The Texan's Surprise Son

by Cathy McDavid

  Mariana was beginning to think he could dress in a ratty T-shirt and gym shorts and she’d still be affected. How might he look in, say, a suit? Or, better yet, a tuxedo?

  She wagged a mental finger at herself, warning her mind not to go there. Theirs was a business meeting. Of sorts, anyway. There were certainly business matters to discuss.

  “This is Cody.” She propelled the boy ahead of her, realizing only then that he’d stopped jabbering.

  In fact, his small mouth literally hung open, and he stared up at Jacob with enormous eyes.

  “How do you do, pal?” Jacob smiled. If one could call the thin slash splitting the lower half of his face a smile.

  Was he nervous? Angry? Shy? Distrustful? All of the above?

  Cody suddenly flung himself at Mariana, hugging her legs with all his strength, and whimpered.

  “It’s all right, honey.”

  She stroked his downy soft hair, not noticing until right that moment how much it resembled Jacob’s. Only a shade lighter. The shape of his face was similar, too. As was the color of his eyes.

  “I didn’t know if you might be hungry.” Jacob started through the living room.

  Mariana and a reluctant Cody followed. “Cody can always eat. He’s not fussy like some kids.” Actually, Mariana didn’t know anything about other kids. She was repeating her mother’s frequent declarations. “I’m not really hungry.”

  She spoke too soon. The moment they entered the kitchen, a delicious aroma had her practically drooling. When was the last time she’d eaten a meal that wasn’t takeout or purchased in the frozen food aisle of the grocery store?

  “You cook?” she blurted without thinking, then could have kicked herself for being rude.

  “I got home a little early. Figured if I was hungry, you and Cody might be, too.”

  “One of us had animal crackers on the drive over.”

  “Can I take that for you?” He reached for the diaper bag, and their fingers brushed.

  He didn’t pull immediately away. Mariana glanced up to find him staring at her. Instantly, her mouth went dry. Oh, boy.

  “Mariana.”

  “Yes?”

  The corners of his mouth tipped up. “Let go of the handle.”

  “Oops. Sorry.” She watched him stow the diaper bag on the floor just around the corner, her cheeks hot with embarrassment. Men didn’t do this to her. She didn’t let them.

  Pretending nothing was amiss, she said, “You have a nice place.”

  “Thanks.”

  The house wasn’t huge, but comfortable and tastefully decorated. Also tidy. Tidier even than her house. Seems Jacob was Mr. Homemaker.

  Yeah, well, wait till Cody worked his toddler magic. She considered warning Jacob to enjoy the clean while it lasted.

  All at once, Cody squealed with delight. Pulling his hand free of Mariana’s, he scrambled toward the table and what lay beneath it. “Puppy, puppy.”

  It was then Mariana spotted the dog. “Cody, come back.” She flung herself forward, arms outstretched. For all she knew, the dog was a vicious brute.

  “It’s okay,” Jacob said. “Buster’s used to kids.”

  The dog raised his head to stare at Cody, who dropped to his hands and knees in order to crawl between the chairs.

  “Are you sure?” Mariana fretted, ready to put herself between her nephew and any danger.

  “He’s a retired show dog. Buster’s given more than two thousand performances all over the country. Mostly at rodeos and fund-raisers. But also schools and children’s wards at hospitals.”

  As Mariana watched, Buster gave Cody’s face a thorough licking. The boy went insane with happiness and launched into a rapid-fire, one-sided conversation only he could understand.

  “What exactly does a show dog do?” she asked, her eyes still glued on Cody.

  “Tricks. I’ll show you after dinner.” Jacob reached into the cupboard for plates. “Though his repertoire isn’t what it used to be. Buster’s lost almost all his hearing.”

  “He doesn’t look old.”

  “He’s not really. Only eight. Just one of those things.” Flatware and salad bowls accompanied the plates. “I’m friends with his former owner and handler. Met the guy years ago on the circuit. He has a new dog now and travels a lot. Buster was left home alone.”

  “You travel a lot,” Mariana commented.

