Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Mack pulled out his phone and checked it for notifications again. He shouldn’t have been surprised that Lacey hadn’t messaged him. There had just been a part of him that thought she would reach out and ask him for help.
Apparently, he wasn’t the person she needed. She might even blame him for the now broken relationship with Angela.
It made sense. Lacey had insisted that they shouldn’t get close. She’d said Angela wouldn’t understand. And she’d been right. But out of all the reactions Angela could have had, the argument hadn’t been what he’d expected.
He could still see the way Angela had looked at him when she’d left. Hatred. Betrayal. Pain.
How was he supposed to tell her that he couldn’t help who he had feelings for? That would likely feel like a slap to the face.
Mack wiped his forehead with the back of his hand as he returned the phone to his pocket. Dwelling on the issues Lacey was having with her sister wouldn’t help him right now. He had work to do—even if it felt like all he was doing was busy work.
He glanced over to where his cousin, Bo, was speaking to some of the other ranch hands. They were getting ready to move one of the larger herds bright and early tomorrow morning. Mack wasn’t invited. Instead, he was assigned to help Caleb with anything he might need regarding his feeding schedule.
That was fine. Mack wasn’t interested in camping out for two to three days out in the middle of nowhere. He’d rather stay close so he could be available if Lacey needed him.
“Mack!” someone called, and he glanced up again, toward the group of men. Bo jerked his head in the direction of the barn, and when Mack turned, he saw her.
Lacey was coming right for him, Bridger’s hand in his. She looked miserable, even from this distance. There was a change in the way she held herself. Her shoulders seemed to sag a little more, and her movements were slower. She looked like she might start to cry at any second.
He dropped the shovel he’d grabbed and ran toward her, not caring if anyone noticed his reaction to her.
As far as he knew, no one was aware of their relationship—not even at Sagebrush.
Maybe Caleb had figured it out—Sammie, too.
But other than that, Mack had worked hard to make it appear they were only friends when they were out in public.
Fully intending on sweeping Lacey into his arms and giving her a tight hug, Mack had to force himself to stop just short of doing that when he really got a good look at her.
Lacey’s eyes were red and puffy, unable to be covered up by makeup. Bridger looked worried, but when he met Mack’s eyes, his expression brightened somewhat. He released his mother’s hand and flung himself at Mack with enthusiasm.
Mack’s hands came down on the kid’s shoulders, and his attention swept over Lacey once more. “What’s going on?”
Lacey glanced behind Mack to the others who were still standing where they were, then she took a step toward Mack, her voice lowering. “I need your help.”
Delicious relief pooled in his stomach. She wasn’t shutting him out. Sure, she’d said as much when she’d told him to leave. But he couldn’t bring himself to trust she was telling him the truth. That was why he didn’t hesitate when he murmured, “Anything.”
The look of surprise on her face would have been laughable if she wasn’t clearly dealing with the issue of too much on her plate.
Lacey breathed out a heavy sigh. “You don’t mean that.”
He took a step toward her, Bridger moving with him. The boy jumped up and down. “See, Mom? I told you?—”
She gave him a sharp look, and Mack chuckled. “What did you tell her, kid?”
“That you would babysit me.”
Mack stiffened. Bridger was the most important thing in the world when it came to Lacey.
She didn’t just let anyone in her son’s life.
The fact that she was willing to let him interact with the boy on a somewhat regular basis wasn’t something he’d ever take for granted.
Slowly, he dragged his gaze to Lacey to see if what Bridger had said was true.
Lacey flushed a deep red color that he hadn’t seen before. She fidgeted before him, shifting her weight from one foot to the other and tugging at the hem of her shirt as she dropped her gaze to her hands. “Angela isn’t taking my calls. And my regular sitter has the flu.”
Bridger merely beamed at Mack.
