“That day changed my life. I can’t help it if it’s one of the best days I’ve ever experienced. I want everyone to know. I’ll scream it from the rooftops and tell every boy that tries to date you. I say try, because there is no way I’ll ever let you date a boy.”
“Dad, stop. Please. You’re embarassin’ me.”
“Do you know that if you tongue kiss a boy, you can get pregnant?”
“Eww! Gross. Kissin’ with a tongue?”
I was happy that she didn’t seem to know what French kissing was. “It’s true. Don’t you ever let a boy stick his tongue in your mouth, you hear me?”
“Yes. I hear you. Can we please talk about something else?”
I laughed, ignoring the fact that I’d lied. She needed to be scared of boys, so that they wouldn’t have the chance to ever hurt her.
I pulled up at the address a little while later. Iz refused to talk for the rest of the ride. I think she was regretting going with me because of my choice of topics. When she was an adult she’d understand.
We knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer so we could see the puppy. I wasn’t about to buy some mutt. Colt would want the real deal when it came to a puppy. He’d always had Labs growing up, so I knew I wasn’t going wrong.
A woman, looking to be my age, opened the door. She invited us in and froze when she saw Iz. She looked from me to my daughter and then back to me again.
I shook it off, thinking nothing of it.
We walked into the kitchen, where we saw one puppy and its mother. The mother came over to smell and greet us, and within seconds so did the pup. She was chocolate in color and had light hazel eyes. Iz picked her up and kissed her, while I went to ask about the pup’s health.
The little chocolate Lab was going to be perfect, so I pulled out the cash and paid for her, excited that I had something for everyone to smile about.
The seller filled out the paperwork for me to take and we were almost out the door before she came running. “Wait! I have puppy food you can take with you. I won’t use it anymore.”
She handed me the bag and leaned down to pet the puppy that Izzy was holding. “I really hope you enjoy her. She’s super sweet.”
Izzy smiled. “She’s not for me. We live in North Carolina. This puppy is for my cousin and his family.”
“How sweet is that? Does he have a big yard for her to run in?”
“They own the Mitchell Ranch.”
The woman’s eyes got wide. “Oh my goodness. That’s why you look familiar. You’re Miranda Healy and Tucker Chase’s daughter. It was a shame he was such a loser. He sure did make a pretty little girl.”
My stomach dropped and I immediately jumped in front of them. “I’m her father.” I looked over at Iz. “Put the puppy in the truck, sweetie.”
I watched as she climbed in the vehicle, and then turned to the woman. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m the only father that child has ever known. You may have just ruined my life, lady.”
She put her hands over her face. “Oh God. I’m so sorry. Miranda and I were friends. I knew she was married, but I didn’t know.”
The damage was done.
“I better get home.”
I didn’t know who this person was, but in a matter of seconds I saw the wheels turning in Izzy’s head. As soon as I got into the SUV, she started asking questions that I didn’t want to answer.
“Who’s Tucker? How did that lady know Mom? Why would she say he was my dad?”
“I don’t know, sweetie. She must be confused.”
“Maybe Mommy knows who Tucker is.”
I thought about Miranda, Van, and everyone else whose life Tucker Chase had ruined. He wasn’t just an evil ghost we never wanted to think about again. He was the only thing that I’d never be able to be. His blood ran through my daughter’s veins, and I couldn’t fathom her knowing it.
The problem was, the more she questioned and got no answers, the more curious she became. By the time we pulled back up at the ranch, my stomach was in knots, and I was certain I was going to throw up my lunch from earlier.
Miranda was back at the guest house when she saw Iz getting out with the puppy. I stayed in the car and waited for her to walk over to open the door. “I can’t believe you went out and got them a puppy. That is the sweetest thing, Tyler Mitchell. You see there are reasons that I love you so much.” When I sat there, emotionless, Miranda got concerned. “What is it? What’s wrong? Did Colt say he didn’t want the puppy?”
