“Pack some clothes,” Aaron says. “We’ll help.”
The men pack up the baby stuff as I feed Josie, then I go to my apartment and throw all my things into my suitcases. Twenty minutes later, we’re loaded up and heading out the door.
“You forgetting something?” Maddox says to Quinn. He nods at Josie, who’s sleeping in her stroller in the corner.
“Shit.” He goes over and gets her.
Thankfully, Andie and Devyn come to the guest house to help with Josie while Quinn and I shower. By the time we emerge, the third bedroom has all but been turned into a nursery. Quinn stops in the doorway. “This is so unnecessary.”
“Babies need lots of stuff,” Devyn says. “Believe me, you’ll be happy you have it.”
“The pediatrician called,” Andie says. “They can get you in on Thursday.”
“Thursday?” Quinn barks. “Three days from now?”
“Well, it’s not an emergency, Quinn. What would you have them do, deny kids who are throwing up or have a broken arm just so they can swab your mouth?”
“Maybe I can find someone else to do it.”
“Unlikely. Unless you’re an established patient, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a doctor who will take you right away. You should be happy Dr. Johansen could fit you in so soon.”
“Relax,” Aaron says. “It’ll be fine. We’re here to help. But now, we’ve all got to get to work. Speaking of that, the chopper will be ready next week.”
“Good. You have no idea how ready I am to get back up there. What have you been telling the lodge guests who are expecting helicopter rides?”
“That it’s in for maintenance. Don’t worry. Devyn came up with some acceptable alternatives to keep them happy during their stays.” Aaron glances at Josie. “But what’ll you do if—”
“If nothing. It’s not going to turn out that way.”
“Then why even go through this song and dance?”
Quinn locks eyes with me. Because of her, he wants to say. Because she’s afraid of abandonment and begged me to do it. But he doesn’t say it. “Guess I thought it was the right thing to do.”
Aaron pats his shoulder. “More power to you, brother.”
On their way out, Andie turns. “I can see if Joe can bring you dinner tonight.”
“No need. This kitchen is huge,” I say. “We can cook.”
The four of them laugh.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Andie says. “Just text me if you decide you want food later.”
I get my suitcase from the front hall and pull it behind me. “Um, where should I put this?”
Quinn gives me a heated stare. “Where do you think?”
I smile and go unpack my things. Then I sit on the bed and look around the room. Three weeks ago, I was just coming for a wedding. In and out in two days. And now look at me. I’m living on a ranch with a cowboy and his maybe-kid. Quinn appears in the doorway, Josie in his arms, and my heart does a flip.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“I was just thinking. We should run into town and pick up a few things for her. She needs more formula and diapers.”
“We?”
“She’s got a car seat. We’ll take her with us. It’ll get us all out of the house. After the past twenty-four hours, I think we need it.”
“Do you know how to install a car seat?”
“I’m sure we can figure it out, cowboy. If not, there are four experts who can show us.”
Out in the living room, I stuff everything we might need into the diaper bag, then I strap Josie into her car seat. Quinn eyes the bag. “Babies need a lot of crap.”
“Bring the stroller too.”
We put everything in Quinn’s truck, and then Maddox helps us install the baby seat. Quinn stares into the back. “Never thought I’d see one of those in here. It’s a Ford F-150, not a damn minivan.” We get in the front. Quinn stares in the rearview mirror, positioning it so he can see the car seat. “With it turned around like that, I can’t even see her.”
“It’s safer for babies to be facing the back.”
“How will we know if she’s okay?”
“I’m sure she’ll tell us.” I try not to laugh. “Want me to sit in the back with her?”
He puts the truck into gear and takes my hand. “I like you up here with me.”
He holds my hand all the way to Target. It’s an odd feeling—something I never thought I’d want—but at the same time, it’s weirdly wonderful.
We don’t hear a peep from the baby, yet Quinn keeps obsessively looking in the rearview mirror. When we pull into a parking space, I begin to understand why. “Stay in the car,” he says.
“Why?”
“I think my uncle was following us.”
“We’re in a public parking lot. He wouldn’t try anything here.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
He gets out and a man with olive skin walks over to him. My window is cracked, so I can hear everything.
“Well, well, well,” Jon says. “If it isn’t my ungrateful nephew.”
“If you think I have any reason to be grateful to you, you’re even crazier than I thought you were.”
Jon laughs snidely. “If your grandfather knew what a weasel you’d grow up to be, he never would have left you any money. Living on Devil’s Horn Ranch? Are you fucking kiddin’ me?”
“Is there a point to this conversation?”
“Your mama tells me you done gone to the other side. I’m just here to deliver a message. If you ain’t my friend, you’re my enemy.”
“I’m not your goddamn friend.”
“So that’s how this is gonna go?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Jon lifts his chin at me. “That your girl?”
“That’s none of your fucking business. Why don’t you go crawl under a rock or something before you get yourself thrown back in jail?”
He laughs again. I really don’t like his laugh. It’s dangerous, and not in a good way. “I’ll be seein’ you around, nephew.”
“Unlikely.”
“I think you underestimate me.”
In the mirror, I see Quinn cross his arms. “Are we done here?”
“We ain’t never gonna be done.”
Quinn stares at him. “You look old. Prison didn’t do you any favors. It’s a shame you’ll have to rely on your money to get women to notice you. It must sting a little bit to know your ex-wife moved on with a younger man who doesn’t look like a bull trampled all over his face.”
Jon takes an aggressive step toward him. “Watch your tongue, boy.”
“I was a kid when you got locked up. Take a good look, because I sure as shit ain’t one anymore.” He gets in Jon’s face. “You’d do right to keep your distance.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be.” He nods to Jon’s truck, which is blocking us in. “Now leave.”
Someone honks and yells for him to move his truck. Jon flips them off. “You best watch your back. You and everyone on that pansy ranch.”