J.J.
“Cowboy?”
“Yeah?” I rack Belle’s saddle and turn to her.
She’s sitting cross-legged in the dirt with her herd of animals swarming her. She’s pouring water in the dirt, making mud, then drawing letters in it. She pauses, staring up at me with concern on her face.
“I don’t want to go back in.”
“Why?” I crouch down next to her.
She shrugs her shoulders and huffs.
“Come on now. You gotta tell me, baby.”
She tucks her chin to her chest and mumbles. I barely make out each word. “The baby. My brother. He’s just…”
I fall back to my ass, cross my legs mirroring her position, and then pull her to my lap. “Get it out, Squirt.”
“You won’t be mad?” She fiddles her fingers in her lap.
I prop her chin up with my finger, making her look at me. “I’d never be mad at you, Belle. You need to get out whatever is bothering you. It’s not healthy to hold it in. I’ve got you.”
“The baby makes everything different. You’re his daddy, and Momma is always with him now. It makes me sad.” Tears begin to roll down her face. Fat, wet ones.
Son of a bitch. My heart flinches, and my head recoils. How in the hell did we overlook this? Belle’s world had been turned upside down and now flipped on its head with the baby. I figured she didn’t feel comfortable calling me “Dad” since she called Navy “Mom” right away.
“I am your dad, Belle. I want more than anything to be your dad forever. I thought you felt more comfortable calling me Cowboy. I’d be honored if you call me ‘Dad’, because Belle, I’m going to be in your life forever.”
“You are?” Her eyes light up, and she wipes at the tears under her eyes, leaving behind mud streaks on her face.
“Ask your momma about the promises I make. I never break them, ever.” I kiss her forehead.
“I believe you, Dad.” She bounds up in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.
And the hot tears build. I swear these damn women are turning me into a certified pussy, and I couldn’t be happier. Bubbles, the damn curious goat who thinks he’s a human, tries to join our hug. Belle giggles and squirms around until she’s chasing her goat. All of her worries are lifted, but they’ll linger for a long time. I know this from firsthand experience. I can recall the fear clear as day adjusting to a dad in my life.
“Squirt, let’s feed the animals and then head up.”
“Okay, Daddy.” Belle squeals as her goat chases her right into his pen.
We finish up feeding side by side. Belle tends to make more of a mess than help. I don’t say a word, even though I cringe on the inside every time she leaves a trail of grain behind her. Hand in hand, we walk up the grassy hill. Belle tugs me to the garden, and I watch as she picks fresh tomatoes and carrots, tucking them in her outspread shirt. She bounds the rest of the way up to the back door. My chest swells with pride. The first thing I wanted when I bought this place was a garden. A place where food grew in abundance and no bellies ever went hungry. I’ve shared that little fact with Navy a while back and how many nights I went without food until Preston entered my life.
“Momma, Faye, I have your vegetables,” Belle announces as she tromps right into the kitchen, muddy boots and all.
I toe mine off in the mudroom. “Belle, come here.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
Damn, that will never get old.
“What?” She places a hand on her hip.
“Come here and wash up.” I hold my hand out to her.
“Can I take a bath in there like Annie does?” She steps closer, peering into the deep double-sided utility sink.
“You want to take a bath like the dog?” I crane my neck, trying like hell to follow her logic.
“Please, please, please.” She clasps her hands together over her chest and jumps up and down.
“Why the hell not?” I mutter, warming up the water and plugging the sink.
When I turn around, Belle is kicking off her boots and tearing off her socks.
“Wait a second.” I scratch my head. The sink is enormous, and she’ll have plenty of room, but this could be awkward. I dig around in the clothes hamper and find her bathing suit. “You have to wear this.”
“Annie doesn’t wear a swimming suit when she takes a bath.”
“Suit or no deal.”
“Suit.” She grabs it out of my hand and has it on in a matter of seconds.
Belle holds to the side of the sink, jumping up and down watching the level of the water. I grab a broom and sweep up the mess we brought in.
“It’s ready, Daddy.”
I pick her up and place her in the sink. She squeals with delight. I go back to sweeping up the mess and her little trail in the kitchen.
“Holy shit!” My jaw drops when I walk back in the mudroom.
“I’m hiding, Daddy.” Belle’s voice trails out of a tower of bubbles.
I race to the sink, slipping on a puddle of the water but catching myself before I eat shit.
“What did you put in there?” I ask, trying to control my impending freakout.
“Annie’s shampoo.”
“Belle…” I sigh, grab the bottle, and frantically scan the label. I read it over and over until I’m fairly comfortable it won’t harm her.
“What is going on?”
I glance over to Navy, who has our son clutched to her chest with only a part of his cheek visible as he nurses.
“Mommy.” Belle shoots a hand up out of the sea of bubbles. “Do you see me? I’m taking a bath like Annie. Daddy let me.”
I wave the bottle of shampoo in the air.
“You what!” She enters the room.
I go to her, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her to my chest, so she doesn’t slip. I bend down to kiss her cheek and then little man’s forehead.
“I asked Daddy, and he said yes.”
“Just go with it,” I whisper in her ear.
She shrugs. “I don’t think I would’ve personally filled it up with dog shampoo.”
“That was her.” I point.
