Single Daddy

“Who’s at the fucking door?” I shout out as I leave my bedroom. They’d better have a good excuse for continually ringing the doorbell like that. “I’m not deaf!” I shout as I start to walk down the stairs. I’ve a killer hangover from the rodeo last night. I don’t even feel like getting up today, especially with the sweet pussy that I had after the rodeo. These cowgirls get a kick out of riding not only the horses but guys too. “Again!” I’m getting even more agitated at the idea that they keep ringing the bell. They’re not saying anything—just ringing the damn thing. I walk glumly toward the door as the person gets the hint and stops ringing the bell. Obviously, it’s no one from the ranch. They typically just walk in the house and shout my name. It can’t be Harper who comes to clean the house every other day. No, it must be someone I don’t know. Maybe I should have pretended not to be in just so that they’ll go away and stop ringing the damn bell as if their life depends on it.As I

“What’s that?”“Seriously, Dan, don’t ask me stupid questions!”He came over five minutes ago, and since then he’s been taking photos and laughing at me, and so have Chad and Martin. It’s as if he got the whole Storm Rocks posse with him. “No, I meant on your shirt. What’s that?” Since they came, I can’t even put Richard down. Every time I attempt to do it, he screams at the top of his lungs. Even Aria came back for a while and said that she would help Richard. Not me. She wouldn’t want him having a salad for breakfast. She thinks that I’m stupid. Richard’s a baby, so of course, he drinks nothing but milk. Anyway, I was glad to get out of there, when lo and behold, as soon as I handed Richard to her, he started crying again. I think that he must be my baby. He seems to know exactly how to wind me up, and now, I’ve got spit-up on me to prove it. “Ugh!” I put him down. I don’t care if he cries again—which he starts to do the moment I put him down. “Daddy, I could do with some milk

Kylie’s just parked the car, and I’ve got Richard inside. I didn’t want to scare her from the moment I saw her. If I came out holding Richard, she might just get back in her car and drive home. I haven't seen her in the flesh in what feels like forever. She’s changed, really filled out. We haven’t spoken since that night. I’ve seen her on screen, and I’ve kept an eye on her social media, but that's been quiet for weeks. The only time we do talk on the phone is so that she can make sure that I'm not going to be somewhere. ‘Mom’s party. You going?’I don't want to trick her, so I always tell her that if she can’t make it, then I’ll go, and if she can, then I don't go. That’s the way it’s been for the last three years since Stephanie got married to my dad’s best friend, Terrance. I thought that she may change her mind about the situation. And for once just want to be in the same place with me at the same time.She looks sad in a way, not the singing sensation in bright lights. Even her

I came home and Kylie was fast asleep in the chair where I’d spent last night sleeping when I was checking in on Richard. I should have woken her up and told her that I was home, but there was something calming about watching her sit there. She looked at peace, not sad like when she first came to the house, and all I could think about was, why did she come if she didn't want to be here? I was tempted to call Terrance and ask him, but then I remembered that I only call him if I'm desperate—which isn't often. * * *I get home wanting to take a nap. I was exhausted this morning when I got up at five. Later on, I have to go back to the ranch, so I head to the kitchen and grab something quick to eat. Kylie’s already made bottles, and it even looks as if she's taken him out in the sling, the one that I’d planned on telling her about. I wonder where else she's been in the house. She seems to have made herself at home in one day. I didn't see her or hear them in the house, so they must stil

After feeding Richard, I decide to head to the kitchen and whip us up a meal. Everyone says that I’m obsessed with my diet. That’s not true. It’s just that working on a ranch is hard going, so I try not to keep crap in the house. I don’t even buy beer. I must be the only guy in Texas who never buys beers. Drinking is for going out, and I find that there’s nothing lonelier than drinking alone, so I try and avoid it. “What you cooking?” Kylie asks as she sits on the kitchen bench. “Couscous, chicken, and some beans.”“Looks good.” I can tell that she’s not happy about it. “Only healthy produce here, baby.”“Yeah, I know it’s just what I need. Even my skin’s clearing up since I’ve been here.”“That’s good, right?”She shrugs. “I suppose.”Shit, I remember her being the most confident girl in the world—the one that would walk into a room and just light it up. I wonder what changed her? What made her give up? “I work on the ranch all day, and I need this to help fuel me up, or I’ll jus