Catching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch #2) - Kennedy Fox Page 0,65
say?” She gives him a pointed look.
“Thank you, Mommy.”
“You’re welcome, baby.” She glances at me, then lowers herself to Dawson’s eye level. “My friend and I are going to talk in the other room. Can you be a good boy for me and stay here for a bit?”
“Okay, Mommy,” he says, then sits back with his cup.
I stand and follow her to a small breakfast nook. It’s hard not to look around her quaint home where she’s raising our son. While it’s small, it’s clean and perfect for them.
“You want some coffee?” she asks as she pours water into the top of the maker.
“Sure, that’d be great.”
Chelsea’s stalling, that’s more than obvious, but I’m happy for it. Once the drip is finished, she grabs two mugs from the cabinet and fills them.
“Cream?” she asks.
“Nah, I’m good.”
She hands it over, then sits in front of me once she’s added milk and sugar to hers.
We sigh in unison, which causes us both to let out our nervous laughter.
“I don’t really know what to say.” Her words break through the silence. “Except that I’m pissed off at my sister.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Because it wasn’t my plan to ever find you. I didn’t know anything about you except that you lived in Texas. You were a complete stranger to me, and it made the most sense to keep it that way given we only hooked up once. Guys like you have handfuls of one-night stands, and it’s not like it meant anything to either of us. It was purely physical, and I was being realistic with my expectations of a twenty-one-year-old.”
“Realistic?” My nostrils flare at her assumptions. “You were being selfish, Chelsea. I have a son—who’s had birthdays and celebrated holidays—and I didn’t get to take part in that. I don’t care what your preconceived notions about me were, didn’t you think it was my right to know? What about his right to know his father?” I lean over the table, keeping my voice low so I don’t alarm Dawson.
She stares down at her coffee, not making eye contact with me. I can tell she’s trying to find her words, and I understand me barging into her life isn’t the easiest thing to deal with. Not to mention, I’m pretty fired up now that I’m here and see he’s real.
“I don’t know what my reaction would’ve been three years ago, but I deserved a choice at least,” I add. “Instead, you made it for me.”
“Diesel, I’m sorry.” Chelsea’s eyes finally meet mine, and I see a tinge of regret. “You have to put yourself in my shoes for a minute. I’m not the type of girl who meets a guy on vacation and hooks up with him. When I got home, I went on about my life and realized I missed my period. My sister forced me to take a pregnancy test; though after being sick for a week, I had a feeling I was. When it was positive, I had an ultrasound to confirm it. I saw the little flutter on the screen, and my entire life changed.” She chews her bottom lip and shrugs. “I was scared.”
“And you’re sure I’m the father?” I ask gently.
“I hadn’t been with anyone else but you at that time. The last guy I was with was over six months before we met in Vegas. I knew for a fact it was your baby, but all I had was a stupid nickname because we didn’t share personal details about ourselves. I thought about asking Zoey since I knew she ended up with Riley, but then I started second-guessing myself. I didn’t know how you’d react or if you’d care, and my heart wouldn’t be able to handle it if you wanted me to abort or give up the baby. I also didn’t want to be forced to co-parent with a complete stranger who I knew nothing about. So instead of risking it, I didn’t say anything at all. I guess at the time, being a single mom was easier than the what-ifs of telling you. You living in Texas meant sharing him would be super complicated, not to mention confusing since you’d be in and out of his life, assuming you’d even want to be in it. I know I’m rambling, but I did what I thought was best for Dawson and being shipped between states wasn’t the right thing for a little kid.”
I put myself in her situation and think about how we’d only hooked up that