Raising Kane (Rough Riders #9)(72)

Tell him.


No. It’d be better to wait. See how things played out.


The song ended too quickly.


Ginger tilted her head back to look at him. “Kane?”


His eyes opened. The sadness was still there. She hadn’t expected that a couple of dances and some sexual teasing would erase the day’s events, but his suffering distressed her nonetheless.


She framed his face in her hands. “Come home with me. Have dinner with us. I’ve already got a roast in the Crock-Pot and I’ll even let tonight be Hayden’s Xbox night. Please.”


Gratitude swam in his eyes before he looked away and kissed the inside of her wrist. “I’d like that, Red. I’d like that a whole helluva lot.”


“Good. I’ve got a couple of hours left at the office…” She stopped talking. “You know something?


Nothing needs to be done today. It can wait.”


That surprised him. “You sure?”


“Positive.”


“So what now?”


“Let’s stay here and dance a little longer.” Ginger pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “But now it’s my turn to pick the music.”


Ginger rode along with Kane as he unloaded the cake. Although many of her clients were ranchers, she wasn’t sure what their daily lives entailed. She appreciated the glimpse into Kane’s life. No wonder the man was so muscle-bound; it appeared everything he did required strength.


They picked Hayden up from school instead of at the bus stop. During the ride home, her son was subdued. Maybe it hadn’t been the brightest idea to tell him about Shep, but Hayden deserved to understand Kane’s melancholy mood.


Her father sat at the kitchen table working on a crossword puzzle. He gave no indication of shock at seeing Kane making himself at home in the living room. Most days Hayden and his grandfather shared an after-school snack, but today, Hayden left his snack untouched.


Ginger watched covertly as her son stood in front of Kane, shifting from foot to foot.


“Hey, buddy. What’s up?”


“Ah, nothin’. I’m sorry about Shep. He was the coolest dog ever.”


“Yeah, he was.”


“You’re gonna miss him, huh?”


“Yeah, I’m gonna miss him. Big time.”


Then without another word, Hayden crawled right onto Kane’s lap and rested his head against Kane’s chest, curling his arms around Kane’s neck.


Kane hugged Hayden back without hesitation. He closed his eyes and they sank into the couch cushions.


Oh God. Ginger had to turn away, lest she start sobbing. Her sweet baby boy had such a kind heart.


Kane knew that. He celebrated it. And it was never more apparent they had a unique bond than when Kane openly welcomed Hayden’s comfort.


“Then it’s probably the real deal and she’s running scared.”


“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m not the type of guy she thought she’d end up with,” he said, hating he sounded like a f*cking whiner.


Colt frowned at him. “What the f*ck are you talkin’ about? You feelin’ like you’re not good enough for her? So she’s a lawyer. Big deal. That just means when you do something stupid and get your ass tossed in jail she can give you a helluva defense.”


Kane laughed. “Asshole.”


“Listen to me. Don’t be a dumbass and waste any more time. Do the adult thing and quit mopin’


around. It’s annoying as hell.”


“How the hell do you know I’ve been moping? You ain’t been around.”


“Like anything can be a goddamned secret for long in this family.”


Before he could tell Colt to mind his own f*cking business, the door blew open and a whole mass of people crowded in. Kade, Cord, Colby, Cam and Quinn.


Kade spoke up. “We’re staging an intervention.”


Kane glared at Colt. “Was this your doin’?”


“Yep.” Colt smirked. “Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?”


Unbelievable.


All the guys grabbed a cup of coffee and took a seat.


When he couldn’t take their amused stares and total silence any longer, he snapped, “What?”


Evidently Kade was the designated spokesman. “We’ve all been where you are, so we’re gonna give you the benefit of our experience.” Kade leaned forward. “Buy a goddamned ring and marry the woman.


Don’t take no for an answer.”


Heads nodded in agreement.


Kane looked at his relatives like they’d all gone insane, because the road to happily ever after hadn’t been easy for any of them. “That’s your advice? That’s why you’re all here?”


Colby exchanged a look with Quinn and Colt and said, “Partially.”


“They’re using this ‘intervention’ as an excuse to avoid their wives, since they’re all pregnant,” Cam tossed in.


“Fuck off, Cam,” Colby said.