brother. “Does he know? Has he known all this time? And kept it from me?”
“Uh, I don’t think so,” Last said, clearly backtracking or confused. “Now that I think of it, he said that he wished Nanette was your child so he could be Uncle Bandera.”
“I’m going to put my boot—”
“I know, I know.” Last held up his hand. “What difference does it make if Bandera knew, Mason? If Mimi had taken him into her confidence, he wouldn’t tell you. None of us would go back on a confidence.”
“She’s my daughter!” Mason exclaimed. “I had a right to know!”
Last pulled him into the hall, closing the door. “Would you stop shouting into her subconscious?”
Mason blinked. “What?”
Last looked at him impatiently. “Nanette is hearing every word you say!”
“She’s asleep.”
“And hearing you bellyache. Now look, you can’t be sore at all of us because once again you’re all twisted up at Mimi. Mimi’s had enough to deal with, and if she didn’t figure you’d be much of a support system, then she didn’t lean on you. She probably didn’t tell you after she found out she was pregnant because she was married. For heaven’s sake, Mason, you can understand that. After all, it’s not exactly like Valentine was thrown a welcome reception by any of us when she told us she was pregnant with my daughter.”
“Yeah, but you were having a weird phase.”
“And you’ve been having a weird phase for years. I’m sure Mimi was scared out of her wits that you’d react somewhat the way you’re reacting now.”
“Mimi kept her from me,” Mason said, angry.
“It’s okay, Mason. It’s not like Mimi had her in a different city and you never got to see her.”
Mason glared at him. “She should have been on the ranch, where she belonged.”
“And she was, most of the time. Mason, you should be happy you’ve got flesh and blood of your own without a wedding ring. You never wanted to get married, anyway.” Last looked at him curiously. “So quit yer bitchin’.”
Mason felt his chest heave. Last didn’t understand. Mason didn’t understand, himself. Too many new and different emotions were roiling his good sense.
“Jeez, Mason, I didn’t spend any time with my daughter when she was young because I was being a jerk. You at least got to spend all the time you wanted with Nanette, and still can. Don’t waste time being a dunce. That’s all I have to say.”
“It’s not that easy.”
The front door slammed. Both men peered over the stairwell in time to see a tiny blond whirlwind rush up the stairs. “I’m coming to kiss my daughter good-night, Mason,” she said, brushing past the both of them, “so shut the hell up before you even say a thing.”
“Whoa,” Last said, “female troubles?”
“I don’t know,” Mason said, frowning. “I’d be the last person she’d share that with.”
“Not her, Mason. You. Are you having female issues?” Last sighed with exasperation. “Are you and Mimi fighting?”
“Yes,” Mason said. “I can answer that question affirmatively.”
Last peered in the bedroom. Mason did, too, not really all that surprised that Mimi had decided to run right over his line in the sand. “Did you take Nanette from her, Mason?”
“Nanette belongs here, on the ranch that is her birthright,” Mason said. “With her father.”
“You ass,” Last said under his breath. “You have no concept of how to woo a woman.”
“I don’t want to woo Mimi. I want to kick Mimi’s little tail.”
“Sure.” Last nodded. “And you were saying that the whole time she was going down the aisle with Brian—after you’d made love to her? I seem to remember sitting near you, and you looked pretty stone-faced, very determined to be Your Royal Hardheadedness.”
Mimi stood, after making sure a sheet was tucked around Nanette. She placed Nanette’s favorite small pink giraffe next to her, then Mimi walked to Mason and Last. “You’re going to have to find a better way to handle this,” she said. “You can’t have everything your way. I know you’re angry, but you’re going to have to eventually calm down and think through what’s best for Nanette.”
She left, her sandals moving smartly down the stairs and out the door, which she closed quietly.
“She has a point, you know,” Last said. “This could get weary for everyone if you don’t chill out a bit.” Last clapped him on the back. “Whoever would have thought you had it in you, you ol’ sourpuss? After all the years you sang the Condom Song for us, specifically for me, it turns out you had a shower without your raincoat.” Last grinned hugely, not about to be denied his crowing.
Mason sighed, knowing he full well had it coming—from all his brothers. “One time,” he muttered. “One time.”
“One shot’s all it takes, bro,” Last said gleefully. “If your rifle’s straight and well-oiled. And it appears you’d been taking good care of your equipment.”
“Last,” Mason said, his tone warning.
“Well,” Last said, “I never thought I’d say this, but congratulations, Mason. You’re a dad.”
Mason was about to grunt a reply when Last continued. “A bachelor dad, of course. A single father. An unwedded man who will one day pay for prom gowns and wedding dresses.”
Mason jutted out his chin. “Thank you, Last. You can go now.”
Last turned serious. “Mason, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Just be good to Mimi, okay? It’s your future lying in there next to the little pink giraffe. You don’t want to goof up the thing that means the most to you.”
Last thundered down the stairs and went out the front door. Mason sighed, taking one last lingering look at his daughter, then headed toward his own room.
Last was right about one thing: Nanette was his future. And she was staying right here with him, where she belonged.
He would be generous and allow Mimi to visit whenever she wanted, though. Underneath his anger, he really didn’t intend to keep her away from her child.
As long as everything went his way.
Chapter Three
Mimi knew one thing: Mason could not have his way, at least not the way he was trying to have it. She opened the door to his house early the next morning and set her own suitcase down. “Good morning, Helga,” she said to the housekeeper, who was cleaning up after a very early breakfast. Two plates. One for Mason, one for Nanette. “Tomorrow, you can make breakfast for three.”
Helga
