Two of a Kind Read online

  “We’ll see how Amelia is feeling, but a limeade might make you both feel better.” He lifted her into the truck, then helped the short-legged mutts in. Luckily, the two bigger dogs were ignoring him.

  Okay. School. Right. Lord, he needed a nap. Maybe the girls would let him catch a few z’s.

  He’d bet they would nap if he put downers in their limeades….

  Was that bad? That was probably bad. Still, a nap sounded so good. He would put them on the big couch and corral them with his legs. Boom.

  They arrived at the school ten minutes later. “Okay, Phineas. Ferb. Guard.”

  No one would dare touch this truck with those guys watching Courtney. Not to mention that they wouldn’t let Court into the front seat to turn up the radio while it was off, or to turn on the windshield wipers.

  He chuckled. God knew, he’d done that enough as a kid. He’d always blamed it on Daniel, of course. Always.

  His gut clenched. God, he missed his brother so much it hurt. They’d been best friends.

  It didn’t seem to matter how long it was, how many years it had been, he still hurt.

  He hit the office and held out his arms for Amelia, who sat in a chair in a room off the office. “Not feeling good, huh, kiddo?”

  “Uh-uh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” She was near tears already, and by the time she hurtled into his arms, she was sobbing.

  “Shh. It’s okay, honey. I knew with Courtney being sick, it might happen. How’s your tummy?” He didn’t want her to puke in the truck.

  “Okay. My head hurts, though. Bad.”

  “Mr. McIntosh? I gave her some Tylenol to get her fever down.”

  “Thank you.” He smiled at the… nurse? “I’ll get her to the doctor tomorrow if it hasn’t run its course. Do I need to sign her out?”

  “Yes, please. You’ll show your ID in the office there.”

  “Thanks.” He moved back to the main office so he could show his license before taking her out to the truck.

  Courtney waved at them, and Amelia waved back listlessly.

  Poor baby. He lifted her into his arms, then helped get her settled in the truck. The corgis sniffed and snuffled but didn’t try to get back there.

  “Courtney wants a Sonic limeade. Do you want anything, Amelia?”

  “I’d like a limeade, yeah. No cherry.”

  “Okay.” He would get a couple of small limeades and some tots for him and the puppers. He rolled out, noting little things that had changed along the way. The town was growing slowly, but it was growing. There was a Michael’s now, a big Albertson’s. Damn.

  The Sonic hadn’t moved. Thank God. He got the girls limeades, then got himself onion rings and cheese sticks instead of tots. He’d split a cheese between the pups. Ferb was allergic to potatoes, and he was damn glad he remembered now. Not when the runs started.

  By the time he got the girls home and settled on the sofa, he felt like he was fixin’ to fall over. “You two all good?”

  “Yessir. Sorry.” Amelia looked miserable.

  “Honey, just rest, okay. Can I lay my head back and nap?” He was sinking fast.

  “Uh-huh. We can watch Barbie.” Courtney climbed into his lap. “Hold me?”

  “You bet. Amelia? You can come lean on me if you want.” He wanted her to. He needed to be close to them.

  Amelia cuddled into him, her poor body burning up.

  He wrapped them both close before letting his eyes close. If something happened with either girl, he’d know it.

  Now, he just needed a little rest.

  Chapter Four

  TREY hadn’t made it far. Hell, he could see his ranch from his room at the Tamaya resort. Still, it felt so good to relax, to walk around naked, to have a beer at noon.

  Now he just had to figure out what to do with himself.

  He shook his head. Who was he kidding? Sure, he wanted the time off, but now he was missing the time with Ap. He only got a few weeks a year, as it was.

  He couldn’t hardly go home after throwing a hissy, though, could he?

  And he didn’t have a single idea how to get him a little strings-free nookie either. He’d been trying to figure out how to get some of that for six years. God, he’d loved touching that hard little muscled body.

  There was something about losing your sister and getting custody of her kids, sharing it with your former fuckbuddy and brother-in-law, fighting with the law, with the schools and the banks and the kids themselves….

  His whole life revolved about different things now.

  Hell, his whole life was raising shit. Trey thought Ap’s was not coming home.

  Still, he was…. He’d been gonna have a life too, hadn’t he?

