“Humph! Girl food,” Jake said with a teasing grin.
“Yeah, girl food,” Toby agreed.
This hero worship could get tiresome.
“I am a girl, after all,” she contended.
“The prettiest one I’ve ever seen,” Jake said, his grin widening.
“Yeah, you’re pretty, Mommy,” Toby seconded.
Maybe she could stand Toby agreeing with Jake after all.
The next stop was the barbershop. Al, who had cut Jake’s hair since he was a little boy, trimmed first his hair and then Toby’s, following Toby’s directions to cut his hair just like Mr. Jake’s.
B.J. sat along the wall, watching the three of them as they indulged in man talk, feeling a little excluded. It was a new experience for her. She and Mildred had formed Toby’s world for almost all his life. She wasn’t used to sharing him.
She thought again about what Mrs. Bell had said. She’d have to have a talk with Toby, make sure he understood that Jake was a friend.
Jake insisted on paying for Toby’s haircut. B.J. would’ve argued more, but she didn’t want to draw attention to Jake’s action. Looked as though she needed to have a talk with Jake, as well as Toby.
“All right, let’s go buy us a couple of hats, Toby my boy,” Jake said, grinning at first Toby and then B.J. He seemed to be enjoying his afternoon in town.
He grabbed Toby’s hand and then, to B.J.’s surprise, reached back for hers. “Come on, B.J. You’re not feeling left out, are you, ’cause you didn’t get a haircut?”
“No, I’ll get one later.”
He came to an abrupt halt. “You’re going to get your hair cut? I was just teasing. I don’t think—”
“Trimmed, Jake. I’m going to get my hair trimmed. I’m not going to cut it short, because it takes too much time to style a short hairstyle.”
Toby apparently felt left out, because he turned in front of Jake, still holding his hand. “I like Mommy’s hair. Sometimes she lets me brush it.”
“You’ve got good taste, Toby. Do you think she’d let me brush it?” His gaze left her son to stare at her hair.
“Jake!” she protested. Somehow the picture of Jake brushing her hair, feeling his hands slipping through the long strands, sensing his big, warm, hard body near hers, stirred her more than the compliments he’d paid her.
He grinned and leaned down for a quick kiss before she could protest. “And that doesn’t count for the one you tricked me out of,” he muttered as he started walking again, pulling her and Toby along with him to the store two doors down.
“Why not?”
“You know why. Here we are, Toby.” He held the door open for Toby and then her.
“Hey, Jake, haven’t seen you in a coon’s age,” Harvey Holmes greeted him. “And you brought along Miz Anderson and her boy. How you folks doing?”
Fortunately the store was almost empty, since B.J. figured no one would’ve missed Harvey’s booming voice.
Harvey showed them to the hats and left them alone to make their selections, promising to help if they had any questions.
“Aunt Mildred said the good guys always wear white hats,” Toby said, studying his choices.
“In the movies, they do, but that’s because they don’t have to worry about them looking clean.” Jake was studying the different colors and styles seriously.
B.J. saw one that looked Toby’s size and picked it up. The Resistol brand was a good one, she knew, but she had no idea how much the price would be. With a gasp, she put the hat back down. “Jake,” she whispered, moving closer to him.
“Yeah, honey?” he answered in a distracted fashion.
“Jake, these hats are too expensive.”
He gave her a surprised look. “I always buy Resistols.”
“It doesn’t matter what you buy. I’m talking about for Toby. They have some hats at the grocery store that will do just fine for him.” She turned to explain to her son, but Jake grabbed her arm.
“You buy him all the hats you want at the grocery store, but I’m buying him a Resistol. He needs to learn about quality. This hat’ll last him for years.” His jaw was squared again, a sure sign that he had the bit in his teeth.
“The hat will last, but Toby’ll outgrow it in a year.”
“Great. I’ll know what to get him next year,” he said calmly, and took a hat, quite similar to the one she’d flattened, off the wall and set it on his head. “What do you think, Toby?”
“That looks like your old hat,” the boy said, staring up at him, studying the hat from several different angles.
