Cowboy Daddy (17 page)

The “either” was like a small, indifferent slap.

“That means those boys don't belong to me.”

Nicole was set back on her heels, trying to absorb everything she'd heard in the past few minutes. Tricia not her
father's biological daughter. Her mother cheating on her father?

She couldn't put it all together.

Sam sighed, pushing his hands through his hair. “Tricia wasn't my daughter. She wasn't my daughter and I raised her. Paid for everything she had. What a waste.”

On one level Nicole felt sorry for him and tried to realize that he was speaking from his pain, but on another level his words underlined the insecurity she'd felt ever since coming to this family.

He had paid for everything she had done. Was she a waste too?

Sam took another breath, then straightened and looked directly at Nicole. “So you said you would fight me over those boys?”

Puzzled as to where he was going with this, Nicole could only nod.

“You would really choose them over me?”

“It's not a matter of choice, but if that's how you want to put it, then I would put their needs over yours because I think Kip Cosgrove is the best person to be taking care of those boys.” She still wasn't sure what was going on, but she stuck to what she knew to be right and true.

Sam emitted a bitter laugh. “That cowboy? What could he possibly give them?”

Anger surged through Nicole at the contempt in his voice and she stepped away from her father. “That cowboy has made more sacrifices for Tristan and Justin than you ever have for me or Tricia. That cowboy is a kind and considerate man who I respect more than I've ever respected any man, including you. That cowboy is the best example of a father's love that I could ever imagine. I'm jealous of those boys because that cowboy is the best thing that has
ever happened to them. Right now I wish I was with Kip, that cowboy as you call him, instead of here with you.”

Her father stared at her, then he got up and walked over to the papers that still lay on the floor. He bent over and picked them up. Then he glanced over her shoulder.

“Looks like you might get your wish after all,” was all he said.

What did he mean?

Nicole felt a prickling at the back of her neck, then slowly turned around. Her eyes widened.

How did he…? When…?

Kip stood in the doorway of the sun room, his cowboy hat pulled low on his head, his hands on his jeans-clad hips. She blinked, wondering if she was imagining things.

As she tried to pull her mind around his presence, her father grabbed the papers and walked over to Kip.

“You want those boys?” he asked. Then, without waiting for an answer, Sam Williams shoved the papers into Kip's hands. “You can have them. They don't belong to me.”

Kip glanced from Sam to Nicole as he took the papers, his expression unreadable. Then he looked back at Sam. “Those boys don't belong to me either.”

“What do you mean by that? I thought you wanted them.”

“I do, but they aren't a possession, just like Nicole isn't your possession. The boys are a gift, like Nicole is a gift.”

Sam glanced back over his shoulder, frowning as if trying to see her that way.

Then, without a backward glance, he walked slowly over to his office and closed the door behind him.

Nicole clasped her suddenly trembling hands together, still trying to absorb his presence in her home.

Kip took off his hat, and glanced around the sun room. “So this is a nice place you have here,” he said.

“What are you doing here?” Nicole asked.

He took a few steps closer and dropped his hat on the chair beside her. Then his warm rough hands were covering hers. “I could be all manly and say I've come to claim what's mine. That might be partly true, but mostly I came because I wanted to see you.”

Nicole closed her eyes, as if by doing so she could better absorb what he was saying. Then his lips brushed her forehead and her eyes flew open.

“Did you mean what you said to your father before I came in?” he asked, his voice quiet, but intense.

Nicole clung to his hands, her gaze clinging to his. “Every word.”

He squeezed her hands. “I spent half the flight here practicing what I would say. I even wrote it down so I wouldn't forget.” He took in a long, slow breath and blew it out, as if gathering his strength. “I want you to know that whatever you decide about Tristan and Justin has nothing to do with how I feel about you. I want what's best for the boys, and if you and your mother think that having them here is best for them, I'm willing to go with that.”

Nicole could only stare at him, his speech in direct contrast to what she had just heard from her own father.

“You would give up the boys?” she asked.

“Like I told your father, I think I've had to realize they aren't mine, or yours or his to give up. But I do have to let go of what I want and put their needs first.”

Nicole could only stare. This amazing, wonderful, caring man was willing to do something her father couldn't even conceive of doing. “Why?”

“Because I love them.”

Back to love again.

“Because they are God's children first,” Kip continued, “When I think that, I realize that what they need is more important than what I want.”

“That's amazing,” was all she could say.

“Not really.” He blew out his breath, his hands kneading hers. Then he cleared his throat and continued. “I also want you to know that I care for you more than I ever cared for anyone. I don't know how it happened, and I don't know why, but for some reason I seem to have fallen in love with you.”

