Chapter 6
Chapter Six
B y the time Finn loaded up and made it back to the farm, frustration had tightened his shoulders to his ears and he felt a headache coming on.
They’d walked back to Harriet’s setup and joined the others, but by then, Sam had already invited Hudson to join them for lunch which prompted Emi to ask Finn to join them yet again.
Uncle and grandniece had both insisted while Mak had remained silent and watched it all play out. But in the end, they’d gathered under the shade near Harriet and taken a short lunch there on the oversized blanket Mak had brought for them, and the chairs he and Hudson had brought for the day.
All the while, Finn had been forced to watch while Hudson did his thing and flirted nonstop with Mak.
He’d wanted to smack his brother upside the head to get him to back off, but at the same time, he envied his kid brother’s ability to bring a blush to Mak’s cheeks and giggles out of Emi, who appeared taken in by Hud’s charms as well.
It wasn’t so much Hud’s flirting that shredded Finn’s nerves but his inability to do the same. To be vocal. To say all the things Hudson had said and carry a conversation without sounding like an idiot. To tease those blushes and that soft, husky laughter from Mak and leave her looking relaxed instead of uncomfortable around him.
“What’s got you looking like ol’ Sam sucking on a lemon?”
Finn closed the gate behind Harriet’s stall after one last scratch of the cow’s head. Harriet had more than earned her extra helping of chow today, and while her growing size and horns meant the animal would be sticking to the farm more in the future, she’d had a profitable day as the center of attention at the market, and they’d booked a lot of private cuddle and photo sessions for the next week and beyond from tourists and locals alike.
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain pretty mama now, would it?”
Finn’s hand shot out and punched Hud on his shoulder before he even knew what was happening. Hudson’s howling laughter filled the barn as he danced back out of reach.
“I knew it. Hit a nerve, huh? So how was boating? Did you at least try to talk to her? Did you ask her about baking me a birthday cake?”
Finn glared at Hudson and moved to the next stall to feed Dash. The miniature donkey head-butted Finn’s hand in an effort to get more attention.
The outside enclosures were as predator-proof as they could make them, but he still brought all the animals in at night for their safety. They were high price tags in small bodies, and it meant being extra cautious when it came to protecting and providing for them.
Harriet was the biggest animal on the farm other than the horses, and even full-grown Harriet wouldn’t be the size of a standard cow.
The mini Highland had a gentle disposition and was a good one to cuddle because she loved the attention. But the plan for next year’s market was to start showcasing more of the critters. The crazy looking chickens and ducks, more miniature cows, Dash, Pixie the miniature horse, and the babydoll sheep and goats. On a farm like his, there was no lack of options. “No— And you and Sam should’ve kept quiet and minded your own business.”
“Why? You and Mak looked awfully cute out on that boat. Did her feet even touch the pedals?”
Finn huffed out a breath at the memory of her trying to do her part to pedal the boat around the lake. Paddleboating had been fun. Pretending for a moment that they were a couple, a family, spending time together doing something fun had been…nice. Until reality had come back like a smack in the face. “Barely.”
“Uh-huh. You like her. Don’t pretend you don’t.”
Hud’s words struck home as he thought of Mak’s embarrassment when Emi mentioned telling her father. “Doesn’t matter if I do or not.”
He focused on feeding Dash, the munching sounds from all the animals loud in the barn combined with the complaints from those still waiting on their dinner.
“Because you stutter? Seriously, dude, when are you going to realize the right woman won’t care?”
“Drop it,” he ordered.
“No, I won’t. What if she’s okay with it? Mak seemed to be smiling a lot while you were out on the water. And she kept sneaking looks at you at lunch. Are you really going to let a chance with Mak slip by because you’ve had some bad luck with shallow women?”
Finn moved down the stalls to feed the next in line. The babydoll sheep were all in one pen and scrambling to find their place in front of the feeder bin.
“Fine. Ignore me. Be that way. But you know I’m right, and I just don’t get it. So what if you stutter? Stutters don’t matter in bed, dude.”
