Page 47 of Dear Santa, Send Me a Cowboy
“You need to calm the fuck down, before you cause a scene. We found Silvan, so you’re not needed anymore.”
Jaxon peered up at Lawson like he was a crazy person. Sizing him up as if he had the strength or even competence to fight off someone like Lawson.
“Who the hell are you?” Jaxon snapped as I held on to Silvan’s hand and tugged him in closer to my side.
“I’m someone these two can count on, that’s who I am. Now if you were fuckin’ smart, you’d take this as your hint to go back home and leave them the fuck alone before you really start to piss me off.”
Lawson defending us was even sexier than watching him crumble beneath my tongue.
That was saying something.
“Diana?” Jaxon tried going around Lawson but was quickly stopped.
“Just go home, Jaxon.”
Beyond Lawson's broad back, I could make out Jaxon flailing his arms around like a madman.
“No fucking way. I want to know exactly who it is my son is going back with.”
With the temperature rising in my veins, I all but burst at the seams at the man who once ruined me, and was doing the same to Silvan.
“None of my life or Silvan’s life will ever be any of your business from here on out. If one day you decide you want to be a father, a real one, then you can call me and we can set something up. But right now, the three of us are leaving and going home.”
Clutching Silvan’s hand, then boldly taking Lawson’s, I showed Jaxon just how well-off and better we were without him in our lives. The way his eyes flared and jaw clenched at the three of us standing united, it made my heart swell pridefully.
“Go home, Dad.” Silvan's voice cut through the air, causing my hand to tighten around his. “If you really cared about me, I wouldn’t be here right now. I wouldn’t have run away.”
“Silvan—”
“Mom has always been there. From day one she’s never let me down, and that’s all you seem to do. So, go home. I officially relieve you of the burden of being my dad.”
My heart felt like it was shattering in my chest as I caught the sight of Jaxon stumbling back from the powerful weight of our son's words. A wave of emotions crashed over me, but I held it in for Silvan’s sake. I reminded myself to remain strong just as he was right now.
“I'll wait at the doors.” Silvan peered up at me before walking past his dad who looked too shocked to speak.
As soon as Silvan was out of earshot, Lawson stepped forward and jabbed a finger in his direction.
“You better get your head out of your ass and realize you fucked up the only good thing in your life. Diana will never be yours, but with your son, you still have a chance to fix it.”
Still processing Lawson's words and worried he might overstep, I steered him around Jaxon and guided him over toSilvan who was waiting for us with his stare focused on the parking lot.
“Ready to go home?” I settled a palm onto Silvan’s shoulder and squeezed it softly. “Maybe we can stop at your favorite restaurant on the way back.”
His head perked up at that.
“Will the cowboy go with us?” He peered over at Lawson with a curious gleam in his eye. One I was relieved to see.
“Drove your mom in my truck, so yeah, kid, I’ll go with you.” He grinned and tightened his hand in mine.
“Cool.”
Silvan nodded and it was then that I noticed the slight playful curve of his mouth. He was happy about that. About Lawson going with us.
His subtle smile sent warmth throughout my body, filling me with an overwhelming sense of hope for the future. For all the possibilities, and it all stemmed from a simple, drunken letter I had written to Santa asking for a cowboy.
And now that I got one, I was never letting him go.
Epilogue