“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it? I don’t change my mind much,” he admitted with another grin. “Which one do you like?”
Unerringly Toby selected a miniature version of the dark gray hat Jake was wearing. “I like this one.”
Jake led him over to a mirror and set the hat on the little boy’s head, squatting down beside him to compare the hats. “Hey, we look just alike, don’t we?”
Toby made an adjustment in the angle of his hat so it more correctly reflected Jake’s and sighed with pleasure. “Yeah, just alike. Right, Mommy?”
Their satisfaction with what they saw in the mirror would’ve been humorous if B.J. weren’t filled with worry. But she smiled at Toby, agreeing that he and Mr. Jake were almost twins.
In truth, they did look alike, even without the hats. They both had dark hair and a similar build. Her husband had been tall, even if he hadn’t shown the muscle Jake had. He’d been a law student when they met, spending his days indoors.
“You folks found what you need?” Harvey asked, approaching them again.
“I believe we have. Toby and I like these.”
“I’m not surprised. You’ve bought the same hat since you were a boy, Jake. Starting Toby off right, I see.”
“Yeah. And pretty soon I’ll be buying hats for the twins, too.” A satisfied smile crossed his lips.
“I’d better lay in some smaller sizes, the way the Randall clan is growing,” Harvey said with a laugh. The sly look he sent B.J.’s way wasn’t missed by Jake. He turned to her, too.
“How about you, B.J.?” he suddenly asked.
“What?” she asked, looking up from Toby, who was staring at himself and Jake in the mirror.
“You need a hat?”
“No, it’s not my birthday. That’s why Jake is buying Toby a present, Mr. Holmes. It’s his birthday.”
“Make it Harvey. We’re not formal here. So, it’s your birthday, young man?”
“In a few days. The twenty-seventh, the same day as Mr. Jake’s,” Toby said proudly, as if he’d planned his arrival on such an important day.
“Yeah, we’re twins,” Jake said with a wink to the store owner.
“I can see the resemblance,” Harvey agreed solemnly, putting an extra shine on Toby’s grin. “Come on over here, and I’ll ring you up.”
They were almost finished with their purchase, with B.J. reminding herself to discuss money with Jake, when the door opened, the bell above announcing a new arrival.
They all looked up, but Jake was the only one who recognized the man who arrived.
“Butch Gardner!” he exclaimed, and left the counter to greet the man with his hand out.
“Jake!” the man returned, pumping Jake’s hand with pleasure. The two men exchanged greetings and questioned each other about what had happened the past few years. It seemed Butch, who’d lived near Rawhide most of his early years, was returning to town.
After the first wave of words had passed, the man looked past Jake and saw B.J. and Toby waiting for him. Jake turned, too, and B.J. assumed he intended to introduce them, but before he could, Butch spoke.
“Jake, you old sneak. You’ve done gone and got yourself that son you always wanted! And a beautiful wife, to boot. Congratulations, man.”
There was a moment of silence when B.J.’s alarmed look met Jake’s. She didn’t want to look at Toby. She opened her mouth to correct the man, but Jake beat her
to it.
“Sorry, Butch, but you’re wrong on both counts. Toby is B. J. Anderson’s son, and neither of them belongs to me.” Jake’s easy smile relieved some of Butch’s embarrassment.
“Sorry, ma’am. It’s an old habit of mine, leaping to conclusions. Hope I didn’t offend you.” He doffed his black hat as he apologized.
“No, of course not.” She put her hand on Toby’s shoulder. “Shall we wait for you out in the pickup, Jake?”
“No, we won’t be a minute,” Jake assured her before he turned back to his friend. “You’ll have to come out to the place, Butch, and see everyone. All three of the others are married now, and Pete has two sons.”
“No kidding? Man, I didn’t think any of you would ever try marriage again. And two boys? Then the Randall ranch is safe for the next generation? That was always your concern,” Butch reminded him.
Harvey laughed. “Everyone knows how worried Jake was about not having any kids. He didn’t want different blood taking over at the Randalls’.”
