Branndon Jr. (10 page)

“No,
and actually April’s my girlfriend’s daughter.”

Wow,
second time he’d referred to Susanne as his girlfriend. Guess that made it
official.

“That’s
real nice of you,” said Bob.

“Okay,
everyone could I have your attention? First of all, a warm welcome to the
annual Riker’s Creek Daddy Daughter Sweetheart Dance,” said Maddie.

Everyone
began to clap so Branndon guessed he should do the same.

“We
have lots of fun things planned tonight. We’ll start with some contests and
then move onto the dancing. We also have some prizes in lots of categories,
like best dressed Daddy and Daughter. Daddy and Daughter that look the most
alike, and finally, the best Daddy and Daughter Dance Duo.”

More
clapping.

“And
to start things off, we’re going to play musical chairs with music and singing
provided by Riker’s Creek own Johnny Marshall.”

“Let’s
go,” said April, pulling his chair around to face the dance floor.

Shit,
it had been years since he’d played anything like this.

Maddie
and two other women set out the chairs while Johnny got on stage and began
playing his guitar.

“Okay,
the way this works is, you’ll run around the chairs while Johnny plays and when
he stops the daddies will find a chair, sit and then put their daughters on
their laps.”

Shit,
he hoped he wouldn’t let her down.

“Okay,
let’s start moving around those chairs,” said Maddie.

Branndon
insisted April go ahead of him and she, like some of the other kids, skipped
rather than walked.

Johnny
stopped playing and Branndon quickly found an open chair and pulled April onto
his lap.

“Stand
up everyone and away goes one chair,” said Maddie.

Johnny
began playing again and April moved faster so he had to run to keep up with her.

Johnny
stopped and Branndon had to quickly look for a chair again. He grabbed April
and lifted her onto his lap. Two dads gone and they went around and around
until only five of them were left.

“This
time we’re going to make it harder. We’re taking away two chairs,” said Maddie.

He
was a champion rodeo rider so beating the other dads should be a piece of cake.

Johnny
played a fast song that seemed to go on for ages and then bam, he stopped.
Brandon got one of the chairs and April giggled as he pulled her in toward him.

Three
of them left, and then he and another dad, and he was going to win this.

They
went around and around the chair for what seemed like forever, finally Johnny
stopped and fate must have been on their side because Branndon just sat his butt
down on the chair before the other guy realized what had happened.

“We
have our winner. It’s Daddy Branndon and his sweetheart April,” said Maddie.

Daddy
Branndon, did he like the sound of that, or not?

“You
have won a gift certificate to the Riker’s Creek Candy Emporium,” said Maddie.

April
pulled him to the stage as everyone, including Brody and Ted, clapped them.
Candy Emporium. Branndon didn’t even know they had one of those.

They
weren’t so lucky with the next contests, but at least it took Branndon’s mind
off the dance part of the evening. When the lights were dimmed and pink hearts
flashed on the ceiling and walls, Branndon knew this was it. He was going to
have to dance. The other dads seemed to do be so laidback and relaxed as they
made their way onto the floor and began dancing with their little girls.

“Aren’t
you going to dance with me?” asked April pulling on his sleeve.

“Sure
I am, sweet thing.”

April
put her tiny hand in his and pulled him to the floor. She spun around and then
he got hold of her hand while she twirled under his arm. Her giggles made him
relax. She was having fun and that was the main thing. In fact, that was the
whole point of the evening.

“Hey,
I have an idea,” said Branndon. “Put your feet on top of my mine and we can
pretend we’re waltzing around the floor.”

“What’s
waltzing?” asked April.

“You’ll
see.’

****

Susanne
stopped in her tracks, swallowing to try and get the lump out of her throat.
Her little girl was laughing and smiling as she and Branndon moved around the
dance floor. Neither of them had seen her yet, so she was able to snap away
while totally undetected.

“Would
you look at my son out there?” said Branndon Sr. “He looks so light on his feet
and definite daddy material.”

Branndon
Sr. had tricked his son into thinking that he’d fallen and twisted his foot.
His plan had worked because Branndon had jumped at the opportunity to stand in
for him.

“He
looks like he’s enjoying himself,” said Betty.