She continued, “I can’t afford to miss another shift. I understand if you can’t, and I was going to ask Sammie, but?—”
“Hey,” he murmured, reaching out to squeeze her hand. Lacey didn’t like asking for help—and apparently asking him for anything was crossing the lines. “If you haven’t figured out that I would do anything for you by now, beautiful, then you don’t know me at all.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes, threatening to fall over the curl of her lashes. She blinked them back and sucked in a trembling breath. “I—this is still so new, I didn’t think?—”
His thumb brushed over her cheek. “Shh.” As far as I’m concerned, you’re it for me, baby.
He’d wanted to say those words. They burned in the back of his throat, threatening to tear themselves from his lips.
But he didn’t say them. He couldn’t afford to scare her off.
If she knew just how deep his feelings were becoming, she’d definitely put distance between the two of them.
Instead, he chose a safer route. “For once in your life, let someone else take care of you.”
“Yeah, Mom. You worry too much.”
A laugh bubbled out of Mack’s chest as he shot a quick look in Lacey’s direction. “The kid isn’t wrong.”
She wasn’t impressed by either of them, and it only made Mack laugh again before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips.
It was enough to break her stern expression.
A flicker of light in her eyes was all he saw before she brought those walls back up.
Still, she gave him a grateful smile. “So you can watch him tonight? I know you didn’t sign up for this, but?—”
“I can watch the kid,” he whispered. “Whenever you need me to. If I have to drop everything, I’ll be there.” He drank in the wonder that she shared with him, and it was everything. It made his heart warm and swell until he didn’t think his chest could contain it any longer.
Her smile grew, and she nodded. “Thank you, Mack.”
Her use of his name was even better than that smile and her thanks.
It made him feel like they were returning to normal.
Even though it had only been one night, he needed this.
His grin spread wider, and he leaned toward her, his voice lowering so only she could hear.
“Your smile is proof that the best things in life are free.”
Lacey was momentarily caught off guard, which gave him a second chance to flirt with her.
“Do me a favor?”
She blinked up at him, nodding. “Sure. I can’t exactly tell you no when you’re helping me.”
He cocked his head slightly. “Let me borrow a kiss. I promise I’ll give it right back.”
For a moment, she didn’t move. Then she snorted.
He expected her to shove him playfully or roll her eyes.
But she didn’t do either of those things.
She draped a hand around his neck and pulled him in for a deep, sweltering kiss—one that had the other cowboys whooping and hollering behind him.
When she released him, her cheeks were flushed again, but her eyes were brighter than they’d been since he left her last night.
Before he could say anything, Lacey whispered, “They say nothing lasts forever.”
His brows creased. Was she implying that they weren’t going to last?
Lacey patted his cheek. “Maybe you’d consider being my nothing.”
It took him a few moments to realize what she had done—what she’d said. By the time it clicked, she was already several feet away. He called after her, “That’s my line.”
She flashed him a smile, and it was almost as if nothing was wrong at all. He clung to that feeling as he watched her drive away. Then Bridger pulled on his hand. “Do I get to see the horses now?”
He jumped, suddenly remembering that he wasn’t alone. Grinning down at the kid, he nodded. “What kind of cowboy would I be if I didn’t introduce you to all of the animals?” He ruffled the boy’s hair. “And we’re going to have to get you your own cowboy hat, too. What do you think?”
Bridger’s eyes rounded with a fresh wave of excitement. He nodded and jumped up on his toes. “And some boots?”
Mack craned his head in an exaggerated motion to look at the boy’s sneakers. “Oh, we’re definitely going to have to get you boots. You know why, don’t you?”
Bridger nodded. “So the animals don’t step on my toes.”
Mack chuckled. “Sometimes I forget how smart you are.”
The kid practically glowed. “Yeah, I know.”
He had Bridger follow him to the barn, and before he got back to work, he introduced him to each and every horse they had in the stalls.
It took a good thirty minutes with Bridger asking several questions.
Then he herded Bridger out to where he’d been cleaning out a trailer used for transporting horses.
