Chapter 51 Dakota
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Dakota
I’m not sure how to do this.
How to tell him.
I want to tell him everything in the best way I can for his age, and I want to do it alone. Just in case he doesn’t react well.
I’ve always been Charlie’s safe place, and if this doesn’t go right, I need to be his safe place again.
I’ve been holding my breath for so long, waiting for the right moment, waiting for the world to stop spinning long enough for me to say the words that have been sitting heavy on my chest. But now, with Charlie cozy on his bed in the quiet of the morning, I know there’s no more putting it off.
I glance at him. He’s sitting cross-legged, flipping through one of his books. His little brows are furrowed in concentration as he tries to sound out the words.
He’s getting better at it. His mind is sharp, always absorbing, always asking questions.
I can see myself in him sometimes. That mix of curiosity and quiet determination.
This is it, Dakota. Time to tell him.
I clear my throat and rub the back of my neck. “Hey, buddy?”
Charlie looks up from his book, his big blue eyes wide and trusting. “Yeah, Mom?”
I swallow. My pulse is beating in my throat, a quiet thrum of nerves. “I need to tell you something. Something important.”
Charlie tilts his head, a curious smile tugging at his lips. “About Grandpa’s house?”
“No, not about the house, sweetheart,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s about you. And about Clint.”
He blinks, clearly trying to make sense of that. “Clint? Is he coming to visit?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter in my chest.
“Clint’s not just coming to visit, Charlie,” I say softly. “He’s… he’s your daddy.”
There’s silence. I watch him process the words, those little gears turning behind his eyes. And then, slowly, he grins, his whole face lighting up.
“Clint’s my daddy?” he asks, bouncing on the bed because he can’t sit still. “For real?”
“Yeah, buddy. Clint’s your daddy.” My heart swells, watching the way his face transforms with excitement. I hadn’t expected it to be this easy. I hadn’t expected him to just… get it.
His grin stretches wider. “That’s so cool! I have a daddy! I always wanted a daddy! And I get to see him all the time?”
I can’t stop the laugh that escapes me. “Yes, sweetie. You’ll see him a lot. And… well, there’s more to it.”
“More?” His curiosity is a spark, lighting up everything around him.
I nod, my heart doing funny things as I watch him. “You’re going to have more than just Clint. You’ll have Reid and Sawyer, too. They’re like… uncles, I guess.”
Charlie’s eyes go wide. “Like real uncles?”
“Yep,” I say thickly. “Real uncles. They’re all going to be part of our family now.”
“This is awesome!” He hops off the bed, nearly bouncing out of his skin. “I can’t wait to see Clint and Reid and Sawyer! When are we going to the ranch again?”
I can’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “We can go this afternoon if you like.”
“Yes! Yes! I wanna go right now!” Charlie practically shouts, grabbing his jacket and running for the door.
I laugh, my nerves easing just a little. “Okay, okay, calm down. We’ll go soon. Just give me a minute to get ready.”
Charlie’s already halfway out the door by the time I finish speaking. He’s running toward the car.
It’s amazing how quickly he’s accepted them, how quickly he’s embraced everything I’ve been so terrified of.
As I walk toward the car, I take one last glance back at the house, at my grandfather’s house, and realize it doesn’t feel so heavy anymore.
Maybe I can stop holding onto the past so tightly. Maybe, with this new life, with these new people, I can finally start to breathe.
The ranch feels like home in a way I didn’t expect.
As I pull into the gravel driveway, Clint’s already walking toward us, a grin spreading across his face when he sees Charlie climbing out of the car. I’ve barely stopped the engine before Charlie’s off and running toward him, calling his name.
“Clint! Clint!” Charlie’s shouting, full of excitement. “Guess what! You’re my daddy!”
Well… that’s one way to rip the Band-Aid off, I suppose.
I was planning on letting Clint know in a much better, calmer fashion that I’d talk to Charlie today, but it’s too late for that now.
Clint stops in his tracks, his face softening at the sound of Charlie’s words. His eyes meet mine, a silent question hanging between us. But I nod, everything finally lifting.
Clint kneels down, pulling Charlie into his arms. It’s just the two of them, the world quiet around them. And then Clint looks up. “I’m your daddy, huh? Well, I’m glad you know, little man.”
Charlie nods, his face glowing. “Yeah! And I get to see you all the time!”
Clint laughs, the sound deep and genuine. “You sure do.”
I stand back, letting them have their moment. It’s everything I’ve hoped for, everything I’ve dreamed of for Charlie. But something shifts inside me, too.
