shareable when you and I had only kissed.”

  “Yeah and we had dated for almost a month.” The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.

  “So that meant I owed you sex?” Jade’s face reddened. “We started dating, like, my second week of ninth grade. Liv and I had just come out of another group home and had moved in with a new foster family. I hadn’t even told my sister about you. I was trying to learn everyone’s name and get acclimated to a new town. I was fourteen years old and you kept pushing me to go further than I was ready. And then you broke up with me because I wouldn’t. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?”

  “I’m sorry,” Wes whispered. He lifted his gaze to hers. “Everything was a competition to me back then. I was hurt that you didn’t like me as much as I liked you. I didn’t even know what sex was. I mean I did, but I hadn’t done it yet. Burke had. So I lied and said I had too. He was the only one I told.” He rose from the couch, torn between wanting to comfort her and beating the crap out of Burke. His old rival had moved to New Mexico after high school, but the next time they crossed paths on the rodeo circuit, he’d be damn sure to teach him a lesson.

  “Burke taunted me every chance he could, and you were right there next to him. We had just been placed with a really nice foster family, and Liv and I finally believed we had a place to call home. As nice as it was, it was never easy. At least not for me. I felt like I had a scarlet letter emblazoned on my chest, thanks to you. And two years later, on Christmas Eve when my foster mom’s brother tried to force himself on me, I believed it was my fault, because it had happened to me once before.”

  “Please tell me he didn’t—”

  “Rape me?” Jade violently shook her head. “No. Liv walked in, saw what was happening and kicked his ass. But when the police came, they didn’t care what I said. He claimed I had been the aggressor and they took his word over mine.”

  Wes felt sick. One of his brothers had recently dealt with a serious bullying issue involving his daughter and Wes had been so angry when he heard that, he had wanted to drive straight through from Texas to Montana to confront her attackers. He’d never considered himself one of those people. But he had been. And so had Jade. As much as he wanted to confront her about her bullying, he refused to turn his apology around on her. “I never intended to put you in physical danger or make you feel like any less of a person.”

  “That rumor followed me around until the day I graduated. I’m sure your brother is a great deputy sheriff, but any faith I had in the system disappeared that night. Instead of arresting my attacker, they sent me to a group home. Liv was eighteen then and she immediately petitioned the courts for guardianship. Within the month, the state had released me into her care.” Jade began to pace the length of the small room. “We struggled to survive after that, but we did it. Liv worked two jobs and still managed to attend college full-time on the scholarship she’d won. I worked every day after school and on weekends to help pay the bills. I owe my sister for all she did back then, and I refuse to let her down.” She stopped less than a foot in front of him and folded her arms tight across her chest. “And after what you did, I think you owe me too.”

  He’d call them even after what she’d done in retaliation all those years ago, but the determined set of her chin left him fearing where her next sentence would lead if he disagreed. “Fine.”

  “We created those three liv
es upstairs. And despite our donor contracts or how we feel about the situation, we have an obligation to Liv to make sure they’re cared for. I can’t do this alone. Outside of hiring a stranger, you’re my only choice. Since you’re in town, I’m asking you to help me. You can stay in one of the guest rooms.”

  “Whoa, you want me to move in here?” Wes may have been willing to handle the grocery shopping or running whatever errands or chores she needed done, but living under the same roof with her and the girls was out of the question. “That would send up all sorts of red flags to my family.”

  “I just told you I can’t do this alone.” She stared up at him. “I highly doubt you want to run the risk of the girls not getting what they need or heaven forbid, getting hurt because I only have two arms? What if there’s a fire? I thought about that last night. I don’t know what Liv would have done in that situation.”

  Guilt trip launched and on target. “Fine, but kindly keep my time with them to an absolute minimum. I’ll take care of the laundry, run wherever you need me to go and clean the house. Once this is over, you’ll still be around the girls. I won’t. There’s no room for me in their lives so let’s not make this any harder than it needs to be.”

  One of Jade’s perfectly arched brows rose. “Of course.”

  Frustration coursed through his veins. She was handling him just like she probably handled her troublesome clients and he didn’t appreciate it. He couldn’t leave her to deal with this mess on her own, either. He had a week and a half until Dylan’s wedding, and then it was back to Texas. This time he had no intentions of ever returning to Saddle Ridge.

  Chapter Four

  Jade should probably have her head examined for asking Wes to move in with her and the girls. While she’d never forgive him for the past, their talk last night had lessened her anger about the situation. She doubted she’d ever have full closure over the event that had spiraled her teen years out of control, but at least she’d discovered his intentions hadn’t been as malicious as she’d thought.

  Wes stayed true to his word. Since yesterday morning, he’d helped her around the house, made sure all Liv’s bills and utilities were up-to-date and even washed, folded and put away countless loads of laundry. But when it came to the girls, he slept downstairs on the couch and excused himself from the room whenever they were near. Like now...he was in Liv’s office researching other treatment centers and contacting some of their mutual friends while she prepared another round of formula. Now that she had mastered feeding the girls with the help of a rolled-up towel to support the bottles, she didn’t need Wes at mealtime. But, despite their history, some company would’ve been nice. Caring for triplets had quickly become an isolated job. He could have at least helped during diaper changes or bath time.

  The house phone rang, and Jade almost broke her neck tripping over a chair when she ran to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “May I please speak with Jade Scott?”

  She shivered at the direct tone of the man’s voice. “This is Jade.”

  “Ms. Scott, this is Jacob Meyer, Olivia’s attorney. We met last year. Your sister asked me to contact you.”

  “Have you heard from Liv?” Her pulse began to beat erratically. “Is she all right?”

  “Olivia asked me to call you and let you know she’s safe.”

