Wishing for a Cowboy

by James, Victoria

  “Thanks,” Will mumbled and took a seat.

  Aiden motioned to his office, and Janie followed him, then paused as he held the door open to the small space. “Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

  “I’ll be right out here if you need me, Aunt Janie,” Will called out.

  Janie’s cheeks turned pink, and Aiden tried not to be insulted that a fifteen-year-old saw him as some kind of threat to a woman. And if this had been any other kid, talking about any other guy, he might have thought it endearing.

  “I’ll be fine, honey,” she said over her shoulder, avoiding eye contact with Aiden as she walked into the office. She sat, and he took his seat opposite her. “I’ll get to the point, Mr. Rivers.”

  “Call me Aiden.”

  “We won’t stay long…Aiden…and it was nice of you to give Will some dinner. We really aren’t here to inconvenience you or judge you and your past decisions; we’re just here to see if you can help us out financially, and then we’ll be on our way.”

  His stomach turned as he stared at her. “You think I’m just going to hand you a wad of cash and say see you later?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. That’s what I was hoping for.”

  Maybe he shouldn’t be so surprised. This was Maxi’s sister, after all.

  Maxi Adams had been his biggest mistake, one he still regretted each and every day. He was reminded of her every time he looked in the mirror and saw the scar running down the side of his face. For a long time, he’d had a sick satisfaction when he saw it, and he’d trace the line with his finger, because it was a symbol of the mistakes of his past that he swore he’d never make again. But now, to think that he might have a kid—a young man he didn’t even know existed—was just hell.

  You’ll never be better than this, Aiden. You’re stupid and arrogant.

  He rolled his shoulders, pushing aside his father’s voice, which never failed to creep in whenever something went wrong in his life. “If that’s my kid, you’re not going anywhere until we make an arrangement.”

  Janie’s face turned white, then red. “You had your chance with him,” she said. “Fifteen years ago, when Maxi told you she was pregnant. And then all those times she tried contacting you. I’m not sure what this sudden concern over your son is, but I’m not buying it.”

  He gripped the armrests of his chair, forcing himself to stay calm. This wasn’t Janie’s fault. He had to focus on who was really to blame here. “Maxi never told me she was pregnant. She never contacted me after she left. Ever.”

  Something flickered across her green eyes. “Why would she lie about that?”

  He almost laughed. “You can’t honestly tell me that it’s such a shock to you.”

  “What makes you think it shouldn’t be?”

  “Because she’s Maxi.”

  She shook her head, and he realized how weak that sounded, even though it was the best explanation he had.

  He racked his brain for something to help his case, and it didn’t take long. He remembered very clearly why they’d ended things. Why he’d ended things. “Maxi left town because of Mike. If I’d known she was—” He shook his head. “I would never in a million years send away a woman who was pregnant with my kid. Not even at eighteen.”

  Janie frowned at him, and for a second he thought she was going to believe him. But then she said, “My sister wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t lie to me or hurt her own son just to try and keep Mike.” She blinked rapidly, eyes cast down at her lap. “Why should I believe you?”

  “Why would I lie? If I’m that big of an ass, then wouldn’t I just kick you out?”

  She looked back up at him with those big, tortured green eyes, and his gut churned with self-loathing. It bothered him that this stranger thought so poorly of him. “I don’t know,” she said softly, that bite to her tone gone. “Maybe you’ve matured and want a second chance.”

  “Then wouldn’t I have reached out?”

  “I… This wasn’t what I expected.” Janie took off her jacket, and his gaze drifted over her quickly. She seemed flushed.

  If circumstances had been different, he’d probably take the time to appreciate how gorgeous she was. Her eyes were a rich shade of green and wide, expressive, behind the dark-rimmed glasses she wore. Her skin was pale but flawless, a striking contrast to her almost-black hair. She was petite, on the curvier side. And she looked nothing like her sister.

  “There were probably better ways to go about this introduction,” she said, “but I didn’t have the luxury of time. And I couldn’t risk calling you, in case you’d just hang up the phone.”

  He clenched down hard on his teeth. He wasn’t angry at her, but it was insulting, even though he knew she didn’t intend it to be. “I wouldn’t do that,” he said thickly, resting his forearms on the table and leaning forward slightly.

  She gave him a nod, clasping her hands together. “I also want you to know that I wouldn’t have come here on just a hope and a prayer. Maxi told me you might help financially, assuming this bar was still as successful as she remembered it.”

  Aiden swallowed down the acid in his throat and ran his hands down his face. The fact Maxi was so sure he would still be here, still working at the same place, felt like a nail in his coffin. One he’d hammered into it himself.

  And there was too much else in what Janie was saying. Too much hidden information. Too much he needed to know. He’d known Maxi was even more screwed up than him, and when he’d finally realized that, he’d ended things. That had been rock bottom. After that, he’d dealt with the crap from his childhood and accepted the life he’d been given, taking over the bar from his father. He hadn’t looked back.

