Retrieving a blow-up splint from the first aid bag he’d brought along, Phil handed it to Curt, then very gently helped him apply it. Although he was in a lot of pain, Ryan did his best not to yell or cry. Once they had the limb immobilized, they gave him a once over to make sure there were no other injuries, then sat him up so they could carry him to Curt’s ATV. Straddling the seat behind Ryan, Curt reached around and grasped the handles. Before he restarted the engine, Ryan turned his head so he could be heard. “I’m sorry, Uncle Curt. For everything. I didn’t mean it.”
Curt squeezed the boy’s good arm so he knew he was forgiven. “It’s okay, sport. We’ll talk about it later.”
* * *
It was well after midnight when Dana and Curt returned home with Ryan from the emergency room. The arm had definitely been broken, but it was nothing a few weeks in a cast wouldn’t heal. As Curt got the boy settled in his bed, Dana paid the college-aged woman who lived up the street and baby-sat for her often. Dana had called her as soon as Curt had gone back to the house to tell her what happened as Phil went in the ambulance with Ryan. He’d been torn between going with the boy or being the one to tell his mother he was en route to the hospital. But Ryan had made the decision easier, telling Curt it was okay for Phil to go with him while he went and got Dana.
After Ryan fell asleep from the painkillers he’d been given, Curt checked to make sure the other children were sleeping, then joined Dana in the master bedroom. Just wanting to hold her for a while, he mentally set his internal alarm clock and lay down beside her, pulling her into his side and wrapping his arms around her. At five a.m. he woke and reluctantly left her bed to go back to sleep on the couch so none of the kids would find them sleeping together until they had a chance to talk with all of them.
Later that afternoon, Curt took the sandwich and glass of milk Dana had made for Ryan and brought them into the boy’s bedroom. Handing him the plate, he placed the glass on the nightstand along with a pain pill for him to take when he was done eating. Ryan eyed him warily as Curt pulled over the room’s desk chair and straddled it. “Think we can have a chat without yelling at each other?”
His question was met with a shoulder shrug and a mumbled, “I guess.”
“Good.” He inhaled deeply then let it out slowly. “I loved your dad, Ryan. More than you’ll ever know. He was a brother to me and I would never, ever, try to replace him in your life…or your mom’s life. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be here for all of you in a way he can’t be. Your mom loved your dad with every bit of her heart and still does…and always will. But don’t you want to see her happy again? What happens when you and your brothers and sister grow up and go out into the big world? Do you want your mom to be alone or with someone who loves her and will take care of her?” Ryan’s eyes were focused on the sandwich on his lap which he made no effort to eat. “I don’t come up here just for your mom. I’m here for the four of you, too. I made a promise to your dad a long time ago, that if anything ever happened to him, I would take care of all of you for him. I didn’t expect to fall in love with your mom and vice versa—but we did.” They had said those words to each other before falling asleep last night. “Your dad will always be the first love of her life…nothing will ever change that and I’m more than willing to accept it. But we need you to accept the fact that your mom and I love each other. And we love you, too. I hope you know you can come to me anytime you have a problem or even just to talk.”
Deciding he’d said enough, Curt stopped talking and waited for Ryan to say something. The boy’s eyes were still downcast. “Do we have to move to Daytona with you?”
He finally got it. The kid was worried about leaving behind not only his friends, but the place where he had the most memories of his father. “No, you don’t. I haven’t told your mom yet, since everything is so new between us, but I talked to my brother the other day. I told him I wanted to move up here and open another bike shop…sort of like a franchise.”
Ryan’s head whipped up, his eyes wide in surprise. “Really?”
Smiling, Curt nodded. “Yeah, really.”
“Do you…will you teach me how to fix motorcycles?”
That was the last thing he expected to hear from him. “Seriously? You want to learn?”
“Yeah. My friend’s older brother has one he’s rebuilding. It’s cool to watch him.”
Hmmm. He’d have to find out if the brother was experienced and old enough to work in a shop. “Okay. Here’s the deal. I’ll teach you how to fix up bikes, and shave when you want, if you apologize to your mother…and…you agree to come to me like a grown-up if something I do or say bothers you. Deal?”
He held out his closed fist and Ryan bumped it with his own. “Deal.”
“Okay. Now, since all of that is out of the way…I think it’s time you and I had a little talk about the birds and the bees.”
He grimaced when Ryan rolled his eyes…yeah, this talk was going to be a lot harder than the first one.
Epilogue
Two Years Later
“Open mine next, Papa Curtsy!”
