Page 57 of Stirring Up Trouble
"What happened with Corny?" I said, drawing my boy's attention back my way.
"He told me that that was Jacob, aka your stepfather, aka the asshole who left you high and dry after trying to destroy everything that your family had built. I decided to grab the paintball gun from the youth play area, jog back over here, andtake a swing at him. Good timing too since he was about to say something he shouldn't ever have.”
I smile so wide my cheeks hurt. "Look at you stepping in to protect me, baby. I didn't know you were so ferocious."
I gave him another kiss, this one lingering longer. It was only when I heard Jacob's disgusted voice yell out a slur that I pulled back.
Stepping partially in front of my boy, I crossed my arms. "You watch your fucking mouth, Jacob. As a matter of fact, don't worry about it. You're not allowed to be here. You're going to leave, and you won't come back. You're not welcome at the ranch. You're not welcome at my rodeo. You're not welcome in this county. I'm sure if anyone else had seen you first, you'd be wearing a matching set of black eyes for all the trouble you've given us."
“On top of being this," he waved up and down my body, "you're also sleeping with a man? Your mother would be so disappointed in you."
This fucker using my mother’s name this way was another nail in his coffin.
“You don't know her at all. You never did. Her brother was gay. He died young, and my mother grieved him ‘til she died, so don't give me shit about how I feel or who I lo—care about.”
I had to quickly force myself to say that instead of proclaiming my love for my boy.
This wasn't the time or the place to do so. That was for when we were alone and not facing down my demons.
Before Jacob could spew any more hate, some familiar faces made their way through the crowd of onlookers and snatched him up.
"Should we call the sheriff?" Robin asked as he positioned himself back beside me. "I imagine he's got some type of warrants for his arrest, don't you think?"
I shook my head as I draped an arm over his shoulder and plucked the paintball gun from his hand. I didn't need him taking his feelings out on anyone else.
"No, baby, there's no need because those two guys that just came in are deputies. I'm sure if there are any type of warrants for his arrest, they've got it handled."
Corny walked up, and I tossed the gun his way. He caught it, then gave me a look that said he was sorry I had to deal with it, but he was proud to be a part of my ranch.
Don't ask me how I knew all that from a single glance. I just did. My guys were family after all that we'd been through.
As he strolled away, I directed my boy over to the food trucks. "We need to get some food in us after all that excitement," I told him.
He smiled, clasping his hands together. "Yes, I think so too, and lots of French fries are in order."
"French fries?" I asked.
"Yes, Daddy," he said softly, before adding with more volume, "cheesy French fries. Those are the best."
As we approached the window, I turned to him and said, "I'll do you one better, bacon cheese fries."
He pressed his hand to his head and pretended to faint against me as I laughed. The clerk at the stand heard us. She shouted for the cook to put the order in. I added more onto it because on top of his bacon cheese fries, my boy needed some protein as well.
By the time we ordered, I felt peace at everything that had transpired. Jacob had been somewhat of a problem in the back of my mind. I wondered when he’d show back up because I knew it was inevitable.
Pushing him out of my life for good was a relief. It also meant that Robin knew his face now and could go the other direction if he ever happened to cross him.
I doubted it would happen. I was serious about the deputies taking him away.
When we had our table number in hand, I steered us over to a two-seater table. I didn't want anyone else to stop us for conversation or try to sit down with us.
Robin fiddled with the little stand with the number forty-two on it. It was meant to let the cashier know where to bring our food when it was ready.
I called to get his attention. He perked up, straightening as he looked at me.
"Yes," he said slowly.
"I wanted to talk to you about something important. As you know, the rodeo is over in just a couple of days. While I know that you live somewhere else, I would like to keep this going between us.”
