The Cowboy Meets His Match (Fatherhood) Read online

  “Mr. Butterfield, I called—” He glanced at Erin. “Erin Walker is listening on another phone. We wanted to let you know that she’s Jonah’s—”

  “Birth mother,” Mrs. Butterfield said.

  It was Erin’s turn to gasp. She pushed the button to end the mute feature. “You knew?”

  “I—I had a feeling,” Jonah’s mother said. “I don’t know why, except that he was so angry with us and...well, I wondered if he hadn’t found some information. Somehow.”

  Erin heard the sound of a disgusted sigh and guessed each of them were on phones, as she and Jake were. “He’s a smart young man,” she told them. “And maybe someday soon he’ll explain to both of you how he found us.”

  “It doesn’t matter how he found you,” Mr. Butterfield said. “Put him on a bus and send him home. Today.”

  “Scott, please,” his wife said. “Look how ingenious he was to do this. It isn’t easy. He could have waited until he turned eighteen and requested his original birth certificate. That’s how it’s set up here in Kansas. But he didn’t. And I don’t blame him. I’ve been worried, yes, but he is a smart young man.”

  “He’s a kid.”

  Jake made a face. “He’s doing a fine job here, Mr. Butterfield,” Jake said. “Can I call you Scott?”

  Again, Erin heard muffled words, and then Scott Butterfield answered. “Yes, I guess you should. But who are you? If that woman is Jonah’s...”

  “Birth mother,” his wife said. “That seems to be the proper term.”

  Jake cleared his throat. “Which makes me Jonah’s birth father.”

  “A rancher.”

  “Yes, Scott, a rancher,” Jake said. “Something I always wanted but was kept from it because my father was just like—”

  “Jake, let me handle this,” Erin interrupted. “Please?” She watched the battle he fought with himself, and then he nodded.

  Before she could say anything to Jonah’s parents, she heard his mother say, “Go on to work, Scott, or you’ll be late. You have that meeting you can’t miss this morning. We mothers will handle this. You’re too emotional and upset, and you need some time to think.”

  Erin could have hugged her. She heard him say something, but couldn’t make out what it was, and then she waited.

  “Erin?” Jonah’s mother said. “That’s right, isn’t it?” When Erin said it was, she continued. “I’m Christine, but call me Chris. I have a feeling we’re going to become good friends.”

  “I hope so,” Erin replied. “I hope we all will. But I want you to know that Jake and I didn’t learn who Jonah was until two days ago. Believe me, it was a shock for both of us, so I can imagine how you must feel.” She looked at Jake. “And Jake didn’t know about Jonah at all until then, so—”

  “Oh, my! That has to be—”

  “Something to get used to,” Jake said, then hung up the phone. “Erin, at least see if they’ll let him stay a few more weeks. I’d like to spend some time with him, now that—”

  “Tell Jake that I’ll make sure his father doesn’t insist he come home right now,” Chris said.

  So Jake would know it would be all right, Erin nodded. “Thank you, Chris. We all have a lot to learn.”

  “We sure do,” Chris said, laughing. “Now tell me how you learned he’s yours, too.”

  Chapter Eight

  After checking on his men, who were arriving, and making sure Jonah kept busy, Jake returned to his office to find Erin still on the phone. She glanced at him with a smile, told Jonah’s mother goodbye and turned to him.

  “I think it’s going to be all right,” she said. “I hope I’ll get to meet her someday.”

  Listening to her talk to Jonah and his mother, he’d begun to understand how she must have felt when she discovered she was pregnant. He could only imagine. He wasn’t as angry now as he had been and admitted to himself that he had to accept some of the blame, too. It took two to make a baby. And she’d bore the brunt of it.

  “She seemed nice,” he answered, still reeling from everything that had happened. “But Scott is another matter.”

