He wanted to know more. To see more.
Rowdy’s smile. His laugh. He was a fine boy. Poppy had done a good job.
But once he started thinking about Poppy, things got mixed up. It’d be easier if she weren’t...Poppy. But she was. She was the same. And now she was the mother of his son. And while he was undeniably proud of his son, Poppy’s part in this turn of events was a raw and open wound.
He slammed his coffee cup down on the table with unexpected force.
“Still stewing?” Deacon asked, entering the break room and pouring himself a cup of coffee. Archer trailed behind.
“Hush,” Renata said. “I don’t know what’s eating him, but it’s too early to pick. Be nice, boys.”
Toben shot his cousin a grin, accepting the kiss she pressed to his temple.
“Archer, I have an idea,” Renata said. “I know it’s early, but I met Poppy White at Pop’s Bakery today and she might be someone to bring in for next summer’s riding camp. We could finally have an advanced camp, see if she’d agree to teach some tricks, maybe even consider some one-on-one training for future barrel racers?”
Toben sat back in his chair. Here he was hoping he’d catch a break. Couldn’t a man eat his breakfast in peace? He glanced at Archer—curious to hear what his prickly cousin would have to say.
“Poppy who?” Archer asked.
“White.” Renata rolled her eyes. “She’s rodeo royalty, someone that could help the refuge.”
“Why would she want to?” Archer asked, pouring himself some coffee.
“She has a son.” Renata leaned against the counter. “Well-spoken little guy, all manners and smiles. Made me think she might be good with kids.”
Toben was grinning as he stared into his coffee cup. She’d described Rowdy to a T. His boy did have manners. And a smile—his mama’s smile. His grin faded.
“Guess so. If Toben’s okay with it?” Archer asked, peering into the pastry box.
Toben sat up then, leveling a hard stare at Deacon. “Really?” Archer knew? Shit.
Deacon held up his hands. “He heard us talking.”
Archer looked back and forth between them, one brow arching high. “What?”
“I’m missing something.” Renata pushed off the counter, her attention bouncing between the three of them. “What’s going on?”
Archer and Deacon stared at him, clearly intending for him to be the one to share the news.
“You don’t like her?” Renata asked. “I guess you know her from your rodeo days? She seemed perfectly nice to me. So did her son and fella. Good-looking guy and a real cute family—”
Toben stood so fast he bumped his coffee cup onto the floor. He shook his head, mumbling a curse as he hunted down some paper towels. He knew they were watching him, knew he was making a jackass out of himself and knew there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
So her boyfriend was here, the one Rowdy had mentioned? So what? Shouldn’t matter. He shouldn’t care. It didn’t change the fact that Rowdy was his son... He needed to make sure Poppy’s fella understood that. He finished wiping up his mess and put the coffee cup in the sink, his chest heavy.
He was a near perfect stranger to his son. Apparently this man wasn’t. He got to have breakfast with him. Might even have the chance to put him to bed. His grip on the counter tightened.
“Toben?” Renata’s voice was concerned. “I’m really sorry. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I didn’t mean to get you all riled up.”
He shook his head, taking his time before he turned to face them. When he did, he tried his best to keep his emotions in check. “You didn’t do a thing, Renata. I did.”
“Now, hold on a minute,” Deacon interrupted. “Normally I’d agree with you.”
“She should have told you,” Archer joined in. “She’s in the wrong. Plain and simple.”
Toben took heart in their support. And let his anger rise.
Deacon read the change in his posture and said, “But what you said yesterday was right—you’ve got to keep a cool head. If you’re wanting to get close to this boy, you can’t make an enemy out of his mother.”
Toben nodded. He knew this. But, damn, he was angry. Furious. At her. And himself.
“I hate to pry here but—”
“I’m her son’s father,” Toben said, answering Renata’s question before she could ask it. “Poppy White’s boy? He’s my son.” Pride welled within him.
Renata’s eyes went round. “Oh...well...” She blinked, the play of emotions on her face almost comical. “You...you didn’t know?”
“She didn’t tell him,” Deacon offered.
Renata slumped back against the counter.
“Wrong. Plain and simple,” Archer repeated, smacking his hat against his thigh. “Gotta get back to the refuge. Think before you act.” He nodded at Toben, grabbed two pastries and headed back to his truck.
“I don’t know what to say,” Renata said. “Does Tandy know?”
Toben shook his head. He hadn’t told his twin sister. He couldn’t. She’d be just as devastated as he was—but for her own reasons. Besides, he didn’t want everyone involved in his business. Having Archer, Deacon and Renata involved was three people too many in his book. “I’m trying to keep some kind of lid on it for now. Hard enough trying to figure things out on my own without getting the family involved.”
“Guess that means I’m supposed to keep my mouth shut?” she asked. “Did you tell Archer that?”
Toben shook his head. “Figured he wouldn’t say much, considering the topic.”
Renata nodded. “Probably right. If it’s not horses or Eden and the girls, he doesn’t have much to say.”
He glanced at the wall clock. “Daylight’s a-wasting.”
“If you’ve got something to do, I can get started without you,” Deacon offered.
His first instinct was to go. He didn’t know who Poppy had in her life or what role he played in Rowdy’s. But if the man had been around for a while, then Toben couldn’t let himself get all fired up about it—in front of Rowdy. “I’m not sure now’s the right time for a visit,” he admitted. “I don’t want to press my luck or do something stupid in the process.”
“I hate to agree with Archer, but...‘think before you act’ is pretty good advice.” Renata hugged him again. “And congratulations. You might not be ready for it yet, but the family’s going to welcome your boy with open arms.”
She was right. The Boones believed in family. And Rowdy was family.
He and Deacon headed out shortly afterward, intent on repairing one of the windmills. A tornado had skirted the ranch a couple of weeks back and the strong winds had damaged two of the blades, throwing off the spin and affecting the entire mechanism. With drought concerns on the rise, the windmill needed to be working so the livestock had plenty of water.
By the time the sun was high, they’d replaced the two blades. They ate a late lunch in the mill’s long shadow, barely a word said between them.
It took effort, but Toben kept all thoughts of Poppy at bay. Rowdy not so much. He wanted to do something with his son—but what? That was the question. How did he make up for six years in a couple of days? It would take