Chapter Thirty-one
Daisy-Mae
“You sure you wanna do this? Because I’m totally amenable to just heading back home and grabbing a bite there.
” West wraps his arms around me and pulls me back against his chest, dipping his head to sneak kisses along the sensitive skin where my neck meets my shoulder.
Goosepimples break out over my body, and my nipples bead, that familiar pricking desire.
As much as I’d love to just head back to bed with West today, I actually have an appointment in town I can’t get out of.
“Yeah, and then we’d all be starving because I know you, cowboy. Your ‘bite’ is gonna be out of me.”
“You got me,” He growls in my ear. “Just give me the go ahead and I’m gonna devour that sweet pussy.”
I moan, wanting that more than anything. “Soon.”
“When, woman? You can’t starve a famished man.”
“Something tells me you’ll live. Now come on, get Waylon out of the truck. We don’t want your brothers coming out to find us.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He moves around me and removes Waylon’s carrier from the truck, then he takes my hand and leads me toward his family home.
Inside, everyone is seated at the breakfast table, and we’re late.
“Morning, you three,” Mama says, serving up what I can only guess is a second helping of cheesy grits to Wyatt.
“Morning,” I head straight for the coffee pot and fill a mug for West. I shouldn’t be drinking anything that’s not decaf, but he’s a true gentleman and doesn’t mind sharing.
West crosses the room and kisses Mama’s cheek. “Hi, Mama.”
Lemon approaches West and snatches my baby from his carrier, “Where’s my little nephew? Was that big, mean West good to you?” She studies Waylon’s happy little face. “I swear he’s grown over the weekend. Has he grown?”
“Maybe?” I shrug.
“Oh my god, he’s the cutest thing alive.”
I grin proudly. “He’s definitely that.”
West pulls a chair out for me between him and Cash.
“Mornin’, Daisy,” Cash says, hiding his smile behind his coffee cup. “Haven’t seen you in a few days.”
“We haven’t seen either of them in a few days,” Wade says, smirking at the two of us. “It’s almost like you’ve been avoiding the whole family.”
“You’ve certainly been avoiding your chores. You’re welcome, by the way,” Wyatt says.
West grins and slides my chair closer, until there’s zero space between us and his warm thigh is flush with mine. “Are y’all done?”
“You know, if you two sat any closer, you’d be making love at the table,” Colt says.
“Making love?” Wade gives him a goofy expression. “Brother.”
“Ew!” Lemon says, looking at her husband in disgust.
“What?” Colt frowns. “I was tryin’ to censor my words for Mama.”
“I wasn’t born in the dark ages, Colton,” Mama protests.
“I was just being respectful, ma’am.”
“Well, you’ve officially lost my respect,” Lemon says.
Wyatt agrees, “Mine too.”
“I like it,” Cash says. “I guess I’m just old fashioned like that. What about you, Miss Daisy?”
“Oh ... I ... er—”
“Quit it. All of you.” West glares at Cash and rests his hand on my thigh.
“Where is the fun in that?” Lemon says nonchalantly.
I go about fixing West a plate from the dishes in the center of the table and set it down in front of him. When I glance up, every pair of eyes in the room are on me.
“Thank you, darlin’,” he says kissing my cheek, and the entire table breaks out into whooping, teasing, and, “I told you so”.
Once breakfast is done, we head outside. I finish securing Waylon’s car seat in the truck and close the door, then I round the car just as Lemon approaches.
“Hey, you forgot this last Friday.” She hands me my cell. “I didn’t want to interrupt your little love fest with my brother, so I kept it until I saw you.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s been on the dock, so there should be plenty of charge.”
I hug her. “You’re an angel.”
“Well, I’ve never had a sister, but so far, I like you a lot more than brothers.”
“Hey,” Wyatt protests on his way to the barn.
“My bad, what I meant was I’ve never had a sister who wasn’t my gay brother.”
He screws up his gorgeous face. “Um ... thanks.”
“You ready?” West walks back to the truck after talking to Wade and Colt. He opens my door and gives me a hand up.
“Sure am.” I fasten my seatbelt. West closes my door but removes his hat and leans into the open window. He hides us from view as he plants one on me.
Fresh whoops and catcalls echo across the lawn and Wade shouts, “Look at that, boys, he finally got his goodbye kiss.”
West gives him the finger and darts around the front of the truck to hop into the driver’s seat. We pull away, leaving them to carry on and make kissy faces in our rearview mirrors.