Finn slammed the lid to the food bin and fastened the latch, glaring at Hudson. “You need to watch yourself. And stop hitting on every woman you meet. Not every woman wants some young punk looking at them like a side of beef. Mak included.”
“Whoa,” Hudson said, raising his hands. “Flirting isn’t objectifying. And if they’re not interested, I back off. Don’t get mad at me for enjoying beautiful women. You should try it sometime instead of avoiding them.”
“I don’t avoid.”
“Yeah, right. Then why are you so grumpy? She’s right next door. Go see her,” Hud said with a wave of his arm. “If you feel weird about it, take one of the babydolls to show Emi and break the ice.”
“I’m not using her daughter to get to her,” he said, even though Hud had a good idea. Emi was such a small itty-bit, as Sam so fondly called her and her mother, and she’d been fascinated by the talk of miniature animals on the farm. The babydoll sheep were sure to be a hit. Or maybe Dash or Pixie.
“Then go have a porch sit. Talk about the freaking weather. You know Sam’ll get the hint and stick around until you’re comfortable.”
Finn fed the last of the animals with Hud dogging his every step and going on like a fool until he’d had enough. “It won’t work, Hud.”
No animal would make up for the fact he couldn’t speak to the woman—any woman—without the stupid stutter, and he was only setting himself up for another disappointment if he thought differently, even for a second.
“You keep telling yourself that, but I’m telling you; Mak was checking you out today just as much as you were her. And she knows you stutter, so why would she be doing that if she cared so much about it?”
He braced his hands against the feed bin and fought his frustration. “She’s like the others. She might like what she sees, but she warned Emi not to tell her dad I was with them today.”
Finn stalked to the end of the aisle and began feeding the horses.
“So? Maybe she just didn’t want to stir the pot with her ex. That doesn’t mean she’s got an issue with you.”
Finn froze at the words. Could that be it?
He wouldn’t pretend to understand the dynamics of a divorced couple since he’d never been married himself, but common sense said those relationships could be tricky.
“Seriously, bro? Your go-to move is to blame your stutter, but maybe she just wanted to avoid a fight. People get mad when it comes to having their kids around people they don’t know. Men they don’t know. It wasn’t like you two were on a date, but if her ex would get mad about it, I can see why she’d not want Emi to mention things, you know? Single moms don’t usually introduce their kids to anyone right away. Not until they know whether or not the guy’ll stick.”
Finn shoved himself off the third stall and straightened, aware of Hudson’s gaze following his every move as he finished the feeding.
That done, Finn headed back to where Hud waited and knocked shoulders with his kid brother as he passed. “For an idiot, sometimes you make sense.”
Hud grinned. “So are you going after her?”
“I didn’t say that.” He didn’t deserve to be with Mak—with any woman—when he couldn’t even speak to them, but he appreciated Hudson pointing out that maybe Mak had only wanted to avoid a fight with her ex.
That reason was easier to swallow compared to the alternative and the thought that she was like the other women from his past. He wasn’t sure why it mattered, since he wasn’t going after Mak, but for some reason, it did.
“Well if not, I’ll totally shoot my shot. You know I like older women. They’re way less drama than girls my age.”
Finn shifted his hand to Hud’s shoulder and squeezed hard in warning. “Don’t even think about it.”
The following morning, Mak stood on the porch, shaking like a tree in a hurricane. Of all the?—
“Daddy!”
Emi tore out of the house, the screen door banging behind her as she hurried down the steps to where Brad rounded the front of a brand-new Corvette convertible.
Brad bent and scooped Emi up, whirling her around before hugging her close.
“Hey, Emi-baby. How’s my girl?”
“I got to pet a cow!”
“You did? A stuffed one?”
“No, a real one! And we went to the beach. Why didn’t you come for our date?”
Brad flashed Mak a look before squeezing Emi tight and putting her back down. “I had to work.”
“So you came for a date today?” Emi asked sweetly.
Mak’s heart stuttered in her chest, but the sight of Brad’s car should’ve been her first warning. It didn’t have a backseat, and Emi wasn’t allowed to sit in the front. Plus, it was her weekend with Emi, not his.
