Cowboy Logic - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,60
their money. The sheriff should know better too. I’m on your side.”
“Then you can date my sister.”
“Logic!” Bailey went bright red.
Dave went beet-colored too. “Uh, okay. Thank you. I want to, at any rate.”
“Boys. Enough.”
Dave looked at Bailey. “It’s important that he’s behind us.”
“Men.” She stuck out her tongue. “Looks like I’ll be picking up the kids instead of you, Bubba. Tell us as soon as asshole dickhead fuckface sheriff clears him.”
“I can pick them up. I’m their uncle, for fuck’s sake!”
“Yeah, no problem, just… Don’t be alone with Yaeger’s boy, huh? Just to be careful.”
“You’re kidding. I’m working on a robot with him.”
“Well, maybe do it when Jericho can be there. You know?”
“No, I don’t know.” He stared Dave down. “I won’t disappoint that kid. He’s too smart and needs to know it.”
“It’s up to his daddy, one way or the other, right?” And there was Bailey, voice of reason.
Logic nodded. “It is. I’ll let Jericho know what’s up.”
It was only fair. After all, it wasn’t like Jericho intended to be with him, right?
Fuck, he hated this.
“I need to go make a call. Holler if you need me.” He slipped away, heading up to his little aerie over the garage. Then he called Jericho, eyes looking out the window at Jericho’s place.
“Hey, babe. What’s up?” Jericho sounded a little winded.
“Hey. Morrow has been up to his old shit. What are you doing?”
“Hauling feed. Is everyone okay? Do you need me to come over?”
“No. Deputy Dawg is over here. He threatened to kill Bailey.”
“Dave?” Jericho chuckled, but when Logic didn’t laugh along, it trailed off. “Shit, that’s scary, man.”
“Yeah. That’s not it. Not all of it.” He sighed softly. “He’s turned me in at the sheriff’s office for being a sex offender. Dave says I shouldn’t be alone with Trav.”
“What?” Jericho’s voice rose half an octave on the word. “That’s some bullshit.”
“You think?” Oh, thank God. “I don’t want to get you in trouble, man, but…”
But he loved Trav and Ellie, almost as much as he loved their dad.
“I know you’re not into twelve-year-old boys, remember.” Oh. That was hot, the way Jericho defended him.
“You know exactly who I’m into. Balls deep. They want me to have a background check.”
“Well, you’re clean as a whistle, right? I mean, you have a right to tell them no. They can get ahold of law enforcement where you live. You don’t have to give them a social.”
“You’re right. I just… God, I hate this, you know? Acting like I’m a pervert.”
“I know.” Jericho growled it. “Trust me, I know. If you had a check in Cali, the school here can get a reference.”
He nodded like Jericho could see him. “God, I’m pissed off. Seriously, man. I’m livid. And I should be mad about dickweed threatening Bailey.”
“I know you are. About both.” Jericho cleared his throat. “I—the kids will go to their gran tonight. Not until, like, eight, but…”
“I’ll be there. Or… you want to come to me? See the little apartment?”
“Sure. I mean, that way Bailey won’t be alone. I would love that.”
He’d bet Jericho would love a change of scenery now and then.
“Me too. I’ll be here waiting. I—” Love you. “I’ll be waiting.”
“Okay. I’ll text once Tammy has the kids, and I’m on my way. Hey…” Jericho stopped, cleared his throat again. “Okay. See you soon. Bye.”
“Bye. See you.” He hung up the phone and sat there on the bed, tears suddenly filling his eyes. It never changed. Never.
He was never going to outgrow being a lost sixteen-year-old kid.
At least not here in Texas.
Chapter 17
“Was that Uncle Logic?” Ellie asked, coming to hand him a bottle of water. She and Trav had gotten a ride with a friend, and Tammy was taking them to Trade Days in the morning, so she was coming to get them. He was making them do chores while he had them.
“It was. Did you feed Scout?” Scout was a paint pony that had been Travis’s first ride, and he had a sore hoof, so he was confined.
“Yessir! He was a hungry pony!” She looked so pretty today—eyes lit up, hair in braids. “Did you talk to Uncle Logic?”
“For a minute, yeah. The bad man is making more trouble.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “You should go see him tonight.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I should?”
“Uh-huh. He’s your boyfriend, right? You should be with your boyfriend on Friday night.”
“My what?” Jesus, he almost dropped dead right there on the spot. Between Logic saying Conor had accused him of being a sex