Daddy Lessons

“Okay, I’m just trying to help.”

“I’m going to book a flight to Florida so I can meet Brittany and get those tests done. Can I get you to check my place? I hired Carlos to help out, but some of the animals need medicine daily.”

“Sure, leave me a list and I’ll take care of things.”

“Thanks, Hank. It’s good to have a friend here.”

“You’d have lots of friends if you’d let the folks around here get to know you.”

If he was open and honest, people would soon realize his father was a multimillionaire who’d died and left most of his money to his legitimate family, but quite a healthy bequest to his bastard son, whom he’d never acknowledged in life. And once that fact was public, the persistent biographer, who was doing a tell-all book about Ronald Lucas Simon, would be in Ranger Springs faster than Luke could say “hell, no.”

No, the best thing was to keep to himself. “Yeah, well, if they’re ‘friendly’ like my neighbor Travis Whitaker, I wouldn’t depend on them to ‘help’ me out at all.”

“Travis just got the wrong idea about you when you first got into town,” Hank said.

“Why? I’m not after his property or his wife.”

“No, but she and his sister expressed some…curiosity when you pulled up to the café on your Harley.”

“Oh, that.” He’d enjoyed the road trip from California to Texas, taking his time to see the deserts and small towns along the way, thinking about how his life was about to change. Little did he know that he’d be getting more than a variety of aging animals and 640 acres of land. “I still don’t understand what I’ve done to make him testy.”

“He’s just protective. His sister Kate went through a messy divorce, and she’s having a hard time making ends meet, from what I’ve heard.”

“You’re kidding! She looks like she’s always had money, always will.”

“Travis and Kate’s mother was an actress and their father was wealthy—oil money out in West Texas. They didn’t do without much as kids, except maybe some stability at home, if you know what I mean.”

Luke thought back to how he and his mother had struggled to pay the bills each month. They didn’t have much, but he knew he could always depend on her, so in a way, he’d had stability. What he didn’t have was a father—not that he’d really needed one. His mother, however, had loved Ronald Lucas Simon even though the SOB had never paid a dime of child support or expressed any interest in his illegitimate son. At least, not until recently. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“Well, I’ll let you go and make those phone calls. Give me a buzz when you’ve made your plans.”

Luke ended the call and sat back in his desk chair. So, Kate wasn’t currently wealthy and her divorce had been messy. And she was curious about him. At least, according to Hank. Kate sure didn’t show it. Every time he’d seen her, she’d seemed perturbed by him, as if she’d like to turn up her nose and stalk away, but her manners were good to make such a scene.

Big deal. Luke didn’t need friendly neighbors, and he certainly didn’t want to get tied up with a woman right now. Soon he’d have his daughter. They’d be just fine together, just as he and his mother had been just fine.

But first, he needed to do two things: get in touch with Brittany’s uncle about the travel plans and make arrangements to fix up this house. He didn’t want to give the authorities any reason to keep him from being a father, especially when he wasn’t sure what court approval would involve.

He’d never abandon his child as Ronald Simon had deserted him.

With new resolve, he dialed Andy Jacobs in Florida, half hoping that Brittany would answer the phone so he could hear her voice for the first time, half dreading talking to her when he didn’t know what to say.

The phone was answered on the third ring and Luke sighed in relief. “Hello, Mr. Jacobs. This is Luke Simon.” He took another deep breath. “I’m coming to Florida to see Brittany.”

Chapter Three

Kate had a substitute teaching assignment at the Ranger Springs Elementary School two days later. She was glad for the experience and the money substituting provided, but the assignments threw her off balance because they usually called her around six o’clock in the morning. She always had to make sure her schedule coincided with Eddie’s, just in case she was teaching at the middle school or high school.

Today, her feet hurt from chasing twenty second-graders around the classroom and playground and all she wanted to do was soak in the big bathtub for about an hour. Instead, she knew she’d have her hands full with Eddie because his class had taken a field trip to Cheryl Jacks’s petting zoo. He’d chatted nonstop since they’d gotten in the car to drive home. He loved animals so much. He wanted a dog, a cat, a hamster…or a zebra.

“Bring your lunch bag and come on inside,” she told him as she parked the car.

“I want to go outside to play.”