“I
think he is,” said Branndon Sr. He began clapping along to the music and then
whistled, causing Branndon to look their way. He and April waved to them, but
then continued dancing as a country swing tune played and April followed
Branndon’s lead.

“That
he knows how to do because his mom and I used to take him to all the country
dances when he and Jackson were small.”

Susanne
watched and wished that right now she and not April was being guided around by
Branndon.

“Let’s
see if we can’t join in,” said Branndon pulling Betty onto the floor.

“How
about we dance with April so you can join Branndon?” said Brody.

“Are
you sure?”

Brody
got hold of her arm as they made their way over to them.

“Brody
and I are going to dance with you so your mom can dance with Branndon,” said
Maddie.

“He’s
real good,” said April, taking both their hands.

Branndon
put out his arms to Susanne and she slipped into them.

“Pa
made a remarkable recovery tonight,” Branndon whispered in her ear. “If I was
the suspicious type I’d say this was somewhat planned.”

“You’re
not angry?” asked Susanne.

“How
could I be when I’ve had such a great evening? I really like your daughter. And
I really like you, too.”

Like.
Why was expecting
that word to be love and not just plain old like? Guess she was a romantic at
heart. She’d always secretly hoped that one day Branndon Mckinney Jr. would
tell her that he loved her.

“Something
wrong?” asked Branndon.

“No,
I was just thinking.”

“You
looked sad all of a sudden.”

She
shook her head. “No, not sad.”

Disappointed, but
I won’t let you know that.

“And
now to our final prizes for the evening,” said Maddie who now stood on the
stage with Brody, Ted, Branndon Sr., Betty, and Johnny.

“Our
lookalike prize goes to Annabelle and her father Rick.”

Susanne
had to admit they there was no mistaking those two as father and little girl.
What would a child fathered by Branndon look like? Would a son be just as
handsome as he was?

“And
to our second prize for best dressed pair. That honor goes to Jenny and her dad
Steve.”

Branndon
Sr. handed the prize to the dad as everyone clapped.

“And
our final one of the evening for best dancers goes to April and her sweetheart
Branndon Jr.”

“It’s
us,” squealed April.

Branndon
was whisked away by April pulling on his arm.

“All
three winners win a two night stays at Wolf Lodge, and we have to thank them
for their kind generosity for the gift and putting on the buffet tonight.”

April
ran off the stage with the gift certificate in her hand.

“They
have a swimming pool there with a slide. We can go and Uncle Brannon can come
with us because he won, too,” said April.

“Sweet
thing, I’d love to but pretty soon I’m going back on the rodeo circuit and I
don’t know when I’ll be back in town.”

Susanne’s
heart sank. Why had she thought them being together for anything more than sex,
for him being a substitute dad to April would ever become a permanent thing? He
was after all Branndon McKinney junior.
Heartbreaker.

Chapter Twelve

Branndon
knew he had to get in better shape if he was to get back to his rodeo circuit
form. The dancing with April had shown him the operation and recovery had taken
a toll on him.
April
, he still was
smiling thinking about her cute face and how happy she looked. How she’d talked
non-stop in the truck on the way home and then wouldn’t settle down and go to
bed once she got home.

A
couple of months ago he would have found that downright irritating, but now it
made him laugh. He pulled open the fridge and got out some orange juice.
Strange that Susanne wasn’t up and around. He’d thought she was still in bed
until he heard the front door closing and saw her heading into the kitchen with
her coat and hat on.

“You’re
up bright and early,” he said.

“Yeah,
I went out to check out an apartment.”

Apartment.
That was right.
Her time as his nurse was coming to an end and she had senior lady to take care
of soon. Not a live-in position, so she and April needed some place to live. He
was going to say they could stay on at his place while he was gone on the
circuit, but she spoke up before he could.

“I’ll
be moving out at the end of the week and the manager said we can start taking
our stuff there so it’s easier for me and getting April settled in.”

Not
only would Susanne be gone, but April, too. Not that he could do anything about
it. She had her life and it wasn’t as if he’d be around for much longer once he
got back to his rodeo riding.

“If
you need any help just let me know.”

“I
will,” said Susanne.

