Cowboy Up, Daddy!

Conway Cash is finally ready to settle down, and he has the perfect woman in his sights. The only thing is, he’s dead set against being a father—and Isi Lopez has twin four-year-old boys. When he finds himself roped into babysitting for them, life starts getting complicated!

Kids or no, Conway soon discovers he and Isi make a great couple. And hanging around with her kids isn’t so bad—that is, until they beg him to be their new daddy. The pressure is piling up for this formerly footloose cowboy…but with some luck, and a whole lot of Christmas spirit, Conway just may find himself in the center of his own ready-made family!

“You offered to help,” Isi said. “Would you watch the boys until I find a replacement sitter?”

Babysit? Him? “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It would be for two or three days at the most.”

“But I don’t know anything about kids.”

She ignored his protests. “I’d need you to drop them off at preschool and bring them back here afterward.”

“I’m sure—” Conway glanced at the boys “—they’d rather have anyone but me watch them.”

“Oh, never mind.” Her shoulders sagged.

Hell. How hard could it be to watch a couple of four-year-olds? For two years Isi had listened to him bellyache about women. He couldn’t turn his back on her when she needed him most.

“Okay, I’ll watch the boys,” he said.

She flashed him a bright smile. “You’ll need to be here by noon on Monday.”

“See you then.” Conway couldn’t escape fast enough.

Dear Reader,

Twins Under the Christmas Tree is the second book in The Cash Brothers series, and poor Conway Twitty Cash…this man has no idea he’s going to fall and fall hard. After tracking down his birth father and learning that he’s descended from a long line of cut-’n’-run cowboys, Conway is determined to avoid fatherhood. But now that he’s decided to settle down, he can’t seem to find a woman who doesn’t want children.

Conway’s search for the one is temporarily interrupted when his friend Isi Lopez asks him to babysit her four-year-old twins. Taking care of her sons isn’t hard at all, but seeing Isi each day is rekindling the spark that was between them when they first met—before he discovered Isi was a single mom. When Isi decides she should start dating, Conway sets her up with his brother, believing nothing will happen. Wrong. Conway’s brother is showing way too much interest in Isi, and all of a sudden, Conway wants to stake his claim on her. But a ready-made family has never been in Conway’s plans. Luckily it’s Christmastime, because it’s going to take a little Santa magic to convince Conway that his happy-ever-after has been right in front of him all this time.

If you missed the first book in The Cash Brothers series, The Cowboy Next Door (July 2013) remains available through online retailers. I always enjoy hearing from readers—you can email me at marin@marinthomas.com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to check out my Cash Brother Boards on Pinterest. For information on my books, and for my blog, newsletter and monthly contests, please visit www.marinthomas.com.

Happy Ever After…The Cowboy Way!

Marin

Twins Under The

Christmas Tree

Marin Thomas

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marin Thomas grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin. She left the Midwest to attend college in Tucson, Arizona, where she earned a B.A. in radio-TV. Following graduation she married her college sweetheart in a five-minute ceremony at the historic Little Chapel of the West in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over the years she and her family have lived in seven different states, but they’ve now come full circle and returned to Arizona, where the rugged desert and breathtaking sunsets provide plenty of inspiration for Marin’s cowboy books.

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To my editor Johanna Raisanen—I don’t know what I would do without you! I can’t thank you enough for the time and care you put into each of my books. I’m probably one of the few authors who look forward to her editor’s revision letter, but I’m always eager to see what ideas and suggestions you have for my stories. Your input and expertise is invaluable, and I’m looking forward to writing many more happy-ever-after tales with you!

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Excerpt

Chapter One

Conway Twitty Cash had only one rule when it came to women—never date one with kids. Period. No exceptions. Not even if the woman sent text photos of her hooters.

Friday afternoon at the Midway Arizona Cowboy Rodeo Days, Conway had been the recipient of a sexy text from a buckle bunny he’d met earlier in the day. Once his eyes had quit bugging out at Bridget’s voluptuous tatas, he’d noticed a child’s Batman cape draped over a chair in the background of the photo. Alarmed, he’d asked his rodeo competitors about Bridget and had learned she was a single mom. When they’d first met, he’d asked if she’d had kids, and she’d said no.

Too upset to focus on his ride, the bronc had tossed him on his head as soon as he cleared the chute. Afterward, Conway had made a beeline for the parking lot—he hadn’t been about to wait for Bridget to catch up.

Miffed, ticked off and a whole lotta mad, he pulled into the Border Town Bar & Grill in Yuma—the employer of his good friend and pseudo-therapist Isadora Lopez. Two years ago when he’d first met Isi, he’d been drawn to her dark brown eyes and girl-next-door prettiness. He’d turned on the charm and she’d rewarded his flirting with fleeting touches, accidental bumps and sultry looks. Then he’d asked her to dance during her break and when their bodies had come in contact, a zap of electricity had shot through him. He’d been sure the night would end in Isi’s bed, until she’d mentioned that she was a single mother of twin boys.

He’d told Isi that he had nothing against kids, but had no intention of ever being a father. From that day on, they’d settled into a comfortable friendship where Isi listened to his dating adventures and offered advice about how to find the perfect woman—one who didn’t want children.

The bar was packed on this late-September afternoon. The crowd sitting in front of the big-screen TV watched a college football game between state rivals the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Conway slid onto a stool and waved to the barkeep. Red was a mountain of a man—six feet seven inches—and bald with a crimson beard that ended in the middle of his chest.

After handing a pitcher of margaritas to a waitress named Sasha, Red brought Conway a bottle of his favorite beer. “You rodeo today?”

“Got bucked off.”

“Too bad.”

“Where’s Isi?” Conway asked.

“In class.” Red checked his watch. “She should be here any minute.” Isi was working toward a two-year business degree from the local community college.

Red went to fill a drink order, and Conway picked at the paper label on his beer bottle and silently cursed Bridget. Why was it so difficult to find a woman who didn’t want children? After he’d discovered he came from a long line of deadbeat dads, he’d decided he didn’t want to follow in their footsteps, but unlike his father, grandfather and great-grandfather Conway wasn’t opposed to marriage. He really did want a committed relationship.

He wasn’t a braggart, but the face he saw in the mirror each morning had garnered his fair share of female attention. At twenty-eight he’d thought for sure he’d have found “the one” by now, but every time he began thinking happy ever after, “the one” decided she’d like to have children after all.

Maybe he should take a break from his search. He’d been handed the responsibility of managing the family pecan farm, so he had plenty of work to keep his mind off his miserable love life. He lifted the beer bottle to his mouth and knocked his front tooth against the rim when a hand slapped his back. Startled, he spun and came face-to-face with Bridget’s tatas.

How the hell had she known where to find him?

She planted her fists on her hips and glared. “Why’d you leave the rodeo after your ride? I thought we were going out on a date.”

A date? He’d ended their conversation with “goodbye,” not “see you later.”

“Howdy, Conway.” Sasha winked as she passed him with an empty drink tray.

“Is she special to you?” Bridget dipped her head toward Sasha.

“No.”

“Hey, Conway.” Isi strolled into the bar, backpack slung over her shoulder.

“What about her?” Bridget asked.

