“We’ll be at Bishop’s Brewhouse if you need us.” Louise kissed her daughter on the forehead before she passed her off to Katie, who snuggled Bea to her chest and breathed in the scent of baby powder and fabric softener.
It took all of two minutes for the calm of the moment to turn into chaos. Jill ran toward Bowie and threw herself into his arms. Big crocodile tears ran down her cheeks.
“David tore off my Barbie’s head.” She lifted a decapitated doll to his face.
Bowie’s lost expression told her this was worse than war.
David claimed innocence, but the look of guilt shone from him like a beacon. Katie had seen that look of guilt on the faces of many children she’d visited in the children’s hospital. When they were stuck in bed, mischief was all they had left.
She shifted baby Bea to one arm and held out her hand. “Give it to me.” Her voice was stern despite the laughter that bubbled inside her. “Right now, young man, or G.I. Joe will meet a similar fate.” She spied the man-doll gripped in his hand but didn’t see the Barbie head.
“She made her doll kiss Joe. He’s a soldier.”
Lucky for Katie, soldiering was something Bowie could relate to. He gave Jill a hug and put her on her feet. “Go with Katie.” He turned to David. “You and I’ll talk about women and war.”
As Katie herded the kids into the living room to watch a movie Louise had chosen for them, she heard Bowie tell David there were battles a man should wage and some that were better left lost. When David said something about kisses being gross, Bowie laughed and told him he’d change his mind soon enough.
Bowie returned some time later with the doll’s head dangling between his fingers. He found the torso discarded on the coffee table. Once he reunited the two pieces, he tucked the doll into the arms of Jill, who had curled into a chair and fallen asleep. He squeezed into the spot next to Katie and wrapped his arm around her.
It took time to get them settled down. For a while, it seemed they all needed something different at the same time. Snacks and bathroom runs and Band-Aids applied to nonexistent wounds took up the first hour of the night. Getting six kids and a baby into the living room was like herding cats. She and Bowie had done it and were no worse for the wear. She looked at the seven children who either slept or zoned in on the cartoon and smiled. They’d survived, so far.
“You know,” Katie said to Bowie. She glanced at David, who was lying on the floor, sandwiched between Melissa and Thomas. “You were wonderful with him.”
“He’s a good kid, and now he’s ahead of the pack when it comes to women. I let him know the golden rule.”
“There’s a golden rule?” Her voice rose with each word. “What’s that?”
Bowie seemed to consider whether he should tell her. “I told him the facts. When he’s right, he’s wrong. When he’s wrong, he’s wrong. He’ll be much happier if he’s always wrong. I also told him the right kiss from the right woman would make everything right. Then he and I and G.I. Joe blew up stuff in his room.”
Every day, Katie fell in love with Bowie a little more. Her secondhand heart was full. She’d hit the lottery with him and worried he wasn’t as lucky with her. It pained her that this man would give up the possibility of a family for her.
“Are you sure you’re okay with not having one of these yourself?” She hugged Bea closer to her breast and bent over to rub her cheek along the baby’s soft hair.
He looked around the room at the seven kids. “Watching this brood is the best birth control ever. It’s a wonder their parents had time to make so many.” Bowie turned and nuzzled his chin into her neck. “If we ever feel like we’re missing out, I’m sure Louise will have a new one we can borrow.”
“You’re probably right, but I don’t want you to make a sacrifice you’ll regret.”
“No regrets. All I want is you.”
As the children dropped off to sleep one by one, Bowie carried them to bed. The only one left was Bea, who Katie wanted to cradle for a moment more until her bladder said enough was enough.
“Hold her for a second while I go to the bathroom?”
Bowie stared at the baby as if she’d asked him to hold a live grenade, but he held out his hands and took the tiny little girl. Bowie’s arms dwarfed little Bea. She was barely bigger than his palms lined up side-by-side. He looked perfect holding her. Katie stood in the hallway and watched him look down at the baby with wonder and awe. She knew right then her only regret would be never giving Bowie a child.
Bobby and Louise returned holding hands. They were the kind of couple that emitted the light of love. Katie saw it in the way they looked at their children—the way they looked at each other. She saw the same look in Bowie’s eyes when he looked at her.
“Bring that car over whenever you need an oil change,” Bobby told Katie before he closed the door.
At the bike, Bowie placed the helmet on her head and said, “You got an oil change for babysitting? I helped. What do I get?”
“I’ll show you when we get home.” She hung on to Bowie as he raced back to her apartment, where she expressed her gratitude for over an hour.
They lay sated and wrapped in each other’s arms. “We made it through that gauntlet. What’s next?”
Katie turned to him. “You thought that was a gauntlet? Wait until you meet my parents. I’ve invited them here for my birthday.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
How did this happen?
Bowie sat in the corner booth at Maisey’s, waiting for Cannon and his father. Never for one moment in the last eight years did he think he’d be this happy. Although he missed Brandy in many ways, there was more to what he’d found with Katie. She had life experiences that forced her to value the small stuff.
She woke up every morning ready to conquer the world. Her outlook was positive and infectious.
“You want some coffee?” Maisey walked over with the pot swinging in her hands.