Different blood B.J. turned that phrase over in her head. Apparently Jake was big on bloodlines. He’d talked about that at their dinner in Wyndom, how thrilled he was to have the next generation of real Randalls. B.J. didn’t need a sack of grain to hit her in the head. She got the point.
“Nope, no problem now. There’ll be Randalls on the place for a long time,” Jake said, his grin even broader. “We’ve got to go, but the family’s having a party for Halloween. Where shall we send the invite?”
“Mrs. Potter’s putting me up at her bed and breakfast until I get settled some place.”
“You looking for a job? We could use someone right now,” Jake said, as if he’d suddenly realized his friend might be looking for work.
“I don’t need any pity hiring, Jake,” Butch said, squaring his jaw.
“Man, with all we’ve had going on, none of us puts in a full week anymore. And Lefty died last winter, before Christmas. We’ve never replaced him.”
“Lefty? That’s too bad. But are you sure you need someone? ’Cause I can—”
“Jake’s been asking for most of the year, Butch,” Harvey said. “There’s not a lot of good help around.”
Jake shot the store owner a grateful look. Then he quickly worked out the details with his friend before sweeping B.J. and Toby out the door.
Once they were in the truck, B.J. started to ask Jake about the man, but Toby had another question in mind.
“Why can’t I be your little boy, Mr. Jake? Is something wrong with my blood?”
Chapter Ten
B.J. sucked in a deep breath.
Jake spoke before she could think of what to say.
“Nah. There’s nothing wrong with your blood, Toby. They just meant we’re not kin to each other. You know, like you and your mom.”
“Oh.”
B.J. desperately sought a change of subject. “How did you do in school today, Toby? Did you learn to write any new words?”
Her little boy turned and frowned at her, his look distracted. “Mm-hmm. Mr. Jake?”
“Yes, Toby?”
“How—?”
“Toby, did you know the Randalls are having a Halloween party?” B.J. asked, hoping to distract him again. She didn’t think it would be a good idea to pursue the idea of Toby being Jake’s son.
This time she was more successful.
“A Halloween party? With masks and everything?” Toby demanded. “Can we go?”
“It’s bad manners to invite yourself to a party,” she gently reminded him.
“Don’t worry about it, Toby,” Jake assured him. “Of course you’re invited. And you can wear a mask.”
“I’m going to be a monster!” Toby assured his hero. “Right, Mommy?”
“We’ll see,” she said, offering a mother’s standard fare.
“You won’t scare me, will you?” Jake asked, pretending to shake in fear.
“Nah,” Toby replied, imitating Jake’s way of answering. “’Sides, you wouldn’t be scared. Maybe Mommy would.” Toby cut his gaze toward his mother, a grin on his face.
B.J. was willing to play along, as long as it kept her son happy. “I just might be. Promise you’ll tell me it’s you?”
“Yeah, Mommy.”
“And if she gets scared, I’ll comfort her,” Jake added, and shot a teasing look at B.J.
The thought of Jake’s big arms wrapped around her, his hands stroking her, sent shivers through her body. His brown eyes caressed her over Toby’s head, and she broke away from his gaze.
“I won’t scare you, Mommy,” her son promised.
“Doggone it, Toby, why’d you promise that? I was going to get to hug your mom.”
“I saw Bobby’s mommy hugging.”
B.J. frowned, unable to follow her son’s comment. Before she could ask about his words, Jake did.
“Was she happy about it?”
“Uh-huh. She was hugging Bobby’s new daddy.”
“Good for her,” Jake said, smiling at B.J. over Toby’s head.
“Yeah. Bobby says he’s his real daddy. But they don’t have the same blood. Do they?”
“Probably not,” Jake agreed.
“Then how come he’s his real daddy?”
B.J. could think of nothing to derail the conversation. Even the subject of Toby’s monster costume probably wouldn’t distract him.
“Because his mom married the man. That would make him his daddy.”
“Even if they don’t have the same blood?”
“Well, he wouldn’t be his real daddy, but he’d be his stepdaddy.”
“Oh.”
