Ranch Manny - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,24

make cookies. You want the first one I make?”

“I do, buddy. With a little glass of milk, huh?”

“Yessir! They’ll be so good. I promise.”

“I know they will.” He bent to kiss Jakob’s head. Then he moved out to the front room, where Curly was set up with the girls, Tangled cued up and ready to go.

The baby snuggled in, cooing and humming. God, she was soft and sweet and smelled so good. He needed to spend more time. He really did.

The girls ended up in Curly’s lap, the old man looking happy as a pig in shit.

Brent dozed, the smell of peanut butter cookies rising out of the kitchen. Yum.

They had needed this. They needed someone who could help, someone real and relaxed and present. The energy in the house was already changing. Already moving as if they’d been stuck before.

Jakob tiptoed out of the kitchen. “Here’s your cookie,” he whispered. “Trace is bringing you milk.”

“Oh wow. It smells amazing.” And it was burning his hand through the paper towel.

“I wanted you to see how cool. It’s only peanut butter, eggs, and sugar…” Jakob looked about tickled.

“Oh, your momma and I made those when we were kids.”

“Yeah? Do you think they’re so good?” Jakob asked as Trace brought him another on a little plate and his milk. “Good as Momma’s?”

“I love them.” He took a bite now that he had milk, knowing it would burn. “Mmm. Oh, kiddo. Good.”

“Thanks, Daddy Brent.” His boy was so tickled.

“He’s a great baker,” Trace said softly. “You want to stay and watch, Jakob? Or come help me some more?”

“I want to make more stuff. And we got dishes to do.” Jakob all but skipped from the room.

“Well then, we got dishes to do.” Trace’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll be back.”

“Cool. We’ll be a bit, if you want to join us. Everyone needs some downtime.” Including Trace, he would bet.

“I’ll be back for sure. Jakob and I will sit in on some Nickelodeon or something.”

“Good deal. I’ll help unload your car too. I hear there’s a toy box that’s heavy.”

Trace chuckled. “Yes, sir.”

They shared a grin before Jakob called Trace back into the kitchen. Brent just dunked a cookie into his milk, smiling at nothing in particular.

Curly turned his head, nodded to him. Things were better for his oldest friend too, he thought. Easier. He hoped, anyway. Of course, shit would settle down, a routine would happen. Right now, it was like heaven.

Daisy burped, tiny hand patting his chest as if to say, “It’s okay, Daddy Brent.”

He nodded. It was okay, indeed. In fact, it was pretty damn fine.

Chapter 7

Trace put Caro and Susannah into Susannah’s bed with a grin. “Eventually you two will want to sleep alone.”

“Tomorrow we go to my bed, Dad-O,” Caro said. “We’re best friends.”

God, that was the cutest thing ever, that all the kids were calling him Dad-O like Susannah. Brent didn’t seem to mind either.

“Well, I’m glad. Y’all holler if you need me.” He closed the door and started toward his rooms to pick up the books and toys from today’s play and maybe close his eyes a second. They’d celebrated Caro’s birthday with cake and presents, and both girls were over the moon.

Ranch life was busy as hell in the early spring. He honestly had had no idea. Baby goat, baby bunnies, grass growing like, well, grass. And the rain? Rain sucked in the suburbs, but out here in the sticks? Mud. Oh Jesus, mud.

“Dad-O?” Jakob’s voice was soft, subdued. “Can you read me a story?”

He nodded without letting the sigh go that wanted out. “Sure, buddy. Pick out a book and meet me in your bedroom.”

Goodness gracious.

He damn near crashed into Brent in the hall. “Hey. You okay?” Brent held Daisy, who was…whoa. Stinky.

“I am reading Jakob a story. You need help?”

“No, she desperately needs a little washdown with this diaper change.” Brent gave him a wry grin.

“Ah. Yay. Good luck. I’ll be reading…something.”

“Probably something Star Wars. He has the kids’ stuff.”

“Yeah? Cool.” He liked that idea. Something new.

“Yep. Or maybe the Goosebumps, but we only do the least scary ones.” Brent jerked his chin at Jakob’s door. “You want to go rest, you tell him I’ll be in, huh?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m happy to do it.” Jakob was a neat kid, and this was such a little thing.

“Cool. I don’t want you to think you never get time off. We need to sit down and iron out a schedule, huh?”

“Yeah.” He thought that bird had flown. He’d