Colton: Rodeo Cowboy by C. J. Carmichael

Author:C. J. Carmichael
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“You have a kid? A son?” If she repeated it often

enough, maybe the meaning would finally sink in. Leah

stared at Colt, wondering if she’d ever really known

him. How could something this big lie in his past with-

out her having had a clue?

“I do.” Colt had turned away from her and was gaz-

ing out toward the river, fists jammed into the pockets of his jeans. He looked, Leah thought, like a defeated man.

“Who’s the mother?”

He didn’t answer at first. Then he sighed. “Janet

Green way. I met her at the rodeo in Belt, outside of

Great Falls. We spent a few nights together. Then I

moved on.”

The story of his life, Leah reflected. Then I moved

on.

“When did you see her again?”

“I didn’t. Nine months later I received a registered

letter from an attorney telling me I’d fathered a child

and would be required to make child-care payments.”

“Really? She didn’t call you before that?”

“Really.” Colt lifted his head briefly, then returned

to the view. “She didn’t want to talk to me, and didn’t

want me having any part of her life or the baby’s. Ap-

parently she’d met someone new about a month after

9780373754175_CS5_txt.indd 112

9780373754175_CS5_txt.indd 112

12-04-25 11:07 AM

12-04-25 11:07 AM

C.J. Carmichael

113

our…affair. They fell in love and he agreed to raise her son as his own. So they got married.”

“Wow.” This was a lot to take in. Part of her had to

sympathize with what it must have been like for Colt,

to find out he was a father by registered mail from a

law firm rather than the mother. But then, looking at it from the woman’s point of view, Colt had never bothered to contact her again after they slept together. So

what did she really owe him?

“I gather you weren’t invited to be present when the

baby was born. So when did you first get to see him?”

“I didn’t. I haven’t.”

“What?”

“According to the lawyer, all Janet expected from me

was a financial commitment. The baby had a mother

and a father. My presence in his life would only have

complicated matters.”

“But…that’s hogwash. You had rights, too… .”

When Colt didn’t say anything, Leah realized that

while he may have had rights as a father, he hadn’t cho-

sen to exercise them.

She hadn’t known what he was coming here to say,

but secretly she’d hoped that it would be something

good. Something that would offer hope that the two

of them might have a future, that along with Jill and

Davey, they could become a family, share their lives

and grow old together.

But this. This made a mockery of the whole idea.

Her voice trembled as she said, “The arrangement

suited you, too, didn’t it? That’s why you didn’t fight

her.”

“The kid had a father. He didn’t need me.”

She marched across the patio and grabbed his shoul-

der, wanting to see his eyes. “You can’t believe that.”

9780373754175_CS5_txt.indd 113

9780373754175_CS5_txt.indd 113

12-04-25 11:07 AM

12-04-25 11:07 AM

114

Colton: Rodeo Cowboy

“It’s the truth.”

“Maybe you wish it was. Because this way, your life

hasn’t had to change a bit, has it?”

“I’ve never missed a child-care payment.”

“Well, good for you, Colt. I suppose you’re real proud

of yourself for that.”

“I’m not saying I’m proud, only that it hasn’t been

easy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.