“I know, and you can, but let me get settled in first. Since I taught today, I need to change clothes. And I bet you’d like some string cheese and apple slices.”

“Ooookay,” he replied, reluctant resignation temporarily replacing his childish excitement. He dragged his already scuffed sneakers across the carpet as Kate headed for the kitchen.

She fixed his snack and he asked if he could eat it outside, because maybe Aunt Jodie would bring baby Marsha out. Kate agreed, thankful for a little time to herself to freshen up. Still, she watched him to make sure he headed for their deck, not Luke Simon’s property.

She prayed the talk she’d had with Eddie after his last transgression had finally sunk in. Besides the danger involved in running off, she’d been acutely embarrassed when she’d popped out of the trees and surprised Luke and his guests. She didn’t want to be in that situation again.

In her bathroom, she stripped off her school-teacher clothes and threw them into the hamper. She had a smear of tempura paint on her denim skirt and a spot of ketchup on her flower-embroidered pull-over. Hopefully, both stains would come out in the wash, but at the moment, she couldn’t work up much energy for prespotting.

Just as she pulled on an old pair of gym shorts and a baggy T-shirt, the phone rang. She wanted to check on Eddie, but after seeing the caller ID, she knew she needed to answer the phone first.

Five minutes later, she felt on top of the world. The school administrators wanted to make sure her application was on file with the district for a teaching job.

As she hung up the phone, her smile was as big as her hopes for a permanent position. Although she hadn’t taught full-time since she was a student teacher eight years ago, she now saw there was a chance to provide a home for Eddie and herself. She could move out of Travis’s garage apartment and rent a house of her own.

One with a safe yard for Eddie to play in.

Eddie! He was on the deck alone. What if Jodie hadn’t come outside with the baby?

Kate flung open the door and jogged down the steps. She was probably overreacting, but he’d proved that he could be very sneaky about leaving the yard.

Sure enough, there was Jodie with Marsha in her arms. “Where’s Eddie?” she asked.

Kate stopped, her smile fading. “I was just about to ask you.”

Jodie propped her six-month-old on her left hip. “We just stepped outside, and I haven’t seen Eddie.”

Oh no! Not again. Kate took off at a run toward Luke Simon’s property.

LUKE WAS on the phone, finalizing his hotel plans in Orlando, when he heard the commotion. The donkey began to bray, and he heard the thundering of small hooves in the nearby pasture. By the time he had come out of his chair and rushed to the door, the frightened squeal of a child cut through the afternoon.

When Luke got to the fence, both zebras were awkwardly running toward the trees, where the ponies and the donkey stood trembling, their ears raised, ready to flee. At first he couldn’t tell what had frightened them so. He scanned the pasture, expecting to see Eddie Wooten running at them with his arms flapping.

Instead, he saw a limp heap of blue and white lying maybe three feet from the fence, by the row of trees.

The pile of clothes moved, one small sneaker pushing against the ground.

“Oh, no,” he muttered as he vaulted the fence and raced across the pasture. His heart beat hard from more than the mad dash. He’d told Eddie several times to stay away, to quit trying to get close to the zebras. They were tame, and although they’d been raised around people, they weren’t domesticated animals. When frightened, there was no telling what they’d do. Their natural instincts were far stronger than those of horses, mules or donkeys.

As he neared the little boy, he heard Kate calling, “Eddie!”

“He’s over here,” Luke called out, sliding to a stop in the slippery new grass. “Here, by the mesquite trees.”

Eddie whimpered, his arms and legs moving. Thank God.

“The what?” she yelled. “Where are you?”

Luke stood up and waved. “Over here!”

Kate ran toward them as Luke went down on one knee.

“Eddie, I need you to tell me where it hurts. Come on, buddy, stop crying.”

Eddie looked up at him, still whimpering, but the little boy reached up and rubbed his eyes. That’s a good sign, Luke told himself. “Can you wiggle your feet?”

Sniffling, Eddie looked down at his stained athletic shoes and moved both feet back and forth.

“Good boy.”

“Eddie!” Kate dropped to the ground and reached for her son.

Luke put a hand on her shoulder. “Wait! I was just making sure he hasn’t injured his back.”

“His back? Oh, my God. I wasn’t thinking.…Eddie, are you okay?”