  She shook her head. “He’s been worried. Apparently Jonah called them a few days after he arrived here, told them he had a job on a ranch in Oklahoma, but nothing more. He called two more times to let them know he was okay, but Chris said his tone had been belligerent. His dad isn’t crazy about Jonah’s ‘preoccupation,’ as he called it, with ranching. I explained it was natural.”

  That same strange feeling came over him again, the same one he’d felt when talking to Jonah’s dad. Scott Butterfield reminded him of— “My dad was the same,” he admitted.

  “But he sent you here every summer.”

  He nodded, thinking of the years he’d had to beg his mother to help him convince his dad to let him go. “Thanks to my mother. Uncle Carl was her brother, but even so, my dad had a poor view of the country life.”

  “I remember you mentioning that he wasn’t crazy about you being there, but I didn’t realize... But it doesn’t matter now, does it?”

  He wondered if it did, but decided to leave all that behind. It wouldn’t change anything. “No,” he said, “it doesn’t.”

  “You get along well with him now?” she asked.

  He sat on the edge of the desk. “We get along okay, but I think he’s a little disappointed that I didn’t follow in his footsteps.”

  “Then I guess you can relate to how Jonah is feeling, at least in that respect. As for the other...”

  She dipped her head, obviously to avoid looking at him. “I can’t change anything, Jake. What’s done is done.”

  He wanted to say what was in his heart, but he couldn’t. His feelings were at war with each other, while she seemed calmer after talking to Jonah’s mother.

  “I shouldn’t have been so hard on you,” he said, “but I’ve never been kicked in the head before. I think I have a clue what it must feel like.” It was the closest he could get to an apology.

  “I understand that,” she said. “I hope you can find a way to forgive me someday.”

  “I’m trying, Erin. Maybe with a little more time...” Maybe everything would somehow work out for them. They’d weathered the storm. But where did they go from here?

  At the sound of a throat clearing, she jumped back and he saw Jonah standing in the doorway. “Am I interrupting?” Jonah asked.

  Jake glanced at Erin before answering. “Come on in, Jonah.”

  Jonah looked from one to the other. “I hope it’s getting better. You know, between you.” He seemed wary, obviously knowing he’d caused more trouble than he’d expected.

  Jake looked at Erin again. “We’re working on it. But we want to tell you something.”

  A glint of hope flashed in his eyes. “Good news, I hope.”

  “We think so.” At least he did, and he thought Erin did, too. “But I’ll let Erin tell you.”

  “We’ve spoken to your parents, Jonah,” she began, “And—

  “You what?” Jonah said, his voice louder than normal and his eyes wide. “How could you do that?”

  “Because they needed to know exactly who you’re with,” she explained. “It’s only fair.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Fair to who? They weren’t fair to me when they didn’t tell me I didn’t belong to them.”

  Erin reached out to him, but he took a step back, and her hand fell to her side. “You do belong to them, Jonah. I gave you to them.”

  “They should have told me.”

  “Perhaps, but they had their reasons, whether you or I agree with them or not.”

  Jake listened and watched in awe of the way Erin handled it. He couldn’t have done it so well. Her sass had been replaced with calm, something he didn’t yet feel.

  “How’d you find their phon
e number?” Jonah asked, angry red spots on his cheeks.

  “I checked your cell phone,” Jake admitted.

  “That’s my private property!”

  Jake saw himself in his son. The anger, the feeling of betrayal. He’d known it, too, at the same age. “You’re a minor,” he reminded Jonah. “And you lied about your age, then admitted that you’d pretty much run away. I had no choice but to let your parents know you’re here, doing well, and exactly who Erin and I are.”

  “But you didn’t have the right—”

  “You’re living here under my care, Jonah,” Jake said, taking a cue from Erin. He’d never forgive himself if he didn’t handle this the right way. And he suddenly saw himself as his father. If they’d been able to talk, maybe things would have been different. But somewhere along the line, they’d quit talking.

  Jonah’s chin jutted out when he spoke. “And I suppose you’re sending me back.”

  Erin answered, her voice soft and gentle. “No, you’re staying here, as you planned, then returning before school starts.”

