Raising Kane (Rough Riders #9)(16)

“I’m tired of resting. I’m restless. It’s driving me nuts.”


He pulled himself out of his wheelchair to sit on the opposite end of the couch. “Dr. Monroe called me and gave me the official medical breakdown of your injuries, but that doesn’t tell me how it happened.”


Ginger explained and wasn’t surprised by her father’s drawn-out sigh.


“You’re lucky.”


“I know.”


“Not only do I love and adore you, Gigi, I count on you. So does Hayden. I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you.”


Gigi. He only used his pet name when he was really upset. “Maybe I’ll call West Construction and have them check the downspouts to see why we have an icy spot on the steps. Be just our luck if someone sued us.”


He harrumphed. “Did you make any progress on the Jensen case?”


Now they were back to the status quo. “Not really. I can’t find a precedent. I know I’m overlooking something simple.”


He offered a few suggestions she hadn’t considered. And for the millionth time, she was grateful there wasn’t a blessed thing wrong with his mind.


Shoptalk faded. Ginger stretched out on the couch, allowing her dad to settle her foot and cast on his lap. He confiscated the remote and picked the most boring TV show ever. She dozed off.


Insistent taps on her shoulder awakened her. She blinked sleepily at her impatient son as she swung her feet to the floor. “You’re back. Did you have fun?”


“Yep. Buck let me bring some of his cookies. Want one?”


“Absolutely.” Kane sauntered closer. With his feline grace and King of the Jungle swagger, when he walked into a room he owned it. Why did Ginger have the urge to offer him her neck in submission? Or show him her tail?


Kane smiled, as if he could read her thoughts, and flashed his teeth before he sat next to her on the couch.


“Normally I don’t share my sweets, especially when they’re from my niece.”


Ginger bit into the cookie and the rich, buttery taste burst into her mouth. “Eliza made these?”


“With a little help from Grandma.”


Hayden inserted himself between them and looked at Kane. “Did you have grandmas to bake cookies with?”


“Nope. So I guess you and I are in the same boat, sport. Havin’ to beg cookies from whoever we can.”


“Not to rain on your cookie parade, but how many have you had? I don’t want Kane to have to deal with you getting sick.”


“I’ve had four…maybe five.”


“No more today, okay?”


Hayden sighed. But he didn’t complain. The poor kid had been dealing with food allergy issues his whole life.


“Your mama’s right. I don’t need to eat any more cookies either. I’ll just put them away for tomorrow.”


Kane’s comment mollified her son. “So guess what else? Buck’s going to teach me how to play poker and Texas Hold ’Em. Cool, huh?”


“Very. I assume there won’t be betting?”


“Mom,” Hayden said with exasperation.


“No ma’am. No betting,” Kane said. “This is strictly for fun.”


“Then count me out,” Dash said.


Three sets of eyes zoomed to the family patriarch.


“After I teach Hayden, I’d be up for a game or two with real stakes,” Kane offered.


“Poker or blackjack?” Dash asked.


“How about a little of both? With a side of Texas Hold ’Em just to make it interesting?”


Dash smirked. “I’ll get my wallet.”


After Dash disappeared into his bedroom, Kane lowered his voice. “Level with me. Is your grandpa any good at cards?”


Hayden shrugged. “He’s always talking about playing cribbage for a quarter a point at the senior center.”


“Does he win?”


“All the time. You should see the jars of quarters in his room.”


Kane groaned. “I do believe I’ve been had.”



Ginger grinned.


For the next hour, they convened around the kitchen table. Kane was extremely patient in teaching Hayden the basics. He didn’t criticize his choices nor did he offer him false praise. He explained.


The most entertaining aspect was watching her father and Kane measuring each other, gauging their opponent’s skill level, trying to figure out each other’s tells.


Ginger called a halt to the card competition so they could eat supper.


Again Kane wouldn’t let her do anything. He made her sit as he heated up the soup. Between the four of them they finished the pot. Hayden flopped on the living room rug with his Lego set. He could amuse himself for hours. Ginger counted herself lucky her son was such an easygoing kid.


They’d conned Ginger into playing banker for the McKay versus Paulson card tournament. Both Kane and her father bought in with twenty-five bucks worth of poker chips.


Despite the throbbing in her shoulder, Ginger gritted her teeth, determined not to take a pain pill. She propped her cast on an extra chair and sipped a glass of water.