  “This year, I have. The girl next door watches Buster. Sometimes I think he loves her more than me.”

  A two-year-old boy wasn’t like a dog. He couldn’t leave Cody in the neighbor girl’s care when he went on the road.

  Mariana concentrated on slowing her thoughts. Just because she and Cody were there was no reason to jump to conclusions. Jacob hadn’t mentioned anything about custody.

  He opened the oven door and removed a steaming casserole pan. “I fixed chicken. Figured everyone likes that. Am I wrong?”

  “Cody loves chicken, though he needs his portion cut into bite-size pieces.”

  He set the platter in the center of the table. There were also chunks of roasted potatoes and carrots in with the chicken. “Come and get it.”

  “Afraid I’m not much of a cook.”

  “Maybe over dinner you can tell me what you are good at.” He flashed her a smile, this time a genuine one. Mariana’s heart went pitter-patter.

  To hide her disconcertment, she stooped down and retrieved Cody from beneath the table. He refused at first and started screaming, “Puppy, puppy.”

  Before she could have a little talk with him, Jacob said, “Come here, Buster,” and slapped his thigh.

  Instantly, the dog sprang to his feet and ambled over to Jacob. Cody chased after him and was caught by Mariana.

  Show-off, she thought. Aloud, she said, “I didn’t bring his high chair.”

  “What about a stack of phone books?”

  “I don’t know. Cody can be squiggly and wiggly.”

  He made a liar of her. Next to the dog, sitting at the table with the adults was the obvious highlight of his day. He also ate all his food and drank all his milk, copying Jacob.

  Mariana didn’t know whether to be glad or annoyed. She’d been outdone by a complete novice.

  What other surprises did he have in store for her? Something told her Jacob was full of them.

  Chapter Three “Would you like to see the outside?” Jacob gestured toward the French doors leading to the back patio.

  “Sure.” Mariana smiled politely.

  He hadn’t yet broached the subject of visitation, wanting to ease into it. A tour of the house seemed like a good starting point. As they’d gone from room to room he felt like a private standing nervously by while the general conducted his inspection. She seemed satisfied, other than the fact that he was lacking child protection devices. A lot of them, apparently. Outlet covers. Cabinet locks. Baby gates. The list went on and on.

  She’d assured him all the items needed could be easily purchased and installed. If he didn’t have the time, a service could be hired to handle it.

  A service? Jacob was impressed. What will they think of next?

  He flipped on the patio light, and Mariana stepped outside. Her gaze traveled the yard.

  “No pool,” she said with obvious relief.

  “I’ve been considering putting one in.” At her horrified gasp, he asked, “Don’t kids like pools?”

  “Toddlers should never be around water.”

  “I guess I can wait a few years.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  Man, she was obsessive-compulsive where Cody was concerned. Or he was completely ignorant when it came to young children.

  Okay, guilty as charged. And given that Leah had recently passed, Mariana’s overreacting really wasn’t unreasonable.

  The subject of their discussion was still enamored with Buster and paying no attention to the adults. He walked alongside the Queensland heeler, his small hand resting on Buster’s neck. Periodically, he bent and whispered into t
he dog’s ear or kissed the top of his head. Jacob admitted it was kind of cute.

  “Is that a corral?” Mariana peered at the back of the property.

  Uh-oh. She had that look on her face again. What had Jacob done wrong now? “I have a full acre, so I built a paddock and a couple covered stalls.”

  “You have horses?”

  “One horse. Amigo. I keep my working horses at the Roughneck and ride there. Amigo is retired. He was my first horse when my mom married Brock. I take him out about once a week for old time’s sake.”

  She tilted her head. “A retired show dog and a retired horse?”

  “What can I say? I have soft spot.”

  “That’s nice.” The warmth in her voice was a pleasant change.

  “Cody can ride Amigo if he’d like.”

  “No riding.”

  “Not tonight,” he agreed. “Another day.”

  “He’s too little. And horses run off.”

  Well, that didn’t last long. Mariana was back to bearing her mother-grizzly-bear teeth.

