Things were slightly hectic without Rachel there. The order we’d been building was slightly off. I knew it, but I was too stubborn to admit it and kept trying to make things work.There was some paperwork I just had to get done before I could make my rounds in the fields, and even then, I had to have my phone on for emergencies, instead of leaving her to focus on it.I didn’t want to think about it, though, how her absence was affecting the ranch and me. Because all I kept going back to, was how Rachel had a toddler, and I’d had no idea about it. I hadn't gotten a close look at the boy. He was young, and she couldn’t have found someone so quickly after I’d left. Which meant, the child could have been conceived, while she was still with me.Dammit, Rachel…how could you do this to me?The feeling of betrayal was heavy on my chest.Besides, I was getting the hang of it, and I was pretty sure the ranch could survive without her there for a bit. For a while.“Hey, boss!”I glanced up as on

Rachel and I were back to working on the farm together; there were just a few differences. For one, she stayed over with her son. The ranch hands had been happy to see her back, as well as the other workers in the house. It hadn't been a lie when I said she was missed.I had missed her, too. I was just too much of a coward to tell her outright.With her there with me, everything was back in order and according to plan. It was strange, sometimes when I heard the toddler cry, or I saw him with her, and I’d think that he was my son.This must be what Grandpa meant about me taking responsibility, I thought. I’d had other things on my mind at the time. I felt another fresh wave of guilt, as I realized just how stupid I’d been.After finishing up some work in the fields, I made some lunch for just Rachel and I. The other hands and employees could find their food. I couldn’t hear the boy crying and guessed Rachel had already set him down in one of the bedrooms. She’d been insistent on the on

Another week had passed, and in that time, Rachel had been going less and less to her place. She’d all but moved in with the child, and most of his stuff was put into the extra room. I was still coaxing her to bring more of her stuff. Eventually, I would talk her into moving in permanently.If only it would be that easy. We had to talk, I knew, not just have sex, which we were doing plenty of in between work. It was a wonder we hadn't been caught yet. Or at least, I thought we hadn't been caught. I was getting sick and tired of running around in secret, though.Tonight, I planned to have her join me in my room for the first time.Because she was coming with more stuff, I’d insisted on her leaving work early to bring him back. I hated the times when she had to call the sitter for him instead of just tagging him along. I hadn't spent much time around him, and the most I did was hear him cry. But, I’d grown used to the thought of him being my son.When I heard a car coming up the drive,

I walked back to the ranch, feeling like I was walking on air. Things between Rachel and me were going great, wonderful even. The only real problem was that she still hadn't told me the news that I was a father yet. I knew, but I wanted to hear it from her!If she takes much longer though, I’m just going to tell her that I know tonight, I decided. Because I felt like I’d been waiting long enough. She was taking her sweet time coming out with it.I whistled as I came up to the house. There was a car in the driveway beside mine, and I frowned at it. When did that appear? And why did it seem so familiar…? But, I put that out of my mind as I jogged up the stairs. My girl and my toddler were waiting for me, hopefully with a hot meal. What could be more important than that?The moment I got inside the house, though, I regretted not giving it any thought. Because someone jumped me, a soft body molding its soft front to mine as arms went around me. I knew it wasn’t Rachel by hair color alone

I pulled Jason with me inside and closed the door.“Where’s Jack?” he asked, looking around.I felt a warmth in my chest when Jason asked about him. If there had been one thing I was anxious about Jason and I being together, it was how he would take to being with Jack. He hadn't spent much time around Jack the times I’d taken him to the ranch. I’d caught him looking a few times, before rushing away like hungry wolves were at his heels, and I hadn't been sure how to take that reaction.But he looked all concerned now as he looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of my son, that I couldn’t help but be happy.“He’s sleeping in the bedroom,” I told him, pulling him over to the couch and coaxing him to sit down. “I have the baby monitor here so I can hear when he wakes up. Though, this place is small enough that if he cried in the room, I could hear him.”Jason looked around the room, and I fidgeted beside him, my fingers playing with the hem of my top as I wondered exactly what he wanted