Page 75 of Loving Kai

He hugged her. “Go to bed and talk to Dad. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, honey.”

She left the room, and Abe sat on the couch, then picked up Kai’s rodeo T-shirt. “Yee haw.” He set it on the couch and smoothed out the wrinkles. “Papa. How the hell am I someone’s papa?” He heard Kai fussing, and he got to his feet. After turning off the lights, he headed for the bedroom. “I’m coming, kid.”

Chapter eighteen

“Like with baby handcuffs or something?”

When Maggie pulled up to the house on Saturday afternoon, Abe struggled through the front door with Kai in his arms, a backpack slung over one shoulder, and pulling the stroller behind him. Maggie rushed over to help.

“What can I take?” Kai held out his arms, and she took him from Abe. “Hello, handsome.”

Abe picked up the stroller and carried it to his mother’s SUV. “Can you put him in his car seat?”

“Of course.”

While she did that, Abe tried to remember how to fold the stroller. He finally got it, put it in the back of the vehicle along with the backpack, then closed the hatch a little too aggressively. Maggie looked at him through the window, and he shrugged, then opened the backseat door opposite her.

“You got this?”

“He’s all tucked in.”

Kai looked at Abe. “Dog.”

“Oh… crap. Hold on, kid. I’ll get it.” He ran back to the house and into the bedroom. The stuffed cat was under the crib again. “You’d think it would land in front of the crib at least once in a while.” He retrieved it and went back outside.

After handing the toy to Kai, he got in the front seat next to Maggie. She glanced at the cat. “Dog?”

“I’ve just accepted it.”

“Dog it is.”

The parking around the rodeo grounds was always bad, with cars lined up along the street for a mile in every direction. Abe passed them all and drove to a gate marked ‘Vendor’s Only.’

Maggie smiled. “VIP parking.”

Abe stopped next to a man wearing a bright neon orange vest. “Afternoon.”

“Who are you with, sir?”

Abe showed him the card he had been given to allow him access through the gate. “Rocco’s Pizza.”

The man smiled. “I don’t suppose you have a pizza on you?”

“Afraid not. But the booth should be set up by now. My brothers got here a while ago.”

“I’ll check it out.” He handed the card back to Abe. “Keep that on your dash.”

“Will do.”

“Enjoy the rodeo.”

Abe continued through the gate and found a parking space a few spots down from Luke’s truck. The back of the truck was empty, so they were probably up and running. Abe went to get the stroller and backpack while Maggie got Kai out of his car seat. She set him in the stroller, and Abe put the backpack on.

“I just realized something.”

Maggie smiled. “What’s that?”