“I did, but I can’t take you anywhere today, baby. The police won’t let me because I don’t have a seat for you. I just dropped by to give you a hug and,” he said, drawing out the word, “see if your mama would let me stay here and visit with my girls so I don’t have to miss out on time with my baby girl. We can stay here, or your mama could drive us, and we could have a date and go do something together.”
Wait, what? No, no, no. Not this again. “Brad.”
“All of us?” Emi looked so excited.
“Of course,” Brad said, smiling at Emi before shifting his attention to Mak. “Come on, honey. Surely you can spend an hour or two with me? It’ll be like the old days before you got all up in your head.”
Yeah, because she was to blame for wanting a divorce after he’d cheated on her and then played the victim. He was a narcissistic mama’s boy, and she’d been fooled by the love bombing and sweet gestures and married him, then realized the truth. Lesson learned the hard freaking way. “No. I can’t?—”
“See, Emi? Your mama hates me. She doesn’t know what’s good for us, does she?”
“ Brad !”
Brad narrowed his gaze on Mak. “Just telling it like it is, babe.”
Mak barely managed to bite back a scream of frustration.
“Emi, go in the house, please. I need to talk to your daddy.”
“But Daddy came to see me,” Emi said, her arms now wrapped around her father’s leg.
“Emi, go in the house, please,” Mak said, stepping to the left and pointing toward the door.
Brad used one hand to hug Emi close before tugging her loose and nudging her toward the porch.
“Best do what she says or she’ll be mad at you too, lovebug. Go on, now. I love you, Emi-baby.”
“I love you , Daddy.”
Mak sucked in a breath and fisted her hands.
How? How did she fight Brad’s awful, manipulative comments? How did she correct the damage done with every single statement he made to a four-year-old?
What would happen when she was eight? Twelve? Sixteen?
And if he said those kinds of things in front of her now, what on earth did he say when she wasn’t around and he and Emi were alone? Their last Christmas together, Mak had adamantly said no to a certain ridiculously priced gift.
So what had Brad done?
He’d given Emi the gift just from him and told Emi it was only from him because her mother didn’t want her to have it. Emi had played with the toy nonstop and ignored the gifts Mak had wrapped from them both. All the while, Brad smirked and basked in Emi’s praise.
Emi had tears running down her face as she stomped up the porch steps. And while she might only be four, Emi glared at Makayla with the fiery look of a hateful teenager the entire time.
Once the springed screen door slammed shut behind Emi, Mak forced her feet to move. She could hear Emi wailing from inside and the sound of Sam asking her what was wrong.
The pain of it ripped through Mak like someone stabbed her with a knife. “You do not have the right to come here and say things like that.”
“All I did was ask you to spend some time together as a family since I had to work and miss my Wednesday evening with her. You’re the one who upset her.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. “Were you working? Or at the dealership buying that ? Should I go look at the temporary tag and check the date?”
A huff left her when his expression tightened, telling her she was right, and that was exactly where he’d been. “Brad, you can’t do this to a child. We are over. You know we are over. You can’t use your daughter to try to get back at me.”
Brad ran his hand through his hair but then tousled it in a practiced move to make sure it landed just right. The man was so two-faced. He pretended to be the nice guy, the guy who didn’t care about looks or what have you, but in reality, he was all about his ego, his image and how people perceived him. And when she’d divorced him?
She’d damaged that image as though she’d taken spray paint to the side of his precious new car. He didn’t mind cheating on her, but he didn’t want to be labeled as a cheater, a liar, a thief, or any other word of truth.
“I’m trying to get you back, not get back at you,” he drawled in that tone of his.
The one he reserved for when he tried to get his way, even when he was in the wrong and knew it.
“Would you listen to yourself? You sound crazy, Mak. I just want to spend time with you. Both of you.”
“Yeah, tell the woman you just gaslighted that she’s crazy. That’ll win me over for sure,” she shot back, struggling to keep her voice low. “I’m only crazy because I won’t let you manipulate me through our daughter. Not anymore.”
“There you go again,” Brad said, shaking his head. “You hurt me when you say things like that. How is wanting to spend time with you manipulation?”
