Branndon Jr. Page 9

  Brody got hold of her arm as they made their way over to them.

  “Brody and I are going to dance with you so your mom can dance with Branndon,” said Maddie.

  “He’s real good,” said April, taking both their hands.

  Branndon put out his arms to Susanne and she slipped into them.

  “Pa made a remarkable recovery tonight,” Branndon whispered in her ear. “If I was the suspicious type I’d say this was somewhat planned.”

  “You’re not angry?” asked Susanne.

  “How could I be when I’ve had such a great evening? I really like your daughter. And I really like you, too.”

  Like. Why was expecting that word to be love and not just plain old like? Guess she was a romantic at heart. She’d always secretly hoped that one day Branndon Mckinney Jr. would tell her that he loved her.

  “Something wrong?” asked Branndon.

  “No, I was just thinking.”

  “You looked sad all of a sudden.”

  She shook her head. “No, not sad.”

  Disappointed, but I won’t let you know that.

  “And now to our final prizes for the evening,” said Maddie who now stood on the stage with Brody, Ted, Branndon Sr., Betty, and Johnny.

  “Our lookalike prize goes to Annabelle and her father Rick.”

  Susanne had to admit they there was no mistaking those two as father and little girl. What would a child fathered by Branndon look like? Would a son be just as handsome as he was?

  “And to our second prize for best dressed pair. That honor goes to Jenny and her dad Steve.”

  Branndon Sr. handed the prize to the dad as everyone clapped.

  “And our final one of the evening for best dancers goes to April and her sweetheart Branndon Jr.”

  “It’s us,” squealed April.

  Branndon was whisked away by April pulling on his arm.

  “All three winners win a two night stays at Wolf Lodge, and we have to thank them for their kind generosity for the gift and putting on the buffet tonight.”

  April ran off the stage with the gift certificate in her hand.

  “They have a swimming pool there with a slide. We can go and Uncle Brannon can come with us because he won, too,” said April.

  “Sweet thing, I’d love to but pretty soon I’m going back on the rodeo circuit and I don’t know when I’ll be back in town.”

  Susanne’s heart sank. Why had she thought them being together for anything more than sex, for him being a substitute dad to April would ever become a permanent thing? He was after all Branndon McKinney junior. Heartbreaker.

  Chapter Twelve

  Branndon knew he had to get in better shape if he was to get back to his rodeo circuit form. The dancing with April had shown him the operation and recovery had taken a toll on him. April, he still was smiling thinking about her cute face and how happy she looked. How she’d talked non-stop in the truck on the way home and then wouldn’t settle down and go to bed once she got home.

  A couple of months ago he would have found that downright irritating, but now it made him laugh. He pulled open the fridge and got out some orange juice. Strange that Susanne wasn’t up and around. He’d thought she was still in bed until he heard the front door closing and saw her heading into the kitchen with her coat and hat on.

  “You’re up bright and early,” he said.

  “Yeah, I went out to check out an apartment.”

  Apartment. That was right. Her time as his nurse was coming to an end and she had senior lady to take care of soon. Not a live-in position, so she and April needed some place to live. He was going to say they could stay on at his place while he was gone on the circuit, but she spoke up before he could.

  “I’ll be moving out at the end of the week and the manager said we can start taking our stuff there so it’s easier for me and getting April settled in.”

  Not only would Susanne be gone, but April, too. Not that he could do anything about it. She had her life and it wasn’t as if he’d be around for much longer once he got back to his rodeo riding.

  “If you need any help just let me know.”

  “I will,” said Susanne.

  There was silence between them and he guessed that she was upset about something, but he didn’t know what. April made her way to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

  “Can I go spend my money at the Candy Emporium?” she asked.

  “Maybe later, honey, because we have to start taking things to our new home.”

  “But this is my home.”

  Branndon swallowed the lump that had been slowly forming in his throat the minute Susanne had told him about the apartment.

  Should he beg for them to stay? But then what? They’d be here on their own and if he gave up the circuit for them, then he’d end up being unhappy and that could lead to trouble in a relationship. He knew lots of riders whose better halves had insisted they give up the circuit and they’d ended up getting divorced.

  “I want to stay with Brannon,” said April.

  Even the fact that she couldn’t always say his name correctly didn’t even bother him anymore.

  “You can’t, sweet thing, and I promise when I’m back from riding the horses in the rodeo, you can come visit. We’ll even watch Smudge and Snuggles together like old times.”

  He got down on his knees and she ran over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders.

  Shit, he was gonna cry like a baby.