Isi stopped next to the bar and glanced between Conway and Bridget. “What about me what?”

Bridget glared. “Are you and Conway dating?”

“Heck, no.”

Conway wasn’t sure if he was offended or amused by Isi’s fervent denial. It was true they were just friends, but she didn’t have to act as if he was the last man on earth she’d consider going out with.

“You’re not his type.” Bridget gave Isi the once-over.

“Don’t insult her,” Conway said. Isi might not have been blessed with Bridget’s bust size, but her long silky hair and exotic eyes were sexy as heck.

Squinting, Bridget asked, “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two?”

“Positive.” Isi and Conway spoke simultaneously.

“And Conway isn’t dating Sasha, because Sasha’s a lesbian.” Isi’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Then why’d you stand me up at the rodeo?” Bridget asked.

“I didn’t stand you up,” Conway said.

Bridget planted her hands on her hips. “You gave me your phone number.”

“He gives all the ladies his number,” Isi said.

Conway sent his “friend” an I-don’t-need-your-help glare.

“You acted like you wanted to see me again.” Bridget stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

“I don’t date women with children,” he said. “Never. Ever. No exceptions.”

“Who told you I had a kid?”

“I saw the Batman costume in the picture you texted me.”

“That belongs to my nephew.”

Isi snickered.

“Get lost,” Bridget said.

Isi inched behind Conway. He didn’t blame her for being cautious. Bridget was getting really worked up. “I asked a couple of cowboys about you and they said you had a son.”

“I swear he won’t get in our way,” Bridget said. “I’ll make sure he’s not there when you visit.”

“Sorry, I don’t date women with children or women who want children.”

“Then why did you lead me on?”

“Hey, I never asked you out on a date. I never promised to call you and I never—”

Bridget cocked her arm and swung. Having grown up defending his name from bullies, Conway’s reflexes were sharp. He ducked in the nick of time and Bridget’s fist connected with Isi’s nose. The blow sent her reeling. Conway dove off the stool and caught her before she crumpled to the floor.

“What the hell is going on!” Red’s booming voice bellowed across the bar.

Bridget took one look at the giant man and sprinted for the door.

“I need a towel and ice,” Conway said.

“Here.” Sasha shoved paper napkins into his hand and he pressed them against Isi’s bleeding nose then led her to a chair. “God, Isi, I’m sorry.” He swallowed a curse as the skin beneath both her eyes began to bruise.

Red offered a towel packed with ice, and Conway placed it against her nose.

“I can’t feel my face,” she moaned.

“Hang on, honey.” He wiped away the blood then spoke to Red. “I’m taking her to the emergency room.” Damn Bridget. Already Isi’s petite nose had swollen to the size of a kosher pickle.

He helped Isi to her feet and Sasha handed him Isi’s backpack. Isi swayed after taking a step toward the door, so he tucked her against his side and practically carried her out of the bar.

They drove in silence to the hospital. He figured she was hurting pretty bad if she couldn’t give him hell about Bridget. He parked in the visitor lot in front of the emergency entrance.

“I don’t need to see a doctor. I’ll be fine,” she said.

“Let the doctor make that call.” When he reached for the door handle, she snagged his shirtsleeve.

“I don’t have health insurance.”

He wasn’t surprised. Isi worked part-time at the bar and by law Red didn’t have to offer her benefits. “You got punched in the face because of me. I’ll take care of the bill.” It was the least he could do.

Once inside, Isi filled out the paperwork then waited almost an hour before a nurse took her to get an X-ray. Conway spoke to a billing representative and made arrangements to pay for Isi’s E.R. visit. By the time Isi returned to the waiting room, the bruising beneath her eyes had worsened.

“A clean fracture,” the nurse announced. She handed Conway a bottle of pain pills. “No driving while she’s taking this prescription.”

Conway shoved the container into his jean pocket, thanked the nurse and escorted Isi to his truck. “Do you have a concussion?”

“No.”

“Want to take a pain pill right now? I’ll go back inside and buy you a bottle of water from the vending machine.”

“No, thanks. I’ll take a pill after I drive myself home.”

“You’re not driving anywhere tonight.”

“I can’t leave my car at Red’s.”

Conway didn’t want to pick a fight with Isi when she was hurting. He drove her to the bar and parked next to her 1996 white Toyota Camry. “I’ll follow you to your place.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Maybe, but I’ll feel better knowing you got home safe.”

She grabbed her backpack then hopped out and slammed the truck door. Conway drove behind her as she pulled out of the lot. He knew she lived in a trailer park nearby but had forgotten which one.

Isi headed southwest a mile then entered the Desert Valley Mobile Home Park. The neighborhood was well kept—mostly single wides. She pulled beneath a carport in front of a white trailer with faded turquoise trim. Instead of the traditional rock and cactus landscape, the yard consisted of dead grass and dirt. He parked behind Isi and followed her to the door.

“Thank you for taking care of the hospital bill,” she said.

“I’ll pay for any follow-up doctor visits.”

“As long as your girlfriends stay away from the bar, I won’t need to see any more doctors.”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t think Bridget would follow me after I left the rodeo.”

“You might have to compromise if you want to find the perfect woman, Conway.”

He didn’t want to discuss his love life. “Do you have a friend who will stay with you tonight?”

“I’ll be fine.”

When Isi opened the door, he heard a female talking. “Who’s that?”

“The sitter. She’s always on her cell phone.”

Conway followed Isi inside.

“Oh, my God, what happened?” The teen’s eyes widened in horror.

“I’m fine, Nicole.” Isi sent Conway a silent message. “I ran into the kitchen door at the bar.”

So she didn’t want the sitter to know the truth—fine by him, because the truth made him look like an idiot.

“Conway, this is Nicole. She watches the boys when I’m at the bar. Nicole, this is Conway. He’s a friend.”

“Nice to meet you,” Nicole said.

While Isi asked the sitter how the boys had behaved, Conway studied the furnishings. Sparse was the first word that came to mind. The furniture appeared second-hand—TV, love seat, chair and coffee table. Kids’ artwork decorated the walls and colorful plastic bins filled with toys had been stacked in the living room corner.

“What time did the boys go to bed?” Isi asked.

“Fifteen minutes ago.”

“I’m sorry to have to cut the night short.” Isi faced Conway. “Where are those pain pills?”

He handed her the bottle and she went into the kitchen and got a drink of water. “I won’t be working at the bar this weekend, so I’ll see you on Monday, Nicole.” Isi disappeared down the hallway then a moment later he heard a door open and close.

“Do you need a ride home, Nicole?” Conway asked.

“No, I live here in the trailer park with my aunt.” She walked to the door. “I left a note on the kitchen table for Isi. Will you make sure she reads it in the morning?”

“Sure.”

After Nicole left, Conway stood in living room uncertain what to do. Was it okay to leave Isi and her kids alone after she’d taken a pain pill? What if a burglar tried to break into the trailer or the water heater caught on fire? Isi was in no shape to handle a crisis.

The least he could do after she’d taken a blow meant for him was stay the night and make sure she and her sons remained safe. As soon as she woke in the morning, he’d hightail it back to the farm.