He gave her that practiced look of his, the one that used to make her feel guilty and relent on the topic regardless of the fact she was right in being upset about whatever it was.
Now that look only made her cringe because she’d ever fallen for it in the first place.
Brad wasn’t the best-looking guy in the world. He wasn’t ugly by any means, but what he lacked in looks he made up for with golden boy charm and charisma. It had drawn her in before she knew what hit her, and by the time the mask fell away, it was too late to escape unharmed. She was five years into a marriage with a baby on the way, and desperate to make things work. “Since you can’t take her in your car, you should leave. I’ll make an excuse to Emi this time, and next time you can pick her up in something child friendly.”
“You’re really going to keep me from my daughter?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared up at him. “Do not make this my fault when you knew buying that car meant not being able to take her with you. Stop playing games, Brad. Enough is enough.”
“Here I thought you’d be happy for me. You know I’ve always wanted one. But of course, you’re not. You can’t be happy for me at all, can you? I was excited to drive it here to show you, to spend time with my girls but?—”
Brad broke off, his gaze shifting to something behind her, and Mak turned to see Finn Blackwell straddling a horse as he headed their way. In front of him was the tiniest donkey she’d ever seen.
“Oh, my gosh, Emi! Emi, come outside!”
“Who is that?”
Brad’s low tone revealed his upset, and while Mak inwardly cringed at the bite and the anger she saw on Brad’s face as he watched Finn’s approach, she chose to ignore her ex after the way he’d tried to manipulate her. “Emi!”
She turned to go to the house, and Brad’s hand shot out and grasped her arm in a bruising, too-tight grip. She gasped and turned back to glare at him right as Emi burst through the door and shrieked when she saw their visitors.
Finn ambled closer and closer and drew the horse to a halt.
She could feel Finn’s gaze taking in the scene, and her face heated when she discreetly tugged on her arm once more and Brad still wouldn’t let go.
Emi hopped up and down in place and then ran toward the steps but skidded to a halt at the top. Finn swung down from the saddle, the leather creaking as he dismounted and gathered the reins over the horse’s head.
Given that the animal had to be calm and docile for the many different riders it carried on a daily basis for the horseback riding excursions Finn hosted, Mak wasn’t surprised when the horse’s ears merely flicked toward Emi’s squeal and movement but showed no other sign of interest or distress.
“Is that Dash?” Emi asked, her hands raising to cover her mouth before another squeal and giggle emerged.
“I believe it is,” Mak said, firmly yanking her arm from Brad’s pinching hold with a glare and a flash of pain. She’d have bruises, but they wouldn’t be the first from him and his grabby hold whenever he got angry.
She moved away from Brad and toward the porch, holding out her hand for Emi so she wouldn’t go racing toward the animals too fast. “Remember what I said about approaching Harriet? We have to go slow and give them time to get used to us, okay?”
Emi came down the stairs slowly and slipped her hand in Mak’s, smiling from ear to ear.
“What do we say for bringing Dash by to see you?”
“Thank you! He’s so cute.”
Mak felt both men staring at her, watching, but assessing each other at the same time. She swallowed hard as she led Emi toward the donkey now on the ground . Dash stood flicking his ears, nose twitching nonstop as he took a few curious steps.
Finn stayed with his horse, who shifted its big behind around which put it closer to Brad’s flashy car. Mak fought back a laugh as Brad’s nostrils flared and his face turned red, as though he was afraid the animal might decide to sit on it. Or worse.
A part of her really wished the horse had to go to the bathroom right about now.
She knew she’d catch flak from Brad later for Finn showing up at the house in all his cowboy gorgeousness, but for now she’d take the visit as the much-needed distraction that it was, considering it got her away from her ex’s bruising hold.
“Can I pet him now?” Emi asked Finn. “I’ve been quiet.”
Finn nodded, and Emi slowly held out her hand, letting the curious donkey move to her instead of the other way around.
Emi giggled when the donkey nosed her fingers and then ducked its head to sniff her.
“He’s probably checking to see if you have any treats,” Mak said. “We’ll have to find out what he likes. Maybe make him something special.”