“Need some coffee is more like it.” Bowie overturned the clean cup on the table and slid it toward the edge.
“Late night?”
Bowie laughed. “Early morning.” Knowing they wouldn’t be sleeping together the next few nights, he and Katie had stayed up making love. It was silly to change their routine because of her parents. They were consenting adults, but he loved her enough to make the sacrifice.
Katie emphasized the point that her very Southern parents wouldn’t be happy about the sleeping arrangements.
“Oh, to be young again.” She poured coffee to the brim and slid into the booth across from him. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“Anything.” Bowie took his first sip and waited for Maisey to continue. He’d never known her to be shy about much, but he saw the vulnerability in her expression. The way she got smaller with each second she waited. “What’s up, Maisey?”
“I’m in love with your father, and I want to make sure you’re okay with that,” she blurted.
“You’re in love with my father? That’s amazing. You know the Bishop men aren’t easy to love.”
“Maybe not, but you’re worth the effort. Your dad’s a good man. More so since he’s not drinking. I know it’s been a tough time for all of you, but I wanted his boys’ blessings before I told him.”
“You told me you loved him before you told him?”
She wiggled in her seat. “I wanted to make sure it was okay to love him.”
Bowie reached his hand over and touched Maisey’s arm. Although she was seated, she looked ready to bolt with her legs facing the middle of the restaurant and her hand still gripping the coffee pot.
“You love who you love. I want my dad to be happy, and he seems happy now that he’s with you. I’m sure he would love to know how you feel.”
She relaxed against the booth. “Things going well for you and Katie?”
“Well” didn’t begin to explain what happened between him and Katie. “She’s special.”
“Are the rumors true?”
; He knew the town would be abuzz about the whole heart thing. It was something people would ask about until the novelty of it wore off. He hoped something more exciting would come up and grab people’s attention. For the last several weeks, he’d been busy at the shop and Katie had been swamped at the bakery. They were a true love story better suited for television.
“It’s all true, but then you know that because you’re in love with my father.”
She lifted her chin. “I believe it’s important to fact-check.”
“I agree. Facts are important. Here are a few for you. Katie has a donor heart, but it doesn’t matter to me who it belonged to; it’s in Katie’s chest, so it’s hers. She changed my life with her love. I’ve been given a second chance at happiness. I’d be stupid to pass that up.”
“Sounds like you’re in love, too.” She rocked forward and stood.
“That’s a fact.”
As Maisey walked away, the door opened and Ben and Cannon walked inside. Since Bowie took up most of the seat, his father and brother sat across from him.
“Are you nervous, son?” Ben turned over a mug and nodded toward Maisey, who was on her way back with a full pot of coffee.
It didn’t pass Bowie’s attention when his dad reached out and wrapped his arm possessively around Maisey’s waist. He watched his father’s expression go soft the minute she looked down at him, and he wondered if he got that same goofy look on his face when Katie was nearby.
“Not really. I’m not sleeping with her parents.”
Cannon laughed. “From what I hear, you’re not sleeping with her either.” He pushed his empty mug toward Maisey.
“From the way we look, no one is getting sleep.” Ben waggled his eyebrows and gave Maisey a pat on the bottom.
She ignored the gesture. “Breakfast special for all of you?”
The three men nodded before she walked away.
Bowie picked up his knife and playfully pointed it at his brother. “If the bed and breakfast had an empty room, they’d be staying there.”
“You could have put them at the house, and Dad could have babysat.”
Ben shook his head. “The only thing I’m babysitting is that three-legged dog of Sage’s. He’s about all I can handle.”
“Wait until you get some grandkids.”
It wasn’t public knowledge he and Katie would never have children, so Bowie tried not to react. He would have loved to have a family with her, but it wasn’t in the cards. He turned to his father. “Speaking of babysitting, are you good with holding my present for Katie until tomorrow?”
He hoped she liked the puppy he adopted for her. She’d mentioned more than once that she wanted a chocolate Labrador someday. She was never allowed a dog when she was little. He wanted to help her cross off that item from her bucket list. He’d found the fur ball at the humane society in Gold Gulch. That he’d rescued the animal would make little Bishop special. According to Katie, everything and everyone deserved a second chance.
“I’m good. He’s locked in the bathroom right now. The little shit got out this morning and ran into the lake. It might be July second, but the water is still cold.”
Bowie found it hard to believe he was sitting across from his brother and his father and all three were planning new futures.
“What about you?” He turned to Cannon. “You got kids on the radar?”
By the look on Cannon’s face, a person would have thought he’d been asked to douse himself in gas and light himself on fire. “Oh no, I think I’ll wait on that. I like the idea of practicing until we get our routine perfect.” He fidgeted with his napkin, which was odd because Cannon was not the nervous type. “I did want to ask you something, though.”
There were a lot of people asking Bowie questions this morning. “It’s okay if you love her,” he said.
“I’m not asking your permission to love her. That’s a done deal.” He tore at his napkin until it lay in shreds in front of him. “I put that headboard at the dry goods store on consignment, but I should have asked you if you minded if I sold it.” Cannon lowered his head.
“Dude, that headboard was a masterpiece. It should be in a museum. I think it’s great that you have it for sale.”