  ****

  Susanne had seen tears in his eyes twice this week. Once when April had run to him and hugged him, and then when they’d pulled away from his house.

  He hadn’t said don’t go. He hadn’t said he loved her. Hadn’t even tried to make love to her once she’d told him they were leaving.

  She hated the apartment and not because there was anything wrong with it. It looked out onto the mountain, and in the summer it was going to be great watching the sun set behind it every night. She and April could sit on the patio and enjoy lemonade and…

  Oh, God, now she was going to cry. She wanted Branndon as part of their lives and it would never happen. She’d been a fool to let her guard down and get involved sexually and then mentally with him. Stupid for letting him become a big part of April’s life.

  “When are we going to see Brannon?” asked April, as if her little girl could read her mind.

  “He’s left for Texas. He’s taking part in the rodeo next week.”

  “With his horses?” asked April.

  “Yeah, he’s taken his horses with him, too.”

  “Can I have a pony?”

  “Honey, we don’t have a house or stables. Maybe one day.”

  Her daughter turned and walked back into the bedroom.

  Yeah, maybe one day Susanne’s dream would come true, too.

  ****

  It was great being back with all his rodeo buddies, the noise and the excitement, but now he was in his motel room, things weren’t so much fun. He walked to the mini-fridge, opened it and pulled out a beer. Someone knocked on his door. He pounded over to it and opened back the door to see a very attractive brunette standing there.

  “Hi, Branndon. I saw you ride tonight and I was wondering if you’d like some company?” She licked her lips as she finished her sentence.

  Normally he would have pulled her inside, taking her up on that very kind offer, but women besides Susanne no longer had any appeal to him. It was her or no one.

  “I’m seeing someone so I don’t think that would be a very good idea,” he said.

  “Okay, but if you stop seeing her, here’s my number.”

  She handed him a slip of paper. He took just because he didn’t want to seem rude.

  “Have a good night,” he said.

  “You, too, and I hope whoever you’re seeing realizes just how lucky she is.”

  He closed the door and headed back to the mini-fridge where he took a sip of beer and then went to the bed and lay on it.

  Branndon reached for
the remote control and flicked on the TV. He wanted Susanne and April with him, but life on the road wouldn’t be fun for either of them and April needed a proper education. He couldn’t expect them to tag along with him every place he went.

  That meant he’d have to give up the rodeo. He sat up and swung his legs around and sat on the side of the bed while sipping his beer. Could he do it? Something he’d loved all his life. If it hadn’t been for the injury his pa had sustained, he probably would have continued and taken him and Jackson on the road when they were young. Rodeo riding was in the Mckinney blood. Branndon was pretty sure if he ever had a son, he’d ride, too.

  If he had a son. Did he want one? Sure he did. Being around April had made him suddenly paternal. Being around Susanne had made him want to settle down.

  Shit, what would he do if he didn’t ride? Run a ranch like his pa and Jackson?

  Jackson seemed to love it, but then he’d never had an inclination to follow in their father’s footsteps.

  Branndon ran his hands through his hair. He loved Susanne. He missed her like crazy. This life wouldn’t be fun anymore if she wasn’t part of it.

  He knew what he had to do.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Susanne knew she shouldn’t take it out on her new patient just because she missed Branndon, but she was the most demanding and irritating lady Susanne had ever come across. She’d become more errand-runner and housecleaner than nurse, and this wasn’t what she intended to be.

  Susanne got up from her knees after washing the kitchen floor by hand. The client had insisted that she not use a mop.

  Maddie had told her that they had a special after-school project this afternoon and she’d drop April off so there was no need to collect her at the school bus. That gave Susanne some time to try and find a new client.

  ****

  “Brannon,” said April, running toward him.

  Maddie had been a genius in coming up with the idea for him being able to get April on her own without Susanne even knowing he was back in town.

  “Hi, sweet thing.’

  He sat her down as Maddie cleared away the games from the morning’s kindergarten.

  “I have to ask you something,” said Branndon.

  “What?”

  “I need you to help me surprise your mom.”

  “Like birthday surprise?”

  “Exactly,” said Branndon. “I need you to ask her if you can go to the Candy Emporium?”

  “I go there if I’m good,” said April.

  “And I bet you have been. Do you think you can remember to ask her when she picks you up?”

  April nodded.

  “But don’t tell her you’ve seen me, okay?”

  April shook her head.

  “Are we coming to live with you again?”

  “I hope so, sweet thing, I hope so.”

