Cowboy Logic - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,62
little happy. Don’t stress it, okay?” Tammy finished her Coke. “I won’t tell anything to the kids, honey—that’s your job—but don’t be any dumber than you have to be.”
“Okay.” What else could he say? He had a lot to think about. And he needed a shower, if he smelled like cow shit. Jericho kissed her cheek. “Kids! Gran is here.”
“Granny!” Ellie came barreling in. “Granny, I drew you a picture!”
“Oh, let me see? It’s a goat?”
“Yes, ma’am! It’s Weezer. I rode her.”
“You rode a goat? Wow. I’ve never ridden a goat. Where’s your brother?”
“Watching some weird TV show.” She rolled her eyes. “Something like Doctor Who or Sherlock.”
“So weird. I’ll fetch him.” He headed into the front room, coming face-to-face with a pair of boobs in a corset. “Travis?”
“Dad!” Travis clicked off the remote. “Uh, I was watching that show. Logic’s.”
“Uh-huh. Not unless I give the go-ahead, got it?” He had to strike fast with shit like this. “Your gran is here.”
“Oh. Oh, sorry. Sorry.” Trav stood up, red cheeked and fluttering. “Am I in trouble? I wasn’t—I didn’t think there’d be girls!”
“No. But we need to talk about it when you get home.” Now his face flamed. “I’m going to see Logic tonight, and I might not be home. Call my cell if y’all need me.”
“Sure. Tell him I said hi.” Travis shot him a grin. “Thanks for being cool, Dad.”
“Ditto, kiddo. Go get your bag. Did I give you guys your money?” He always gave them each a twenty.
“Nope. You know what I’m going to get? I’m going to get some RC cars to take apart!” Travis bounced upstairs.
“Yeah? Are you gonna make a Transformer?” He opened his wallet to give Trav his money. They headed back toward the bedrooms together. He wanted to make sure Ellie had taken a brush and a toothbrush.
“You think I could? I mean, really?”
“I think you can do anything. I know a little about cars, even little ones. I can help out.”
“Cool. Cool, thanks, Dad!”
The toothbrush was gone, but not the hairbrush. He snagged an extra pair of panties for her, just in case.
“Here, baby girl.” He held up the brush, so he stuffed it and the undies in her bag when she turned around. “Okay, y’all be good, huh?”
“Yessir!”
“They’re always good, Jericho.” Tammy grinned at him, winked.
“You be good too.” He chuckled, because they always said these exact words. “I’ll be out. Over at the Whitehead place.”
“You be… happy.” She waved, then herded the kids out the door.
He immediately texted Logic.
He did a little dance before running to pack himself an overnight bag. He fed the dogs, but all the other chores were done. Time to get in the truck and go.
He deserved his own personal sleepover.
Jericho drove, zooming down the road between their ranches, then forced himself not to throw gravel as he parked. The last thing he needed was for Bailey to come out and wag her finger at them.
He jogged up the stairs and knocked on the door. “Hey you. It’s me.”
“Come on in.”
He opened the door to find Logic bare-assed naked, stretched out on the bed.
“I’m waiting.”
“Hell yes, and thank God.” He shut the door behind him and made sure it was locked.
Chapter 18
Logic was going to kill someone, and it may well be Bailey.
She’d gone to a horse show in Wimberley, and he’d had a brain fart and agreed to monster sit.
Darcy was crying because Mason had spilled his milk on her math homework, Dougie had a bean stuck up his nose, and Amanda was playing hide-and-seek with herself. Mason was screaming because he was out of milk, natch. God, how did she do this day after day?
He texted Jericho.
Logic handed Dougie a Kleenex. “Push on the empty side and blow, please.”
“What if my brains fall out?”
“They won’t.” He grabbed his phone.
Someone had done this.
“Come on, kiddo. Blow.” Don’t gag. Don’t gag. You can do this.
The bean finally popped out. Ugh. “Good deal. Milk all around.”
“Thanks, Uncle Logic.” Dougie was a little teary-eyed.
“Can we have a Coke?” Darcy asked.
God no. “That’s not a great idea. I think you should wait.”
Darcy opened her mouth, so he shocked her by snapping his thumb together with his other fingers like a closing beak, a la Dr. Evil. “Nope.”
“Did you just nope