a Christmas tree. By the time it got dark, the porch looked more Christmassy than anything on the ranch ever had. The only thing more beautiful was the look of wonder and awe on Wyatt’s face. Suddenly the horrendous shopping trip seemed completely worth it.
Dean got up early the following morning. He was behind on work and only stopped long enough to make coffee before setting up camp in his office. He’d always loved the room, even when it had been his dad’s domain and strictly off limits to a curious little boy. Maybe that was why it had been so interesting. Dean had made it his first project when he inherited the ranch. He stripped it of everything that reminded him of his dad and made it his cave. When Wyatt arrived Dean had made certain to always keep the door open and welcome his son inside.
Looking through the list of suppliers for the store, Dean was impressed at how many new names and products Mason had brought in. Often Dean had a difficult time explaining the full potential of his idea, but Mason just seemed to get it. He had ideas along the lines of Dean’s own, which was both exciting and scary—exciting because Dean had sometimes felt alone in his enterprise, and scary because Dean had never met anyone who had understood him even half as well as Mason.
“Daddy?” Wyatt’s voice interrupted Dean’s thoughts. He stood in the doorway, pulling at his shirt sleeve. “It’s too big.”
Dean looked at his son. He was wearing some of the clothes Dean had risked his life to buy the previous day, and Wyatt was right. They were way too big. Shit.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Wyatt. Does some of the other stuff fit?”
Wyatt shook his head with a little pout. “It’s all too big except for the green crocodile shirt.”
“Then wear that today. I’ll go get you something that fits later.”
“It’s too small.”
Dean sighed. Just as he thought he was doing better with the whole being a daddy thing….
“Morning, guys.” Mason appeared behind Wyatt, looking like he knew exactly what was going on. “I can take Wyatt shopping if you’re busy today. It might be easier to have him try something on at the store to get the size right.”
“You sure you don’t mind?” Dean suddenly worried that he was becoming too dependent on Mason—and that Wyatt was too.
“Of course not. I need a couple of things too.”
Dean looked at Wyatt. “You wanna go shopping with Mason?”
Wyatt nodded eagerly and smiled up at Mason. Dean really, really wished that smile would be directed at him some day. As it was, Wyatt had taken much more to Mason than he had to his own father… his own father who fucked everything up.
“All right, then. Thanks, Mase.”
Dean should have been happy to have time to get some work done, but he felt cold and alone as he watched Mason and Wyatt drive off. The truck was suddenly looking a lot more appealing than his beloved office.
“D ID YOU know that it’s your daddy’s birthday next week?” Mason asked over his shoulder on the way to town. It seemed like divine intervention that Dean had given him a chance to take Wyatt to town. Dean’s birthday seemed like a good opportunity to do something special for both Walker guys.
“Can we get him a present? And a cake?”
Mason grinned. “You bet. What do you think we should get for him?”
“Umm….” Wyatt frowned as he considered it. “A horse?”
Mason hoped Wyatt had more—and slightly more affordable—ideas. “Perhaps something smaller?”
“A pony!”
“I guess I walked right into that one,” Mason muttered under his breath. “Animals are expensive, kiddo.”
Wyatt was quiet for a while, and Mason was starting to worry that he’d hurt the little guy’s feeling when the boy suddenly spoke. “Daddy has lots of pictures, but he doesn’t have one of me. Can we get him one, or is that too ’spensive?”
“Not too expensive at all, and it’s a wonderful idea.” Mason took a moment to be
Dean got up early the following morning. He was behind on work and only stopped long enough to make coffee before setting up camp in his office. He’d always loved the room, even when it had been his dad’s domain and strictly off limits to a curious little boy. Maybe that was why it had been so interesting. Dean had made it his first project when he inherited the ranch. He stripped it of everything that reminded him of his dad and made it his cave. When Wyatt arrived Dean had made certain to always keep the door open and welcome his son inside.
Looking through the list of suppliers for the store, Dean was impressed at how many new names and products Mason had brought in. Often Dean had a difficult time explaining the full potential of his idea, but Mason just seemed to get it. He had ideas along the lines of Dean’s own, which was both exciting and scary—exciting because Dean had sometimes felt alone in his enterprise, and scary because Dean had never met anyone who had understood him even half as well as Mason.
“Daddy?” Wyatt’s voice interrupted Dean’s thoughts. He stood in the doorway, pulling at his shirt sleeve. “It’s too big.”
Dean looked at his son. He was wearing some of the clothes Dean had risked his life to buy the previous day, and Wyatt was right. They were way too big. Shit.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Wyatt. Does some of the other stuff fit?”
Wyatt shook his head with a little pout. “It’s all too big except for the green crocodile shirt.”
“Then wear that today. I’ll go get you something that fits later.”
“It’s too small.”
Dean sighed. Just as he thought he was doing better with the whole being a daddy thing….
“Morning, guys.” Mason appeared behind Wyatt, looking like he knew exactly what was going on. “I can take Wyatt shopping if you’re busy today. It might be easier to have him try something on at the store to get the size right.”
“You sure you don’t mind?” Dean suddenly worried that he was becoming too dependent on Mason—and that Wyatt was too.
“Of course not. I need a couple of things too.”
Dean looked at Wyatt. “You wanna go shopping with Mason?”
Wyatt nodded eagerly and smiled up at Mason. Dean really, really wished that smile would be directed at him some day. As it was, Wyatt had taken much more to Mason than he had to his own father… his own father who fucked everything up.
“All right, then. Thanks, Mase.”
Dean should have been happy to have time to get some work done, but he felt cold and alone as he watched Mason and Wyatt drive off. The truck was suddenly looking a lot more appealing than his beloved office.
“D ID YOU know that it’s your daddy’s birthday next week?” Mason asked over his shoulder on the way to town. It seemed like divine intervention that Dean had given him a chance to take Wyatt to town. Dean’s birthday seemed like a good opportunity to do something special for both Walker guys.
“Can we get him a present? And a cake?”
Mason grinned. “You bet. What do you think we should get for him?”
“Umm….” Wyatt frowned as he considered it. “A horse?”
Mason hoped Wyatt had more—and slightly more affordable—ideas. “Perhaps something smaller?”
“A pony!”
“I guess I walked right into that one,” Mason muttered under his breath. “Animals are expensive, kiddo.”
Wyatt was quiet for a while, and Mason was starting to worry that he’d hurt the little guy’s feeling when the boy suddenly spoke. “Daddy has lots of pictures, but he doesn’t have one of me. Can we get him one, or is that too ’spensive?”
“Not too expensive at all, and it’s a wonderful idea.” Mason took a moment to be
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