by Mimi Milan
Rachel looked at Eddie, a feeling of uncertainty settling in the pit of her stomach. “Um, is that a good idea – splitting up? Maybe we could find something else to all do together.”
Mandy laughed. “For a minute there, I thought the two of you were together. Now I know better. Eddie’s fast and furious with his women. You seem too tame… like a stick in the mud.”
Eddie’s face darkened, but Rachel hardly noticed. The tinkling of Mandy’s laughter grated on her nerves. Five minutes alone in the parking lot and they would see who was stuck in some mud!
“Don’t worry your pretty little head,” Jimmy told her. “You three go on and show the kid a good time. I’ll find a way to entertain this little minx.”
The pretty blonde laughed and rewarded him with a wide grin. Then the two hightailed it towards the hotel’s restaurant.
“Country dinner for three?” Eddie asked, turning back to Rachel.
Rachel pushed aside her irritation only to have an old familiar feeling settle inside her. It was the same emotion she used to get when she and her brothers were younger. Growing up on the farm, there was never any extra money to do things like go out to eat or have a bunch of “extras” – video games or cell phones and such that seemed so readily available to children nowadays. In fact, there hadn’t even been a family computer. If the children needed to do an assignment, then they went down to the library and used the computer there. Even farming business was down old school, by the books. So when her parents did something like pick up a pizza or take them to a movie, it was something like a special treat. Looking down at Mikey, a little boy who didn’t seem to have much going for him, she had the intense desire to do something special for him.
She bent forward to address the boy. “Have you ever been on a horse?”
His eyes grew wide. He vigorously shook his head. Rachel looked up at Eddie and he winked at her. That was all the encouragement she needed.
“Well, how about we eat that pizza and then go for a little evening ride? What do you say?”
Mikey’s unexpected cheer brought both adults to laughter, the mirth lasting as they climbed into Rachel’s pickup and made their way back to the farm.
10
Eddie stretched his long frame. Yawning, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes to focus on the brilliant sun brimming over the horizon of green meadows cradled between the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and the Piedmont laying east. It was a peaceful moment and the only thing that made him happier was seeing Mikey run through the garden, his little fingers brushing over every flower he could find.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Rachel joined him on the front porch.
Eddie grumbled. “I still can’t believe you got me up that early.”
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to learn how to milk a cow.” She laughed and held out a cup of coffee. “Blonde and sweet, if I’m not mistaken.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about maybe giving up a little bit of the cream. Maybe go for something a tad darker and stronger. I’ll need it if I’m going to keep up with the likes of you.”
She raised a brow at his suggestion, and he suddenly realized that he had pretty much stated he was going to be sticking around. Was that possible, though? His life was out on the road. He waited for her to say something, but she remained silent, turning back to the rising sun as she quietly sipped her coffee.
Eddie cleared his throat. “By the way, thanks for letting us crash last night. I didn’t expect the little guy to get all tuckered out like that. I can’t remember the last time I was that tired. Can’t recall ever being that sore, either. Guess farmers really do ‘do it better.’”
She giggled. “Riding a horse isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies, huh?”
“You’re telling me,” Eddie said. “You did a great job with Mikey, though.”
“Well, I would hope so. I wouldn’t be much of a teacher if I couldn’t connect with children.”
“What?” Eddie was rocked with surprise. “You’re a teacher? I didn’t know that.”
“Yep. I work part-time as a preschool music teacher after the harvest every year. Gives me a chance to keep making music.” She sipped her coffee. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Mr. Rivera. I’m sure there’s still plenty I don’t know about you, too.”
“Fair enough,” Eddie agreed. “I’d like to change that, though. I want to get to know you better. Regardless of what Jimmy says, I think you would be fine on the road.”
She weighed his words carefully before turning back to the rising sun. She leaned on the porch rail. “This is my favorite part of the day. When I’ve caught up on most everything around here and can take a moment to just appreciate the view; remember all my blessings – family and friends who stick by me through thick and even thicker. Makes me question if I could ever leave it behind.”
Eddie couldn’t blame her attachment to home. It was the one thing he never had – the one thing he was continuously searching for. He understood the dedication to her family’s farm and the children she taught.
“So, are you saying you wouldn’t be interested in the kind of life I live?” He asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Part of me has always wanted to do just that – be a traveling musician. Part of me wonders if it’s just a passing whim – a desire to shake things up from the day-to-day routine I’m used to. I mean, even for the travel I’ve done overseas nothing beats my family, the horses… or this view.”
“I get what you’re saying. I’ve always wished I had something like this – a place to call home.” His admission was tinged with sadness even to his own ears. He cleared his throat. “My life is on the road, though. Music is what keeps me alive; pays the bills and all that.”
“And what about Mikey? If the test comes back positive today, are you going to take him on the road too?”
