Page 81 of Derecho

After putting together a simple sandwich and filling her water bottle up with the pink lemonade Jessie had left in our fridge the other day, I made my way back upstairs. Relying on my cane made carrying things tricky, but I was getting better at it.

I walked back into her room, not surprised to see that she was still nursing him. “Birdie said it might be helpful to try and get him started on a pacifier.” The image of Reid choking on the blue silicone of the pacifier I saw on the night stand flipped my stomach. No. He couldn’t choke on it, I reminded myself. The base was literally bigger than his mouth could open. He’d be fine, and Lainey needed the break.

“I’m fine. I don’t need him to use a pacifier. It’ll only delay the pain. I can’t imagine trying to take it away from him when he’s older.”

“Okay.” I set the drink and plate down in the clear space next to the lamp. My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Colt: Lachlan, someone was driving up your way when I was leaving.

Hayes: You got baby snuggles? That is so unfair! I’ve only gotten to hold Reid once, and I thought Lainey was going to punch me for not handing him right back.

Colt: No, I didn’t see Reid. I want you guys to keep an eye out. The guy said he just got confused about getting off the ranch from the well house, but he was nearly to Lach’s place and it just doesn’t sit right with me. Could be someone Greg sent to sniff around.

Hawk: I’ll hop in my truck and circle around in a few minutes. Make sure no one’s hanging out where they shouldn’t be.

Hayes: I gotta stay up late to flip onto nights. I’ll drive around in a couple hours. Make sure they don’t try to come back.

Colt: Good. Lach, don’t panic, we’ve got your back.

Dad: You want me to come down and spend the night there with you and Lainey? I can take the couch.

No. I appreciate that, Dad, but we’ll be okay.

Hayes: Can I stop and see Reid when I drive around?

Get your own family to hang out with.

Hayes: Ouch. But wait…are you saying Lainey and Reid are your family?

“I’ll be right back,” I said, clearing my throat as I walked out of her room again. I walked down the house, ignoring the rest of my brothers’ texts. I made sure to check every door and window twice, then checked the stove…and the toaster. Then checked the doors again. And the windows. And the stove. And the toaster.

And when I was finally ready to go upstairs…I checked the front door again. People sometimes got turned around when they came out to get water from the well house, but my place was pretty far onto ranch property. I hated hearing about that creep taking pictures of her in town—which everyone failed to fucking mention to me until after Reid was born—and I didn’t like the idea that someone could be trying to sneak their way out here for something.

Not just something. My mind flashed to Greg and his dick of a father, trying to come out here and strong arm Lainey. The way my fist ached to smash into that asshole’s face…

“Here.” I strolled into her room, my eyes immediately landing on the untouched sandwich. I sat on the edge of her bed, and held the sandwich up towards her mouth, holding in a laugh as best I could when her eyes went wide and she shook her head. Stubborn woman.

“What are you doing? I told you I’d eat later.”

“And when exactly would that be? You and I both know he isn’t letting you get any time to yourself. I can’t even remember the last time I saw you eat something. That’s not okay, Lain. And I have a feeling you are feeling some sort of way about the fact that I won’t let you pay me back for living here. But you gotta knock that shit off. My share of the ranch profits is more than enough to cover things.”

Her hand came up and her fingers rubbed at her temple. The dark circles I’d been watching grow under her eyes the last few days had somehow gotten even darker. “I’m so tired. I don’t think I have the energy to eat. I just want to sleep more than forty minutes at a time. It’s like he knows…the second I really fall asleep—that good, deep kind where your body finally relaxes—he’s back awake and needing me.”

I nodded. I couldn’t sit by and watch her suffer any longer. I didn’t care if she demanded to do it all on her own. I was helping.

“Okay. Here’s the plan. I’m going to feed you while you feed him, got it? And when he’s done, I’m going to take him with me downstairs.”

“But what if⁠—”

I put my hand on her arm. “No. We’ll be fine together. I happen to be one of his favorite people.”

That got exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Her eyebrow lifted and the corner of her mouth pulled into a smile. “Oh, you are, are you?”

“Look, I wasn’t going to say anything, because I didn’t want to make you jealous, but…he peed on me yesterday when I was doing his diaper change. He basically marked me as his best buddy for life.”

“He’s not a dog.” She laughed.

“No. He’s not.” I reached over and grabbed his foot, playfully wiggling it back and forth a bit. “But guys are simple like that. He’s definitely one of my favorite little dudes.”