***
The clinic is busier than I expected, and my nine am appointment quickly turns into an extra forty-five-minute wait. I felt bad for West, because I know he had work to get back to, so I told him to head over to the Hayseed, and I’d call him when I was done.
An hour later the doc has given Waylon and I a clean bill of health—and also said I could resume .
.. activities ... in the bedroom. She made a mention of riding cowgirl, so I guess news of my relationship with West has already circled around town.
I guess that’s unsurprising, though, given that we’ve practically been joined at the hip for months.
I settle up with reception and send a text to West.
Baby Mama: All done. We’ll wait outside for you.
West: I’m just loading the truck. I’d feel better if you waited inside.
Baby Mama: It’s broad daylight, West. I hardly think Eddie’s friends will try anything in the middle of town before noon. Besides, I could use a little Vitamin D.
West: Not asking, Dais. Besides, I got all the Vitamin D you need, darlin’. Just say when.
I chuckle and type out a quick reply as I struggle to push the stroller out the door.
Baby Mama: About that, Doc says I’m ready to go. She also suggested Cowgirl as her favorite position. I don’t think I’ve ever blushed harder.
West: I can’t wait to make you blush again. Now, please go inside and wait until I come and get you.
Baby Mama: Fine.
I slide my phone into my diaper bag and I’m just about to turn the stroller around to comply with West’s requests when a gorgeous brunette I’ve never seen before stops me. “Oh my gosh, what a beautiful little boy.”
“Oh, thank you.”
She leans down, closer to the stroller. “How old is this little guy?”
“Six weeks.”
“Such a sweet age. It’s Daisy, right?”
I frown. Red River Canyon is a small town where everyone knows everyone, but I’d remember if I met this woman. For one thing, she’s a damn glamazon, and two, I know everyone in town. “Have we met?”
“Oh my gosh, where are my manners? I’m sorry.” She juggles her iced latte to offer a hand. “I’m Lainey Baker, Lemon’s friend.”
“Oh, Daisy-Mae Buchannan.” I shake her hand, noticing how soft her skin is. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
She winces and pastes on a smile. “All good, I hope?”
“Of course,” I say a little too brightly, fidgeting with the hem of my woolen sweater. This is the woman that West went on a date with?
And he ended up with me?
What was wrong with him? Lainey is a damn supermodel with her long legs, shiny chocolate curls, and dewy skin—sans suitcases under her eyes. She looks as if she gets a full night’s sleep. Her clothes are far too expensive for Red River Canyon, and she isn’t covered in some kind of baby spit up
Oh, West.
Even I can’t help but wonder what is wrong with him to let this absolute bombshell walk away. Which, of course, makes me feel even smaller and more insignificant. I realize I’m staring, and Lainey is looking at me expectantly.
Right. Conversation. That was a thing I used to be good at. “Ah, sorry. I haven’t been out much since this little guy came tearing out of me by the side of the road.”
“Wow.” Lainey’s eyes turn as round as dinner plates. “That sounds ... like a lot. Perfectly understandable.”
“It was. It really was.” I smile. “So, are you in town permanently? Lemon seems really excited to have a new friend.”
“Me too. I like her a lot. And ... yes. I just moved from London. I’m staying with family.
” Lainey sips her coffee, which makes me keenly aware that I haven’t had nearly enough caffeine since Waylon was born.
“Listen, I don’t have a card on me, but I’m an Au pair.
If this little one ever needs sitting, I’m in town. Just ask Lemon for my number.”
“Oh, thank you. I ... um ... I don’t think I could leave him yet.”
“Of course. That’s very normal at this age. But you never know when you’ll need a sitter, and I have ... references, so ...”
I nod. “I’ll keep you in mind.”
She smiles tightly. “Well, I better go or I might miss my appointment. It was really nice to meet you, Daisy-Mae.”
“You too.”
Lainey walks inside, and for a beat, I contemplate following her, but I’m sure West will be here soon.
Besides, I don’t want her to think I’m a weirdo.
As much as my own insecurities wreaked havoc during our introduction, it would be nice to make more female friends, and if Lainey is good enough for Lemon, that’s enough for me.
The door to the clinic opens behind me, but I’m glancing at Waylon—who’s begun fussing for his lunchtime feed—so I’m not paying as much attention to my surroundings as I should be when the youngest Thornton son scares the bejeebus out of me. “Hey, Daisy. Is this your little one?”
I know Buck Thornton. He and his brothers are the first people at my porch pickup as soon as the offerings are out, and they’ve always been polite and respectful to me, despite what people say on the Red River Canyon Report.