  Trey shook his head. No feeling sorry for himself while on vacation. He slugged another beer back and then went to take a long, hot bath.

  The steam made him breathe easier, and if that made it to where he could picture Ap’s naked self, well, so be it. That was between him and his prick.

  He sank into the water, moaning as it immediately released some muscle tension. Oh, that was better. Way better.

  Sighing, he grabbed a washcloth but then dropped it in the water. Screw it. He had unlimited hot water here, so he could wash up good after his soak.

  His phone started to ring, and he flailed as he tried to reach for it on the toilet lid.

  Damn near dropping it in the tub, he clicked Answer. “Hello?”

  “Trey? Hey, buddy, I hate to bother you….”

  Oh, for fuck’s sake. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing major. Amelia has the same crud as Court. I’ll take them both in tomorrow if they’re not better, but I need to make sure I know where to take them. Do you have all that written down? Cole knows all the feeding and milking, right?”

  “Is she puking?” Goddamn it. He sat up. “They go to the El Pueblo. I left their insurance cards on the desk. Do you need me to come home?”

  “No. No, I just need to know what the heck to do with goat milk and why are there ostriches?”

  “You chill it and drink it or put it on cereal. The ostriches were payment for some work Cole and I did.” Because he’d taken them from that bitch who’d tried to shaft them.

  “Okay. Amelia has a much higher temp than Courtney. Is it safe to give her more Tylenol? They gave her one at school.”

  “What time? You can give her a warm shower.” He pushed up out of the tub. He needed to get home.

  “They called at about noon. Are you okay?”

  “Just trying to get out of the tub. What time is it now? Three? Three thirty? That’s fine. Everyone but Cole should be home soon.”

  “When does Cole come?”

  “Six. Football, remember? Did Amelia let Lisa know she wouldn’t be at Girl Scouts?”

  “Not that I know of. Who do I call?” Ap muffled the phone, and he heard voices, then Ap was back. “Sorry. I want to help, man. I just need to know where everything is written down.”

  “All the lists are in the office, and I texted them and emailed you. I can be there in a few….”

  “No. No, I got this. I’m just not as organized as you.” Ap chuckled. “I gotta go get some Tylenol for our girls.”

  “I…. Are you sure?” He was dripping on the mat, on the clean towels.

  “I am. Really. Sorry, man.” Ap hung up before he could say another word.

  “Seriously?” He’d wasted his bath, his cold beer, and his hard-on.

  He glanced at the bathroom, then grumbled. “Dinner. I’ll order room service and have an early dinner.”

  Then he would head to the casino and leave his phone up here. Dammit. Ap had to sink or swim.

  He called down for a burger and fries with extra green chile. And carrot cake. Hotels always had the best carrot cake. This one had caramel in it.

  Trey peered at his phone, the urge to call and make sure the girls were okay huge.

  Ap would call him if it was bad. The man wasn’t irresponsible. He knew damn wel
l Ap slept in the camper on his truck most of the time and ate more peanut butter sandwiches than fast-food hamburgers. The man sent every bit of money he made home.

  Christ, Ap was as committed to those babies as he was.

  Well, maybe mostly as much as he was.

  He chuckled, pulling on a pair of soft shorts so he wouldn’t shock the server when he or she came.

  Supper. Then the casino. Maybe he’d get lucky.

  One way or the other, he was leaving his phone up here.

  Chapter Five

  “COLE! I think she sprang a leak!”

  Ap was trying to milk goats. Cole had walked him through it all the night before, and Ap had paid close attention. Now, though, he was utterly grateful Cole had gotten up half an hour early to walk through it all with him again. There was something wrong with this damn goat.

  “Uncle Ap, you don’t have to do this much in the rodeo, huh?” Cole pushed him aside with a grin and set to milking, pulling the heavy teats with ease.

  “Hey! I’m not lazy.” He laughed, though, because he was pretty lazy these days. He worked out about an hour and a half every day, got on practice bulls or broncs twice a week, and rode on the weekends…. Most of his energy was spent getting from place to place.

  “Uh-huh.” Cole winked over. “So, we’re going to get my tux today? And pick up Julianne’s mum?”

