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Travis skipped another stone. This time it only served to aggravate Colt, making him wonder why he’d brought Travis on this land run in the first place.
“What about Helen? She’d be good with them boys of yours.”
“She’s out of the picture.”
“She won’t be once she wins that buckle. I imagine it’ll settle her right down.”
Colt was thinking Travis hadn’t heard the news about Helen’s condition. “There’s something else that’s going on with Helen.”
“I know all about her being in a family way. What I heard, she’s planning on raising that baby on her own. The baby’s daddy don’t want no part of it. Might be a good time for you to step in and make your case.”
“Where’d you hear that?”
“Lana Thompson.”
Colt laughed. “I’m surprised you’d even listen to her kind of talk.”
“I’m not saying I do and I’m not saying I don’t, but there’s gotta be something to it or why else would Helen be living with her folks over in Jackson instead of married to her man?”
“Only Helen can answer that.”
“Have you asked her?”
“I was busy shoring up my boys after the fair. Timing wasn’t right.”
“It all goes back to what I said. You think too much.”
“We have a date for Friday night. I’m taking her to Champaign Taste. We’ll talk then.”
Travis slung his arm around his brother’s shoulder. “What’s your plan?”
“Plan? Dinner’s my plan. She tells me what she wants to say then I drive her back to Milo’s. Anything more than that isn’t any of your business.”
“Maybe so, but if you’re feeling a little rusty, I can give you some pointers.”
“Getting pointers from you would be like getting pointers from a pup at his mama’s tit.”
Travis laughed. “Good one, big brother.”
“I thought so.”
* * *
“IS THAT WHAT you’re wearing?” Milo asked as Helen descended the stairs. She wore dark blue jeans, her tan Justin boots and a sky-blue Western maternity shirt. Her hair curled out of a black cowgirl hat.
“It’s just dinner in town with Colt. Nothing fancy, I’m sure.”
She’d stressed over what to wear ever since Colt had asked her on this impromptu date. She’d tried on everything in her suitcase. She’d even considered a long dress, but then thought it too fancy. Nothing seemed right so she stuck with her tried-and-true jeans and a shirt. She felt comfortable in jeans and a shirt, and tonight of all nights she wanted to be comfortable.
Milo stood next to his recliner, ready to attack it with his full-size body. It was his night off from Spud Drive-In, located on the outskirts of town, where he worked the concession stand a few nights a week during the summer. It got him out of the house and forced him to talk to his neighbors, which he sometimes didn’t like doing. Milo had no interest in a nine-to-five job due to an inheritance from his grandfather on his dad’s side, which made him “comfortable,” as he liked to say. On his free nights, he usually spent them catching up on his recorded shows.
“Did he say it wouldn’t be fancy?”
“No, but why should it be?”
“A man don’t ask you to dinner then take you for fast food. It usually means a tablecloth and a server. I’m just sayin’.” He shrugged.
“Fine! I’ll rethink my outfit.”
“Have you thought about what you’re gonna say?”
“Of course I have.”
She really hadn’t, but she didn’t want to get into it with Milo. He was a man of preparedness and believed you should always practice before you attempted anything that might be awkward, and that naturally included telling Colt about his baby.
“Try it out on me. I’m a good judge of these things.”
Helen crossed her arms over her chest and let out a frustrated sigh. “Colt, I’m pregnant with your baby.”
“And...”
“And nothing. That’s all I have.”
“It stinks.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Yeah, but you can ease him into it with small talk first.”
“For instance?” She shifted her weight to one hip and tapped her foot a few times.
“I don’t know... Tell him he looks good in his new hat.”
“What new hat?”
“The one he bought yesterday at Mad Hatter’s.”
“How do you know this?”
“It’s a small town.”
“Damn, it’s smaller than I thought. This is crazy. A guy can’t even buy a new hat without everybody knowing about it.”
“And a single girl can’t waltz back into town with a baby belly and not expect everyone to speculate on the circumstances.”
She sighed, unfolded her arms and plopped down onto the sofa, feeling as if the entire town knew every detail of her life and she hadn’t even told anyone a thing about it. “I give. Just tell me what I should say and I’ll do my best to make it sound as if I came up with it on my own.”
“Before I help you out, maybe you should girl up first. What time is your date?”
“‘Girl up’? Have you been hanging around with Amanda Fittswater again? You know that girl will be the death of you. She’s still wet behind the ears.”
“She’s just a friend.”
“She’s not even twenty-one yet.”
“Turned twenty-two three weeks ago, and we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you and Colt.”
She crossed her arms again. “There is no ‘me and Colt.’ There’s only his baby that needs to be discussed.”
“You make it sound as if you’re somehow not attached to that there young’un.”
“Believe me, I’m attached, just not to Colt.”
“You look mighty attached to Colt Granger from where I’m standing.”
“Well, stand someplace else ’cause we aren’t a couple, never have been a couple and probably never will be a couple.”
“You used the word probably.”
“Yeah? So?”
