Page 20

Case had been a godsend. He’d helped keep Dom sane on the sleepless nights of colic and teething. Things neither of them were prepared for and had fought like a battle. When Jax had fallen while learning to walk at eleven months old, he’d tumbled down the porch steps they had just finished fixing. Jax thought it was funny, Dom and Case panicked when they saw blood from a scratch on his arm and rushed him to the hospital like he was losing a limb. It was his first real injury—certainly not his last —and they’d been more upset than Jax.

The doctors and nurses had laughed at how worried they were for such a small cut but assured them it wouldn’t be his last, which was true. Since then, they’d made three more visits to the ER. Twice for stitches because he couldn’t seem to run without falling, and once for a bump on the head they’d worried could be a concussion because he’d hit the bottom rung of the paddock.

They didn’t freak as much as they used to, but the worry never dulled. Nor was there ever a dull moment with a toddler around. However, neither of them would change a thing. He just hoped that once Case found a woman, she would accept the relationship he shared with Dom’s son.

Deciding it was time he went and joined his family, he walked out back to find them collecting and counting the eggs from the coop. He smiled at how well she got Jax to say his numbers.

*****

“How many, pincess?” Jax asked looking in the bucket they’d just finished filling with eggs.

“What was the last number we said?” she asked, hoping he’d remember.

“Uhhh…firty-seben?”

“That’s right! But we say it thirty-seven.” She enunciated each sound slowly for him.

“Thirty-seben?” He asked hopefully.

“Very close, a stór, those V’s are quite tricky to say.”

“They are,” he told her seriously.

As they were rinsing the eggs off at the small wash basin just outside the coop, Jax took off when he heard the back door slam closed. Spinning, she watched as he jumped into Dom’s arms laughing. Seeing them together had her smiling. Nothing sexier than a man who loves his son.

“Jaxson is very informative of the role’s these animals play. You’ve taught him well,” she told Dom as they approached.

“He likes his animals. He tell you the chicken’s names?”

> “Yes. I’m afraid I didn’t catch them all, though.”

“You’ll hear them every time you come out, don’t worry,” he told her laughingly.

She’d figured as much. He had seemed so proud of the names he’d chosen. “I gave Raine an apple. I hope that’s alright?”

Shock registered on his face before looking towards the barn. “He let you near him?”

Not sure if that was good or not, she hesitated in her answer. “Yes.”

“And he didn’t try to bite you?” he asked grabbing both of her hands, inspecting them for injury.

“No. He seemed happy for the attention.”

“Huh.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Now she was apprehensive. “Jax said that he always gets an apple after breakfast. And he kept butting me with his head, so I assumed that meant he wanted me to pet him. I won’t do it again, Dom, I promise.” She was near tears now thinking she’d done something wrong. Maybe he was a wild horse, and she wasn’t supposed to pet him?

“Princess,” Dom called sternly, placing both hands on either side of her neck to gain her attention. “It’s fine. Raine doesn’t take to new people. Hell, he barely tolerates Case. But if he was grabbing for your attention, that’s fine. Just please don’t ever go into his stall unless I’m with you, yeah?”

Nodding her head in agreeance, she replied, “He’s gorgeous, Dom. And so sweet.”

“Sweet, huh? Don’t let him hear you calling him that.” He joked, placing a kiss on her forehead. “Jax show you Goldie and Honey?”

“Yes. They’re perfect.”

“Hey, kid!” he called Jax before he could chase after the chickens.

“Yeah, Dad?”