“I don’t know, Mommy. My leg hurts and my hand hurts.” He held up his scratched right hand, traces of grass and blood making his mother gasp.

Luke turned to look at Kate. “Are you all right? I think Eddie’s going to be fine, but let’s be calm, okay?”

“Calm. Yes, I can be calm,” she replied, taking a deep breath. “Thank you.”

That threw him a curve. The very last thing he’d expected was a thank-you from the mother of the little boy lying in his pasture.

“Eddie, does your back hurt?”

“Not too much. Not like my hand.”

“Okay, that’s good. How about your head?” Luke held up two fingers. “How many fingers do you see?”

“Two,” Eddie replied, holding up two of his own on his left hand.

“Good boy,” Luke said, smiling.

“That’s right,” Kate said, forcing a smile. “I’m going to check your leg, sweetie. Hold real still.”

She was very calm now, very motherly as she inspected his limbs. Apparently, Eddie had fallen on the side of his hip, not really his leg, and it was probably bruised.

“I don’t think you broke anything, but let’s get you to the doctor,” Luke said.

“I should call an ambulance,” Kate said.

“Travis told me there isn’t an ambulance in Ranger Springs, and I don’t think this is serious enough for a CareFlight helicopter, do you?”

“Well, probably not.” She looked around as though she was getting her bearings. “I need to take him to the medical clinic.”

“I’ll call ahead.”

“I should have brought my cell phone,” Kate said. “Travis is always getting after me to carry it, but I usually forget. When Eddie runs off, I just go after him.”

Luke didn’t want to say anything about her brother, her errant son or her impulsive behavior, so he kept quiet. She had enough to deal with right now.

“Mommy, I want to go home.”

“I need to make sure you’re okay, sweetie. We’re going to see Dr. Amy.”

“I don’t want to see the doctor! She’ll give me a shot.”

“Come on, buddy,” Luke said, scooping the boy up in his arms and rising. “I’ll bet the doctor is real nice.”

“I wanna go home!” Eddie tried to wiggle out of Luke’s grasp, but he held firm. He wasn’t about to let a six-year-old get the best of him, especially in front of Kate.

“Eddie, be still! You could be hurt,” she said, leaning close. Close enough for Luke to feel her warmth and smell her fragrance of flowers and fear. He wanted to reach out and envelop her along with her son, to tell her everything would be okay. But that wasn’t his responsibility any more than commenting on her personal life was, so he simply headed to his truck.

“You’re going to take Eddie and me to the clinic?” Kate asked, walking quickly to match his longer stride.

He glanced down at her. “Seems like a good idea.”

“You don’t have to. If you’ll just take me home—”

“No, I’m taking you to the clinic.” They reached the fence and he paused. “Go on over and I’ll hand Eddie to you.”

Kate slipped through the rails, apparently unconcerned about how her loose shorts revealed her upper thighs, or how the soft knit fabric of her shirt caressed her curves. Luke knew he shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts as he held her injured son, but he couldn’t help admiring the mother. Quickly, he handed Eddie across the fence, being careful not to brush his fingers against her breasts as he released the little boy.

“I have to get my keys,” he said, stepping between the rails. “Walk toward the truck. I’ll be right there.”

He jogged to the house—not an easy feat in boots—and returned with his wallet and keys. Kate was already seated inside the truck, holding Eddie on her lap.

“Seat belt?” Luke asked.

“Oh, right.” She placed the boy on the bench seat between them and hooked him in. “Are you okay, sweetie? You aren’t hurting too much, are you?”

“I wanna go home. I’m sorry I fell off the zebra.”

“You tried to ride a zebra!” Kate exclaimed. “Eddie, no!”

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” he said softly, about to cry.

“Hey, we can talk about that later, okay?” Kate obviously loved Eddie very much and was at a loss to stop his wandering and inquisitive nature. Being a parent was tough, something he was about to experience firsthand…if he could get his house and his life in order in just twenty-seven days.

Kate hugged Eddie to her and appeared close to tears herself when Luke glanced at her. Then he was on the curving road leading over the hills toward town, and he didn’t look at mother and son again.

KATE BREATHED a sigh of relief when Dr. Amy Wheatley Phillips pronounced Eddie bruised but not broken. No nerve damage, just a contusion on his hip and another on his hand, which he’d scraped raw during his fall.