  “Yep. Your Uncle made me a list.” Thankfully, both Amelia and Courtney were way better. “So tell me about her.”

  “Oh, she’s a cheerleader, and she’s blonde, and she tastes like cherries.”

  He hooted. “Way to go, kiddo. And I promise not to call you kiddo in front of her.”

  When had he gotten a nephew old enough to kiss a girl, for God’s sake?

  “Thanks. Uncle Daddy calls me ‘son,’ so….”

  “Would it be okay if I called you that? Buddy seems kinda informal.” He clapped Cole on the back.

  “Sure. Y’all are my family, all the way. I mean, I still miss them, you know? Sometimes I think I’m the only one that does.”

  “Hey, never think that.” He squeezed that same shoulder. “I know the littles don’t remember them as much, but Trey and I miss them every day. You ever want to talk about Daniel, I mean your dad, you let me know. I can tell stories.”

  “I’d like that. I know lots about Momma because Uncle Daddy grew up with her.”

  “And he’s been here.” He fought off the guilt. “All right, let me try the other lady here.”

  “Well, he’s just… he just works all the time. He’s not special like you, huh? I remember that about Daddy too. That he was exciting, and Momma was the one who did the boring stuff.”

  That was kinda like a blow to the gut. Poor Trey. If the kids thought he was dull, then he really needed this vacay.

  Cole poured the milk into a container and got it into a bucket of ice. Apparently goat’s milk got funky if you didn’t keep it super cold. The things you learned from your sixteen-year-old nephew.

  “So, is it cool if I come to the football game Friday?”

  Cole looked at him. “Well, yeah. Everybody comes to every game. Uncle Daddy’s coming, right? He’s never missed one.”

  “I bet he is. He said he’d only be gone a day or two.” Ap made a note to himself. Text and ask.

  “Oh, good. He’s always there. Every game, even the away ones.”

  “He’s a good guy, huh?” And making Ap feel very… absent.

  “He’s a good dad. Like a really good one.”

  “I like how you talk about him, Cole. I really do.”

  Cole pinked, shrugged, but he thought the kid looked pleased.

  “Okay, you need to go get ready for school, huh? I can finish up.”

  Cole nodded, grabbing the milk to take with him. “You want me to make oats for breakfast?”

  “Could you? I swear, I’ll make a bang-up Sunday breakfast.”

  “Sure. I know how. Peach okay?”

  “It’s fab. You rock.” He finished up the feeding, then checked the one llama’s hoof and packed it with salve. Trey’d kill him if he let that—

  “Uncle Ap, watcha doin’?” Bella popped up in her little cowboy boots. “Can I help?”

  “Hey. You feeling better?” He was letting her and Amelia stay home again, but he knew she was out of the woods.

  “That was Courtney, Uncle Ap.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I’m fine.”

  “Oh poop. Sorry, hon. Can you check the yaks?”

  “Uh-huh. Yark! Jennifer! Come get your…. Uncle Ap! Hurry!”

  He came running, because she could really shriek. “What is it?”

  “It’s a baby! It’s bloody! Fix it!”

  Oh, fuck a duck sideways. Jennifer the yak had gone ahead and had her baby. “Does Uncle Daddy have a room in the barn where he keeps meds and stuff?”

  “Uh-huh.” She just stared.

  “Where is it, honey?”

  “Huh? Oh! Here. It’s locked.” She climbed up a little rickety ladder and pulled out a key ring.

  “Okay.” He took the key. Hopefully Trey had some toweling in there.

  “What do we need, Uncle? What do I do?”

  “We need to wipe it down and get it warm, honey. Slow and steady so we don’t scare Jennifer into defending him.” He remembered this like riding a bike. Or falling off one.

  “Towels. Right. Blankets? Horse blankets? It’s so tiny!”

  “Towels and yeah, an old blanket.” He sent her off, laughing. The baby miniature yaklet was the tiniest thing he’d ever seen, and he was glad to see Mama licking the little one clean. She wasn’t as strong as a full-size yak, though, so he would just see if she needed help.

  Bella and all the others came rushing in with every towel from the house, plus the blankets from the sofa, two comforters, and what looked like Trey’s winter coat.