Nicole's throat thickened with emotion as she stared at Kip. This wonderful, loving and caring man had fallen in love with her? She couldn't absorb it, couldn't take it in. It was too much.

Kip inclined his head toward her and gave a nervous laugh. “Usually a declaration like that requires some kind of response.”

Happiness and gratitude and love washed over her in a cleansing flood. She fought back tears as she slipped her arms around his neck, pulled him toward her, and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. Then she drew back, her fingers tangling in his hair, then tracing the contours of his face as if making sure he was really here and really telling her all these wonderful things. “I've fallen in love with you too.” Her words came out a lot shakier than his as she blinked away unexpected tears. “I can't believe that this is happening.”

“Me neither.” Kip kissed her again pulling her close to him. “I didn't know how this would turn out,” he murmured stroking her hair as he tucked her head against his shoulder. “I only knew I couldn't stay on the ranch one moment longer without letting you know how I felt about you. I need you in my life. I need you at my side.”

Nicole's heart could hold no more happiness. “I need
you too,” she murmured. “The past two days have been so hard. I needed to talk to my father, to try to convince him that the boy should stay where they are.”

Kip kissed her again. “I don't want to talk about the boys right now. They've been too much a part of all of this. In spite of what I said before, my main reason for coming here was for you, and only you.”

Nicole's first thought was that she didn't deserve such happiness. Maybe she didn't, but that didn't matter. It was being given to her, freely and without strings attached.

She kissed Kip again. “I love you so much,” she whispered, stroking his face. “Though you didn't come here to talk about the boys, you may as well know that I believe my father is repealing his claim to them.”

“Why would he be willing to give them up without a fight?”

“He just found out that his DNA doesn't match the boys' either.”

Kip frowned. “I'm not sure I follow.”

Nicole smiled at him. “Given the way my father operates, I think once he found out that the boys weren't biologically his, they didn't mean as much to him.” She paused, biting her lip. “That's important to him.”

Kip stroked her arms, his eyes narrowing. “I said this before, and I'll say it again, that man was blessed beyond blessing to have you as his daughter. He doesn't deserve you.”

Kip's heartfelt words pierced her soul, and made a home there.

“Of course I don't deserve you either,” he continued. “But I'm hoping I can persuade you to come back to the ranch.” Kip's smile was tentative, as if he didn't dare believe she would take him up on the offer. “And once you're back in Alberta, I'm hoping I can persuade you to marry me.”

Nicole threw her arms around Kip's neck her heart bursting with love. “I won't take much convincing. In fact, I've already got my suitcases packed.”

Kip stared at her openmouthed. “For what?”

“Before you came, I was going to tell my father that I'm moving out. I didn't get the chance once the letter came. And then you came and now…”

“You should tell him now and I'm coming with you.” Kip kissed her again. “I have a few things I have to discuss with him too.”

Nicole opened the door of her father's office. Sam stood at the window, looking out over the yard, his shoulders slumped, his hands clasped behind his back.

Was he imagining Justin and Tristan playing there? Was he regretting the loss of the dreams and plans he had made?

Then he turned and simply stared at them as if waiting for them to talk.

“I've come to say goodbye,” Nicole said quietly. “I meant to tell you earlier, but I'm moving out.”

Sam glared at Kip, as if he was to blame. “And what about him?”

Kip stepped forward, his hat in his hand. A sign of respect, Nicole thought. He really was a good man.

“I want to let you know that I've asked Nicole to marry me. She's coming back to Alberta with me now. We will notify you of the wedding date.” His words came out clipped, precise. As if he was making some kind of business deal.

“Aren't you supposed to ask my permission? I am after all her father.”

“That's good to know,” Kip said quietly.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Sam asked with a
frown. But he didn't give Kip a chance to answer. He turned to Nicole. “I don't deserve to be treated like this.”

Kip laid his arm over her shoulder and squeezed, encouraging her. Nicole gave him a quick smile, then walked over to her father's side.

“Someone told me once that I was a good daughter,” she said quietly. “I believe them now. I've always tried to earn your love, but I'm not doing that anymore. Love is a gift. Kip taught me that,” she said glancing over her shoulder at the man she loved. “I'll always love you, and I'll always be thankful for the family you've given me. However, it's time for me to start my own family.” She gave her father a kiss. “I've left instructions to the housekeeper about what is supposed to happen with the things I couldn't take along. If there's any problem, let me know and I'll call you once I'm back in Alberta.” Her father didn't reply. Nicole then turned and walked back to Kip, taking his hand in hers.

A few minutes later they walked out of the large double doors to a small car waiting outside.