B.J. decided the all-male conversation had gone on long enough. “Did you tell Jake that Aunt Mildred is making cupcakes for the class for your birthday?” she asked. “And that she’ll make one for Jake, too?”
“No. Do you like chocolate cupcakes, Mr. Jake?”
“You bet. I’ll be looking forward to one of your cupcakes. Maybe I could come over and eat it for breakfast.”
“Yeah!”
B.J. breathed a sigh of relief. At least Toby didn’t seem upset about anything. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the seat.
Then Toby calmly announced, “Bobby said he thought I was going to have a new daddy.”
B.J. felt the blood drain out of her head. She was so shocked, she didn’t realize Jake had slammed on the brakes until he’d stopped the truck on the side of the road.
“What are you talking about?” he demanded harshly.
B.J.’s arm immediately went around her son’s shoulders. She didn’t want anyone speaking so cruelly to her little boy, but she knew how devastated Toby would be to find his hero unhappy with him. “Jake—” she began.
“Why did Bobby say that?” Jake ignored her warning.
“I told him about you kissing Mommy, and he said that’s what his new daddy always did.” Toby squared his shoulders and lifted his chin to stare at Jake. “Are you mad?”
B.J. didn’t realize she was holding her breath until Jake expelled his own.
“No, son, I’m not angry. But Bobby was wrong. Men and women kiss without getting married. You know, I’ve been married before, and I don’t intend to marry. Your mom and I were just being friendly.”
Friendly. Of course, that was the correct explanation. She was glad he’d done away with poor Toby’s dreams. If he hadn’t, Toby might have really been hurt.
“Never?” Toby whispered.
“No, never.”
Toby turned a troubled glance to B.J. “Is that okay, Mommy?”
“Of course, sweetie,” she replied, swallowing inexplicable tears in the back of her throat. “I’m sorry if you’re disappointed, but when Mildred marries Red, you’ll have a grandpa. Then when they have— have things at school for daddies, Red can come with you.”
“Sure. I like Mr. Red.”
She’d never been so proud of her child. He was hurting inside. And it was her fault. She was going to have to tell Mildr
ed the truth—and let Mildred make her own decision. But she couldn’t hurt her son any more.
Hugging him closer to her, she leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “Mr. Red likes you, too. I think we should ask Mildred if you can walk her down the aisle when she marries Mr. Red.”
While Toby, distracted again, excitedly asked B.J. what she meant, Jake pulled the truck back on the road and continued on to the ranch.
DAMN! HE HADN’T MEANT to hurt the kid’s feelings. Jake looked sideways at the other two in the truck. They made a tender picture, mother and son, her arm around him.
If Jake were ever going to marry again, it would be to someone like B.J., warm, loving, caring.
If? What was he thinking? There was no question of him marrying! Never!
He glared at B.J. as if she were responsible for the shocking thought that had intruded into his head. It was those kisses of hers. The unexpected hunger he’d discovered for touching B. J. Anderson was the reason. For only a second, he considered being married to the woman beside him, having the right to touch her whenever he wanted.
Having her touch him.
He hurriedly sent those thoughts out the window, before his body could show the effects of the warmth that filled him. Lately he’d felt out of control too often.
By the time he’d parked the truck in its usual place, he’d concentrated his thoughts on more-mundane things and convinced himself everything was okay. He turned off the engine and turned to smile at his passengers. The sight of Toby whispering to his mother puzzled Jake.
“Everything all right?”
“Yes,” B.J. said, giving Jake a brief look before turning back to her son. “It’s all right, Toby. Just be sure you say thank-you.”
“Thank you for my hat, Mr. Jake,” Toby said. The serious look on his little face worried Jake.
“You’re welcome. Happy birthday, pal. You like it, don’t you?”
“Sure. It’s just like yours.” His smile this time wasn’t his best, but Jake was pleased.
“Sweetie, run on over to the house and tell Mildred I’ll be there in a minute. I need to talk to Mr. Jake.” B.J. didn’t look at Jake as she spoke, her gaze focused on her child.
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