  “Hey, now, no couch blankets or bed stuff.” He shook his head. “And no dropping them on the ground. I’ll take that one, Bella.”

  “Oh…. Uncle, look!” Courtney’s eyes were big as saucers.

  “I know, right?” He grinned, because even Braden, who’d barely spoken to him, was wide-eyed and happy. “Who usually feeds these guys?”

  “Bella. They’re hers.”

  “Then, Bella, see if mama yak will let you get in there and gently rub the baby with a towel, and I mean gently.”

  “Okay.” Bella’s chin firmed up, and she slipped into the pen, towel in hand. “Hey, Jennifer. Hey, girl.”

  The mama yak put herself between Bella and her baby. Ap tensed, but Bella just stared the mama down. “Stop it. I’m here to help. I just want him to be okay. He’s so pretty and fuzztastic.”

  He was proud of how calm she kept her voice. She moved slow and easy around to one side, and damn if the yak didn’t let her in.

  “Good job, Bella,” Cole whispered. “That’s it.”

  “There, see?” Bella began rubbing the calf with a piece of soft towel.

  “Gentle, sweetie. Just make sure he’s dry.” He needed to make sure the baby got to his feet and started nursing.

  “Okay.” She bit her lip in concentration, talking to Jennifer all the time. As soon as she backed away, the teeny critter stood up on shaky legs, hunting its breakfast.

  “All right, Bella. Guide him to the teat. Gently.”

  “Okay…. Little baby, come get your breakfast. How will he know how to suck?”

  “They know that before they even open their eyes, baby girl.”

  “Really? They just know?”

  All the kids were watching him, fascinated.

  “Yep. That’s it. Easy. Don’t make his first contact with you scary.”

  “I promise to be nice, little one. I’m a good guy. I’m a cowgirl.” God, the cuteness.

  “She’s gonna be, anyway,” Cole murmured.

  “She is.” She was a natural. He was so proud. He looked around, then looked at his watch. Well, shit. “Cole, are you gonna get to school on time?�
�

  “Yeah. Yeah, I got to go. See y’all later.” Cole took off at a run.

  “The rest of you guys. You want to stay home and help out or go to school?” He would call in for everyone if he had to. Cole had that football thing and couldn’t miss a day the week of homecoming.

  “We want to help!”

  There was a burst of noise, and the little yak cowered.

  “Shhh.” He backed away. “Bella, get that horse blanket and set it up under their lean-to. Give them a nest. Everyone else needs to take the sheets and all back to the house. I’ll call the schools. Bella, give them space, okay? No getting kicked.”

  That calf was eating well and was gonna be just fine.

  “Yes, sir.” So good. God, they were amazing, these kids.

  Amelia and Courtney and Braden dragged off blankets, and he winced. He had some washing to do. He made sure Bella was in a safe place, then headed up himself. He found his phone to text Trey.

  Jennifer had a calf.

  Ap called the schools and explained that a stomach bug was going around. Thank God for all of Trey’s notes.

  “We want to go back to the barn!” Amelia and Courtney were out of their school clothes and in old T-shirts and jeans.

  “Sure.” He looked at Braden.

  “Oats and a nap.” Braden smiled. “I’m sleepy.”

  Ap chuckled. “I have my phone this time. No burning yourself on oats.” God, he needed coffee.

  “You want me to bring out a thermos of coffee?” At his surprised look, Braden shrugged. “You look like Uncle Daddy.”

  “Do I?” That made Ap smile. “If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Do you like Sweet’N Low?”

  “Just a few splashes of milk, buddy. Thanks.” He rounded up the girls to head back to the barn.

  Bella was changing out dirty hay like a champ, singing Miranda Lambert at the top of her lungs. Yeah, this girl was a cowboy.

  The mama yak had herded the calf back to where the blankets were wadded up, protecting him. “Slowly, ladies. One at a time.”

  “Is the baby a boy or a girl? Can I hold him? I want to pet him! Can we play with him?” The questions came from the little girls, hard and fast.

  “Shhh.” He made the universal finger-to-mouth motion. “Mama Yak has had a lot of physical stress. Like when you and Courtney were sick, Amelia. She needs to be able to rest, so we have to be quieter.”