* * *

A SIXTH SENSE told Conway he was being watched. He opened his eyes beneath the cowboy hat covering his face. Two pairs of miniature athletic shoes stood side by side next to the sofa. He played possum—not an easy task when his legs were numb from dangling over the end of the love seat all night.

“Is he dead?”

The question went unanswered.

“I bet he’s dead.” The same voice spoke again.

“Poke him and see.” A second voice, slightly higher in pitch than the first, whispered.

Conway grinned, glad the hat hid his face.

“Get Mom.”

“She’s sleeping.”

The sound of a food wrapper crinkling reached Conway’s ears.

“Shh.”

“I’m hungry.” Crunching followed the statement.

Conway shifted on the couch and groaned.

“He’s alive.”

“Maybe he’s sick.”

“Look under his hat.”

“You look.”

“Chicken.”

“Am not.”

Conway’s chest shook with laughter as he waited for his assailants’ next move. Small fingers lifted the brim of his hat and Cheerio breath puffed against in his face.

On the count of three. One...two...three. Conway opened his eyes and his gaze clashed with the boys’. The kids shrieked and jumped back, bumping into each other. The Cheerio box sailed through the air, the contents spilling onto Conway’s chest. He studied the mess then turned his attention to the daring duo.

“Sorry, mister.” The brothers scooped oat rings off of Conway’s shirt and stuffed them back into the box. Conway swung his legs to the floor and sat up. The twins were identical. They wore their hair cut in a traditional little-boy style with a side part and both had their mother’s almond-shaped brown eyes.

He pointed to the kid holding the cereal box. “What’s your name?”

“Javier.”

Conway moved his finger to the other boy.

“I’m Miguel. Who are you?”

So Miguel was the outgoing one and Javier the shy one. “Conway Twitty Cash.”

“That’s a long name,” Miguel said.

“You can call me Conway.” It wasn’t enough that his mother had slept with every Tom, Dick and Harry across southern Arizona, but she’d also possessed a strange sense of humor in naming all six of her sons after country-music legends. “How old are you guys?”

“Four.” They answered in unison.

“Are you a real cowboy?” Miguel asked.

“That depends. You asking if I work on a ranch?”

Miguel nodded.

“I’m not that kind of cowboy.”

Javier made eye contact with his brother and Conway swore the boys conversed telepathically. “What kind of cowboy are you?” Miguel asked.

“Part-time rodeo cowboy. When I’m not bustin’ broncs, I work on a farm.”

The boys stared with blank expressions.

“You know what pecans are, don’t you?”

They shook their heads.

“Nuts that grow on trees. People eat the nuts or use them in pies.”

Javier whispered in his brother’s ear then Miguel asked, “How come you’re in our house?”

Not sure what answer Isi would want him to give her sons, he asked a question of his own. “Have you ever seen a man in your house after you woke up in the morning?”

They shook their heads again.

For some stupid reason that pleased Conway.

Javier whispered in his brother’s ear.

“You can ask me questions yourself, Javier,” Conway said.

“I mostly talk.” Miguel’s chest puffed up. “Why are you sleeping on our couch?”

“Your mom wasn’t feeling well, so I stayed the night in case something bad happened.”

“Is Mom dying?” Miguel paused, then said, “Like what?”

“No, your mom isn’t dying. For Pete’s sake!” Conway had trouble following the conversation—he’d never talked with four-year-olds before. “Like what, what?”

“What kind of bad things?” Miguel asked.

“Well, there could have been a fire in the middle of the night.”

Javier ran from the room then returned with a small fire extinguisher.

“We know how to put out a fire,” Miguel said.

He doubted the boys had the strength to pull the pin on the extinguisher, but he was impressed that they knew what the canister was used for. “Or a bad guy could’ve broken into the trailer.”

Javier set down the extinguisher then opened the closet door in the hallway and removed a baseball bat, which he dragged across the carpet. Conway got the impression the kid was trying to tell him that they didn’t need his help protecting their mother.

“Can you lift that?” he asked.

Javier raised the bat and Conway intercepted the barrel before it hit Miguel in the back of the head. “Whoa, slugger.” He confiscated the weapon and laid it on the couch.

“Javi...Mig... Where are you guys?” Isi’s sluggish voice rang out a moment before she appeared in the hallway. Conway sucked in a quiet breath. The bruising beneath her eyes had deepened to dark purple.

“Mom!” Miguel dashed across the room, Javier following him. “What happened?” Both boys hugged Isi’s legs.

“I had an accident at work last night. I ran into a door and broke my nose.”

“Does it hurt?” Miguel asked.

“Yes. Did you have breakfast?” Isi dropped to one knee and hugged her sons. She whispered in Miguel’s ear then he went into the kitchen, climbed onto the counter and retrieved two cereal bowls from the cupboard. Javier remained by Isi’s side—he was definitely the insecure twin.

“Mom.” Miguel set the bowls on the table.

“What?”

“Conway Twitty Cash slept on our couch.”

“You can call me Conway.”

“Mr. Conway,” Isi said.

“I told them I stayed last night, because you weren’t feeling well and I needed to be here in case of an emergency.”

“We don’t need his help, do we, Javi?” Miguel said.

Javier wouldn’t look at Conway.

“It was nice of Mr. Conway to stay, but I’m fine now.” Isi sent him a time-to-leave look.

Conway stood up and the Cheerios that had gotten caught in the wrinkles of his shirt spilled to the floor. He stepped over the Os to avoid smashing them into the carpet. “Your sitter left this for you last night.” He handed her the piece of paper Miguel had pushed aside on the table. “She wanted you to read it first thing in the morning.”

While Isi read the note, Conway said, “I’d really like to make it up to you for what happened last night. Is there anything I can—”

Isi glanced up from the note a stunned expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nicole quit.”

“What?”

“She’s moving to Tucson to live with her father.”

“When?” Conway asked.

“Today.” Isi sighed. “If I don’t find a sitter by Monday, I’ll have to skip class and I have an exam that day.”

“Maybe your mother could help out with the boys.”

She frowned. “My mother’s dead.”

That’s right. She’d told him her mother had passed away right before she’d immigrated to the U.S. He inched closer to the door. “Maybe a relative—”

“Conway—”

Hand on the doorknob he froze. “What?”

“I told you a long time ago that I don’t have any family. It’s just me and the boys.”

Really? He couldn’t recall Isi talking about her family. He was always wrapped up in his dating dilemmas and the information had probably gone in one ear and out the other. He swallowed hard. That Isi was all alone in the world didn’t seem right. He might have had a mother who cared more about chasing after men, and a father who hadn’t wanted the responsibility of raising him, but he’d had siblings and grandparents who cared about him.

“You offered to help,” she said. “Would you watch the boys until I find a replacement sitter?”

Babysit? Him? “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It would be for two or three days at the most.”

“I don’t know anything about kids.”

She ignored his protests. “I’d need you to drop them off at preschool and bring them back here afterward.”

“I’m sure—” he winked at the boys “—they’d rather have anyone but me watch them.”

“Never mind.” Her shoulders sagged.

Did she have to act so dejected?

“I’ll take the boys to school with me and hope the professors allow them into the classroom.”

“I don’t want to go to your school, Mom,” Miguel said.