Bridger still asked question after question. His inquisitive nature might have been annoying to some, but for reasons Mack didn’t understand, he reveled in it.
Bridger kicked his shoe in the dirt. “And some cowboys have working dogs to help them herd their cattle. Do you have dogs here?”
“I think my cousin might have one.”
“And the cows listen to it?”
He laughed. “Most of the time. But then there are the stubborn ones, and they just do their own thing. That’s what the cowboys are for.”
“Mack.”
His head snapped up, his mother’s voice cutting off Bridger’s next question. Mack glanced over at Bridger then his mother. There was no denying that his mother was confused—wary even. Her eyes snagged on Bridger more than once before she cleared her throat.
“Can I have a word with you?”
Bridger grinned, then he rocked back on his heels. “Hi. I’m Bridger.”
“Hello, Bridger,” Mack’s mother drawled. “I’m Tana.” She smiled down at him. “Mack is my son. How do you know him?”
Shoot! Mack hadn’t prepared any of them for this situation. He wanted to jump between the two of them, to stop Bridger from saying something innocent enough, but would be unfavorable when it came to how his mother viewed him.
Unfortunately, Mack couldn’t do anything to stop Bridger from speaking.
“Mack likes my mom.”
And just like that, understanding filled Mack’s mother’s eyes as they locked on her son. Without looking at Bridger, she murmured, “Would it be okay if I talked to Mack for a minute?”
Bridger shrugged. “Sure.”
Even though Mack had this sense of impending doom, he smiled.
The kid had a way of doing that to him. Mack glanced at his mother and sighed.
He might as well have this talk now. He didn’t have anything to hide.
Not really. He’d all but told Lacey that he was in this for the long haul.
It was better that his parents knew just how deep he was in it.
He followed his mother several feet away—far enough that Bridger wouldn’t hear them speaking but close enough he could keep an eye on him. Mack didn’t get a chance to explain himself before his mother dove right in with questions.
“You like his mother? Please tell me that this isn’t what it seems.”
“And what exactly does it seem to be?” Mack murmured, folding his arms.
His mother sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You know I love you, Mack. I worry about you.”
Here it goes.
“How old is this woman? That boy has to be at least five.”
“He’s six, actually.”
Her brows lifted.
“And before you ask, yes, she had him when she was really young. No, the father isn’t in the picture.”
Those statements didn’t seem to bring her any comfort. And why would they? Here he was, showing her just how impulsive he could be—how impulsive he’d always been.
“Dating a woman with… a history…”
“A history ? Is that what this is about? You think that because she has a kid, that I won’t be compatible with her?”
His mother folded her arms again, tilting her head to the side. “A child is a big responsibility.”
“Yeah, I know. This isn’t the first time I’ve watched him.”
The look she gave him—it was as if he’d spit in her face.
He groaned. “Come on, Mom. It’s not a big deal. I like her. Yes, she has a kid, but she’s the most responsible person?—”
“It’s not her that I’m worried about.”
Mack’s head reared back. He knew he was a disappointment to her—to both of his parents. But they’d never said it in quite so certain terms. She must have caught the look of pain on his face because she shut her eyes tight and sighed.
“I didn’t mean it how it sounded. We—your father and I—will support you in whatever decision you make.
I just want to make sure you understand what you’re getting into.
Raising a child is hard. Starting a family—it’s hard .
This isn’t just about you. You’re entering a life that has already been established.
I don’t…” She sighed again. “I don’t want to see any of you hurt. And that includes that little boy.”
Mack’s eyes shifted to Bridger, who was crouched down and looking at something in the dirt. He’d probably found a cool rock or a bug. A smile tugged at his lips. “I know, Mom. This is the real deal.”
She pressed her lips into a thin line then nodded. “I love you, son.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
He brushed past her, feeling a little unsettled. He hated how with just a few sentences, his mother could make him question his decisions. It wasn’t that he was worried about how he felt for Lacey. It was that he worried he wasn’t good enough for her.