Page 40 of Hometown Cowboy

Darby tried to see if there was any recrimination in her face. If there was, Julie was adept at hiding it.

“I don’t know.”

Julie glanced up at the sound of a small group of laughing people walking down the mall, past the doorway. “I realise this isn’t the place for a proper conversation, but I wanted you to know that you can still come to me to talk if you need to. I’m here for both of you, not just Ryan.”

Relief thundered through her. She’d been so worried that Julie would be angry, or at the least be upset with her.

“I’d like that.”

“Good.” Julie patted her hand. “Because it would be a terrible shame if you had this strange idea that you couldn’t. Ryan said you’re keeping the baby. I’d like to help. I’d like to be involved, if it isn’t too much for you.”

Darby looked at her.

“Don’t answer now. And don’t worry that I’ll be in the way. I won’t overstep or interfere. Just know I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”

She patted Darby’s hand again and turned to leave.

Darby followed her to the door. “Julie?” The other woman faced her. “Thank you.” Darby mustered a real smile this time. “I appreciate you coming here to tell me.”

Julie nodded. “It was no bother. Just don’t make the same mistakes Alan and I did. I wasn’t the most forgiving person.”

She hurried off and disappeared into the mid-afternoon crowd.

Alan? Darby searched her memory. Ryan’s dad?

What mistakes? It wasn’t Julie’s fault that he’d left her and Ryan on their own.

… was it?

Chapter Eighteen

Ryan scrubbed hisshaking hand over his raspy face and shook his head. He was in his ute, parked in his own driveway, just sitting there. Like an idiot.

He had to figure this out; figurehimselfout. Even Max had told him to get his act together.

Fix what’s got all twisted up in here first…

Where did he start with that?

He swore and closed his eyes.

At the beginning.

He would have to see his father. There was no way around it. Starting at the very beginning might be the only way to make Darby see that he was worth taking a chance on. His father, as much as he hated the thought, might be the way to lay his demons to rest.

The last man in the world Ryan actually wanted to see, and he had to go there on purpose. Sure, he knew the town he lived in, had done for years. He wasn’t even that far away, only in Bialga, a mere forty-five-minute run on a good day. He’d just never felt the need to chase after someone who’d wiped him and his mother from their life so completely.

No birthday cards, no Christmases. Once his father had walked out, that was it. It was as if he’d fallen off the face of the earth.

And, in all honesty, even at a young age Ryan had believed it was good riddance to bad rubbish.

But it didn’t stop the burning need to be included, to be needed, tobelong.

He bit back on the curse that wanted to leave his mouth and shoved the ute into gear. He’d see him, face him, say his piece and leave. Then that would be it.

That wouldn’t be too bad, would it? After all, the man owed him an explanation.

The fact that he might discover something about himself in the process could only be a good thing.