“The person we got the puppy from knew you. She asked if Iz was yours and Tucker’s daughter.”
The words hurt to say.
They hurt so much.
Miranda looked as shocked as I felt. “Oh, baby. I’ll tell her that I don’t know who Tucker is, okay? She never has to know.”
I just sat there.
“Ty, nothin’ bad is goin’ to happen. I’ll tell her she was mistaken. It’s goin’ to be fine.”
I let her hug me as I climbed out of the vehicle, but I didn’t feel reassured. I couldn’t as long as Iz was questioning it. A lie like that could ruin my life and the bond we shared. If I lost that, I didn’t know what I’d do.
“I hope you’re right, Miranda. Right now, I feel like my heart is going to be ripped out of my chest.”
“I promise.”
Somehow, doing something good for my family could have cost me my happiness, and they didn’t even know it yet.
Chapter 10
Miranda
When I saw the look on Tyler’s face, I knew something was very wrong. Then he told me what had happened. It felt like the life was being ripped out of me. I wasn’t sure who he’d bought the puppy from, or if they were ever considered a friend to me, but whatever they’d said to him may have ruined the secret we’d spent years trying to cover up.
People may have said we were bad parents for living with a lie that was so serious. As a mother, all I ever wanted to do was protect my children. I needed to protect them from the evil that was out there in the world.
Tucker Chase was the devil. He’d beat me, cheated on me, lied to me, and that wasn’t even the worst of his actions.
For money, he’d kidnapped a pregnant Van and tortured her, causing her to fight for her life and lose a child she spent years trying to have. She’d killed him in self-defense, and it wasn’t exactly easy to cope with. She lost her mind after that, and almost lost Colt.
Tucker’s mom was just as evil. After running into her years ago, Ty and I made the decision to do whatever it took to make sure they had nothing to do with Bella’s life.
My husband risked everything for our daughter, even the possibility of losing me. We thought that when we added Ty’s name to the birth certificate, that nobody else could ever hurt us. I had no idea that someone would come into our lives and stir everything up again.
Bella wasn’t just our daughter, she was Ty’s world. We’d gone through hell when she fell ill, and now this was happening, possibly damaging everything the two of them shared together.
I couldn’t let something so awful happen. I couldn’t let her ever find out that Tucker had anything to do with her life. He was nothing but a sperm donor. He’d never wanted her and made it very clear to everyone he spoke to. I couldn’t believe he was getting to me from the grave.
I felt sick hearing his name and was willing to lie right to my daughter’s face if it would ensure her happiness and my family’s stability.
With his emotions running deep, it was best to let him be alone until I figured out if Bella was suspicious, or if she’d forget all about it, like it never happened.
The first thing I needed to do was be around her and see if she asked me anything. I didn’t have to wait long, considering as soon as she saw me she came running over. Her question was sudden and my heart dropped hearing his name coming out of her mouth. “Mom, who is Tucker?”
“Tucker? Tucker who?” I tried to play it off like I’d never heard the name
before.
“We went to get the puppy and some lady said that a man named Tucker was my dad.”
“Bella, you know who your father is. She must have been confused, that’s all. Why would you even question it? There’s no two people more bonded than you are with your dad. That’s crazy.”
“She said she knew you.”
“It’s been a long time. She must have gotten me mixed up with another one of our friends.”
“So did you have a friend named Tucker?” Her questions continued.
“Not that I can remember.” She could keep asking, but my answers would remain the same. Tucker was an evil person. He didn’t deserve to be acknowledged as anyone that I knew. He’d put our family through hell, and none of us wanted to have that part of our past brought up.
“Are you mad at me for askin’?”
I ran my hand through her blonde hair. “Of course not. I just don’t want your dad gettin’ his feelin’s hurt over somethin’ so silly. I think you need to find him and give him a hug.”
She ran off before replying and I felt like everything was going to be okay.