“You couldn't get a truck?” Nicole asked as Kip opened the trunk and dropped her suitcases inside.

“This was all they had left at the airport,” Kip said. “Once we're back in Alberta, I'll have my truck back again. And it can't come too soon.” He shuddered. “Driving in Toronto is like pulling out my fingernails. Slowly.”

Nicole could imagine. “Do you want me to drive back to the airport?”

“That's a direct affront to my masculinity,” Kip said as he slammed the trunk shut. He jingled his keys as he looked up at the house. “Are you sure you won't miss all this?”

Nicole glanced behind her at the place that had been her home for the most of her life, trying to see it through Kip's eyes.

It was imposing compared to the farmhouse, but it was simply bricks piled upon bricks. Just a house.

“I might, just a bit,” she said quietly, then turned back to Kip and smiled. “I think what I'll miss the most is having my own housekeeper.”

“We could always put up a notice advertising for one at the local post office,” Kip said with a grin, as he helped her into the car.

“Are you kidding?” Nicole said, wrinkling her nose. “You never know who'll show up on your doorstep.”

“No, you don't,” Kip said dropping a kiss on her forehead. “But you never know what might come of it.”

Nicole cast another glance over her shoulder at the place that had been her home. Then she got into the car and turned to Kip.

“And now, let's go home.”

“C'
mon. Let's go. C'mon,” Kip yelled, slapping his reins on the backs of the horses, squinting into the dust raised by dozens of hooves pounding into the ground and sixteen wagon wheels churning up the dirt.

Yokes clanked, wheels rumbled and above all that he could hear the roar of the crowd as his horses stretched out, doing the best and gaining foot by foot.

Just a bit more. Just a few feet more and they'd be ahead of the leader, Willard Kelly.

Kip braced himself against the rocking of the wagon, leaning ahead as far as he dared urging his horses on. The spectators lining the rails were a blur. Kip knew Nicole and the boys were watching, but he kept his focus on the horses and on the finish line.

A bit more. Just a bit more.

Then they were across the chalked line and the race was over.

Kip drew back on the reins, pulling his horses back. They tossed their heads, unwilling to stop. They had done well, he thought. They had done their best and he was thrilled they had come this far.

The Rangeland Derby. Even to qualify had been thrill enough for him.

“And the winner of the heat, back in competition after a long break…Kip Cosgrove.”

The words of the announcer blared above the noise of the crowd and Kip dropped back onto the seat of the chuck wagon, his heart pounding.

He won his heat. He actually won his heat.

The reins slipped through his hand because of his moment of inattention and he gathered them up, slowly bringing his horses to a quick walk.

He'd won his heat. And, even better, he won in front of Nicole and the kids.

“Good race, Kip,” Willard called out as he turned his team around. “Good to see you back on the circuit.”

Kip nodded his acknowledgement, his entire focus on getting his horses turned around. The next group of wagons were coming around for their heat and he needed to get out of the way.

When he got his horses turned, his sponsor's rep, Aidan Thomson, jumped into his wagon to join him in the victory walk past the stands.

“Good race, Cosgrove,” he said, slapping Kip on the shoulder, then waving to the people as they drove past the grandstand. “Your father-in-law will be happy to know he's getting a return on his sponsorship.”

Kip just grinned, rubbed the dust out of his eyes with his arm and glanced over the people gathered at the rail.

Then he saw them. Nicole waving, Justin sitting on the rail whistling, Tristan yelling with his hands cupped around his mouth.

Mary and Isabelle stood to one side madly waving as well. On Nicole's other side stood Nicole's father, arms
resting on the rails, eyes narrowed as if still trying to figure this whole chuck-wagon-racing thing out.

Sam gave Kip a curt nod of his head, and from Sam Williams that was high praise indeed.

Sam had kept his distance for a while until Kip's mother had taken things in hand and called him. She'd told him in no uncertain terms he could either die a lonely, miserable old man or he could accept the family he had and see it as a blessing.

It had taken a few letters, a few pictures and a few phone calls from Nicole for Sam to come around. But eventually he had. During his first visit to the ranch, the twins had been enthusiastic and charming and he had thawed under their spell. Seeing Kip working with the horses had sealed the deal and Kip had gotten a new sponsor.

Then Kip caught Nicole's gaze.

She pressed her fingers to her mouth and blew him a kiss, grinning and waving. I love you, she mouthed.

I love you, too, he returned.

“Nice little family you got there,” Aidan said.

“The best,” Kip said, bunching his reins into one hand and waving back, his grin almost hurting his face. “The best family this cowboy could ask for.”