  But now, finding out she may have kept knowledge of his kid from him…for so many years…this was unbelievable. He thought of the kid sitting in his bar—how much he looked like him, how he felt like he knew him. Then he focused on the woman in front of him, the one who for some reason had taken care of the boy, the one who assumed he didn’t want his kid, that he was only capable of providing a bit of money to get them out of a bind.

  “I know you don’t know me and everything you think you know about me is probably wrong,” he said, “but I can’t just hand you a pile of cash and let you leave Wishing River. Hell, if he’s my kid, I want him in my life.”

  Her eyes widened, glistening as she covered her face again. Clearly, she hadn’t expected any of this, which made it obvious to him that she’d been telling the truth about her sister. He couldn’t afford to get angry about Maxi, though; not now. He needed to play this cool. He needed to earn Janie’s trust.

  She stood suddenly. “Sorry, that’s not up for negotiation. I’m his legal guardian. I just need money. And Will wanted to see you once. That’s it.”

  “Like an exhibit at the zoo?” he quipped.

  Her cheeks reddened. “I’m not opening up our lives to pain. We have a good life together. He’s been okay with the status of his parents—as okay as he can be in this situation. You wanting some kind of claim over him now is not part of the deal.”

  A deal she made without him. He ran a hand through his hair, choosing his next words carefully. “Stay long enough for a paternity test. I will help you financially. No matter what the result.”

  She glanced toward the ceiling for a moment, as if thinking. “I have Will’s feelings to consider. He’s believed his entire life that his dad walked out on him before he was born.”

  “Me.”

  “Yes.”

  “And his mom? What does he believe about her?”

  She looked away, but not before he caught a glimpse of unease in her eyes. “That she is too sick to take care of him.”

  Sick? He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “So, his dad is a douche, his mom is unable, and you are…”

  “His aunt who loves him more than anything
. Like he’s my own son.”

  He didn’t argue with her. First, because if Will was his, he would owe this woman everything. Second, he had to convince her that he’d been lied to as well, but he couldn’t do that if she walked out of here tonight. There was no way in hell he was going to let his kid disappear. He knew what it meant to have a father who didn’t care. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—do that. “I believe you,” he said, “so if you love him, then you’ve got to give me a chance—for his sake as much as mine.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head, staring at him, evaluating him. “I can’t erase what I’ve been told about you. But you make a valid point. And if you’re telling the truth, then Will deserves to know his dad.”

  He blew out a gust of air he’d been holding in. She was actually giving him a chance.

  “He’s been through a lot, though,” she said. “I need to talk this over with him, too. I, um… Is there a place we can stay in town until we get this sorted out?”

  “Not at this time of night.”

  “What about the Highwayman Motel? We passed it just outside of town.”

  “Oh, hell no. You don’t want to stay there. Nothing good happens at that place. And with the snow, it’s a dangerous drive for someone not familiar with the area.”

  She frowned, then sighed, looking utterly lost.

  “You can stay at my place,” he said before even thinking about it.

  She raised her eyebrows, and her glasses slid down her nose. Quickly shoving them back up, she shook her head. “No, thank you. That’s very generous, but Will and I can’t stay with a stranger.”

  He leaned forward, emotion clogging his throat, as he stared into those deep emerald eyes. This woman had just changed his life and had probably saved his son’s life. “If Will is mine and in my life, it’s because of you. You raised him. You’ve… I don’t know what you’ve been through, but whatever you need, I will be indebted to you forever. I’m sure whatever Maxi has said about me, she’s never said I was a threat or a danger, or you wouldn’t have come. I can give you references, too, if that helps. Doctors, cops—everyone in town knows me. So please…spend the night at my place? You’ll be safe there. I promise.”

  He instinctively held his breath again. Everything was riding on her believing he was trustworthy.

  Finally, after what seemed like several minutes, she gave him a stare worthy of the roughest cowboys he’d ever had in his bar. “All right, Mr. Rivers—”

  “Aiden.”

  She nodded. “Aiden. Give me three references.”

  Chapter Three

  Janie stood at the doorway of the spare bedroom at Aiden’s house, taking it all in. There was a double bed with a navy and hunter green plaid comforter, two nightstands, and a comfy-looking leather chair. Other than that, the room was empty. The dark hardwood floor was clean and matched the rest of the house.

  She hadn’t known what to expect as they’d followed Aiden out of the bar and back to his home. She had called the local doctor, the sheriff’s office, and the town vet, and they’d said glowing things about Aiden. He must have known them all well enough, because he’d given her their personal cell phone numbers. And he was also right that Maxi had never said he was violent or dangerous in any way—just a playboy. Beyond that, Janie was going on her own instincts, and his reaction to having a son had been uncomfortable to watch. He’d looked genuinely floored. And devastated—not for himself, but because he’d never been told.

  Not much was visible during the slippery and snowy drive, but it had taken about twenty minutes out from the center of Wishing River to the small, one-story, log-cabin-style home. She had enough gas to get here and wasn’t as worried in case they ran out, knowing he was right in front of them.