Eddie thought about the little boy. The way Mandy had so easily brushed him off – allowing him to go with people who were essentially strangers – had been so disturbing. For that fact alone he almost wished he really was the child’s father. Plus there was the fact that Mikey was just one cool little dude to begin with. The boy was eager to please and easy to appease. When they couldn’t find any pizza with anchovies, he happily settled for Eddie’s preference – Hawaiian pizza. When Rachel had told him he couldn’t ride Star – a large black stallion with a single white marking in the middle of his forehead – because the horse was too big for him, Mikey didn’t hesitate to climb up on the pony she offered him instead.
There wasn’t much Eddie could remember about Melanie or the one night they had shared together, but one thing was for certain… she had done a dang good job raising the boy. He couldn’t imagine shirking off his responsibilities if Mikey turned out to be his. Not to be raised by the likes of Mandy leastways! Certainly not to repeat Eddie’s childhood, bouncing around from one foster home to another, either.
Eddie nodded resolutely. “If Mikey is mine, then I’m going to do what any responsible father would do. I’m going to care for him.”
“With all the drugs and alcohol and everything else readily available to musicians?” Rachel pressed him. “Isn’t that what you first told me was a singer’s life when I expressed my interest in music?”
“And aren’t you the one who told me it would be whatever life you wanted it to be?”
Smiling, Rachel took a step closer towards him. Her eyes glistened with admiration. “Spoken like a true father.”
Eddie returned her smile, cocking his head to one side. “Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves with wishful thinking. I’m not too sure how I would handle no hope after false hope. It’s probably better to wait until after the paternity test before lighting the cigars.”
“Speaking of tests… Have you spoken with his aunt yet?”
“Mandy? Nah. I sent a text to Jimmy. Looks like they’re still holed up at the hotel.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “I’ll neve
r understand how that happened. Jimmy isn’t exactly the kind of guy I would consider for a rendezvous.”
Eddie laughed.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“The fact that you used the word ‘rendezvous’ says it all.”
“Oh, yeah? And what might that be?”
“That you’re not exactly the kind of woman that gets picked up at the bar.”
“Really?” Her tone relayed her annoyance. She balanced the mug of coffee in one hand, quickly placing the other on her hip. “I’ll have you know the only reason I’ve never been picked up in a bar is because the sort of man I would be interested in wouldn’t be found dead in a place like that.”
“Oh, so what you’re saying is there’s a certain type of guy you would entertain for an evening? I wonder if he would have been the tall, dark and handsome type… maybe like some dashing musician you might know?” He winked at her and she giggled.
“Now you’re really fishing.”
“Am I?” He stepped closer to her and stared down into her surprised face, trailing the back of one finger down her cheek. “And if I wanted to go fishing for a kiss right now?”
Rachel pressed her lips together, desperately fighting back a snort. It escaped anyway, producing a loud laugh. “I’m sorry. That line—”
Eddie laughed, too. “Yeah, not one of my best. Still…” He grew serious again, his voice soft and low. “The sentiment was real.”
He leaned in and she met him halfway, her hand dropping from her hip to wrap around him. He dropped his arm as well, reaching around to lightly stroke her back as their lips met. She was just as soft as the first time they kissed.
They pulled away and he asked, “Better?”
A mischievous look filled her eyes. “Than going fishing for a kiss?”
He pulled back and she laughed.
“You’re not going to let me live that down. Are you?”
“Not today,” she said.
“I should’ve known you were going to be trouble,” he said and lightly tugged on a copper lock.
“What else would you expect from a deaf redhead who wanted to work on a military bomb disposal unit?”
“You worked on a bomb disposal unit?” He asked, surprised. “Is that how you lost your hearing?”
She shook her head. “No. I never made it that far. Shoo, I barely made it past basic training.” A dry laugh escaped. “I had been in Afghanistan for only a few weeks when I got a bacterial infection. At first, I didn’t think of it when I got sick – figured I’d shake it off so everyone else in my unit didn’t think I couldn’t cut it. Next thing I knew, I couldn’t hear everything as clearly as I used to. That’s when I was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder, and they sent me home.”
Eddie stared at her, awestruck. “That’s amazing – especially considering how you can still sing. How do you do it?”
She shrugged, slightly embarrassed by his praise. “I did a lot of muscle memory exercises, but really, it just came down to practice. That’s all it takes to get good at anything – practice and patience.”
Eddie nodded, thoughtful. “Think that’s all I would need to be a good father?”
“After what I saw yesterday? I think you’re well on your way.”
A trace of doubt filled Eddie. He took a sip of his cooled coffee and then reminded her, “Depending on the paternity test, of course.”
“Right,” she agreed. “So, let’s go take it.”
11
“Still no answer?”
Eddie shook his head, his attention focused on Mikey. The little boy scooted up and down the clinic’s waiting area, making revving noises as he wheeled a small car along the floor. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little concerned right now. It’s not like Jimmy to ignore my texts – and certainly not my phone calls. I can’t imagine what kind of problem he’s run into, though.”
Rachel snorted and lowered her voice in an attempt to shield Mikey from any negative conversation. “I can imagine plenty with the likes of Mandy by his side. She attached herself like a leech.”