It’s because of me that Isi’s nose is broken.

Oh, hell. How hard could it be to watch a couple of four-year-olds? For two years Isi had listened to him bellyache about women. He couldn’t turn his back on her when she needed him most.

“Okay, I’ll watch the boys,” he said.

She flashed him a bright smile. “You’ll need to be here by noon on Monday.”

“See you then.” Right now, Conway couldn’t escape fast enough.

Chapter Two

“I don’t want a babysitter.”

Isi ignored Javier, who sat under the kitchen table playing with his toy cars, and focused on memorizing the Visual Basic code for her exam later in the day.

“How come Conway Twitty Cash has to watch us?” Miguel asked.

Ever since her son had learned Conway’s full name, he insisted on using it. For the tenth time, she explained, “Nicole moved to Tucson to live with her father and Mr. Conway is helping us out until I find a new sitter.”

Her child-care search had stalled over the weekend. The manager at the preschool had offered Isi the names of three women but none of them had been available to watch the boys at night while she worked at the bar. She worried she’d have to resort to the want ads in the newspaper.

“Mr. Conway’s not a girl,” Javier said.

“He certainly is not.” Conway was all male. Not only did he have a movie-star face, but the way he filled out a pair of jeans turned female heads when he strolled into the bar. Add a boyish grin to his cowboy appeal and every woman on this side of the border was in love with the man.

Too bad he wasn’t interested in being a father, because she still experienced an occasional romantic dream about Conway. The day he’d come into the bar and hit on her had been the stuff of fairy tales. Then when he’d learned she was a single mother, he’d cooled toward her. She’d wanted to stay mad at him forever, but he’d continued to visit the bar and joke around with her and in a matter of weeks they’d settled into a cozy friendship. He’d been and always would be her favorite cowboy.

Javier drove a Lego car over the top of her shoe. “Only girls babysit.”

“Boys can be sitters, too,” she said.

“Conway Twitty Cash, Conway Twitty Cash, Conway Twitty Cash, Con—”

“Enough, Miguel!” Isi shut the textbook. “Names are special and you shouldn’t make fun of someone’s name.”

“Our names are special,” Javier said.

She’d named her sons after their twin uncles Javier and Miguel whom they’d never met and never would. Surprisingly, the boys favored their namesakes. Isi’s brother Javier had been shy and her brother Miguel had been outgoing—neither had lived long enough to meet their nephews. Isi wished there was a man in her life to help raise the twins, but she’d rather go it alone as a single mom than trust the well-being of her sons to a here-one-day-gone-the-next boyfriend or their biological father, who refused to claim them.

One of the reasons her friendship with Conway had grown was because she enjoyed listening to him talk about his family. When she heard stories about him and his brothers’ antics she felt like one of his siblings.

“He’s too big for our house,” Javier said.

Isi poked her head beneath the table, wincing at the stab of pain in her nose. “Mr. Conway seems tall because we’re all short.”

“Do we have to do what Conway Twitty Cash says?” Miguel asked.

“Yes.” Isi opened the refrigerator door. “You two wash up while I make lunch.” Miguel raced to the bathroom but Javier remained beneath the table. Isi peered at him. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t want you to go to school.”

“I have an important test this afternoon,” she said.

“Are you gonna go to school forever?”

“I hope not.” This was her final semester and as long as she passed all her classes, she’d earn an associate degree in business before Christmas. She pulled on her son’s shirt until he crawled into the open then she sat him on her lap. “Tell me what’s really bothering you, mi corazón?” Javier laid his head against her chest. “Mr. Conway’s a very nice man,” she said. “Did you know he has five brothers and a sister?”

Javier shook his head.

“Maybe when he gets here, you can ask him what it’s like to have to share toys with all those brothers.” She checked the wall clock. Conway would arrive shortly to drive the boys to preschool—three hours during which she wouldn’t have to worry about her sons. It was what went on after Conway picked them up from school that concerned her.

“Everything’s going to be okay.” She set Javier on his feet and gave him a gentle push in the direction of the bathroom. “Wash your hands.”

A half hour later, the boys had eaten their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and had fetched their backpacks from the bedroom when the doorbell rang.

“It’s Conway Twitty Cash!” Miguel raced to the door.

“Use the peephole,” Isi said.

Miguel climbed onto the chair next to the door and peered through the spy hole. “It’s him.” He hopped down and flung open the door. “Hi, Conway Twitty Cash.”

Conway grinned. “Hi, Miguel Lopez.”

“How come you know I’m Miguel?”

“Because you talk more than your brother.” Conway stepped inside. “Hello, Javier.”

Javi peeked at Conway from behind Isi’s legs. “Thanks for arriving early,” she said.

“No problem.” His brown-eyed gaze roamed over her body and she resisted glancing at herself to see if she’d spilled food on the front of her blouse.

She motioned to the kitchen table where she’d left a notebook open. “Important numbers are in there. The boys need to be dropped off at school by twelve-thirty and picked up at three-thirty. Supper’s between five and six. Bath time is seven. Bedtime eight. I should be home shortly after midnight.”

“Where’s the school?” Conway asked.

“Over there.” Miguel pointed at the kitchen window.

“The Tiny Tot Learn and Play is a mile down the road next to the McDonald’s.” Isi peeled Javier’s arms off her legs, kissed his cheek then gathered her backpack and laptop before kissing Miguel. “Be good for Mr. Conway. If I get a bad report, we won’t be going to the carnival this weekend.”

She took two steps toward the door before Conway blocked her path. His cologne shot straight up her nose and she sucked in a quick breath. He always smelled nice when he came into the bar. Her eyes narrowed. “What’s different about you?”

“I got a haircut,” he said.

His shaggy golden-brown hair usually hung over the collar of his shirt. The shorter style made him appear older, more mature. Less like a playboy. “I like it.” His lips curved in his trademark sexy smile. If she didn’t leave soon, she’d be tempted to run her fingers through his locks.

He followed her outside. “Don’t you want my number in case you need to get in touch with me?”

Duh. She dug her phone from her purse. “What is it?” He recited the digits. “Thanks. My cell number is in the notebook.” She turned away then stopped. “I notified the school that you’d be bringing the boys and picking them up for a few days. You’ll need to show your license each time. And don’t forget to put their booster seats in your truck.” She waved at the seats on the porch. “Thanks again!”

Conway watched Isi get into her clunker and drive off then studied his charges. The boys stood side by side, their backpacks strapped on. They wore the same outfit. Jeans, striped T-shirts—Miguel’s was red and blue and Javier’s was green and blue.

“Aren’t we gonna leave, Conway Twitty Cash?” Miguel asked.

“We can’t.”

The brothers looked at each other, then Miguel asked, “Why not?”

Conway stared at Javier’s feet.

Miguel shoved his brother. “You got different shoes on, stupid.”

“I know.” Javier jutted his chin.

Conway suspected the kid hadn’t meant to wear mismatched shoes and was trying to save face. “Cool. I used to wear a different cowboy boot on each foot when I first began rodeoing.”

“Why?” Miguel asked.

“For good luck,” Conway said. “Is that why you wear different shoes, Javier?”

The boy jiggled his head.

“I wore my good-luck boots all the time and you know what happened?”