  At the house, Janie kept looking for signs of disorder or anything to back up Maxi’s description of him, but it was immaculate. Way cleaner than her own apartment. Not a speck of dust; nothing out of order. There hadn’t even been a dish in the sink. She’d seen a shovel and a bag of salt on the front porch, and despite the new snow that had accumulated, she could tell the walkway had been shovelled earlier. Not exactly the place of a reckless guy who partied all the time.

  They had been at Aiden’s house for about ten minutes now, and Janie was desperate to talk to Will alone. This scenario was one they hadn’t imagined. Janie’s best-case scenario had been Aiden giving them some money, wishing his son well, and then the two of them carrying on with their lives with a little less stress thanks to the financial help.

  But the man he said he was and the man Maxi said he was were completely different people. She wanted to believe him for Will’s sake. But that was risky. It was almost a fairy tale to wish for a man like him. The edge in his voice when he said there was no way he’d let Will leave had shaken her. She knew he hadn’t meant it with sinister intentions, but she hadn’t expected him to want custody of Will, and if he really was his biological father, Aiden could have every right to take him from her.

  Will had barely spoken a word on the drive over here; he’d just been serial-texting Maxi questions about Aiden. But Maxi hadn’t answered. So, Janie made excuses for her, like always. She could handle the truth about her sister, but she tried to spare Will as much hurt as possible.

  Finding Will’s dad had been priority number one, but now that they were here, now that they were aware of each other’s existence…there was no going back. It would never be just her and Will again. She would have to trust another human being with Will’s heart, and she had never done that before. She had protected him from everything—even if that meant his own mother’s foolishness sometimes. But that had been okay until now, until Aiden questioned all of it. Janie knew Maxi wasn’t perfect, but what he was saying…that she’d never told him he had a son…that was unforgivable.

  Glancing at Will, she was relieved to see he seemed to be taking this all in stride. His face was relaxed, and he was in his classic, hunched, hands-in-pockets stance as he took in the room.

  “I know it’s not much, but if I’d known you were coming, I would have, uh, been more organized,” Aiden said, appearing in the doorway, holding a folded blanket.

  Morris jumped on the bed and stretched out as though he’d lived here forever.

  Aiden chuckled and walked over to pat the top of his head. “Is he a Maine Coon?”

  She raised her eyebrows and smiled at him. “Yes, you’re right. Not a lot of people would know that. Do you like cats?”

  “Yeah,” he said, surprising her with an answer. “I like all animals.”

  Well, that just gave him another tick in the “you might be an okay guy” column.

  He picked Morris up, and gently placed him on the ground before spreading out the extra plaid flannel blanket. As soon as the bed was ready, Morris jumped right back on, giving Aiden a salty glare.

  “He’s used to sleeping with me,” Will said.

  Aiden listened attentively as though that information was super important. Maybe he actually was curious about Will—and that was great. Again, not the actions of a man who’d rejected his kid. “Really?” Aiden said.

  “Yeah. He hogs most of the bed when he stretches out,” Will mumbled.

  Morris let out a loud meow, as if defending his right to sleep wherever and however he wanted. Janie said, “I guess I should get his food and litter box set up.”

  Aiden gave her a nod. “Sure. Let me know what he needs.”

  “Morris can stay with me tonight?” Will asked.

  She nodded, fighting the urge to reach out and hug him because he suddenly didn’t look fifteen. He looked like the little boy she’d taken in when she’d been just a kid herself. He’d given her those big blue eyes filled with so much emotion, and she’d held on to him, hoping that her love would be enough to make him whole. “I’ll bring him back here after he eats.”

  “Okay,�
� Will said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and unzipping his backpack.

  Aiden turned the bedside lamp on. “Let me know if you need anything else. Uh, do you want a glass of water or anything?” He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

  The same way Will always did when he was unsure of something.

  Will shook his head, not making eye contact with him. “No, I’m okay. Thanks.”

  Seeing them standing next to each other, Janie was again blown away by their likeness, including the one-sided dimple. Their profiles were the same, and she could see that Will was set to have Aiden’s large frame once he finished growing.

  Aiden gave him a nod and then turned to Janie. “Okay…I can leave the laundry room door open and the light on for Morris’s things. It might be a good place for all that. It’s just down the hall.” He paused. “Good night, then. See you in the morning,” he said, turning from Will to her. “I’ll be in the kitchen for a bit if you need anything.”

  “Sure. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  After Aiden left and shut the door, Will flopped backward onto the bed. Janie sat on the edge. “So?” she said. “How you holding up?”

  He placed a hand under his head and stared up at the ceiling. “I don’t get this. He’s nothing like Mom said. Is he lying? But then I keep thinking, why would he lie? Like, he could have just told us to get the hell out of his bar. Or given us money and then told us to leave? Like, if he is like mom said, then why is he letting us stay here tonight? Why is he making my bed and acting all nervous like he cares what I think of him?”

  Janie sighed and glanced at the closed door. “I thought all those things, too. I guess the right thing to do is give him a chance to explain himself. I’ll keep trying to get a hold of your mom and see if she can shed some light on this.”

  He nodded, staring at the ceiling still. “I don’t know what to hope for. Because if he is my dad and he really is telling the truth…what does that say about Mom?”