Cowboy Daddy by Carolyne Aarsen Read Free Book Online

folded yesterday is still in the laundry basket upstairs,” Kip said.
    â€œYeah. I know.”
    â€œSo what should happen with it?”
    Isabelle set a plate on the drying rack with agonizing slowness, punctuated her movement with a sigh, then shrugged. “I guess I should put it away.”
    â€œI guess,” he reiterated.
    â€œI think someone is here,” Tristan said, standing up on his chair.
    Kip groaned. Probably Nicole. Well, she’d have to tag along with him. He had promised the boys they could help him fix the tractor. They weren’t much help, but they were slowly learning how to read wrench sizes and knew the difference between a Phillips and a flat screwdriver. Plus, it was a way to spend time with them.
    â€œIt’s Nicole,” Justin yelled, confirming what Kip suspected. “I’m going to go say hi.” He jumped off his chair, Tristan right behind him. The porch door slammed shut behind them, creating a momentary quiet in the home.
    His mother turned in her wheelchair, wincing as she did so. “Now that the boys are gone, what did Ron tell you?”
    Kip glanced out of the window. Nicole was barely out of her car and the boys were already grabbing her hands. Their hasty switch in allegiances bothered him in a way he didn’t want to scrutinize.
    Isabelle stopped what she was doing and turned around, listening with avid interest.
    â€œFor now we have to allow her visits with the boys,” Kip said, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “He’s looking into how legitimate Tricia’s will is, but nothing has been settled And…” he hesitated, wondering what his mother would think of this new wrinkle. “She and her father insist on you taking a DNA test.”
    His mother frowned. “Is that hard? Do I have to go to the hospital?”
    â€œApparently there’s a test for grandparents. You can order it and then bring the results to a couple of clinics not far away. It’s nothing to worry about. Just a formality so we can prove that Scott is as much a parent to the boys as Tricia was.”
    Kip stopped there. Until Nicole brought the news she had, Kip hadn’t been able to think of Tricia without a surge of anger. She’d left her boys behind. But knowing she had been dead the past years changed a lot.
    And raised a few more questions.
    Kip brushed them aside. The boys were Scott’s. He knew it beyond a doubt. Scott wouldn’t have taken them with him back to the ranch if they weren’t.
    â€œSo Nicole is really the twins’ aunt too?” Isabelle asked.
    â€œI think so.”
    â€œIs she taking the boys?”
    Kip shot Isabelle a warning glance. “No one is taking the boys anywhere. They belong here.”
    His mother placed her hand on his arm. “But if she’s their aunt—”
    Kip squeezed his mother’s hand in reassurance. “I won’t let it happen. I promised Scott I would keep the boys on the ranch, and I keep my promises.”
    â€œYou always have,” Mary Cosgrove said with a wan smile. “You’ve been a good son. I’m so thankful for you. I still hope and pray that you’ll find someone who sees past that gruff exterior of yours and sees you for who you really are.” She gave his hands a gentle shake. “Nancy Colbert didn’t know what she gave up when she broke up with you.”
    Kip sighed. He didn’t want to think about his ex-girlfriendeither. “Nancy was never cut out to be a rancher’s wife,” he said.
    â€œI never liked that Nancy chick,” Isabelle added. “She reminded me of a snake.”
    â€œThanks for that, Izzy. Maybe those dishes could get done before the day is over.”
    This piece of advice netted him an eye roll, but she turned back to the sink and plodded on.
    â€œI still wonder, if you hadn’t agreed to take on the boys, if she would have stayed with you…” his