“What?” both boys asked.

“They ran out of luck.”

Javier raced from the room and returned with matching sneakers.

“Smart man, Javier. Gotta save the good luck for stuff that matters.” Crisis averted, Conway ushered the boys out of the trailer and they raced to his truck.

“Hey, does your mom lock the door when she leaves?”

Miguel returned to the porch and plucked a key from the flowerpot of fake daisies on the first step. After Conway secured the trailer, he slipped the key into his pocket and picked up the booster seats. “You guys sit in the front while I figure out how to install these things.” Five minutes later, he said, “Okay. Get in them.”

The boys climbed in the truck, their shoes dragging across the front seat of the cab as they crawled into their boosters. “Watch the shoes, amigos.” Conway’s black Dodge was only a year old—he didn’t even allow his dates to put their makeup on in his truck. Once the boys were buckled in, he drove off.

There was nowhere to park his big truck in the preschool lot when he arrived, so he pulled into a handicapped spot. He’d no sooner turned off the engine than a woman knocked on the window.

“You can’t park here,” she said. “You don’t have a permit.”

“I’m dropping the boys off.”

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to use the lot across the street.”

“I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“Doesn’t matter.” She planted her hands on her hips and he had no doubt that she’d tackle him to the ground if he tried to get out of the truck.

“Hang on, guys.” Conway backed out of the spot.

“That’s Mrs. Schneider,” Miguel said. “We call her Mrs. Spider ’cause she’s creepy.” The boys giggled.

“She is creepy.” Conway parked across the street then helped the boys out of their booster seats. The school bell rang, echoing above the noise from the traffic.

“We get a flag by our name if we’re late,” Miguel said.

Conway tucked both boys against his sides like footballs and said, “Hold on.” Bypassing the crosswalk he dashed across the street then set his cargo on their feet. “Lead the way.”

As soon as they entered the building, Miguel marched up to the front desk and said, “This is Conway Twitty Cash.”

The day-care employee rolled her eyes. “And I’m Loretta Lynn.”

Conway fished his wallet from his pocket. “Isi Lopez called the school and informed someone that I’d be dropping the boys off and picking them up.” He set his license on the counter.

The woman read his license. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, ma’am. I’m Conway Twitty Cash.”

Miguel grinned at the lady.

“Shouldn’t you guys hang up your backpacks?” Conway asked.

The lady handed him a clipboard and pen. “Fill out this form.”

He wrote down his full name, cell phone, social security and license numbers plus the color, make and model of his truck. Hell, he was surprised they didn’t ask for a credit card. When he finished, he turned away from the desk and plowed into Javier, who’d been standing behind him the whole time.

“Javier doesn’t like to come here,” the lady whispered then walked off to speak with a parent.

Conway guided the boy to a chair in the waiting area and sat down. “You don’t like to come here?”

The kid scuffed his shoe against the floor.

“Are the teachers mean?”

Javier shook his head.

“Are the kids mean?”

He shrugged.

Javier’s shyness probably made him an easy target for bullies. Conway peeked into the main room and saw that Miguel sat on the floor with a group of boys. He didn’t know what to do. If he left Javier at the school, he’d worry about him being picked on.

“Are you ill?” He touched the boy’s forehead. “You feel kind of warm. You think you might be coming down with a cold?”

Javier’s eyebrows scrunched together.

“Because if you’re getting sick, you shouldn’t stay here and infect the other kids.”

The boy blinked then he faked a sneeze.

“You are coming down with a cold.” Conway spoke with the head of the preschool then waited while she asked Miguel if he wanted to go home with his brother. Miguel elected to remain at school.

Now what? Conway sat in his truck staring at Javier in the rearview mirror. He’d planned to use the time the boys were in school to browse orchard sprayers at a local farm-equipment store. He needed to apply insecticide to the pecan trees before the weevils got out of hand. “You ever been to a tractor store, Javier?” The boy shook his head. “Then it’s about time you met John Deere.”

* * *

ISI TURNED IN her exam early and left the classroom. The test had been a breeze—then again she’d studied all weekend. She didn’t have the luxury of failing a class or retaking it. She’d qualified for a scholarship to attend the community college and she had to maintain a 3.0 grade point average to keep her financial aid.

She stopped at the school cafeteria for a bite to eat before her next class and while she waited in the sandwich line, she skimmed through phone messages. When she saw the missed call from the preschool, alarm bells went off inside her head. She gave up her place in line and stepped into the hallway to call the school. After learning Conway had signed out Javier because her son hadn’t felt well, she dialed Conway’s cell. No answer. She left a voicemail, asking him for an update then returned to the cafeteria.

By the time her final class of the day ended, she still hadn’t heard from Conway. She contacted the preschool again and they confirmed that Conway and Javier had returned to pick up Miguel. As soon as Isi arrived at the bar, she texted Conway. When he didn’t answer, she left another message, pleading with him to get in touch with her. Two hours later, she was about to ask her boss if she could leave work early when Conway strolled into the bar with the twins.

Relieved the three males appeared no worse for wear she delivered a drink order to a table while they claimed seats at the bar. When she approached the group, she felt Javier’s forehead. “No fever.”

Conway came to her son’s defense. “He was warm when we got to the school and I didn’t think it was a good idea to leave him there.” He ruffled Javier’s hair and Isi’s heart melted at the affectionate gesture.

“Are you feeling better, Javi?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Isi switched her attention to Conway. “Why didn’t you return my calls?” This gig wasn’t going to work, if they didn’t communicate with each other. “I was frantic wondering what was wrong with Javier.”

“I’ll try to remember to check my phone more often.”

She waved a hand in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

“Conway Twitty Cash doesn’t cook, Mom.” Miguel’s gaze swiveled back and forth between Isi and Conway.

Isi got a discount on her meals, but she didn’t have the extra money to pay for the boys’ food.

As if sensing her dilemma, Conway said, “It’s my treat.”

Isi guessed it wouldn’t hurt for the boys to eat at the bar this one time. She put in an order for three cheeseburger baskets with fries. While she waited tables, she kept an eye on the trio and couldn’t help feel a tiny smidgeon of envy that she wasn’t sitting with them. Whatever Conway said appeared to amuse her sons, because they giggled an awful lot. Miguel was a talker, so it didn’t surprise her that he chatted with Conway. What amazed her was that shy Javier appeared more animated. Maybe Conway’s relaxed personality put her son at ease.

That nonchalant attitude would drive Isi nuts after a while. She was a go-getter, get-things-done-do-it-now-not-later kind of woman and Conway came across as a man who went with the flow. Instead of going after the future, he was happy to let the future find him.

A half hour later, the boys had finished eating and were fooling around with the jukebox in the corner.

“That’s too much,” Isi said when Conway left forty dollars next to the empty food baskets.

“You can never tip enough for great service.” He ran his finger along the bridge of her nose. “The swelling’s gone down.”

“It’s not as sore, either.” She didn’t want to tell him that last night when she’d rolled over in bed and had pressed her face into the pillow, it had felt as if someone had stabbed her up the nose.

“I don’t think you’ll have a bump.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

“You should be, because you have a very pretty, petite nose.”

She scoffed.