The Thorntons, the Winchesters, and I all went to school together, though they were a guarded bunch and mostly kept to themselves.
“You scared me.” I press my hand against my heart. “Hi, Buck.”
“My bad,” he says with a slow grin, and as if he doesn’t really mean the apology. “He’s really cute, can I hold him?”
I don’t know why those words strike fear in my heart, but they do.
“No. He’s kind of fussy at the moment.” Guilt slams into me, but my fierce mamma bear instincts override it. God, West. What is taking so long?
“I had a fussy baby brother for a while. He died.” I glance at the glazed-over expression as he watches my son.
Instinctively, I pick up Waylon and rock him. “Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay.”
“Can I hold him, Daisy?” He moves closer with his arms outstretched. “Babies love it when I hold ’em.”
“No, Buck. He’s not happy right now.” I turn away from him, give him my back.
I want to wheel the stroller inside to wait for West, but I’m not sure that will get rid of him anyway.
Buck has always been a little ... odd. To look at, he possesses the same handsome features as the rest of his family, but it’s a well-known fact around town that Buck Thornton is a few cards short of a deck, and he’s likely needed a lot of professional help for a long time.
“My brother cried a lot too. I used to sneak into his room when mama wasn’t looking just to hold him. He never stopped crying. Not until she dashed his brains out on our front stoop and shot herself in the head.”
My mouth falls open. “Oh my god!”
“That’s usually the reaction people have when I tell them. Daddy told us not to say anything. He didn’t wash off the blood either. Left it there as a reminder, that I was the baby who broke her brain.”
Unease prickles along my skin and my stomach pits. “Buck, you’re making me uncomfortable. You need to leave.”
“Lots of people tell me that.” He steps closer. “I don’t mean to frighten you. I just wanna hold your baby. I love babies.” Buck reaches out to tickle Waylon.
I step back too late, and then I’m cornered, trapped against the wall.
“Just let me hold him.”
Screeching tires fill the busy street.
“Hey!” West roars, “Stay the fuck away from her!” He grabs Buck by the collar and slams him up against the portico column, throwing his weight into pinning him to the rough brick.
“I just wanna hold the baby,” Buck cries.
Several people rush out from the clinic, including the receptionist, Annie. “I’ve called 911.”
“West, let him go. He wasn’t hurting me.”
“He got you pretty riled up, Dais. That’s enough for me.”
Lainey is suddenly by my side, and she throws her arm around me. “Daisy, are you okay?”
I nod, but tears are pricking my eyes and Waylon is screaming.
“Come on. Let’s go inside a minute and tend to the baby.” She grabs the stroller and ushers me into the clinic.
“You girls alright?” Bonnie Baylor comes out from behind the reception desk and leads us down the hall. “Let’s get you ladies in an empty treatment room. That way you can settle him down with a feed.”
“Thank you.” I sniff.
“Of course, sweetness.” Bonnie opens the door to treatment room five and turns on the lights. She tips her chin to the clinic bed. “Take a seat here, Daisy-Mae. Can’t have you two out there in the cold with that mess going on.”
“I’m sorry. One minute he was just talking and the next ... I was bailed up against the wall, but maybe I overreacted,” I say, and pop a screaming Waylon on my breast. He snorts and feeds angrily, his little heart racing and his head sweating. “What’s gonna happen to him?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lainey says. “You felt threatened.”
“Those Thornton boys have always been trouble. Buck has been unwell for a long time, I imagine.” Bonnie shakes her head. “Was West picking you up? Is that why he’s outside now detaining Buck?”
I glance nervously at Lainey and nod.
“Oh, girl. Don’t worry about me.” Lainey waves me off with a lazy hand gesture. “We had one miserable date that confirmed I’m not ready to be dating anyone anytime soon. I swear, I’m not hung up on your man. I just wanted to get you and the baby out of there.”
I nod and give her a tight smile. “Waylon. That’s his name.”
“That is the sweetest thing.”
“And thank you. If you hadn’t pulled me inside, I’d probably still be out there shaking like a leaf.”
“Well, I better get back, but if you girls need anything, you just holler.”
“Thanks, Bonnie.” She closes the door behind her, and I’m left in a room with the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen sitting across from me, while I have a sheen of sweat covering my body, one boob out, and a cranky baby beating my breast in frustration as if it’s the bar at last call.
“So ... I guess it’s never boring in a small town, right?”
I nod and say, “In Red River Canyon? You don’t know the half of it.”