Chapter 13 #2
Assuming no harm comes to the babies I’m carrying. The doctor might have been able to reassure me at my appointment and at the ER, but that doesn’t mean something won’t happen down the road.
Before long, Tyler’s turning off the road, pulls up to a gate that opens for him, and starts at a slower speed down the very same driveway that I’d been down over a week ago.
The sign at the front of the driveway had caught my attention the first time I saw it, though I hadn’t taken the time to admire it.
Dustin had told me it was crafted by one of his brothers, who has a gift with wooden carving.
Granted, he hadn’t used those words exactly.
Instead of going straight back to where I followed the road to the barn, Tyler makes another turn.
“Do you live on the ranch?” I ask.
“Yeah, makes getting to work easy enough,” he answers, glancing at me with a sly grin. “Being the ranch manager, I need to be around for any emergencies that could pop up. And they happen more than you think they do.”
“What animals are on the ranch?” I’d seen horses, but nothing else.
“We’ve got cattle and bison right now. A few barn cats, horses, including my horse, Onyx. There’s also a chicken coop and a few goats. Judy likes to have fresh eggs as often as possible and goat milk.”
I stare out toward the house he parks in front of. It’s a quaint two-story farmhouse. You could tell that he’s put work into it. The front porch has white beams and a bench swing.
“The little barn over there,” Tyler says, pointing past the house and off to the side. “It used to be where we kept all the equipment before we were able to build an equipment shed that has a shop attached to it. Now, this one is where I store my toys, not that I have a lot of time to enjoy them.”
“Toys?” I turn to him in confusion.
“Yeah. ATV, dirt bike. Dash is supposed to keep his bike in there, but it usually finds its way parked against the house. I keep the mower in there and anything else I need, so it’s out of the way, along with my tools for working on it all.”
I nod, not really knowing what he’s talking about.
I mean, I knew what it all was, but my brothers refused to let me play on any of those things.
However, they didn’t have an issue with teaching me to work on my own truck.
That was something they figured everyone needed to know how to do at all times.
Tyler parks, turns the truck off, and gets out. I watch him move around the front as I push open the passenger door and start to get out myself.
“You were supposed to wait for me,” he grumbles, helping me the rest of the way, keeping an arm around my shoulders when both feet are on the ground.
“I’m a big girl, I can manage to get out of a vehicle on my own,” I mutter.
“Maybe so, but my momma always raised me to get the door for a lady.”
I cock my head enough to look up at him with a look that says what I want without saying it. Was he serious right now?
“I might not be that great at it all the time, but I do try to stick to it, though I don’t bring women to my house, and I never bring them around my son.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have me around him now,” I grumble, not sure if this was a good idea or not.
We stop at the bottom of the steps, and Tyler turns me to face him. “We’re going to get a few rules set before we go inside.”
“What are those?” I sigh, exhaustion seeping into my bones. A day that was bad enough as it is simply keeps getting worse by the minute. All I want to do is curl up and not think about any of it for a little while at least.
“First, Dash doesn’t know you're pregnant, and he’s not going to know until I tell him. Second, you’re a guest in our house, you don’t try to act like his mother. Third?—”
“Just so we’re clear, I’m not some evil bitch.
I’m not going to blurt out the fact that I’m pregnant.
And I’d never try to take the place of another woman.
Dash is your son. He’s sweet and amazing.
I wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. So you can shove your idiotic rules.
” I let out a huff and take a step up one of the stairs before turning back to Tyler, now at eye level.
“Think what you want about me, but know that your son is innocent in all this.”
Something shifts through Tyler’s eyes, the intensity changes, and I don’t understand what it means or why.
“You’re right, he is innocent in all of this. He’s just a kid, and I’m just protecting him.”
“Then maybe, as I said, my staying here isn’t a good idea.”
“You’re staying here, Delaney. You’re safe here. Hell, Dash is going to eat up the fact you're staying with us since he can’t shut up about his ‘teacher’. Now, we’re going inside, I’ll set you up with some tea to calm your nerves, and you're going to relax”
“I’m not sure what to say to that.” The things he's said, from interrupting his rule-setting to his offer of tea, trigger a baffling feeling within my chest.
“Nothing to say.” Tyler shrugs and guides me up the rest of the stairs. He pauses on the porch and looks at me. “One last thing, we need to talk about the fire. Do you know how it happened?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think I left anything on in the house.” It’s something I’m still trying to remember. Could I have? I made sure to turn off all the lights in the house and unplug my blow dryer and curling iron.
“Could someone have started it?” he asks.
My breath catches in my chest, my lungs seizing at the thought. Could someone have started it? Why? Who? My first thought goes to Philip, but I don’t think he would do it.
Then again, I didn’t think he’d hit me or follow me all the way from Florida.
“I’m not sure,” I tell him honestly. I won’t lie to Tyler.
“Alright.” He nods and jerks his chin toward the door, his hand moving to the small of my back once more.
I struggle to keep my breath even from the mere soft touch.
“We’re here,” he calls out and ushers me inside, letting the screen door slam behind him. The sound causes me to jump and look behind us. “Sorry, sweetheart.” The sweet words were soothing to me as he kept us moving. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
I want to tell him he didn’t scare me, but with everything, I can’t say it didn't. The fire has me shaken up.
“Daddy,” Dash shouts, his little legs eating up the distance between him and his father.
Tyler lets me go only when he’s close enough to throw Dash in the air and catch him. “You have a good day, kiddo?”
My breath catches at the sight of the two of them together. The way Tyler is with Dash, there’s no missing how great a dad this man is to his son. I have to fight back the tears that burn my eyes, threatening to spill down my cheeks.
Stupid hormones. That’s exactly what I’m blaming it on. And the fact is, it's been a very long day.
Tyler sets Dash back on the floor, and I realize I missed Dash’s answer. I had focused too much on the two of them together to hear it.
I inwardly give myself a shake to snap out of it and think.
“Dash, we’ve got company . . .”
“Miss Delaney,” Dash shouts, his excitement is quickly wiped from his face, and a frown forms it’s place, very similar to the one I’d seen on his father at the hospital. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I just . . .”
“Miss Delaney is going to stay with us for a while. There was a fire, and she isn’t able to go home,” Tyler explains, crouching down to his son’s side.
Dash looks from me to him, then back to me. “I’m sorry you losted your house. Daddy always says fire is bad and I’m not to play with it. You can stay in my room if you want.” He nods, determination written all over him.
“I appreciate that, but I’m okay with the couch,” I tell him, giving him a smile, his words tugging at my heart. “Hopefully, once I get a hold of my brother, I’ll be able to figure out where else I can go.”
I don’t realize I said it out loud until Tyler clears his throat and glares at me. Instead of saying whatever's on his mind, though, he straightens and motions me to the living room. “You get comfortable while I bring you some tea.”