Watching Clint with him, seeing how easily it all falls into place, I’m finally starting to let go of the fear that’s been holding me back.
“You know, Charlie, I was just thinking about firing up the grill…”
Charlie turns to me, his eyes wide with excitement. “Mom! Can we stay?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Sure, we can. Sounds good.”
Clint claps Charlie on the back. “You got it, buddy. Let’s get some food on that grill.”
The three of us head toward the grill. Reid and Sawyer are already there, organizing burgers and talking smack about who’s the better cook.
Clint’s strides are long and confident, but there’s a certain mischievousness in his step that tells me he’s already planning to take charge.
“You know, I was thinking of grilling,” Clint says over his shoulder, a teasing smile creeping onto his face. “But I’m sure you two are just dying to show off.”
Reid grins, slapping a burger patty onto the grill with an exaggerated flair. “Oh, Clint, if you’re cooking, we might need to back up a little. Don’t want to get caught in the smoke storm you’re about to create.”
Sawyer chuckles, running a hand through his messy hair. “Yeah, we might need to stand by with the fire extinguisher.”
Clint laughs, unbothered. “You guys just stay over there and let a real pro handle this.”
Charlie, still practically vibrating with excitement, looks up at Clint with the biggest grin.
“I wanna help!” he says, bouncing on his toes.
Clint’s eyes soften as he looks down at Charlie. “You bet, buddy. You can be my official taste-tester.”
Charlie nods enthusiastically. To him, this is the most important job he could have been given. “I’m the best at tasting things!”
I watch as Clint hands Charlie a spatula, and the two of them stand side by side by the grill, Clint showing Charlie how to flip the patties.
It’s a simple thing, but seeing Clint like this, all focused and patient, reminds me of how much he’s changed in just the short time we’ve been back. I catch myself smiling.
“Alright, alright,” Clint says, after a few minutes of sizzling meat and the occasional chuckle from Reid and Sawyer. “I think it’s time to add some seasoning.”
He grabs the salt and pepper shakers, flicking them with an almost theatrical flourish. I’m about to warn him when—whoosh!—a cloud of black smoke rises from the grill.
Sawyer jumps back, laughing. “Well, there goes the flavor of the day.”
Charlie, eyes wide, looks from the grill to Clint and then back at me. “Is it supposed to do that?”
“Uh…” Clint scratches the back of his neck, clearly trying to hide his grin. “Maybe not exactly. Let’s just say the seasoning might’ve been a little too eager.”
Charlie giggles, and Clint kneels beside him again, rubbing his head.
“Don’t worry, buddy. This is just a little learning moment for your old man. You can still taste it, though.”
Charlie raises an eyebrow. “Taste it now?”
Clint laughs. “Sure! Why not? If you can handle the smoky flavor of the professional grillmaster’s early attempts.”
With that, Clint takes a piece of charred meat from the grill and offers it to Charlie, who gives it a tentative bite. His face scrunches up, but he tries to hide it, nodding seriously.
“I think it’s really smoky,” he says, clearly trying his best not to hurt Clint’s feelings.
I burst out laughing, and Clint looks at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Alright, alright. Guess I need to step back.”
Reid steps forward, but not without a wink. “If you’re done playing with fire, Clint, I’ll step in before this whole batch turns into charcoal.”
Clint grins and hands him the spatula, shrugging. “Hey, I didn’t want to show off too much. Let’s leave some opportunities for the rest of you.”
Sawyer chuckles, tossing some corn on the grill. “You mean the opportunities you haven’t burned to a crisp?”
Charlie is having a blast, and his excitement is contagious.
I find myself drawn to them, all of them. This moment, this simple, messy family moment, it’s the beginning of something new.
As the guys take over the grilling duties, I step back, watching them all interact. Reid and Sawyer tease Clint about his cooking while Charlie jumps in with his opinions about each burger’s level of “perfect smokiness.”
It’s a beautiful chaos, but it’s ours.
Charlie looks up at Clint. “You know, Daddy,” he says, “I think next time we should cook it at the right temperature. That way, it tastes better.”
Clint chuckles, kneeling down again. “Good idea, buddy. You and me? We’ll be the grillmasters next time, alright?”
Charlie nods, as serious as a five-year-old can be, and then runs off to play with the dog, leaving Clint and me standing there watching him.
“Thanks, Clint,” I say quietly, the words heavier than I expect. “For this. For everything.”
Clint turns, his deep blue eyes softening as he looks at me. “You don’t have to thank me. This is just the beginning, Dakota.”
And in that moment, with Charlie’s laughter ringing in the background and the grill hissing behind us, I realize that he’s right.
This is just the beginning.