“You must take it easy for at least a week,” the doctor told Eddie. “No falling around or getting any more injuries, okay?” She looked at Kate and winked. “And you need long, warm baths, Eddie. At least one a day. That will make the bruise go away faster.”

“Baths! Yuck. Do I have to?”

Dr. Amy smiled and stroked Eddie’s mussed hair. “Absolutely, young man. Your mother knows best, so you mind her and you’ll get well very soon.”

Eddie frowned and swung his legs over the edge of the exam table, appearing even younger and more forlorn than Kate ever remembered. The cotton gown wrapped around him like a big, soft tablecloth. Or maybe a receiving blanket, as if he were a baby again.

Oh, those were the days, when she could keep him safe. Protect him from the dangers of life.

“Come back and see me if you have any problems.”

“Thank you, Dr. Amy,” Kate said.

“You’re welcome. And Eddie? Don’t ever try to ride anyone else’s animals. In Texas, back in the old days, that could be considered rustling. Only the bad guys tried to steal someone else’s animals.”

“I didn’t try to steal the zebra!”

“Using anything that doesn’t belong to you is stealing, Eddie,” Kate explained. “Using the zebra for a ride is something that Mr. Simon didn’t want you to do, and that means you tried to steal a ride.”

Eddie folded his arms across his chest and frowned.

“We’ll talk about this at home, young man, after you apologize to Mr. Simon.”

“Gladys told me he brought the two of you in,” Dr. Amy said as she removed her rubber gloves and dropped them into the biohazard trash.

“Yes, I’m afraid I was a bit of a basket case. Your receptionist was wonderful, by the way. Very calm in the face of my near-hysteria.”

“I’m sure it’s very difficult to see your own child lying injured in a pasture.”

“Exactly,” Kate said, frowning at her adventurous son.

“I’m glad Mr. Simon was there for you, then. I’m sure he was more objective.”

“Yes, he was…great.” Kate wasn’t happy to realize how true her words were. Part of her wanted to be angry at him for having the tempting animals. Part of her wanted to resent him for his appeal, both to her and to Eddie. But he had been sensible when she felt the urge to rant and cry and hold Eddie tight. He’d been…great.

“See Gladys on your way out,” Dr. Amy said as she left the examination room.

Within minutes, Eddie was dressed in his stained, rumpled clothes and Kate had given Gladys the insurance information. Only then did Kate look to the waiting room to see if Luke Simon was still there.

Or if he’d taken off because he didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary with a hysterical woman and a meddlesome child.

She inhaled deeply when she saw him, one arm stretched along the back of a couch, booted foot crossed and resting on his knee. His long, dark hair was ruffled as if by the wind or his own fingers plowing through the thick strands. He looked far too good for her peace of mind, just as tempting and exciting as when he’d strolled into the Four Square Café several months ago.

He appeared relaxed at first, but she noticed a bit of tension in his expression, as though he had a lot on his mind. He probably had a ton of chores to do at his ranch. He’d dashed off and left everything. Had he been alone, or were those Hollywood people still there?

She wasn’t going to think about those gorgeous women anymore. Comparing herself to others that physically perfect was an exercise in futility, especially when she was dressed in old shorts and a faded T-shirt.

“We’re ready,” she said just loud enough to get his attention, “if you’re willing to drive us home.”

“How’s Eddie?” Luke asked, rising effortlessly from the couch. Kate nearly sighed when she thought about how strong he had to be to move so gracefully.

“He’s going to be fine, if he’s careful and takes lots of warm baths.”

“Yuck!”

Kate leaned down to eye level with her son. “Eddie, don’t you have something to say to Mr. Simon?”

Eddie nodded. “I’m sorry I tried to ride the zebra, Mr. Simon,” he said in a small voice. “I didn’t mean to steal anything.”

Luke appeared confused, glancing at her for clarification.

Kate hid her smile by biting her lips. “Dr. Amy told him about how taking something, even a ride on someone’s animal, is like stealing.”

“You didn’t steal from me,” Luke said. “I’m really concerned about the zebra, though.”

“Why?” Eddie asked.

Luke hunkered down in front of Eddie. “Because she’s pretty old and she has arthritis.”

“Just like Grandpa Whitaker,” Kate explained.

