“Yes.”
So much for putting herself in Shane’s vicinity. Big mistake. She couldn’t flee fast enough. “If you’ll excuse me, I told Benjie he could open his presents.”
Shane didn’t let her go two feet before falling into step beside her. “I’ll round up the kids.”
“You’ve done so much already.”
“I like your family, especially Benjie.” His voice lowered and turned a shade huskier. “I like you, too. You can’t say you haven’t noticed.”
Good grief! Had anyone heard him? She swore silently when she caught Liberty’s eagle eye zeroing in on them. All hope they’d escaped notice was dashed when Liberty winked, pointed at Shane behind the shield of her hand and mouthed, “I approve.”
If her sister knew the truth, that Shane was actually Benjie’s uncle, would she still be supportive of the match? Liberty had been denied knowing her real father until she was twenty-four years old. Cassidy was doing much the same thing to her own son.
She doubted Liberty would be supportive or understanding. Especially since Cassidy had lied to everyone except their mother, telling them Benjie’s father wanted nothing to do with his son.
In fact, should the truth ever come out, it could tear the Becketts further apart, undoing all the progress they’d made these past six months.
Her decision had seemed so simple at the time. Not endangering Hoyt’s upcoming marriage by dropping a bombshell at the last minute. Avoiding being a home wrecker for the second time. Sparing herself the same heartache her mother had endured should Benjie one day choose to leave Reckless and live with his father.
Except everything hung by a flimsy thread that was threatening to snap any second.
“Benjie,” Cassidy called, then said to Shane, “I’ve got to go.”
To her consternation, he followed her to the back porch where the presents lay stacked in the middle of a picnic table. Benjie was already there with his buddies, each of them pushing and shoving for a closer glimpse of his birthday booty. The girls practiced considerably more decorum.
“You sit here, young man,” she instructed, giving his shoulder a light nudge.
He obliged, but not before grabbing a present. No sooner was he seated than he attacked the wrapping paper. Ryder was there with the camcorder, filming every minute of her son’s greedy antics. The rest of the family gathered around, watching over the heads of the children, each of whom wanted the guest of honor to open their present first.
“Wait,” Cassidy admonished. “Read the card first.” Did her son not have any manners?
Benjie stopped long enough to discover this gift was from Tatum’s children.
“What do you say?”
“Thank you.” Benjie barely got the words out before resuming his assault on the wrapping paper. “Yes!” His eyes lit up. “A remote control car.” His second thank-you was considerably more sincere.
It continued like that for several more gifts. Then Benjie grabbed a gunny sack, the contents weighing it down.
“There’s no card,” he lamented after looking the sack over, his features forming a puzzled frown. “Is this a present?”
“Sorry,” Shane apologized. “I’m not much for gift wrapping.”
Benjie laughed and untied the sack, then peered inside, his mouth falling open. “It’s a baseball bat! And a glove.” He gazed at Shane with a mixture of astonishment and pure joy. “Thanks, Mister Shane.”
“There’s a ball in there, too. It probably fell to the bottom.”
Benjie discarded the sack in favor of balancing this newest treasure on his lap. “Look, Mom.” His buddies crowded around him, admiring the gift and expressing their envy.
“I see,” Cassidy said, a lump in the back of her throat taking her by surprise.
“Just what I wanted.”
Did he? She supposed he’d asked for sports equipment before, but she couldn’t remember. Or was it that she didn’t put much importance on non-horse sports? The kind of sports a father and son might share.
Until six months ago, when Cassidy’s father returned to Reckless, her son had had no male figures in his life other than the wranglers at the ranch. Now, besides his grandfather, he had Cassidy’s brother, Ryder and, she swallowed in an attempt to dislodge the lump, Shane. His other uncle.
Shane hadn’t been here two weeks, and he’d already figured out what her son wanted most. What he needed. Baseball equipment.
“Will you play with me later?” Benjie asked Shane, his features alight with hope.
“You bet.”
The rest of the present unwrapping was a blur for Cassidy. She busied herself organizing the cards so Benjie could write thank-you notes. Shane hadn’t included a card. Something told her she wouldn’t need it to prod her memory.
He stood in front of her as if she’d conjured him with her thoughts. “Let me.” Without waiting for an answer, he relieved her of the packages she’d gathered to carry into the house.
She sighed, too physically, emotionally and mentally tired from the long afternoon to object. She’d barely organized a second load when he returned.
“I put the presents in the living room. On the couch.”
“Great.”
This time when he carried the presents into the house, she accompanied him, bringing a large plastic bag filled with trash. As they entered the kitchen, Benjie and Bria passed them, tripping over their feet in their haste.
“Slow down,” Cassidy cautioned.
“Where are you two heading?” Shane asked.
Benjie stopped long enough to wave a package of batteries. “Grandma gave these to me for my remote control car. I’m gonna show Bria how it works.”
His cousin, Cassidy just then realized. And they got along as if they’d grown up together.