  “Amigo’s crippled in his back legs and couldn’t run off if he tried. A slow walk is the most I can get out of him.”

  “Absolutely not,” she stated firmly.

  For some reason, her bossy attitude rankled Jacob. Cody was his son. Didn’t that give him say in what the kid could and couldn’t do?

  Jacob opened his mouth to speak, then promptly shut it. The feelings to nurture and protect that had started yesterday while at the Roughneck were growing stronger and stronger. He had a responsibility, and he’d assume it gladly and without reservation. But shouldn’t he also feel love? An automatic and unbreakable bond between the two of them like the one Luke shared with Rosie?

  Jacob studied Cody, who was still lavishing affection on Buster, and guilt pricked at him. This was the child he’d fathered. What was wrong with him?

  Maybe they just needed more time together. The idea made sense. A lot of sense.

  The three of them returned inside after a short walk around the yard. Jacob won back some lost points by having a large grassy lawn that Mariana proclaimed was perfect for playing.

  “I could install a swing set,” he suggested.

  “When he’s older.”

  Of course. Why had he even asked?

  She was a puzzle, and he found his attention drifting away from Cody and toward her. She wore another suit, except this one had pants rather than a skirt. Too bad. Jacob was a confirmed leg man, and despite the stress that marked their initial meeting, he’d noticed her legs, which were long and shapely enough to appear in a bathing suit ad.

  He’d like to see her in a bathing suit. A bikini. Maybe one day soon he could suggest they all three go swimming at the Roughneck. The pool was heated year-round.

  On second thought, she probably wouldn’t allow Cody within a mile of the pool. Not unless it was drained of water.

  Inside, Mariana offered to wash the dishes. “It’s only fair since you cooked.”

  Jacob saw an opportunity and took it. “Great. Cody and I will get acquainted.”

  “O...kay.”

  Before she could protest, Jacob took Cody into the family room. Buster and Cody both, that was. The kid wouldn’t go two feet without the dog.

  There, Jacob sat on the couch and called Buster over. His ploy worked. Cody came, too.

  “Watch this,” he said and waved his hand in front of Buster’s face. It was a technique he used to get the deaf dog’s attention. “Green ball.”

  Instantly, Buster dashed over to a wicker basket in the corner of the room filled with dog toys. He stuck his nose in the basket and came up with a bright green tennis ball, which he brought back to Jacob.

  Cody stared in amazement.

  “That’s nothing,” Jacob said and told Buster, “monkey.”

  The dog dashed off again to the toy basket and brought back a stuffed monkey with one arm and one eye missing. Buster was a little hard on his toys.

  “Okay, here we go.” As Cody watched, Jacob set both the ball and the monkey on the floor in front of Buster. The dog sat and stared intently but didn’t move. “Buster, if I say three, you pick up the ball. If I say four, you pick up the monkey. Ready?”

  Thump, thump, thump. The dog’s wagging tail hit the floor.

  “Seven, nine, one, sixteen, twelve.” Jacob looked at Cody and winked. The boy couldn’t count, but he seemed entertained. “Ten, four.”

  Buster snatched up the monkey in the blink of an eye.

  Cody burst into laughter.

  “Good dog.” Jacob patted Buster’s head. “Tell him he’s a good dog.”

  Cody patted Buster as Jacob had done and said, “Good dog,” over and over.

  A tug pulled at Jacob’s heart. It was admittedly tiny, but definitely there and something to build on.

  He showed the boy a few more of Buster’s tricks, finishing with a display of Buster’s vocalizing abilities.

  “Say hello,” Jacob commanded, and the dog yowled comically.

  “That’s amazing,” Mariana said.

  Hearing the warmth in her voice, Jacob glanced up. The matching warmth in her expression had him unable to stop staring. She was more than pretty, she was compelling, and the effect she had on him was potent.

  “I can’t take any of the credit,” he said. “My friend trained him.”

  She came over and petted Buster. “I bet he was something to see.”

  “If you go onto YouTube and search his name, you’ll find a few videos from his heyday. They’re fun to watch.”