“His fingers are all knobby,” Eddie said.

“Well, her knees are kind of like that and it hurts her to move. She likes to graze real slow beside her friend. When she has to move fast, like to run away from something that scares her, her knees hurt.”

Eddie looked as though he was about to cry. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I thought she’d like to go for a ride.”

“Riding is a lot more fun for the person riding than for the animal being ridden,” Luke explained. “Besides, zebras are wild animals. They want to buck whenever they feel weight on their back. That’s why people don’t ride them in Africa, where they’re from. Over there, the wild zebras buck off the lions and other predators who try to eat them.”

“Wow. I didn’t know that,” Eddie said.

Listening to Luke Simon was a lot like watching a very sexy host on the Discovery Channel. Except none of the hosts were as appealing as this newcomer.

“So, even if Lola—that’s the zebra’s name—didn’t have arthritis, you still couldn’t ride her. She’s wild.”

“But why do you have wild animals?” Eddie asked.

“Because Lola and Lollipop, her friend, used to work in a small circus where they pulled a chariot. They went round and round the ring for many years until they got too old. They didn’t have anywhere else to go, so they came to live with me and the other animals. Now they can eat grass and have a nice retirement.”

“Just like Grandpa Whitaker moved to Hilton Head.”

Kate suppressed a laugh. Her father wouldn’t take kindly to his lifestyle being compared to that of two aging zebras, especially with his younger wife, his golf games and tennis matches. “Sort of, but don’t tell him that.”

“Okay. I’m ready to go home now.”

Kate stood and took Eddie’s hand. “Are you sure you don’t mind taking us home?” she asked Luke.

“No, as long as your brother doesn’t come after me.”

“Why would you say that?”

“He doesn’t like me.”

“He’s overprotective and he doesn’t know you.”

Luke’s eyebrows rose as if asking, “And you do?”

Kate shrugged at the unspoken question and led Eddie toward the door. “Whatever Travis says, I’m grateful for your help. I couldn’t have gotten Eddie here so quickly or easily without you.”

“I’m glad I was home.”

Kate paused as he unlocked the truck. “I hope we didn’t interrupt your visitors…again.”

“No, they’re gone.”

Good, she felt like saying, but she didn’t. She absolutely refused to be petty, especially about a man she barely knew.

She helped Eddie into the seat and buckled him up. “I’m sure you’re very busy, though.” Although Luke had been much nicer and more concerned than she would have expected, he had his own life to lead.

She knew so little about him. She’d imagined much more about him than she should have, first thinking him self-possessed to the point of arrogance. In reality, he was very nice. Perhaps even a little shy. And awfully concerned about Eddie, instead of being angry.

Which made him even more endearing. Darn it. She didn’t need this. Her responsibility to provide for herself and Eddie, combined with her need to stand on her own two feet for the first time, made having any interest in a man a very bad idea. And when she did decide to date again, she would be smart to start with someone less exciting and tempting than Luke Simon.

She definitely needed dating training wheels, not a wild ride on a Harley.

Luke paused after inserting the key, his look again pensive. “It’s not so much that I’m busy. I’ve got some things on my mind.”

“I’m sorry to be such a bother.”

“You’re not a bother. That’s not what I meant.”

“Still—”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, cranking the engine. He put the truck in reverse and turned to look behind him, then paused and watched her intently. “I’m working on a solution,” he said before driving toward the ranch.

Chapter Four

Luke straightened the collar of his white cotton shirt, the only one in his closet that was pressed. He’d waited a whole day to come to see Eddie, hoping the little boy was feeling better, and that Kate wouldn’t hold a grudge against Luke or his zebra.

She could be the answer to all his problems.

She was a mother, an elementary school teacher and a woman with a lot of class. If anyone could help him clean up his act, Kate Wooten was the one. She could explain what toys a little girl would like, what sorts of things weren’t safe for kids, what kind of behavior was proper and how he needed to decorate the house. So much to learn, so little time before he needed approval to take custody of Brittany.

But as much as he wanted to get his plan in action, he didn’t think he should come right out and ask Kate for help. For one thing, she didn’t know him very well. Until Eddie tried to ride a zebra, Kate had seemed a bit…standoffish. He’d assumed she was snobby, but maybe she was just unsure of him, his animals and his ranch. Mostly him.