“What?” He leaned closer and whispered. “Just because we’re friends, doesn’t mean I don’t still find you attractive.”

Sheesh. The guy was an incurable flirt. The last thing she needed was to allow Conway to slip past her defenses when they both knew they were all wrong for each other. “Javier wasn’t really sick, was he?”

“No. And he wouldn’t tell me why he didn’t want to stay at school.”

“There are a couple of boys who tease him, because he’s shy. Give him a little encouragement when you drop him off tomorrow.”

“You want me to give him a pep talk?”

Conway made her handling of the situation seem stupid.

“Sounds to me like someone needs to tell the bullies to keep their distance from Javier.”

“Stay out of this, Conway.” The last thing she wanted was her babysitter threatening her sons’ classmates. “Red said I could leave early if it’s not busy tonight.”

He slid off the stool. “How’d your test go?”

Startled by the question, she didn’t immediately answer.

“You did have an exam today, didn’t you?”

“It went fine. Thanks for asking.” She wasn’t used to anyone inquiring about her schoolwork.

“See you later.” Conway called to the boys and they left the bar.

Isi ignored another sharp twinge of envy when neither of her sons waved goodbye or acted as if they’d missed her. As a matter of fact, they seemed downright gleeful that they were stuck with Conway.

She returned to work, hoping the night would pass quickly. By the time her shift ended and she arrived back at the trailer, she was exhausted and she still had schoolwork to do before going to bed. When she got out of the car and surveyed the mess in the yard, she groaned. Bikes, pogo sticks, footballs, basketballs, baseballs, mitts, bats, scooters and skateboards were strewn about.

Why hadn’t Conway demanded the boys put their toys away before turning in for the night? She thought about doing it herself, but she was too tired. When she entered the trailer, the place was dark, save for the light above the kitchen stove. She stood by the door until her eyes adjusted to the dimness.

Conway slept on the love seat, legs hanging over the end, boots off. His sexy sprawl triggered a vision of her coming home to him every night—until he found the perfect woman and left Isi out in the cold.

She padded closer to the couch and studied him. Why had he cut his hair? Had he wanted to impress her? Dream on. The shorter hairstyle drew attention to his square jaw and full lips—a mouth made for kissing as she’d discovered a long time ago.

They’d only shared a couple of kisses before Conway had learned she was a single mother, but those kisses had been amazing. The instant their lips had touched, sparks ignited. He’d nibbled her lower lip, making her yearn for more then he’d thrust his tongue inside her mouth and... Isi swallowed a groan and shoved the memory aside.

She glanced at the living room—toys scattered everywhere. When had her sons accumulated so much junk? She’d bought the toys at second-hand stores and rummage sales, but maybe she’d gone overboard. She was the first to admit that she spoiled the twins because she felt guilty for not spending more time with them. Guilty that they didn’t have a father. Guilty that they didn’t have any family except her.

She retreated to the kitchen, where a sink full of dirty dishes greeted her. The boys must have used a clean cup each time they’d gotten a drink. Next, she went into the bathroom and felt their toothbrushes. Dry as a bone—they’d gone to bed without brushing their teeth. She didn’t have dental insurance, so she was strict about making the boys brush and use a daily fluoride rinse. She walked down the hall to their bedroom and poked her head inside. They were sound asleep in their twin beds—fully clothed.

Isi brushed her teeth, changed into her sleeping shorts and T-shirt then slipped into bed, forgetting all about waking Conway and sending him home.

Chapter Three

The rumble of a truck engine woke Isi at the crack of dawn.

Conway! Had he slept on her couch all night long?

She sprang from the bed and raced through the trailer. When she stepped outside, only the taillights of his truck were visible as he turned out of the neighborhood. Her gaze skimmed the yard. Bless Conway’s big cowboy heart—he’d put all the toys in the box next to the storage shed and had left the boys’ booster seats on the steps. When she went inside to make coffee, she noticed he’d also picked up the living room. Every Lego and building block, toy car, board game and action figure had been stowed in the colored bins against the wall. And in the kitchen, there wasn’t a dirty dish in sight.

A lump formed in her throat. She’d thought she known Conway pretty well after their talks at the bar. So how had it escaped her notice, that hiding beneath all that sexy charisma and charm was a considerate man?

Conway’s thoughtfulness reminded her of how much she missed her best friend, Erica. Isi had met Erica three years ago at the community college when they’d worked together on a class project. Erica had always been there for Isi, helping her out with the boys when the sitter had become ill. This past spring, Erica had transferred to the University of Southern California to pursue a nursing degree and live closer to her boyfriend.

Feeling weepy, she made coffee and decided to read a chapter for class before the boys woke up. After the twins ate breakfast, she’d resume her search for a sitter.

* * *

“YOU WERE MIA last night.”

Conway stepped away from the tractor where he was in the process of attaching the mist sprayer he’d rented in Yuma the day before. Will hovered in the barn doorway.

The second-eldest Cash brother had once been a tie-down roper, but the past few years he’d spent more time working construction jobs than he did riding the circuit.

“Since when did you start keeping tabs on me?”

“It was Mack’s birthday yesterday, you dumb shit.”

Well, hell. He’d forgotten. “I was helping a friend out.”

Will walked farther into the barn. “I suppose your friend needed help with her bed.”

His brother’s words prompted a vision of Conway slipping between the sheets with Isi. Disturbed at how easily his mind put him and Isi together as a couple he said, “You need to go off and rodeo for a while.”

“Why’s that?”

“Lately you’ve been as sociable as a rotting tooth.”

“We all can’t be as popular with the ladies as you are,” Will said.

Normally Conway would relish a game of verbal sparring with his brother, but he didn’t have time. “I’ll call Mack and wish him a happy birthday.” He tested the lock that held the fan sprayer in place then hopped on the tractor seat.

“Where’d you get the sprayer?” Will asked.

“Jim Baine leased it to me.”

“Since when did the feed store start renting farm equipment?”

“I don’t know, but when I went to Tractor Supply in Yuma to browse sprayers, the salesclerk told me to stop by Jim’s, so I did.”

“How much did he charge you for it?”

“A hundred dollars for the week.” Several months ago their oldest brother Johnny had informed the family that the farm was in financial trouble. Conway and his brothers had pitched in their savings to make up the missed mortgage payments so any new equipment purchases would have to wait.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, because I sure as hell would like to get paid back the money I contributed to produce this crop,” Will said.

Ever since Johnny had handed over control of the pecan groves to Conway, the rest of his brothers believed it was their duty to comment on how he did things. Will wasn’t a farmer, but Conway felt a special connection with the land and he intended to do everything in his power to produce a healthy nut crop and that meant doing things by the book—like spraying for insects during the month of October.

“Don’t worry, bro, I’ve got things under control.” Conway grinned. “But if you’re willing to help out, you can—”

“No way.” Will raised his hands in the air. “I build things. I don’t grow them.”

“Is the construction business improving?”

“Ben’s got several small jobs lined up to keep us busy.”

Not busy enough to prevent Will from harassing Conway. “I’d love to chat, but I need to spray a few rows before I leave.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m watching a friend’s kids while she goes to school and works at night.”