  Shaking his head, Jonah looked away. “I don’t believe it. He’d never let me—”

  “It’s being taken care of,” she told him.

  Slowly, he turned his head to look at her. “Don’t be too sure. My dad will come down here and get me. But I won’t go back—”

  “They may come for a visit in a few weeks,” Erin said. “We haven’t worked that out yet. But your mom assured me that they wouldn’t make you come home.” She smiled at him. “Trust me, Jonah, moms know how to make things happen.” When he seemed to calm down, she continued. “You don’t have any idea how worried they’ve been. If it had been me, I’d be half out of my mind.”

  Jonah stared at the floor. “I was mad,” he mumbled, “and hurt.”

  She moved to him and put her arm around his shoulder. “We all have a bit of revenge in us. We’re human. But trust me when I say that we—all of us—care about you and want you to be happy.”

  He raised his head to look at her. “And I can stay? You’re sure?”

  “Until the end of summer,” she said, nodding.

  Jake pushed to his feet. “But only if you get back to work. No goofing off. You don’t get special treatment here.”

  “Right,” Jonah answered. And then he seemed to relax. “You’re right. I’d better go help Bobby Ray, and you two can get back to working it out.”

  Jake moved from the desk and gave him a fatherly pat on the back. “We all have jobs to do.”

  When Jonah had gone, he turned to Erin. “I just realized—you’re a great mom, Erin,” he whispered. “I wish—”

  She sighed. “Savor the moment because it won’t always be this easy.”

  “Easy?” He shook his head. “You mean it gets worse?”

  “Much worse, believe me.”

  He didn’t know how much worse he could take. The past few days had been a nightmare, and he didn’t want to repeat it. He walked closer to her but didn’t look at her. Stopping at his desk, he glanced down. On it, he saw the invitation that had arrived in the mail a few days earlier. He’d intended to ask Erin—

  Dammit, he loved her. Even though he’d been blindsided when he’d learned Jonah was his son and furious at her for not telling him, he knew in his heart that he shared the blame. She’d kept something from him—something he might never have known if he hadn’t come back—but he hadn’t been honest with her, either. He wanted to make things right between them.

  “Erin,” he said, turning around to find her watching him, “would you go to the dance with me next week? Even your brothers said they’d get all gussied up for it.”

  Was it hope he saw in her eyes? He couldn’t be sure, so he waited.

  “The formal dance?” she asked. When he nodded, she hesitated. “I thought you’d never— Yes. I will.”

  * * *

  ERIN STARED AT her reflection in the antique cheval mirror. The dress Glory had insisted she buy had Erin wondering if she’d lost her mind. She’d never worn anything like it.

  Standing behind her, Glory smiled. “It’s beautiful, Erin. I knew that dress would be perfect.”

  Pressing her lips together, Erin’s gaze met Glory’s in the mirror. “You’re sure it’s not too much?” She smoothed her hands down the black fabric that fit like a second skin. “I mean—”

  “It’s perfect.” Glory turned her head and looked over her shoulder. “Don’t you think so, Hayley?”

  “I couldn’t have said it better.” She walked across the room to stand next to Glory, catching Erin’s eye in the mirror. “Absolutely perfect.”

  Glory and Hayley had insisted that they all get ready together for the formal dance at Hayley’s apartment at the Commune, but they’d been given a special room for the occasion.

  The dance was being held to celebrate the renovation of the Big Barn. It stood near the ancestral family mansion of Hettie Racine Lambert, town matriarch and great-great-granddaughter of Colonel George Racine, who had founded the town of Desperation in the late 1800s. Hettie had originally donated the home to use as the Shadydrive Retirement Home, where they were getting dressed, but everyone called it the Commune, and it now included apartments for anyone. Glory had been hired to do the renovations of the interior of the old, stone barn, so the night would be even more special for her, and Erin couldn’t have been prouder to soon have her—and Hayley—as sisters-in-law.