He smiled as eight-year-old Amanda handed him a birthday present, which her mother had obviously helped her wrap. Winking at his wife of six months, he shook the small box and felt something heavy shift around inside. Outside at the picnic tables, he was surrounded by his mother, Eric’s parents, the kids, and Dana, who now went by the hyphenated name Mrs. Prichard-Bannerman. It was something they had both agreed on so the children would never feel as if they’d pushed Eric from the family. They all had chosen different names for him. Ryan called him Pop. Taylor used Dad instead of Daddy, which is what he’d called Eric. And Justin told everyone Curt was his Pa.
“I wonder what this is?”
Amanda bounced on the balls of her feet in front of him. “Open it and find out!”
Everyone laughed at her exuberance as he tickled her side. “Good idea, short-stuff.”
After tearing the paper off the square box, he held it up for everyone to see. “Someone remembered I wanted a new fishing reel.”
“I did,” the little girl announced with a look of pride and joy on her face.
“Well, thank you very much. And thanks to everyone for the gifts. It’s been a great birthday.” It really had been. In fact, it’d been a great year. His motorcycle shop had quickly gained the following it had in Florida and there was a waiting list for his design services. Dana was teaching again and loving every minute of it. They’d even finished Eric’s dream of bringing some farm animals back to the property. They were now the proud owners of three pigs, two goats, ten chickens, and that same cocky rooster. They had also rescued two bullmastiffs from a rescue group Ian’s friend Parker recommended, and the big lugs were sleeping in the shade of a nearby tree.
Fourteen-year-old Ryan stepped forward and handed him a shirt box which Curt hadn’t noticed. “There’s one more. This is from all of us.”
Glancing up, Curt took it from him. He still couldn’t get over how tall the kid had gotten in the past few months. He was probably going to end up being several inches over six feet.
As he started to open the present, he noticed Dana had begun filming him with her camera. “Just so you know, this was the kids’ idea, and they had Grandpa help them with it. I just found out about it last week.”
He squinted at Amanda and teased, “Short-stuff, how’d you keep a secret from me?”
Giggling, she shrugged as her brothers surrounded her. Taking the top of the box off, he moved aside the tissue paper and found…papers. A stack of typed papers. Removing them, he read the top page and his eyes filled with tears. Application for Adoption.
Ryan pointed at the papers. “We want our last names to be Prichard-Bannerman, just like mom’s.
Choked up, all he could do was open his arms and the children stepped forward to hug him in one big huddle. When he finally regained his composure, he looked each one in the eye before moving to the next. “You have no idea how much this
means to me. I love you.”
“We love you, too,” they responded as one.
Standing, he shook hands with Earl, then kissed Alice and his own mother, all of whom were beaming at him. Lastly, he turned to his wife, who handed Ryan the still recording camera. She then took both of Curt’s hands in hers and smiled at him. “There’s one more present which no one else knows about. I’m pregnant.”
Stunned, he just stared at her while all around him there were cheers and shouts of congratulations. Dropping to his knees in front of her, he placed his hand over her womb and his unborn child. “Hello, little Eric or Erica. I’m your daddy.”
Towering over him, Dana gasped and he tilted his head so their gazes met. “What else would we call him or her?”
Happy tears ran down her cheeks as he got to his feet. Wrapping his arms around her, he shouted, “Family hug!” As the children joined them, Curt knew his best friend was watching over them, with his full approval, and always would be.
The End
About the Author
Samantha A. Cole is a retired policewoman and former paramedic who has started a third career as an author. She has lived her entire life in the suburbs of New York City and has plans to become a ‘snow-bird’ between New York and Florida. Her two dogs, Jinx and Bella, keep her company and remind their ‘mom’ to take a break from writing every once in a while to go for a walk, of course with them in tow.
An avid reader since childhood, Samantha was often found with a book in hand and sometimes one in each. After being gifted with a stack of romance novels from her grandmother, her love affair with the genre began in her teens.
Samantha is continuing to work on the Trident Security series as well as a new trilogy, The Malone Brothers. She also has a few other stand-alone books in the works.
Other Books By Samantha Cole
Leather & Lace: Trident Security Book 1 (Devon & Kristen)
His Angel: Trident Security Book 2 (Ian & Angie)
Waiting For Him: Trident Security Book 3 (Boomer & Kat)
Not Negotiable (Parker & Shelby)
Topping The Alpha: Trident Security Book 4 (Jake & Nick)
Watching From the Shadows: Trident Security Book 5 (Marco & Harper)
Coming Soon – Tickle His Fancy: Trident Security Book 6 (Brody & Fancy)
Connect With Me
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SamanthaColeAuthor
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Samantha-A.-Cole/e/B00X53K3X8
Website: https://samanthacoleauthor.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamanthaCole222
Google: https://plus.google.com/+SamanthaAColeAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5580362.Samantha_Cole
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Whiskey Tribute: A Trident Security Series Novella - Book 5.5 Page 9