The kids had all come outside, including Colt and Van. They were paying close attention to the little bundle of fur that Ty had gotten for them.
Van had the pup in her arms and was cuddling with it, while Colt stood there with his arms folded across his chest. I walked over to him and looked over at the puppy. “Is this okay with you? I know it’s really soon.”
Van let down the puppy and the children crowded around it. It sucked up their attention, and I could tell they were instantly in love.
Colt motioned toward his kids, especially focusing on Noah. “If it puts a smile on their faces, I guess it’s a good idea. We still need to bury Sam, but maybe it won’t be so hard. Ever since Ty walked over with that puppy I haven’t seen a single tear. It’s a big change from how things started for us this mornin’.”
I wrapped my arm inside of my cousin’s. “Sam was a great dog, Colt. Ty wasn’t tryin’ to replace her. He just wanted to make the kids happy. He wanted to make you happy. You know how he is. He’s a sucker for being a hero.”
He patted my hand with his. “I know. He could have waited, but I get it. He’s a good uncle; a pain in the ass sometimes, but definitely a good man.”
“Thanks for sayin’ that.” Ty would appreciate Colt’s words, considering how much he looked up to his older cousin. Colt was always the better man when it came to measuring up. Everyone that knew him would agree.
I walked over to find Ty standing by himself. From the look on his face, I could tell that he wasn’t settled down. “Hey, babe. You alright?”
“My daughter asked you if I was her father. How the hell do you think I feel?”
“Jesus, don’t take it out on me. I talked to her. It’s fine now. I told her the woman didn’t know what she was talkin’ about. She thinks the lady got mixed up.” I wrapped my arms around my husband’s body. “Please calm down. It sucked that you had to go through that, but she doesn’t suspect nothin’, Ty. She was just a curious little girl who got confused. Bella knows you are her dad. You’d be a fool to not know that already.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’m freaking out over here. Thinking about losing her kills me. I was trying to do something nice for my nieces and nephews and I ended up getting my heart ripped out. It fucking sucked.”
“You’re worryin’ about nothin’.” He needed reassurance. More than anyone, I could understand his fears. Isabella was Ty’s weakness. The fear of losing her, in any way, made him shut down. I feared the day she became a teenager and started dating, because I knew it would break his heart when she fell in love with another man. I guess it was a father’s biggest fear, giving up that bond that he and his daughter shared.
“I hope you’re right. If the truth ever came out, it would kill me. We’ve worked so hard to bury that secret.”
Van caught us off guard. “What secret are you two burying?”
Ty looked over at our cousin and his closest confidant. “Tucker Chase.”
Van’s eyes lit up. “That’s a name I never wanted to hear again. Why would you bring that up? I never want to think about that son of a bitch again.”
I felt for Van, who had lost a baby because of my scum of an ex. “Van, it’s not what you think. Bella and Ty got the puppy from someone that knew me and Tucker. She asked her if she was mine and Tucker’s daughter in front of Ty. It just happened and we’re tryin’ to make sure Bella thinks the woman was mistaken. She can’t know Tucker ever existed.”
“Does she believe you?”
“I hope so. I mean, I am her mother, and I told her the woman was confused. I told her I never knew anyone by that name. I wish I never did.”
“Don’t say that. Izzy wouldn’t be here, and we’d never have this life or our twins. Everything happens for a reason.” I appreciated that he was trying to be positive.
“Ty’s right,” Van added. “We’ve all got so much to be happy about. It sucks that the woman mentioned him, but as long as Bella thinks nothing of it, everything will be fine. Come on, we’re here to spend time together. Let’s stop feeling so depressed and have some fun.”
“Van’s right. I’m freaking out over nothing. Iz has no reason to doubt who I am to her. I’ve been with her for as long as she can remember. She chose me to be her dad, right?”
“Right,” I agreed.
Ty finally smiled and we headed back to the front where everyone else congregated.