The door hadn’t quite shut when she heard Benjie say to Bria, “You’re lucky. I wish I had a dad like yours.”
Earlier, when Shane commented on Benjie’s father not being at the party, Cassidy had frozen in place. This time, she turned hot all over, as if she was standing in front of a roaring bonfire. Worse, when she dared glance up, she found Shane observing her with unwavering concentration. Awareness flickered in his eyes.
He knows.
She dismissed the notion. He didn’t know. He couldn’t. She’d been too careful all these years. It had to be something else.
“I suppose we should get back to the party.”
Shane didn’t move. “Wait, Cassidy. There’s something I need to ask you.”
“Now?” She steadied herself. “I’m kind of busy.”
“This can’t wait.”
“It’ll have to,” she said walked away.
His next words stopped her short of the door and nearly knocked her to her knees.
“Is Hoyt Benjie’s father?”
* * *
SHANE HAD TO give Cassidy credit. Once the initial shock wore off, she pulled herself together and acted as though he’d asked about her dinner plans and not if Hoyt was her son’s father.
Was he wrong about his suspicions, or was she well practiced in the art of deception? He intended to find out. Leading her outside, he took her to a far corner of the yard.
“Daddy, where you going?” Bria chased after them, her sweater buttoned crookedly and her purple barrettes coming loose from her hair.
“We’ll be right back, honey.”
“But DeAnna’s mom is coming. You said you’d talk to her.”
He hesitated. He had promised to speak to DeAnna’s mother about the possible sleepover next weekend.
“I won’t be long.”
“Can I come with you?”
“We can do this later,” Cassidy said, offering a weak smile.
Shane wasn’t going to let he
r get off easily. Their conversation was too important. All of their futures depended on it.
“Wait here, Bria,” he told his daughter. “Watch for DeAnna’s mother and come get me when she arrives, okay?”
Bria pouted. The next instant, she brightened when her new friend insisted she join in a game of tag.
“You’re wasting your time,” Cassidy said. “Hoyt’s not Benjie’s father.”
She didn’t take her eyes off the group of kids, one of whom was Benjie. He stood out from the rest, because of his height and exuberant nature.
Hoyt was like that. Taller than average and with a gregarious personality.
“Humor me.” Shane chose a spot behind the modular play set. Earlier, it had served as an imaginary fort for a trio of boys.
Cassidy faced him calmly, her sole sign of any turmoil a thin layer of perspiration dotting her brow.
“Please don’t be angry,” he said. “But I need you to be honest with me. Are you sure Hoyt isn’t Benjie’s father?”
“You need me?”
“For Hoyt’s sake.”
“Besides the fact it’s none of your business, why would you even think that?” She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets.
“He’s turning six. I can count. At least up to eight.”
Cassidy glared at him. Clearly, his joke about how long a competitor needed to remain on a bull in order to qualify didn’t strike her as funny.
“You have to admit, the timing is right.”
“Don’t you think if he was Hoyt’s son, I’d have told him?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure.”
“What reason would I have to lie?”
Another non-answer. She was good at giving them.
“Are you willing to let Benjie take a DNA test?”
The color drained from her face. “I’m not subjecting him to any test.”
“Because you’re afraid of the results?”
“We’re done talking about this.” She spoke through gritted teeth. “Don’t ever bring it up again.”
“How about I bring it up with Hoyt?” He reached for his cell phone in the front pocket of his vest. “Right now.”
She gasped. “You wouldn’t.”
Shane hated being so hard on her, but he’d gone four years having no idea he was a father. He couldn’t stand idly by and let the same thing happen to his brother. Especially when Hoyt wanted children and would be a good father. Cassidy had no right to deny him. And putting off questioning her would give her time to throw up more barriers. Possibly leave town with Benjie.
“I’m sorry, Cassidy. But unless you give me the name of Benjie’s father, I refuse to drop this.”
“I repeat, this is none of your business.”
“It’s very much my business if Benjie is my nephew.”
“I’m not giving you the name of his father. So you can do what? Call and confront him?”
“You said he knows about Benjie and doesn’t want any part of him.”
“If you don’t quit badgering me this instant, I’m going to talk to my parents.”
Nothing she said or did would change Shane’s mind. This was a mother fiercely protecting her child from what she perceived as a threat. If Hoyt weren’t Benjie’s father, she’d have no reason to react so defensively.
“And tell them what?” He met her angry glare head-on, not the least bit intimidated. “You’re upset because I’m asking a reasonable question? Your father didn’t know about Liberty until six months ago. Do you seriously think he’ll support you hiding Benjie from my brother?”
“Stop staying that!” Her glance darted wildly about. “Someone might hear you.”
“No one can hear.” Indeed, the party had thinned considerably. Most of the children were gone and, with the exception of Sunny and Mercer, all of the adult family members, too. Luckily for Shane, DeAnna’s mother was late. He still had time to call Cassidy’s bluff and dialed Hoyt’s number.
“Please.” She closed her eyes. “Don’t do this.”