“I’m Makayla’s husband,” Brad said, holding out a hand toward Finn. “Brad Jensen. You look familiar. Did we— Wait a minute. You’re a Blackwell,” Brad said, snapping his fingers. “Yeah, we went to high school together.”
Mak caught her breath at Brad’s words. “Brad is my ex-husband,” she corrected with a lift of her chin and a pointed glare at Brad.
Brad’s face turned ruddier due to being corrected, and she noted his hands fisted. While he’d never actually hit her during their marriage, he had lifted his hand toward her a few times as though he would, verbally stating she’d do as he said or else. Intimidation and fear did a lot to a woman trying to navigate marriage when she wasn’t sure which direction to turn.
“That’s Finn,” Emi said in her sweet voice. “He lives over there.”
“Finn Blackwell, as I live and breathe,” Brad drawled slowly.
Brad suddenly shot Mak a gloating, knowing smile that curled her stomach into a tight knot. She knew that look. And if Brad had gone to school with Finn, the odds were, he knew about Finn’s speech problem.
“Been a while since high school. How’s it going?”
Finn’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak.
“Ahhh, still the same ol’ freak, eh?”
Mak gasped. “ Brad .”
“All in good fun, Mak-y-baby. Finn and I go way back, don’t we—” Brad jutted his chin toward Finn a bit—“b-b-buddy?”
“Brad, stop . Finn, please don’t?—”
“Well, now, what’s going on out here,” Sam asked as he emerged from the house.
He’d had another rough night, and the bags under his eyes proved it. Sam needed to be resting. Not listening to the drama on his doorstep.
“Finn brought Dash to see us,” Emi said, turning to grin at Sam.
“So I see. Awful nice of Finn to bring him over, isn’t it?” His smile faded as he looked at her ex. “Brad.”
Mak would’ve choked on the awkward laugh that emerged from her throat except that she was too shocked by Brad’s outright mocking of Finn’s stutter to fully process Sam’s less than friendly greeting.
The two men had met many times over the years during holidays before her mom’s passing, and while she’d never told Sam the many whys of her divorce other than that Brad had cheated, Sam had made it clear from day one whose side he was on, declaring he’d never liked Brad and had only tolerated him for her sake.
Mak focused on petting Dash as a way of countering the glares being thrown around among all three men and to combat her own anxiety.
Apparently feeling left out, Finn’s horse stepped closer to her and Emi as though seeking some scratches.
“Emi, get back,” Brad said suddenly.
“Why?” Emi asked.
“I said get back. Go to the porch.” Brad charged forward, lifting his arms and waving his hands in big motions like one would if they encountered a bear. Finn’s horse jerked its broad head at the sudden surprise but didn’t budge otherwise.
Dash was another story. The poor thing let out a fear-filled bray as it scrambled to back up and away from the idiot making a fool of himself.
“Brad, stop!” Mak tried to help calm the little donkey, who looked wild-eyed due to Brad’s arm waving. “Stop that right now!”
He kept waving his arms to deliberately scare them. “Emi, get back on the porch! Now! Get away from the horse before it stomps on you and kills you.” Brad’s tone caused Emi’s eyes to widen and fill with tears.
“But, Daddy?—”
“Brad, the horse isn’t going to?—”
“I won’t have my daughter endangered out of your negligence as a mother.”
“Negligence?” she repeated, her mind struggling to keep up with the moment. “Brad, you can’t be serious.”
Finn held tight to the donkey pulling hard on the bridle it wore and quickly stepped close, scooping up the animal before it could bolt from the panic Brad caused.
Finn cradled Dash in his arms, muscles bulging beneath his short sleeves as he held Dash tight to his chest to secure the little guy. Not that she noticed the bulging arms or the brimstone glare he currently unleashed on her idiot ex.
Both endeared her to Finn even more, but now wasn’t the time to ponder such things.
“Only a fool would think either of those animals are a danger to anyone,” Sam said from the bottom of the porch steps where he’d met a sobbing Emi who wrapped her arms around Sam’s legs.
Brad stepped in front of Mak, forcing Mak to move to the side away from Finn to still be able to see them.
“I don’t want you or those filthy animals near my family. Do you understand me, freak?”