Cowboy Logic - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,20
problems with them. He’s going to be a fine-looking man.”
“I think so. He’s got a solid mind and a good heart too. Am I bragging?”
“Being a dad. That’s perfect.” There was a sadness in Anderson’s eyes, and he knew where it came from. His dad had sucked too.
“Thanks.” He grabbed Amanda up when she tugged his pants again. “Should we go sit in the front room?”
“Sure. Absolutely.”
Did he just ask Anderson Whitehead to go sit in the front room and chat? After the way things had gone, he was a little stunned.
“Cool.” What the hell? They could put the kids in front of a movie.
They settled, and Amanda wanted Moana, and Anderson queued it up. “You know how many times I’ve seen this now?”
“About as many as I have. In a week, maybe. I’ve seen it hundreds.”
“Wow. And you’re not crazy…”
“Much. You’re welcome.” He sang it, making Anderson bark with laughter.
“That’s not yet,” Amanda informed him, hands on her hips.
“Right. Sorry.” He gave her a solemn look. “What comes first?”
“Monsters!” She raised her eyes and rarrrred. “The darkness!”
“Very nice. I’m totally making her a robot that sings and roars.”
“I like it.” They left the little ones to their movie, then he glanced sideways at Anderson. “Look, I know I got no right to ask anything of you, but do you think you could help Travis put that punch arm on his robot if you’re here a few days?”
“Sure.”
The ease and speed of the answer shocked the hell out of him. No thinking or hemming or hawing at all.
“Thanks. Thank you. He’s gonna be over the moon.” Hell, he was pretty sure Trav had asked to see the horses so they didn’t just eat and run.
“No problem. I do a workshop every year for the high school. Robotics isn’t what I do full-time anymore, but I love it.”
“It shows. You’re good with kids.” He guessed if that was part of the Logic job, he could see why.
“I love kids. I have a ton of young adult fans, and I always feel weird. My main character is sort of a—” He glanced at Amanda. “—s-l-u-t, and I worry, you know?”
“No shit?” He had a Kindle. He’d have to see if he could get the book. “Huh. I haven’t had time to read too much but Junie B. Jones in about a year.” Most nights after he put the kids to bed, he had a beer, maybe watched Chopped, then collapsed.
“Yeah. I mean, it’s not—You ever read Lone Star, the series?”
“I have.” He’d eaten that shit up back in high school. He’d had the worst crush.
“Okay, a little less than that, but, well, he swings both ways, if you get me.”
Now that surprised him. “Do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Swing both ways.” God, was he having this conversation?
“Oh! No, sir. I do know how the mechanics work, however, and my female fans assure me I do fine.”
“Oh. Yeah. I mean, I guess sex is sex.” Not that it really was. Naomi had known it, and she’d been damn unhappy.
“Anyway, if that’s a thing, you should know. I don’t hide it.”
“A thing? You mean am I going to kick your ass?” When Anderson nodded, shooting him a “I’d like to see you try” look, he snorted. “No, honey. It’s not a problem. Trust me.”
“Well, I appreciate it. I’d hate to offend.”
“No. I mean, I’m jealous.” He was just… where was the run-on mouth coming from?
“Jealous?” That confusion read clear as day. Anderson wasn’t going to clue in without him coming out and saying it.
His cheeks heated painfully. “That you’re out. Not something a man can do here, really.”
Anderson blinked, stared, blinked again, and then he got it. Jericho saw it in his eyes. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“Probably, but not because of me.” He tried for funny, though his heart was just racing.
Anderson laughed, then shook his head. “No worries. Not on my watch.”
“Okay, cool.” He focused on little Amanda, who was enrapt by the movie, her lips moving with every line.
“You know the temptation to give you my book is huge now, right?”
“I’ll take it.” Maybe he could get a little happy with slutty adventures. He never felt right watching even soft porn with the kids around, but books…
“You read e-books?”
“I do. I have a Kindle.” He glanced at the kids. “Mine are old enough to read, and sometimes I don’t want them to see book covers.”
“I’ll email you the whole series. I know Bailey has your info.”
God, that was cool. “Thanks. Really.” He had to