He walked over and hugged Bella and I watched her smiling at his affections. It was all I needed to put my mind at ease. My family was the most important thing to me, and I felt like I wanted to hunt down that woman and beat her senseless for upsetting Ty.
Chapter 11
Tyler
After the whole fiasco happened, I kept to myself for the rest of the afternoon, with the exception of helping Colt bury Sam. We waited until just before dinner and let the kids put in everything they’d made for her.
Noah was especially emotional, but he did his best to try to hide it from all of us. Even my in-laws and Colt’s mother came to support Noah and the rest of the heartbroken children.
The dog funeral was pretty cute. Each child put something in the hole and then we stood around. Noah stepped forward, with tears in his eyes. Christian walked up and clung to her brother’s side. He took a deep breath and sat a shoe box down on top of the body. “This is for you, girl.” He was crying harder. “I put your favorite ball inside and some of those army men you loved to chew on. Mom packed a sandwich bag full of your favorite treats and I wrote you a letter about all of our secret missions we had in the woods. Thanks for being my best friend for all these years. Nobody knows this, but I remember the first day I showed up here at the ranch. I was so scared that night and you never left my side. You’ve slept in bed with me every night since then.” My nephew took a second to calm down, but was unsuccessful. “I’m goin’ to miss you so much, girl. Have fun in Heaven. I’ll see you there one day.”
I looked over at Van, who was crying and holding Addy. Colt stood behind them with his head down. He’d grown up understanding that pets were just pets, but I think we all knew that Sam had been so much more to him than that.
I grabbed Miranda’s hand and watched my boys standing there with their sister.
For a few moments everyone was quiet.
“Alright, everyone go on inside. Uncle Ty and I will take care of the rest.”
As the crowd of family did as Colt requested, Noah stayed behind. “Dad, you mind if I stay and do it? I think Sam would want me to help.”
Cold motioned for Noah to use the bobcat. We both stood there and watched his strong son pushing the dirt with the big machine. Inside of the little box he was crying, saying goodbye the only way he knew how.
I patted Colt on the back. “You alright, cuz?”
“Yeah. Thanks for the puppy. After s
eein’ this, I think it was one of the best ideas you’ve ever had.”
“I don’t think Noah’s going to forget about Sam anytime soon. She was an awesome dog.”
“That she was.”
We helped Noah finish and returned the bobcat to the barn before we headed back inside.
Izzy was waiting for Noah to return. As soon as we walked in the door, she followed him upstairs to his room. Since there’d been no mention of what had taken place earlier, I felt that things were going to go on as if it never happened.
The house was full of voices, laughter and commotion. As big as it was, there was never enough room for the kids to run around and act crazy all at the same time.
Christian was tough, but the twins ganged up on her every chance they got. This visit was no exception.
I heard screaming right after we’d gotten up from dinner. My legs couldn’t get up the stairs fast enough. In the playroom, I found Jax and Jake standing over Addy and Christian. They’d pulled all of the heads off of their Barbie’s. Christian was hysterical, holding two parts up for me to see. “Look what they did? I hate them. I hate them so much!”
Van came running up and put her hand over her mouth. She looked at me and I started laughing. I didn’t mean it, but it was just too funny.
“Get your little butts out of this playroom right now!” She pointed toward the door and watched the twins run out.
I grabbed one of the Barbie’s and started putting the heads back on, one at a time. “Sorry girls.”
“They’re stupid! We’re not playing with them anymore.”
“Yeah, anymore,” Addy repeated her sister.
I looked up at my nieces and watched Van kneel down and start helping to fix the dolls. “They are stupid, but they’re your family. I know you don’t like them right now, but one day you’ll be friends. I promise.”
“Yeah, right. I don’t want to be friends with those stinky boys.” Christian scrunched up her face like the boys were repulsive.
Van started laughing. “You know, Mommy and Uncle Ty knew each other as kids. I used to think he was stinky too.”
Loving Her (Mitchell Family Series BK9) Page 6