“Your friend wouldn’t happen to be a waitress at the Border Town Bar & Grill, would she?” Will asked.

“Why?”

Will chuckled. “You’re the guy two women were fighting over when one of them got her nose broken.”

“They weren’t fighting over me. Isi—”

“Who’s Isi?”

“The waitress at the bar. She took a punch that was meant for me.”

“Ouch.” Will shook his head. “I don’t get why women fawn all over you.”

“Because I’m the handsome Cash brother.” Conway grinned.

“Yeah, right. Wait until word gets around that you’re a pecan farmer and not the swaggering rodeo hero you want everyone to believe you are.”

Conway didn’t give a crap how his new career might affect his image. For a while now he’d been wanting to settle down and it was only a matter of time before he found the right woman.

“This Isi must be special if you’re sprucing up for her.” Will motioned to Conway’s short hair.

Isi was special, but not in the way Will meant. Conway ignored his brother and started the tractor. The engine sputtered and coughed before settling into a loud roar, then he shifted gears and drove out of the barn.

He lined up the sprayer then moved through the first row of trees, contemplating Will’s words. There was no reason he couldn’t work on the farm and rodeo weekends until he found the woman of his dreams. As a matter of fact, he’d head up to Payson on Saturday and enter the Frontier Days Rodeo. Who knows, maybe he’d run into his soul mate.

* * *

“AND HE LET us sit on the tractor,” Javier said.

Isi listened to the boys chatter about their day with Conway while she made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.

Miguel set two plastic cups on the table. “Next time I get to go.”

“And he let me push the brake and—”

“Okay, enough,” Isi interrupted Javier, hoping to ward off a fight. Miguel was jealous that his brother had gone to the tractor store with Conway while he’d stayed in preschool.

“I wanna tractor when I grow up,” Javier said.

Isi cut the sandwiches in half, placed them on paper plates then added apples slices to the meal. “What would you do with a tractor, Javi?”

“I’d help Mr. Conway on his farm.”

“Does Conway Twitty Cash have cows and pigs on his farm?” Miguel asked Isi.

“I don’t know, honey.” She joined the boys at the table and smoothed the hair off Javier’s forehead. “You don’t feel warm.” He wouldn’t make eye contact with her and she reminded herself to tell Conway not to give in to her son if he complained about going to school.

Once the boys ate and brushed their teeth, she sent them outside to play in the yard and began making phone calls. Fifteen minutes later, she’d gotten nowhere—each of the women she’d found in the Sunday want ads had already taken babysitting jobs. Later today she planned to put up a flyer on the campus bulletin board and hoped a student wanting to earn extra cash before Christmas would contact her.

A knock rattled the door. “It’s me.” Conway stepped into the trailer and his smile faltered. “You’re upset. What’s wrong?”

For a man who spent yesterday chasing after two demanding four-year-olds and sleeping on a dollhouse-size couch, he looked well-rested.

Well-rested? That was a unique way to describe sexy.

Isi ignored the voice in her head. “I’m not upset. I’m discouraged.” She closed her notebook. “I haven’t had any luck finding a sitter.”

“Did you try the online classifieds?” He stopped next to the table and his half smile tugged a sigh from Isi.

“I don’t trust those online sites,” she said.

“Why not?”

“They’re full of child predators.” Poor Conway. He was really clueless about raising children.

“Can you put them in day care after school?” he asked.

“There isn’t a facility open until midnight.” She waved a hand in the air. “Besides, I don’t have the money for extended child care.”

“I suppose I could keep watching the boys until you find a new sitter.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Why not?”

She laughed. “The twins are a lot of work.”

“They aren’t so bad.”

Wait until he spent more time with her sons, then the novelty would wear off. She went to the window to make sure the boys were in the yard. “I told Javier that he has to stay at school. Please don’t let him talk you into signing him out.”

“I wanted to speak to you about that.”

She stuffed her books into her backpack.

“Javier told me that he’s getting picked on at recess.”

“You mean teased?” she said.

“Why haven’t you spoken to his teacher about it?”

Isi jerked as if he’d slapped her. “You think I’ve ignored the problem?”

He shrugged. “Then why are the brats still tormenting Javier?”

Angry that Conway believed she was an uncaring mother, she lashed out. “I don’t know what he told you, but his teacher assured me the situation is being dealt with.” An image of her son cornered by miniature thugs on the playground popped into Isi’s mind. She felt bad that the boys had been placed in day cares and preschools the past three years, but she’d had no choice—not if she intended to make a better life for them. Isi blinked hard.

“You’re not going to cry, are you?”

“No.” She fussed with her backpack.

Conway wiped the pad of his thumb across her cheekbone, catching the tear that escaped her eye. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She sniffed. “It’s... I don’t have... Never mind.”

“Never mind what? Talk to me.”

“I’m doing the best I can, Conway. I complained to the head of the preschool that Javier said kids were picking on him, but she insisted that the boys would work things out on their own.”

“How long ago did you speak to this lady?”

“I guess it’s been a month.”

Conway’s jaw hardened. “I can help. Will you trust me to handle this?”

“You don’t have any experience with kids.”

“I grew up fighting bullies who picked on me because of my name.”

His comment triggered more tears. “The teacher said I should encourage the boys’ father to become more involved in their lives, but that’ll never happen.”

“Why?”

“Their father refuses to acknowledge that the boys are his.”

Conway scowled. “Make him take a paternity test.”

“He’s already married with kids.”

“You slept with a married man?” Conway gaped at her.

“He didn’t tell me he was married.”

“And you didn’t ask him?”

“He wasn’t wearing a wedding band, so I assumed he was single.”

“The boys’ father should be paying child support. If he helped out financially, you could afford day care.” Conway swept his hand in front of him. “You’re barely getting by raising them on your own.”

“We’re fine.” She wasn’t proud of accepting government assistance to help meet her monthly expenses and put food on the table, but as soon as she earned her degree, she’d find a full-time job with benefits and be able to support herself and the boys all on her own.

“Being a single parent isn’t easy.” She swallowed hard. “I have no one to—”

Conway cut her off midsentence by pressing his finger against her lips. The tip of his finger slipped past her lip and touched her tongue. A spark of heat warmed her brown eyes as they locked gazes.

“What are you doing?” she mumbled against his finger.

“Trying to stop you from talking.”

Did he have any idea how long it had been since a man had touched her so intimately? Feeling short of breath, she said, “Don’t do that again.”

Good grief. No sense playing with fire when they were both destined for different futures—Conway wanted marriage without kids and if she ever committed to a man, he would have to love her boys as much as she loved them.

“Is my touch that awful?” His eyes sparkled with humor.

“Stop trying to distract me.”

“Isi. You’re a great mom and the boys are lucky to have you in their corner. Let me help Javier.”

Just because you accept his help doesn’t mean you’re a failure. “Fine.” She slung her backpack over her shoulder. “See you after midnight.”

Isi stepped outside and blew kisses to the boys. “Be good.” Then she drove off, thinking she’d better keep her guard up around Conway in case he turned out to be an authentic Mr. Nice Guy—a Mr. Nice Guy who rocked her world. Again.

* * *

WHEN CONWAY ENTERED the preschool, he strode up to the desk and announced, “I’m staying with the boys.”