  “I just might do that.” She moved to the couch and sat next to Jacob. “We can’t stay much longer. Cody’s bedtime is eight.”

  “Thanks for bringing him by.”

  “I think it went well.”

  “Before you go, can we spend a few minutes discussing visitation?”

  “Oh.” She abruptly tensed. “Don’t you want to wait for the DNA test results?”

  “That’s a week away, at most.”

  Sensing his performance was over, Buster stretched out at Jacob’s feet. Cody tumbled on top of the dog, whose only reaction was a soft grunt.

  “Have you told your family yet about Cody?” she asked.

  “Like you, I was waiting. I mentioned him to a friend the other day.” Jacob turned the tables on her. “Have you told your mother?”

  There was a slight flicker in her expression and then she finally said, “Yes.”

  “How did she take it?”

  “She’s concerned for Cody’s welfare. Please don’t take that wrong. It’s nothing against you personally.”

  “I don’t. I’m a complete stranger. Perhaps she and I can also meet. In fact, I’d like that.”

  “Eventually.”

  Again, her tone rubbed him the wrong way. “Wow, she must be really upset. Is she going to fight me?”

  “There’s nothing to fight. You haven’t been proven to be an unfit father.”

  “I’m not any kind of a father.”

  “Which is one of the reasons I’d prefer to start with weekly supervised visits. Like tonight. Then, we could progress to unsupervised visits. After a few months, you could take Cody for a whole day.”

  If her expression weren’t so serious, he’d think she was joking. “Am I a criminal?”

  “What?”

  “You’re treating me like one. Supervised visits?”

  “This is going to a big adjustment for Cody. Moving too fast will only confuse him, and he’s already suffered so much.”

  “I get big adjustments, Mariana. My mother married Brock Baron when I was nine, and my life changed completely. I promise you I’ll be sensitive to Cody’s needs.”

  “I’m sure you will. But he’s only two.”

  “And he’ll probably adjust a lot faster than a nine-year-old. Look at him.” Both their glances traveled to Cody, who lay snuggled beside Buster, the thumb of one hand shoved in his mouth and the fingers of his other hand entwined in the dog’s thick f
ur. “Does he look like he’s struggling?”

  “It might be a different story if I weren’t here.”

  “Why are you backpedaling all of a sudden?”

  Her lips thinned. “I’m not.”

  “You came to me. You suggested I have a role in Cody’s life, to whatever extent I choose.”

  “After an adjustment period.”

  “According to you, a very long adjustment period. Did your mother change your mind?”

  “My mother does have reservations and raised some valid points. After considering them, I reviewed my original position.”

  Always the carefully worded answer. She was definitely an attorney.

  “Look,” he said. “I’m the first to admit I lack parenting experience. And I’m going to need help. But I won’t be treated like a criminal, either.”

  “I apologize. I was out of line.”

  He nodded. “Thank you for that.”

  “I really want for us to work together on what’s best for Cody.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Good.” She relaxed. “What if Cody and I come by—”

  “I’d like for Cody to move in with me. Right away.”

  “What!” She stared at him as if he’d suggested she jump out of a plane without a parachute.

  “I told you that first day, if he was my son, I’d do right by him. Well, I will. And for me, that means being a full-time father. Not pawning him off on his mother’s relatives.”

  The plan that had started taking shape yesterday during Jacob’s ride crystalized. He would be a better father than Oscar Burke and Brock Baron combined.

  “I love Cody. You wouldn’t be pawning him off on me.”

  “You’d be welcome to visit anytime. Your mother, too. Have him on weekends.”

  Mariana shook her head. “You can’t possibly care for a toddler. You don’t even have a crib.”

  “Small details that can be worked out.”

  “Have you ever bathed a child or changed a diaper?”

  Diapers? Okay, he hadn’t thought of that. “Larger details, but they can still be worked out. Other men manage to be fathers.” He was thinking of Luke. “I’m sure I can learn, too.”

  “You work during the day. And you’re gone every weekend to some rodeo.”