  ****

  Susanne pulled into the parking lot of the Candy Emporium. She didn’t like April eating too much candy, but she’d pleaded her case so well, what mother could say no to that cute little face looking up at her? Maddie had swung things in her favor by saying April had been especially good all week. She grabbed her daughter’s hand and went inside the store.

  “I want some of those,” said April pointing to the gummy bears.

  “Could we get the small size bag?” Susanne asked the store owner.

  “Sure thing, and I have a special order for you to pick up, too.”

  “For me?” asked Susanne.

  “Yes, a gentleman left it here.”

  He passed her a cellophane bag with what looked like candy rings. They would be the last thing she’d eat, and the store owner must have her mixed up with someone else. She was about to hand the bag back when she saw a real diamond ring nestled in there, bearing a tag with her name. The bell sounded over the door and next thing she knew Branndon was walking through it.

  “It’s your surprise, Mommy,” said April, tugging on her arm.

  Branndon took off his cowboy hat and went down on his knee in front of Susanne.

  “In that bag you’ll find my mother’s ring and I’d like to ask if you’d be my wife, and if April would be my little girl.”

  “Do I get a pony?” she asked.

  Branndon and Susanne both burst out laughing at the same time.

  “You sure do,” said Branndon. “And what do you say, beautiful lady?”

  She pulled him up and kissed him. “Are you serious? I mean you really want a ready- made family?”

  “I do,” said Branndon.

  “What about when you’re on the rodeo circuit?”

  “I rode in my last one two nights ago. I’m a rancher now and you’d be a rancher’s wife.”

  “I like the sound of that,” said Susanne.

  “That a yes?”

  “That is most definitely a yes.”

  “Let’s get that ring out, put it on your finger, and then I can tell everyone I’m the happiest man in the world,” said Branndon.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jackson couldn’t believe that his big brother was finally going to settle down. He slapped him on the back as he, Jackson and Brody headed out of the bar where they’d been for a drink to celebrate.

  “Two weddings coming up,” said Jackson. “Dad’s going to be over the moon.”

  “You’re next,” said Branndon.

  “Never in a million years. You hear that?”

  “Hear what?” asked Brody.

  “Like a whimpering sound,” said Jackson.

  The three men stopped walking and Jackson listened again.

  “Shit, it sounds like it’s coming from my truck,” he said.

  “The door’s not shut all the way,” said Brody. “You forgot to lock it, or someone broken in there?”

  “Fuck,” said Jackson, running over to it. He knew he didn’t have much to steal from it, just his spare cowboy hat and boots, but the thought of someone getting into his vehicle made him madder than hell.

  As he got closer, the whimpering turned into crying. It was a baby. He opened the door to see it sitting on the passenger seat in a baby carrier.

  “Who would dump a baby like this?” he asked when Branndon and Brody arrived by his side.

  “Some sick, cruel person,” said Brody. “Cute little thing,” said Brody, lifting out the carrier. “Judging by the clothing, it’s a boy.”

  “Hey, there’s a piece of paper pushed down the side by his jacket,” said Branndon, pulling it out.

  “I think we should call the police or children’s services or whoever you call,” said Jackson.

  Branndon pulled out the paper. “Hey big brother, either the baby has the same name as you, or this is addressed to you,” he said, handing it to Jackson.

  Jackson took it and opened it up.

  “It can’t be…” He leaned against this truck.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Brody.

  “It says he’s my son,” said Jackson.

  “Congratulations, pa,” said Branndon. “Wow is dad going to be over the moon or what. His first grandchild at last.”

  “This can’t be true,” said Jackson. “How did this happen?”

  “When a man and woman love one another…”

  Jackson punched Branndon on the upper arm. “This is not funny and I couldn’t have fathered this child because I wear a rubber every time.”

  “They’re not one hundred percent foolproof,” said Brody. “And the little guy does look a lot like you.”

  “Any idea who his mother might be?” asked Branndon.

  Jackson looked at the baby screaming his head off. What was he, three months old? He thought back a year ago trying to remember if he’d been seeing anyone. Nope, last person he’d dated regularly at been two years ago, since then he’d just had some quick relationships and just one very sexually-intense one-night stand twelve months ago.

  “Fuck, he can’t be…”

  “What?” asked Branndon.

  “I just realized wh
o the mother of this baby is.”

  “Anyone we know?” asked Branndon.

  “Yeah, Tori Monroe.”

  “As in one of the Monroes who hate us like the Hatfields hated the McCoys?” asked Branndon.

  Oh yeah, those Monroes.

  “Shit Jackson, you’re a dead man,” said Branndon.

  The End

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