“You do?”
Bowie nodded. He’d seen it the week before when Katie dragged him in to buy more soap and honey from Abby. She wanted his opinion on scent, but he didn’t care whether she smelled like strawberries or mango as long as she was with him and naked.
“What are you going to buy with the money if you sell it?”
“Money?” Dalton said as he approached the table. “I’ll take your money.” He put a plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes in front of each of the three men. Behind him, he reached for a chair and pulled it up to the table. “Who’s got money?”
“Not a damn one of us,” Ben said. “One thing I’ve learned over the years is, you never need more than enough. We’ve got enough.”
“Once my disability rating comes in, I should start getting a check from here on out,” Bowie said.
“You’re getting a disability check?” Dalton asked. “What part of you is disabled, outside of your brain?” He looked at Cannon and Ben. “You two, as well. You’re a bunch of wusses for letting women get under your skin.”
Cannon coughed on his bacon. “Says the man who went to jail for a woman he didn’t know.”
Dalton gave them a what-can-I-say shrug. “I’ll protect a woman any day of the week, but fall in love …”
“You will, and when it happens, it’s like a Mack truck colliding with your heart and brain at once.”
Dalton looked around the diner. It was filled with locals, but not one single girl was in sight. “You took all the single women in town worth dating.” He eyed Ben. “Not that I’d date my mom. That would be all kinds of wrong.”
“Things in Aspen Cove are changing. You never know who might show up next,” Cannon replied.
Ben swallowed his pancake and took a drink of coffee. “I don’t think Bea owned any other property. Doc owns the empty shops on Main Street, so I wouldn’t be expecting another pink envelope to steer a woman your way.”
Dalton gripped the table. “That’s my point. The pickings are slim, and those who are around stay clear of me. Who wants to date a felon?”
Bowie couldn’t hide his amusement. It was true Dalton had killed a man, but there were extenuating circumstances. “Any woman who can’t see the poetry in what you did doesn’t deserve you. You did time for a woman you didn’t know. You protected and most likely saved her life. If I were a woman, I’d be asking what you’d do to protect what was yours.”
“I’d give everything to protect what was mine,” Dalton said.
Bowie patted his friend on the back. “A good woman will know that.”
“Speaking of women.” Dalton looked between Cannon and Bowie. “Where are yours?”
“Copper Creek,” Cannon answered.
“Another Target run?” Dalton reached over and swiped Bowie’s last piece of bacon.
Bowie was too slow and couldn’t nab it back before Dalton devoured it. “Nope, a parent pick-up run. Katie’s parents flew in this morning, and she and Sage went to pick them up.”
“She hiding you?” Dalton asked.
“No. Since she’s been hiding from them for months, she knew they would fuss over her and probably do a fair amount of complaining. She didn’t want me to see that side of her parents. Worried that my first impression wouldn’t be positive. In fact, she worried herself sick. Sage went along because I asked her to go. I wasn’t invited to the homecoming, but I wanted Katie to have moral support.”
“That girl domesticated you with efficiency.” Dalton lifted his eyes in a challenge to say otherwise.
“Screw you. Your time is coming.” Bowie pushed his empty plate to the center of the table.
“Not likely anytime soon.” Dalton looked around the diner again. “I better get back to the kitchen.” He rose and left the table.
“That’s the last I heard,” Ben said.
Cannon laughed. “Dude, you’re meeting the parents. That’s huge.”
He was right. It was huge. Meeting the parents was almost like buying a ring. Something he’d considered over the last two weeks. Instead, he bought a puppy.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Let me get this straight, your parents have a private plane?”
Katie paced inside the tiny terminal of Copper Creek Municipal Airport. It wasn’t a terminal as much as a small building close to the tarmac.
“It’s a company jet.” She pressed her nose to the glass and squinted her eyes. Off in the distance were the lights of an incoming plane.
“What company do they own?”
Katie walked back and forth in front of the glass. “Integrity Insurance.”
Sage stepped in front of Katie and stopped her from wearing a path in the carpet. “‘The insurance you can trust?’” She sang the jingle that played no less than twenty times a day on the television. “That Integrity Insurance?”
“Yes,” she said sheepishly.
“Is there anything else you’ve been keeping to yourself?”
Katie hated that she hadn’t been completely transparent with anyone. She hadn’t lied; she simply didn’t divulge more than she had to. Even Bowie didn’t know everything. Though he did know her father was an insurance executive, she hadn’t painted the full picture.
“I wanted you all to like me for me. I didn’t want you to feel sorry for me because of my health issues. I also didn’t want my parents’ money to be a factor in how people felt about me. To most people, selling insurance is almost as bad as selling used cars. A slimy profession.”
“So when you said you were a data entry worker, was that true?” Sage leaned against the glass with her back to the tarmac.
“Yes, I refused any position I didn’t earn. I grew up privileged, but I’ve always wanted to be independent.” She looked over Sage’s head at the plane touching down hundreds of yards away. “Imagine having to be dependent on someone for everything. That was me, and I promised myself if I got healthy, I’d stand on my own two feet.”
One Hundred Heartbeats Page 17