Four
Dex’s laughter carried across the compound. For a man who wore a permanent scowl, it was rare to hear Dex laugh. But this was a full belly laugh, holding his stomach with one hand, while slapping his denim thigh with the other as if it was the world’s greatest joke.
‘You’re kidding, right?’ Ash could only blink at the toddler. A full-blown, living, breathing little boy. And he knew nothing about kids.
‘Your name is on the birth certificate, and it’s requested in the paperwork.’ Policeman Porter held up a file.
It was impossible. He didn’t have a child. No way.
Ash looked at his big brother, Ryder, the man who had a plan for everything.
‘Can I see that?’ Ryder read through the paperwork, and there was a lot of it ‘Why is the kid here?’
‘We’re instructed to deliver Mason to his father,’ explained Jenny.
Everything slowed down. The way the birds flew, the dust stirred, the blink of the boy’s eyes that stared at him. Ash struggled to breathe as the nurse and the policeman spoke about details, he just didn’t hear any of it. This had to be a nightmare. ‘What do I do?’
‘Hold him.’ Jenny put the toddler into his arms. The boy had that baby smell of baby powder and custard. ‘Your son’s gear is in the police cage.’
Son? Nah, he had to be dreaming. ‘But … A son.’ He looked down at the boy to find his own eyes staring back at him.
‘Paperwork’s legit.’ Ryder’s shadow stretched over them as he peeked at the boy. ‘Mason. Good strong name.’
‘We have a nephew?’ Cap smiled at the toddler as if he’d stumbled on another animal to save.
But it was Ash who needed saving. ‘What? Why? How?’
‘I guess we all know about the how, there, Ash.’ Again, Dex cackled.
Bree giggled beside him. ‘As my grandfather would say, if you’re gonna sow your oats, you eventually have to deal with the harvest.’
‘Yep. Sounds about right.’ Charlie chuckled, as he scrubbed rough nails at his ruddy chin.
It set Dex off on another round of riotous laughing, wiping at the happy tears in the corners of his eyes.
‘I meant…’ Ash cleared his throat, desperate to save face. ‘Why is he here?’
‘Mason’s mother died.’
That sobered them up.
‘How?’ Ryder asked Porter.
‘I’m not sure on the details, only that the boy is here at the request of his mother.’
‘Aw, he’s got the Riggs’ eyes and nose. A proper little heartbreaker.’ Bree held her hand out and Mason’s little fingers gripped onto her finger and gave a toothy smile. ‘Yep, another player, like his father.’
Didn’t that make Ash wake up from his stupor as the heavy thud of responsibility landed across his shoulders.
Come on, Ash was the guy who ran from responsibility, preferring a carefree lifestyle and children only complicated that life plan. He passed the child to the nearest female, Bree. ‘Nope. Not gonna happen. I take precautions.’
‘Obviously not,’ piped up Dex from the rear.
Ash scowled at his brother.
‘Don’t think you can fob him off on me. He’s your son.’ Bree passed him back to Ash.
‘I don’t know what to do with a child!’ Again, he looked at his older brothers for help. ‘I don’t even know the mother’s name.’
‘Gemma Fallon.’ Ryder held up the birth certificate. ‘Says here Mason’s eighteen months old, which means you knew her—’
‘Two years and three months ago,’ said Dex, ‘when you danced the sheets—’
‘Oi, have a bit of respect for the kid’s mother who isn’t here, please,’ urged Cap.
‘Where were you two years ago, Ash?’ Ryder asked.
‘Forget asking him who he was with,’ said Dex, ‘because we all know he likes the chase but gets bored with the catch and goes through women like—’
‘Like what, hmmm?’ Bree practically bristled with an unsaid warning. It shut Dex up. ‘I love how stupid looks on you this time of the day, Dex. And, with that, I’m leaving. Have fun, boys. See you at Charlie’s next check-up, Jenny.’ With the shotgun resting on her shoulder, she marched off towards the caretaker’s cottage whistling some tune.
‘Seein’ as how we aren’t doing the troughs today, I’ll go give the girl a hand.’ Charlie trotted after Bree in his bandy-legged walk.
‘Yeah, I’d better go get the dogs sorted out for mustering.’ Cap took off for the kennels.
‘I’ve got a truck to fix.’ Dex did a runner for the shed.
That left Ash holding a small boy as Jenny talked about sleeping schedules, night nappies, and other foreign words, while Ryder helped Porter unload the kid’s gear from the cage at the back of the police car.
The police radio squawked, with Porter talking in the background, all while Ash just stood and stared at the small boy in his arms.
‘We’ve got to go, Jenny,’ said Porter.
Jenny slid a card into Ash’s shirt pocket. ‘Here are my numbers. Call me if you have any issues.’
‘Oh, and I’ll be back to do a welfare check in twenty-eight days,’ said Porter.
‘Why?’ Ryder asked.
‘It’s a request that came in with the paperwork.’ The policeman shrugged. ‘It’s just to check if there are any issues.’
‘And if there are, I can give the kid back?’ Did Ash have an escape clause?
Jenny gasped.
‘If it doesn’t work out for you, the child does have options. It was in the mother’s will that the boy be with his father—and your name is on the birth certificate.’
Jenny stepped in closer, draping the baby blanket over his shoulder. ‘Ash, I know it’s a big shock—’
‘Ya think?’ Daddy day care was not on his to-do list. Cleaning troughs actually sounded really good about now.
‘It will take time to bond, but when you do…’
Nope. Twenty-eight days was too long.
‘But today I feel like a stork, you know. Happy daddy duties .’ Jenny waved as Porter tooted the horn, driving the police car out of the yard.
‘What do I do, Ryder? I’ve never changed a nappy or even held a baby before.’
‘Well, you’re about to get a crash course, aren’t you?’