There
was silence between them and he guessed that she was upset about something, but
he didn’t know what. April made her way to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

“Can
I go spend my money at the Candy Emporium?” she asked.

“Maybe
later, honey, because we have to start taking things to our new home.”

“But
this is my home.”

Branndon
swallowed the lump that had been slowly forming in his throat the minute Susanne
had told him about the apartment.

Should
he beg for them to stay? But then what? They’d be here on their own and if he
gave up the circuit for them, then he’d end up being unhappy and that could
lead to trouble in a relationship. He knew lots of riders whose better halves
had insisted they give up the circuit and they’d ended up getting divorced.

“I
want to stay with Brannon,” said April.

Even
the fact that she couldn’t always say his name correctly didn’t even bother him
anymore.

“You
can’t, sweet thing, and I promise when I’m back from riding the horses in the
rodeo, you can come visit. We’ll even watch Smudge and Snuggles together like
old times.”

He
got down on his knees and she ran over to him and threw her arms around his
shoulders.

Shit,
he was gonna cry like a baby.

****

Susanne
had seen tears in his eyes twice this week. Once when April had run to him and
hugged him, and then when they’d pulled away from his house.

He
hadn’t said
don’t go.
He hadn’t said
he loved her. Hadn’t even tried to make love to her once she’d told him they
were leaving.

She
hated the apartment and not because there was anything wrong with it. It looked
out onto the mountain, and in the summer it was going to be great watching the
sun set behind it every night. She and April could sit on the patio and enjoy
lemonade and…

Oh,
God, now she was going to cry. She wanted Branndon as part of their lives and
it would never happen. She’d been a fool to let her guard down and get involved
sexually and then mentally with him. Stupid for letting him become a big part
of April’s life.

“When
are we going to see Brannon?” asked April, as if her little girl could read her
mind.

“He’s
left for Texas. He’s taking part in the rodeo next week.”

“With
his horses?” asked April.

“Yeah,
he’s taken his horses with him, too.”

“Can
I have a pony?”

“Honey,
we don’t have a house or stables. Maybe one day.”

Her
daughter turned and walked back into the bedroom.

Yeah,
maybe one day Susanne’s dream would come true, too.

****

It
was great being back with all his rodeo buddies, the noise and the excitement,
but now he was in his motel room, things weren’t so much fun. He walked to the
mini-fridge, opened it and pulled out a beer. Someone knocked on his door. He
pounded over to it and opened back the door to see a very attractive brunette
standing there.

“Hi,
Branndon. I saw you ride tonight and I was wondering if you’d like some
company?” She licked her lips as she finished her sentence.

Normally
he would have pulled her inside, taking her up on that very kind offer, but
women besides Susanne no longer had any appeal to him. It was her or no one.

“I’m
seeing someone so I don’t think that would be a very good idea,” he said.

“Okay,
but if you stop seeing her, here’s my number.”

She
handed him a slip of paper. He took just because he didn’t want to seem rude.

“Have
a good night,” he said.

“You,
too, and I hope whoever you’re seeing realizes just how lucky she is.”

He
closed the door and headed back to the mini-fridge where he took a sip of beer
and then went to the bed and lay on it.

Branndon
reached for the remote control and flicked on the TV. He wanted Susanne and
April with him, but life on the road wouldn’t be fun for either of them and
April needed a proper education. He couldn’t expect them to tag along with him
every place he went.

That
meant he’d have to give up the rodeo. He sat up and swung his legs around and
sat on the side of the bed while sipping his beer. Could he do it? Something
he’d loved all his life. If it hadn’t been for the injury his pa had sustained,
he probably would have continued and taken him and Jackson on the road when
they were young. Rodeo riding was in the Mckinney blood. Branndon was pretty
sure if he ever had a son, he’d ride, too.

If
he had a son. Did he want one? Sure he did. Being around April had made him
suddenly paternal. Being around Susanne had made him want to settle down.

Shit,
what would he do if he didn’t ride? Run a ranch like his pa and Jackson?

Jackson
seemed to love it, but then he’d never had an inclination to follow in their
father’s footsteps.

Branndon
ran his hands through his hair. He loved Susanne. He missed her like crazy.
This life wouldn’t be fun anymore if she wasn’t part of it.

He
knew what he had to do.