  “Thank heaven she’s okay.” Jade slumped against the counter, but her relief was short-lived. “If my sister is all right, why are you calling me? What happened?”

  “Liv has checked into a recovery center and she’ll be there for a minimum of thirty days, possibly longer.”

  Thirty days? She couldn’t possibly stay in Montana for that long. “What kind of recovery center? What’s wrong with her and how can I get in touch with her?”

  “Contact is forbidden during the first week of treatment. She has authorized me to tell you she checked herself in for postpartum depression.”

  “I knew it. I should’ve seen the signs sooner.” Jade looked up to see Wes standing in the kitchen doorway. She covered the phone with her hand. “It’s Liv’s attorney. He says she’s in a treatment center.”

  “Where?” Wes asked, avoiding all eye contact with the three tiny faces fixated on him.

  Jade shrugged and uncovered the phone. “Can you at least tell me where she is?”

  “She asked me not to. I can tell you that I met with her yesterday and she has granted you temporary guardianship and power of attorney until she is able to return.”

  “Yesterday? That means she must be close. Unless she flew there. Then in that case—”

  “Ms. Scott, please refrain from trying to contact your sister. Even if you called every PPD treatment center in the country, legally they are unable to acknowledge her residency. You’d be wasting your time and theirs.”

  “But she does plan on coming home.” Wes crossed the room to her, every bit as eager for the answer as she was.

  “Most definitely. Your guardianship is a temporary solution to an unfortunate situation. If it’s any consolation, this isn’t the first time I have had a client with PPD. They’ve all recovered, but the length of time in which that happens varies from person to person. Your sister’s situation is more unique because of the donor aspect and the fact she’s dealing with triplets. Considering the role you played in their births, I have to ask...are you prepared to be their guardian?”

  Jade squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled slowly. “Without a doubt, but do those documents allow me to take them to California?”

  “California? Part of your sister’s recovery involves exposure therapy and a slow reintegration back into their lives. You and the children need to be available for all family sessions.”

  “That’s further proof she’s someplace relatively close.”

  Jacob cleared his throat. “Ms. Scott, you have to remain in Saddle Ridge. I hope you can make the necessary arrangements. Your sister’s counting on you.”

  “I refuse to allow those children to go with anyone else.” She wasn’t sure how she’d make it work, but she didn’t have a choice.

  “I’ll need you to stop by my office to go over these documents. Are you available around two this afternoon?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Jade’s body went numb as she hung up the phone. Her sister was safe, but unreachable. Now she was responsible for her biological children. Children she already felt too attached to.

  “What did he say?”

  “Not a lot except Liv is in an undisclosed postpartum depression—PPD as he called it—treatment facility and she’ll be there for at least thirty days, if not more. He has guardianship and power of attorney papers waiting for me. Apparently, he met with Liv yesterday, so I’m assuming she came in to see him, although I guess he could have gone to wherever she is. He told me I have to stay in town so Liv can have visitation with the girls.”

  “That means she’s close and this will be over soon.” Relief swept across his face and it prickled her a bit, even though she felt the same way. They were both thinking too much about protecting themselves and not about what was best for the girls.

  “I should do some shopping after the attorney’s office.” Jade slid onto the chair closest to Audra. She lightly squeezed the infant’s chubby little toes. “I wasn’t prepared to stay here for a week, let alone a month. I only packed a few things and most of Liv’s prepregnancy clothes are too tight on me.”

  “I want to help in whatever way I can, but I can’t stick around for the entire month. I have to get back to my job in Texas.”

  “And I have a job waiting for me in California. Correction...a business that I happen to own and June is our busiest month. Never mind all the planning that goes into each event or the millions of dollars we pay our vendors. Because you are so right, bouncing around on top of a bull for eight seconds is much more important. I don’t expect any
thing from you past this upcoming week. And honestly, it doesn’t even sound like you’ll be around much anyway.”

  “Is this how it’s going to be? Your job is more important than mine?” Wes kept his voice low. “We need to work together, not fight. I realize it’s difficult to put the past aside. I also realize I need to remain a stranger in the girls’ lives. Liv wanted you to be their aunt. She never wanted me to be a father beyond their creation. Once this is over, I don’t plan on seeing them again. I won’t be returning to Saddle Ridge.”

  “You’re never coming back?” The thought alone sent her into a slight panic. “What about your family?”

  “They are more than welcome to visit me in Texas. I have a small house down there with a guest room.”

  “That’s it? You’ve already decided?”

  He jammed his hands in his pockets. “I can’t put myself or them through it. The more they see of me, the more questions they’ll ask later.”

  Jade knew he was right, she’d just hated the thought of him walking away from his hometown forever. Not that she should care. But Wes had deep roots in Saddle Ridge. Something her damaged past never allowed her to have. He belonged near family. And Liv belonged near her. There was nothing tying her sister to Montana and Jade genuinely believed Liv would be happier in California. “I hate to ask you this, but since Maddie’s at work, I really need you to babysit them this afternoon while I run into town. I promise not to be long.”

  Wes’s cheeks puffed out and for a second she thought he’d give her an argument. “Do what you have to do.” He strode across the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of pop from the fridge as his mini fan club watched from the table. Jade already saw little bits of him in Hadley. Especially her stubbornness. “Something’s been bothering me all night. Didn’t Liv have a baby shower?”

  Jade nodded. “It wasn’t that big though. I’m assuming you know her circle of friends. You, Maddie and Delta are the closest to her. Or at least you were until you moved away. And Delta’s been battling cancer for the past few months. I don’t even think she was at the shower. Liv has a few friends in town and some from her old job, but now that she works from home and her company is based out of Nebraska, she doesn’t have the comradery she used to have. She made a lot of major life changes since she and Kevin divorced.”