Both Miguel and Javier smiled.

“You can’t stay,” the lady said.

Conway peered at her name tag. “Why not, Rose? I’d like to observe what the boys do during their time here.”

“I can tell you what they do. First, they sit in a circle for story time then—”

“I don’t want to hear about it, I want to experience it.” Conway tapped his finger against the sign-in sheet on the clipboard. “Is there a guest form I need to fill out?”

Flustered, Rose said, “Wait here, Mr. Cash. I’ll get the director.”

Miguel tugged on Conway’s pant leg. “Now you’re in trouble. Ms. Kibble’s mean.”

“You guys go hang up your backpacks. I’ll be there in a minute.”

After the boys walked away, an older woman with a salt-and-pepper bob stepped from her office. “Mr. Cash, I understand you’d like to observe today.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He held out his hand.

“Is there a problem with Miguel or Javier?” she asked.

“Well, ma’am, there is. It seems Javier is being picked on and nothing’s been done to address the problem.”

The director’s eyes rounded and Rose made a hasty exit.

“This is the first I’ve heard of any bullying going on in my school,” Ms. Kibble said.

“No, ma’am, it’s not. According to the boys’ mother, she’s spoken to you about this before, and because the teasing hasn’t stopped, Javier doesn’t want to come to school anymore.”

“Which boys are bothering him?”

“He won’t say, but I intend to find out.”

“I appreciate your concern, Mr. Cash. I’ll make sure the teacher is aware of the situation.”

“Good. I’m eager to see how she deals with the bullies.”

Ms. Kibble’s mouth tightened, but she backed down. “Enjoy your afternoon.”

When Conway joined the boys for story time on the floor, Miguel whispered to the kid next to him, “That’s Conway Twitty Cash. He’s my new friend.”

Javier inched closer to Conway but remained silent. Story time turned out to be boring as hell and it was all Conway could do to keep his eyes open. When the teacher—Ms. Haney—closed the book and asked if anyone had questions, Conway raised his hand.

“Yes, Mr. Cash?”

“When’s recess?” The room erupted in giggles, which earned Conway a dark scowl from the teacher.

“Go to your tables and start your work sheets,” the teacher said.

When the kids bolted in all directions, a boy walked past Javier and elbowed him in the back. Conway noticed the teacher’s attention was elsewhere. The boy with the sharp elbow sat at the same table as Javier, and Javier refused to make eye contact with the kid.

One bully identified. Now he needed to find the others. The only way to do that was to sit away from Javier. He joined Miguel at his table and Conway’s gut twisted at Javier’s hurt expression. It was all he could do not to rush to the boy’s side and reassure him.

While the group worked on their alphabet sheets, Conway watched Javier. Nothing out of the ordinary happened until the teacher asked the students to pass the papers to the head of the table. A freckled-faced boy swept Javier’s paper onto the floor then stepped on it before putting it back in the pile and handing it to the teacher.

Bully number two identified.

The class spent the next hour moving from activity to activity until snack time. Fruit punch, crackers and small boxes of raisins were doled out to each kid. Miguel stuffed his face, eating everything in front of him and asking for seconds of the punch. Javier didn’t touch his food—or rather he didn’t have a chance to, because the red-haired bully had stolen his box of raisins and Javier hadn’t protested.

By the time recess arrived, Conway was spitting mad that the teacher hadn’t noticed what was happening right under her nose. He followed the kids outside and Javier raced to the swings while Miguel veered off toward the monkey bars and a group of gossiping girls.

When the bullies closed in on Javier, Conway made his move. “Mind if I join you guys on the swings?”

The freckle-faced boy crossed his arms over his chest. “We were playing here first.”

Insolent bugger.

“Yeah.” The chubby kid kicked dirt at Javier. “He’s on our swing.”

“This is your swing? You brought this from home?” Conway asked.

Javier giggled then sobered quickly when the bullies glared at him.

“I think you guys have got it wrong. This swing belongs to the school.”

“Get off, stupid,” the redhead told Javier.

Javier made a move to vacate his seat, but Conway set his hand on his shoulder. “You’ll have to wait your turn, carrottop.”

“Says who?” the kid glared.

“Says me, Rico.” Javier stood and faced his adversary.

Rico laughed. “You can’t stop me.”

“Yes, I can.” Javier shoved Rico in the chest and the kid tripped over his feet and stumbled. Once he gained his balance, Rico swung his fist, but Javier ducked and tackled the boy to the ground. Conway sent the overweight bully a stay-where-you-are glare while Javier and Rico wrestled.

Tiny fists punched mostly air, then a student alerted the playground monitor and the woman hurried over and separated the boys. Holding each by the back of the shirt collar she spoke to Conway. “You stood there and did nothing.”

“The boys had to settle this between themselves,” Conway said.

“Well, I’ve never heard of—”

“Lady, if you’d have been doing your job rather than texting on your phone, you’d know that Rico and his buddy like to torment kids.”

The woman marched the boys into the building and Conway followed at a distance. Twice Javier peeked over his shoulder and grinned at him. Now that Rico and the other kid knew Javier could stand up for himself, they’d leave him alone.

Conway stood outside Ms. Kibble’s office while the playground monitor explained the situation. All three boys were suspended for fighting and told not to return to school until Friday. Grinning from ear to ear, Javier followed Conway out of the school.

“Is my mom gonna be mad at me?” Javier asked.

“Nah.” She’s going to be mad as hell at me.

* * *

CONWAY HEARD ISI’S car pull beneath the carport and he braced himself. When the trailer door opened, he said, “I can explain, Isi.”

“Explain what?” She flashed a nervous smile.

“Didn’t the school call you?”

The blood drained from her face. “What happened? Are the boys okay?”

“They’re fine.” He hadn’t meant to scare her.

She set her backpack by the door. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t think this would be hard but the speech he’d rehearsed after the boys had gone to bed suddenly didn’t sound so clever. “Javier’s been expelled from school until Friday.”

Isi’s eyes widened. “What happened?”

“It wasn’t his fault. You can blame me.”

“What did he do, Conway?”

“He got into a fight on the playground.”

She gasped.

“None of the boys were hurt. I watched the whole thing and—”

“You watched the fight and didn’t break it up?”

“Let me explain.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I stayed at school and monitored their class. As I suspected, Javier is being bullied by two boys, one named Rico and the other one was a chubby kid.”

“Mathew.”

“During recess Javier got to the swings first but the bullies tried to make him get off. I told the boys Javier didn’t have to give up his swing and all of a sudden Javi shoved Rico. The boys rolled on the ground until the recess monitor intervened and took them to the principal’s office.”

“Was Javier upset?”

“Nope.”

“What did Ms. Kibble say?”

“Not a whole lot.”

“Were all the boys suspended?”

“Yep. You’d have been proud of Javier, Isi.”

“I’m supposed to be happy that you taught my son to solve his problems by fighting?”

“I didn’t teach him to fight. I taught him to stand up for himself.”

“Do me a favor and don’t offer my sons any advice, okay? I’m their mother. I’ll handle their problems.” Isi walked down the hall to check on the twins and Conway made a hasty escape before he got suspended from his babysitting job.

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