I turned to where Rex had his nose out the window. The offer was danged tempting. “I really need to get back to—”
“A puppy!” Archie yelled, jumping up and down. “Is he nice?”
“Yes, he is.” I grinned as Rex began whining to get out.
“We’re going to the Whippy Dip down by the park. If you want to come, you can bring him along. Archie will love it.” Dell’s smile was infectious, and Rex was going nuts. I found myself nodding and agreeing to meet them there.
I got into the car, drove to the edge of town, and pulled into the parking lot of the ice cream stand. Archie was already hurrying over before I had the door open. Rex jumped down as soon as I got out, his tail wagging, and scooted over to Archie, then sat still so he could be lavished with attention.
“Daddy, can we get a doggie like this?” Archie asked as he petted Rex.
Dell chuckled. “We’ll see,” he answered before turning to me. “He’s been asking that same question about every dog he’s seen since he was able to talk.”
“How old is he?” I asked. Archie was adorable, and from the black hair and intense eyes, he was definitely Dell’s son. No doubt about that.
“Four and a half,” Dell answered. “He’s totally amazing.”
Instantly a lot of things fell into place for me. By the time I left, Dell had already gotten Archie’s mother pregnant. Which meant that whatever I thought there might have been between the two of us had all been in my head. The furtive looks and the way he seemed to seek me out sometimes…. I’d wrapped it all up into my own wants and wishes until my mind had conjured up this whole special relationship, and now I was staring at the definitive proof that it had all been in my mind.
“Who’s his mother?”
Dell had Archie go sit down at a table, with Rex following right behind. Once he was seated, we got in line, with Dell watching as Archie petted Rex. “Angie Carter. You remember her?” Dell sighed.
“Are you still with her?” I asked tentatively.
Dell shook his head. “The situation was complicated and involved a lot of soul-searching. We were both young, and she was going to have a baby she didn’t want. When Angie told me she was going to have an abortion, I about threw up right there. The thought was too much for me. I talked to my mom and dad and then Angie, and we all agreed that she would have the baby and I would raise the child.”
That was the Dell that I had fallen in love with so long ago. But he wasn’t for me, and I had to push all that away. Besides, that was then—five years removed. We had both gone on with our lives. Maybe I should be keeping my distance now.
“I did think of asking her to marry me, but I realized that would be compounding one mistake on another. When Archie was born, I was there in the delivery room, and after Angie signed away her rights, I took Archie home with me. Best thing I ever did.”
Our turn came at the counter, and Dell ordered two bowls of ice cream. I got a mint chip for myself and joined them at the table.
“He’s a nice dog,” Archie pronounced as he ate his pink ice cream. “Daddy, I really want a dog.”
“I know, buddy. But Pappy is allergic, so we can’t have one while we stay with them. Maybe when we can get a place of our own. Then you can have a dog. I promise.” He ruffled Archie’s hair, and the little guy returned to eating.
“In the meantime, you can visit Rex if you want. I’m sure he would love the company.”
Why I was offering, I had no idea, other than the fact that I was completely stupid and a glutton for punishment. I centered my attention on the ice cream and tried not to sneak looks at Dell. I knew I shouldn’t, but he was sitting right next to me, and because of the warm day, I couldn’t help smelling his aftershave and, of course, the deep muskiness that was him under it all. That was instantly recallable, and I refused to close my eyes and let it carry me away. Okay, I actually had no willpower and couldn’t help inhaling as much of him as I possibly could.
“Eat your ice cream before it melts,” Dell told Archie, and I took his advice as well, finishing off my small scoop before throwing away the paper container. I sat back down, waiting until the other two were done.
“I really should get back to my dad’s. He’s going to need his pills and stuff.” I said goodbye to both guys before going back to the car and calling Rex, who carefully climbed in. I waved before getting inside, closing the car door, and starting the engine. The air-conditioning kicked on, and I turned it to high—really high. I needed to cool down and get my muddled head clear. Dell was untouchable, unattainable, and on top of it all, he was a father. I had no intention of getting between a father and his son. Besides, it was pretty obvious from all the outward evidence that Dell was straight, and I wasn’t going to go down that road again. Once was enough.
I pulled out of the parking lot heading back to the farm, reminding myself that I had plenty to get done and that I was here to help my father, not to get my heart broken all over again. I had to keep my head focused on what I was here to do. Then, when Dad was back on his feet, I could return home to Schaumburg to find another job and get on with my life. That was where my energies needed to be focused.
“Isn’t that right, Rex?”
He looked at me like I was completely crazy, and maybe I was. Maybe returning to the farm was the biggest mistake of my life. So I’d rectify that the same way I had the other problems I encountered here: I’d do what I needed to and then get the hell out.
With my mind made up, I petted Rex’s head and made the turn out of town and toward the farm.
Chapter Two
Dad was sitting on the sofa in the living room with his leg propped up on a footstool, lines etched deeply into his face.
“I brought the pills.” I pulled open the bag and read the instructions before getting a glass of water from the kitchen and portioning out the pills to him. “What happened?”
“I fell getting off the tractor. I’ve been up and down on that son of a bitch for years, and I slipped and bashed my foot. Messed it up good if what the quack says is right.” He took the pills with a snarl and drank the water, then leaned back. It looked like Dad didn’t want to talk. Surprise, surprise.
“Okay. I got the pills, and you took them. I suspect they’re going to make you sleepy and stuff, so why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” Other than the fact that he had been living in two rooms of the house, judging by the blankets draped over the back of the sofa and the pile of dishes in the sink.
“I can’t do shit,” he growled. “I got piles of work and a loan to try to pay off, and I can’t run the tractor or do much around here.”
“What loan?” I asked. Dad prided himself on being self-sufficient. I’d had it drilled into my head from the time I was a kid: pay for what you need with cash and don’t go asking anyone for any money. I had heard that mantra a million times.
“I had to take out a loan in the spring because I wanted some more land. I thought I would have the cash to pay it off with the crops from those fields. Corn prices have been real good, and they still are. But if I can’t get it in, then that’s the end of it.” He closed his eyes. “My foot hurts all the time, and I only can stand up for about half an hour. Then I need to sit and put it up. The weather is supposed to be good for the next week, but after that, the long-range forecast turns to hell and the fields will be wet and muddy.” He became agitated. “There’s also—”