Belle flashes a million-dollar grin. “Daddy was sweeping, so I helped myself.”
Navy’s breathing hitches, and I know why. She just realized what Belle is calling me. She turns to face me as Belle plays in the sink.
“And we thought the papers made everything official.”
“Not even close,” I finish for her. “This did.”
Navy put my name on the birth certificate for our new little one. The adoption of Belle and her new legal name was official about a week ago. We are a family. One solid unit. Now just to put a ring on it. Navy has no idea what’s coming her way very soon.
“I want to play with my girl.” Navy hands me the baby and instructs me to burp him.
I step out of the washroom once the water begins to fly between the two of them. I have no idea how Navy does it, splitting her attention between both kids, loving me, and doing it all looking fabulous. I settle into the oversized ottoman chair and kick my feet up.
“Okay, little man, time to burp. Mom’s instructions.” I pat his back with ease. His head bobbles up to look at me. At one month old, he’s kicking ass in life. “Preston Jack Jarvis Charles York.”
I still laugh every time I say his full name. We couldn’t decide so we put it all together. Navy tends to call him Baby Jack while Faye calls him J.J., and, well, Kemp hasn’t been around. Shit has him haunted real nice and good. Haven’t told Navy every time she asks where he is because I don’t want her to worry. Same with Faye. He left for Mexico the moment he signed himself out of the hospital against doctor’s orders. He met Jack for all of thirty seconds before leaving.
I’ve lied my ass off to the women, telling them he was out of the country on business, which in all honesty isn’t a lie at all. He’s found the crack in Jordan’s ring and is taking full advantage of it. He’s hell-bent on justice, and not even I could stop him.
It should’ve been one of the happiest moments in Navy’s life, and it was in a sense, but she had her friend on her mind. She was manic to talk to Kemp. I close my eyes, continuing to pat Jack’s back, recalling the conversation. I was and still am baffled at the depth of Jordan’s destruction.
“Did you get her?” Navy grips the sheets.
“You shouldn’t even be in here, man. Your ass needs to be in a hospital bed,” I scolded Kemp.
He glared. “No, they got away.”
“No,” Navy cries, burying her face in her palms.
“Who is she? How do you know her? I need all the details.” Kemp leans forward in the chair next to Navy’s bed.
She goes on to tell him everything between bouts of contractions.
“She’s my best friend from Rhodes, Iowa. We grew up together. Rose Prescott was my only friend. Jordan hated her. I ended up distancing myself from her. Then a few days before I planned on running away with Jordan, Rose disappeared. Vanished. I wanted to stay behind to help find her, but Jordan put on the pressure. I caved.”
“Now that you know everything, do you think Jordan’s family kidnapped her?”
“Yes.” Navy squeezes her eyes shut and nods her head. “Every chance I got, I searched the Internet for her. Nothing but cold cases of a runaway teen. She didn’t have the best parents. Actually, they were awful and could care less about her. She spent so much time at my house. Hell, her parents probably sold her if they had the chance.”
“Their names?” Kemp demands.
“Cory and Linda Prescott.”
“Of Rhodes, Iowa?”
She nods. A violent and endless contraction strikes Navy. Kemp stands, kisses her on the forehead, and leaves the room.
He needed me then. I couldn’t help him before he left. During the time Navy was pushing, Kemp managed to check himself out of the hospital. He came by, met Jack, and left.
He keeps in contact, but whatever happened to the man in that alleyway destroyed him. My only hope is that once this business is finished, I get my old friend back.
“You okay, baby?” Navy sits on my lap opposite of Jack.
“Yeah, just thinking.”
She runs her fingers through my hair. “Belle.”
It’s a question without her having to ask.
“She had a meltdown out in the barn. Told her she could call me Dad and then she was all good. I need to be more open with her.”
“You’re doing great.” She kisses my cheek. “You’re the best dad anyone could have.”
I snort and startle Jack. “Don’t know about that, Sparrow. Never thought I’d have all this.”
“You do, and you’re the best.”
We both stare at the sleeping Jack. His chubby cheek pressed against my shoulder. He’s a miracle baby through and through. I shudder, reflecting back on the day Navy was bleeding. I kick it away because it hurts too much.
Jack is Navy’s child. He’s identical to her right down to the shape of his chin. If his biological father is Jordan, there’s not one resemblance. I loved him the moment I saw him, just like I did with Belle and Navy. It’s as untraditional as it gets, but it’s our story, and that’s the only thing that matters.
I drop my head on Navy’s, dreaming about the day I ask her to marry me and then surprise her with the venue of our wedding. Rhodes, Iowa, her childhood home I bought and restored to its original state. The backyard is a full lot of luscious, green grass and the place where Navy will become my wife. It’s a mere formality since we’ve been wed since the night we exchanged our vows at one of our lowest moments in desperation to save us. The words are cemented on our hearts forever.
Fuck it! There will never be the perfect time with Navy. It seems every moment is in our world, even as chaotic as it is with danger looming over us. I reach into my pocket, keeping Jack sleeping on my shoulder. Navy sits up, peering down in question. I don’t say a word as I slide the three-carat diamond ring on her finger. She doesn’t cry, gasp, or react with words. Her lips seal on mine, and my love kisses the hell out me.