Eddie frowned and lowered his voice. “Yeah, that’s another thing that concerns me just a little. What kind of person lets a child go off like that? She didn’t even ask to exchange contact information. Grant it she’s with Jimmy and he could easily get a hold of me, but still.” He rubbed his eyes. “Why am I starting to get a bad feeling about all of this?”
Rachel laid a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”
“You’re right. I’m probably worrying for nothing. I guess it just comes with the territory.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “You never know who you can really trust in this business. There’s more backstabbers and climbers than you’d imagine.”
“Oh, no. I’m sure I could imagine. You’d be surprised how much competition there is in the farming business.”
He turned in his chair with a look of shock. “Really? Competition in farming?”
“Of course,” she said. “There’s only so many customers to go around. That’s why you do whatever you can to meet their needs. Sometimes that means slashing prices at the Farmer’s Market, or shipping produce to another state to avoid as much profit loss and waste as possible.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t sound so dicey. It just seems like good business.”
“Well, it is until someone starts a rumor one Saturday morning that your apples aren’t really organic and are just as loaded in pesticides as everyone else’s, so the shopper would do just as well to save a few cents and buy a different product instead.”
“What? Are you serious? That really happened?”
“Yep. The year my mother refused to sell out to the Thompsons. Andy Senior tried hard to make my mama’s life as difficult as he could. I guess when he realized her couldn’t marry into the land, all he had left was the attempt to ruin our business. You know, I’ve even heard stories of crops being poisoned – completely destroyed in the middle of the night.”
Eddie shook his head. “What’s wrong with people like that? I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’d love to continue climbing the ladder and turn out some number one hit that has fans crooning across the country. I’m not going to undercut anyone in order to do it, though. There’s plenty of pie to go around for everyone. Kind of like the business decisions you’ve been making – cutting prices, shipping out… stuff like that.”
She was about to agree when the receptionist called Eddie’s name. He scooped up Mikey. “Come on, slugger.”
A warm feeling spread through Rachel. He seemed to already be falling into the role of a doting dad. Hopefully things would work out for both him and the boy.
“I apologize for the wait,” the receptionist said. She stared at Eddie for a minute. Then her mouth dropped open. “Oh, my gosh. I know you! I saw you on my thread this morning. I was scrolling through my phone when a video popped up. You’re that singer. What’s your name?” She looked down at the forms he had filled out. “That’s right! Eddie Rivera.”
The way she stared up at Eddie – all gaga with her eyes looking about ready to pop out of her head – made Rachel almost want to spit. Sure, Eddie was something of a heartthrob, but did every woman he meet always oogle him? First it was Mandy (until she latched onto Jimmy). Now it was this bubbly brunette who looked like she’d need a mop for the drool that was sure to ensue any moment.
While Rachel was fighting hard to beat back the green-eyed monster of jealousy, Eddie took it all in stride.
“Yes, that’s me.” He modestly answered. He shifted Mikey higher up onto his hip and slung his free arm around Rachel, comfortably resting it on her shoulder. “We’re here for the paternity testing.”
“Oh, right!” The receptionist glanced down at the form once more before looking up to Rachel. “Aren’t you the lucky one, snagging a guy like that?”
Rachel quickly attempted to correct the girl. “Oh, no. It’s not like that. I’m—�
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“Claro que no,” Eddie interrupted. He gave her a light squeeze. “We both know the lucky one here is me. Things have certainly been interesting since I’ve met you.”
He gave Rachel a wink that caused her stomach fluttered. Was he just paying her lip service since they were in front of an adoring fan… or did he really mean what he said? Regardless, the receptionist squealed.
“Oh, how romantic! I hope I meet someone who feels that way about me.” She bounced up and down and then, as if suddenly remembering the fact that she was supposed to be a professional, quickly grew serious. “Anyway. If you’ll just hand me two forms of identification, then I’ll get your paperwork processed.”
“Two forms of ID?” Eddie asked.
“Yes, sir. We need one with a photo and another to show residence.”
“Uh, okay. And if I don’t have that?”
“Well…” The girl bit her lip and suspiciously looked around. She leaned towards them and whispered, “I think it would be fine with just your driver’s license. I mean, you’re practically a celebrity. It’s not like we wouldn’t be able to find you if we really needed to.”
“Right,” Eddie agreed and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a leather wallet and flipped it open. “So, here’s my driver’s license.”
“Great!” The receptionist beamed and turned to Rachel. “I’ll need both your identification and your son’s, too.”
“No, no, no. I think there’s been some mix-up. I’m not the mom.”
“You’re not the mother?” the receptionist repeated.
“No,” Rachel insisted. “I’m just here for support.”
“Why? Is that a problem?” Eddie asked.
“Yeah…” The girl hesitated. “See, we need proof that someone here is the parent to begin with. At the very least, we need a legal guardian. Otherwise, we don’t even have permission to do the testing. Whoever has custody of the boy has to request the test.”
Eddie and Rachel looked at one another, surprise registering on their faces. Eddie let out a slow sigh.