Shane thought of demanding the name of Benjie’s father again. Her fragile state stopped him. Instead, he softened his voice and attempted to explain.
“Five years ago, I was a different person. Unsettled. A bit crazy. Okay, a lot crazy,” he amended when she sent him a look. “Some folks said I was hell-bent on killing myself, and, well, I almost did. I can understand why Judy assumed I wouldn’t make a good father. That didn’t, however, justify her hiding her pregnancy. I had a right to be part of Bria’s life. To help raise her if I wanted. Who’s to say how I would have reacted if I’d known? I might have quit rodeoing then and there.”
“Do you truly believe that? You wouldn’t have won your last world championship title.”
“The thing is, we’ll never know for sure.”
Tears welled in Cassidy’s eyes. “It’s different for you. Judy and Bria live in Mesa. Not far from Reckless.”
“Because I moved here. When I retired from the circuit, I searched for a job that would put me close to them. It was my good fortune your father happened to be looking for a bull manager.”
“Benjie’s father lives in another state.”
Right. What had she told him? Ohio? “That’s still no reason. He could relocate.” Would Hoyt move? He and his wife had just bought a new house. “Or visit. And Benjie could visit him.”
Her angry reaction took him aback. “Not happening,” she bit out. “Not ever.”
“Cassidy. There’s more than you to consider here. There’s the father and Benjie.”
She shook her head. “My brother left when he was fourteen to live with our father. We hardly saw him after that. Broke my mother’s heart and mine.”
“The reasons were different. Ryder and your mother were at odds.”
“You don’t know about my family.”
“I know a little. Ryder told me the circumstances. How you and he also fought about your father.”
She stiffened.
“He also told me he regrets not spending more time with you and Liberty. Is that what you want for Benjie? To miss out on having a father in his life?”
“It didn’t hurt me any.”
Shane laid a hand on Cassidy’s shoulder. “I disagree. You’re hurting right now.”
The slight tremors he felt beneath his hand confirmed it. As did the shaky breath she drew.
“I won’t lose Benjie. He’s all I have.”
“Who’s to say you will lose him?”
“What if he tries to take him away?”
He. For the first time, she hadn’t used the ambiguous term Benjie’s father. Not exactly an admission, but close.
“He won’t. You’re a good mother, Cassidy. A great mother. The most he’ll get is visitation.”
“I could lose Benjie all summer.”
“Think of what he gets in return. A father who can contribute financially. Improve the quality of his life.”
She bristled. “I support my son just fine.”
“No one’s saying you don’t. But think of how much more he can have with Hoyt contributing.” Shane continued to press. “My brother’s not a bad guy. He’ll be good to Benjie. Spend time with him. Teach him. Introduce him to our family. Our parents.”
Several seconds passed without Cassidy saying a word. Shane was mentally patting himself on the back for getting through to her when she turned the tables on him.
“I’m asking you to respect my wishes and not say anything to Hoyt.”
“What if I don’t?”
“It’s not your place.” She enunciated each word.
“I can help you tell him, if you want.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Make me understand.”
“You’re thinking only of Hoyt. What about Benjie? His entire life could be changed. Disrupted. He may not be ready.”
Shane shook his head. “You’re making excuses. He wants a father. You heard him.”
“How dare you spring this on me? At my son’s birthday party of all places. You threaten me and expect me to go along simply because you happen to think you’re right based solely on your own experience.”
Had he threatened her? He could see how she might feel that way. He had come on strong.
Against his better judgment, he relented. “Okay.”
She stared at him with tear-filled eyes. “Okay what?”
“I won’t tell Hoyt.”
“Thank you.” Her breath left her body in a rush.
“Don’t thank me yet. I won’t tell Hoyt because you’re the one who will.”
“I just said I won’t.”
“I’m going to convince you otherwise, Cassidy. And to warn you, I’ll be relentless.”
Bria came running, shouting that DeAnna’s mother had arrived, which spared Cassidy from having to respond.
Shane was too smart to think she didn’t have more to say on the subject. Once she recovered from the shock, he was no doubt in for an earful. From what he knew about Ms. Beckett, she could be every bit as relentless as he was. Possibly more.
Chapter Six
Cassidy slipped into the tack room on the pretense of fetching a replacement brow band for one of the barrel racer’s bridles. The truth was, she desperately needed a few minutes alone to get herself under control. This past week, she’d staved off the beginnings of a panic attack at least a dozen times. Three times just today, including now. Rather than risk someone noticing her usual behavior and asking questions, she’d ducked into the tack room.
The one problem was her odd behavior had been noticed. Especially by Shane, who, not an hour ago, inquired if she was all right.
Slumping against the wall, she inhaled slowly and deeply, the familiar scent of leather and oil filling her nostrils and easing her tension. Marginally. Every moment she didn’t completely immerse herself in a task, she was recalling her conversation with Shane. He’d promised not to tell Hoyt about Benjie and, so far, he’d kept his promise.
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