  Not only had Erin been invited to share in the fun of getting ready for the dance, but Glory had helped pick out her dress, and then done magic on her hair and makeup. She barely recognized herself.

  “Aren’t we gorgeous?” Hayley, decked out in a green chiffon dress, asked.

  “Dare I say it?” Glory replied, dressed in deep pink. “We look fabulous. That color is perfect on you, Hayley. It brings out the gold flecks in your eyes.”

  “Erin picked it out.”

  “You did?” Glory asked. When Erin nodded, Glory said, “See? You have great taste and a good eye for color.”

  A knock on the door prompted them all to turn around.

  “Girls, there are three dashing men downstairs,” Hettie said from the other side.

  “Come in, Hettie,” Glory called. “We need your final approval.”

  Opening the door, Hettie stepped into the room. “Oh, heavens, girls, how beautiful you all look.”

  “Back at ya,” Erin said with a wink. “That’s a wonderful color for you.”

  Hettie preened and turned in a circle. “It makes me feel ten years younger. No, make that forty. I’m reminded of my first prom at Desperation High. But enough of that,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Luke and Dylan and Jake are waiting downstairs. It’s time for your grand entrances.” She gave each one of them a careful hug, and then held on to Erin. “It’s hard to imagine you racing barrels, you look so beautiful tonight.”

  The three younger women grabbed their clutches and started for the stairs. At the door, Hayley stopped to look back. “Hettie, you have a date, don’t you?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. I invited an old friend, a rancher from near Tulsa. We haven’t seen each other for years, so I’m looking forward to spending time with him. He isn’t here yet, so you all go on down. Don’t keep those cowboys waiting any longer.”

  Erin’s knees shook, and she took a deep breath. Her first formal dance, and she would be going with Jake. She hoped it worked out. Over the past few days, they’d both been busy but seemed to have put their arguments behind them and agreed not to discuss any of their baggage at the dance. Maybe the evening would work out, after all.

  Arm in arm, the three of them walked down the wide, curving staircase to the three men waiting for them at the bottom. “Don’t they look handsome?” Hayley whispered.

  “And all three in cowboy
hats,” Glory said with a quiet giggle. “I hope they shined their boots.”

  Erin couldn’t remember seeing her brothers so spiffed up since Luke’s senior prom, two years after the death of their parents. Tears stung her eyes, and she hoped no one noticed. The moment she glanced at Jake, she knew she could be herself, and she offered him a smile.

  The men all talked at once, but she only heard Jake. “I almost didn’t recognize you, until you smiled,” he said. “You look— I don’t know. Beautiful isn’t good enough.”

  Her face heated with a blush, and he handed her a clear box that contained a corsage of deep pink roses and baby’s breath. She thanked him, and he helped her slip it on her wrist.

  “I’d say your carriage awaits,” Jake said, “but we’re walking over to the Big Barn.”

  The three couples walked together, eager to get to the party. The night was warm but not hot, with a slight breeze, and they talked and laughed, sharing memories of good times.

  When they reached the barn, a line had formed at the door, and they waited for their turn to enter. Erin shivered at what the evening might bring, and Jake put his arm around her, pulling her close.

  “Wait a minute,” he said, holding her even closer. “Are you...”

  Erin looked up at him. “Am I what?”

  “You are. You’re wearing perfume.”

  She sniffed, pretending to be insulted. “So?”

  Leaning back, he took a long gaze at her from head to toe. “A dress and perfume?” He shook his head.

  “Is there something wrong with that?” she said in her most indignant tone.

  He made a strange face and nonchalantly said, “No. Nothing wrong.”

  Taking a step back, she glared at him. “Just because I wear jeans and cowboy boots most of the time doesn’t mean I can’t dress up.”

  “You’re right,” he said with a quick nod. “It doesn’t.”

  “I don’t know why you’re so surprised. Women wear dresses and I’m a woman.”

  “You sure are.”

  The look in his eyes made her knees weak, while her heart did a flip-flop. “You noticed, huh?”