“That means—”
The doorbell rang and the sound startled Helen. “He’s fifteen minutes early.”
Milo peeked out of the side window. “It’s not Colt. You still have time to change.”
Helen headed for the door, but Milo beat her to it, whisking past her faster than she’d ever seen his cumbersome body move. She stood to the side of the door, not able to see who stood on the other side when Milo opened it. Immediately his face lit up as if he were a kid staring at a Christmas tree. Amanda Fittswater’s distinctive voice echoed through the living room. “Hey, cuddles. Are you ready?”
“Cuddles?” Helen whispered when Milo glanced her way.
He blushed.
“Hey, Amanda. Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Helen came around to the front of the door. “Aren’t you going to invite her in?”
“Hey, Helen,” Amanda said when their eyes met. She still looked like a kid with a fresh scrubbed face, a lean body, mahogany hair streaked with pink highlights cut extra short, bright pink lipstick, red minishorts, a black long-sleeved sweater and tan cowboy boots. “Like, I can’t. The movie starts in less than ten minutes. But we’ll catch up next time. Come on over to Holy Rollers and I’ll give you a free muffin.”
She’d worked at Holy Rollers, the local doughnut and pastry shop, ever since it opened. Her aunt owned the place and everyone knew she was grooming Amanda to one day take it over when she retired, that is if she could keep Amanda interested.
She grabbed Milo’s hand and the two of them walked out the door and down the street in the direction of Galaxy Theater, while Helen stood there and watched. Amanda jumped and skipped around him like a puppy vying for attention.
Oh, yeah, they were just friends all right.
That’s when she spotted Colt’s white SUV turning onto the street. She left the front door wide open for him, and raced up the stairs to change clothes and practice how she would tell him about their baby.
“Hi, Colt, I love your new hat. Colt, is that a new hat? Wow, that new hat looks great on you. By the way, did I happen to mention you’re the daddy to the baby I’m carrying?” She stomped up the last three stairs knowing that telling Colt about their baby was the single most difficult thing she’d ever had to do.
* * *
COLT PULLED HIS SUV over to the curb a block away from Milo’s place in order to give his boys one more talk before he picked up Helen for their date. He hadn’t planned on bringing his boys, but Dodge had a “previous engagement” that he neglected to tell Colt about until a couple hours ago. Mrs. Abernathy, the older, semi-retired nurse who Colt could always depend on as his backup babysitter, was also busy that night, and both his brothers along with Maggie and Scout had tickets to a truck and tractor pull over in Idaho Falls, so he was stuck having to bring his boys.
If he’d had more time to tell Helen about the change in circumstances, he would have called her and broken the date. Unfortunately, he’d assumed his dad, who rarely went anywhere but the barn in the evening, would be available to look after his boys. He never would have guessed in a million years the old man wouldn’t be available. No way would he call Helen an hour before their date and cancel. Instead, he brought his boys and if she didn’t want to go—and who could blame her—he would merely take the boys down to Sammy’s Smoke House for burgers and milkshakes and call it a night.
He was dog-tired anyway.
“Why are we stopping, Dad? Milo lives up yonder,” Buddy told him.
“Yeah, Papa. I want to see Helen. Aren’t we going to see Helen?” Joey wanted to know.
“I like Helen, Daddy,” Gavin said. “I promise to be good.”
His three boys all sat strapped in the backseat with Joey in the middle. They were dressed in their best jeans, tucked-in pressed shirts and clean sneakers, except for Buddy, who only wore boots. Their hair was combed, their faces scrubbed and their nails were clipped smooth. They were duded up better than he was.
He’d been so concerned about how his boys looked that he hadn’t had time to polish himself. Everything he wore was clean and he’d taken a shower, but his clothes weren’t his best and his boots had seen better days. Still, he’d had the presence of mind to grab his new straw cream-colored cattleman hat, which at least made him feel as if he was somewhat dressed for the occasion.
Colt turned in his seat. “I’m stopping to make sure you boys know the rules. Can you repeat them for me?”
“No loud talking. No screaming,” Gavin said. “Always say please and thank you.”
“No going off without asking your permission first,” Buddy chimed in. “And no talking when the adults are talking. Even if we have a question?”
“Yes. Wait until there’s a break in the conversation.”
Buddy nodded.
Colt looked at Joey, who hadn’t said anything. “What else?”
Joey shrugged.
“What’s the matter?”
“I don’t feel so good.”
Colt cringed. Joey had been sluggish all day, but Colt assumed Joey was simply tired. “I need specifics, remember?”
“My head hurts.”
Colt reached over and touched Joey’s face and, sure enough, he felt hot. “You have a fever, son. Probably getting a cold. I’m sorry, but we need to take care of this.”
Tears instantly streamed down Joey’s cheeks. “But I don’t want to go home, Papa. I want to see Helen. I want a milkshake.”
“I know, but you need to rest to get that fever down.”
“I don’t want to go to bed. It’s too early. It’s still daytime.” The sun had just slipped behind the mountains.
“We’ll figure it out. I promise.”
