Love Under the Western Skies

ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ
ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ ᴀɢᴏ

➵➵➵➵➵➵➵❂➵➵➵➵➵➵➵

I didn't sign up for this.

I didn't sign up for a child to be dropped off on my doorstep, his mother signing over her rights because she wasn't ready. I didn't expect the paternity test to come back to me. I didn't plan for the scandal that would follow sleeping with the rodeo queen. My life quickly changed, my career was on the rocks and now I had a six-month-old son to care for, a ranch to pay for, and hopefully a job still. That all depends on how this conversation with my manager goes.

"Madison is coming out to stay with you," I furrowed my brow, looking down at my son when he babbled, big blue eyes looking up at me, "She'll be there to make sure that you stay on track, don't fuck off and sleep with a rodeo queen again, and she'll be able to watch the kid while you work."

Madison? That name had never been said before, at least not to me. I don't recall anyone working for the company under that name. "Madison?" I asked, jostling Rhett around on my lap, his sweet giggle filling the air. I had to admit, I wasn't so excited to have a kid to care for in the beginning. But the little guy has quickly become my whole world, he enjoys the outdoors, enjoys the horses and the sheep that fill the open land surrounding my ranch, and he's got my attitude about being indoors for too long. I almost forgot I was on a call with my manager until I heard his gravelly voice come through the speaker again.

"Madison Sawyer, my daughter and the only person I trust to not fall for your pretty face and charming personality."

"Aw Nash you think I'm pretty," I teased, my son giggling at my tone of voice, "I'm honored."

"Rogers, don't play with me, I mean it your dick stays in your pants when it comes to my little girl," Nash's voice was strung tight, and if his daughter was anything like her father he didn't have to worry about it, Nash was a good man, but a fucking downer to be around. "I don't care how horny you get kid, she's off limits."

"There is a child present," I scolded playfully, covering Rhett's ears, "Got it, daughter's off limits."

"That brings me to our next thing if you're going to fuck someone keep it away from the rodeo, your sponsorships with Wrangler and Ariat are hanging on by a thread because you decided to have a child with the Rodeo Queen who happens to be the CEO of Ariat's niece," I bristled, yeah, that wasn't my finest moment, "Madison has an NDA file on her laptop, if you're going to sleep with someone, you are to alert her and let her have the girl sign the NDA, you will wear a condom, and we will avoid having another child on our hands, no matter how cute the one you have is."

"Rhett sure is a cutie," I chuckled, pausing when I realized what Nash was insinuating, "Holy fuck, you're sending your daughter to be my fucking babysitter, I'm a grown man, Nash, I don't need a babysitter."

"Yes, the fuck you do," Nash responded almost instantly, "You're at the peak of your career, and you're fucking up royally, not with Rhett, he's a blessing, but you're fucking off with your sponsorships, you're not being careful with your words, you punched a camera guy two months ago, Madison is only there temporarily until we know at Sawyer Western Management that you're able to handle yourself. She'll be on her way in a month, be nice, if my daughter tells me you're a dick to her I have no problem dropping you from us."

I swallowed, looking down at my son who had stopped giggling and started to fall asleep against my chest. It would be nice to have some help with the guy when the season picked up. And from the sounds of it, his daughter is about to be as exciting as Nash himself. While she may be annoying, it sounds like she'll keep to herself for the most part.

"Fine," I relented, tucking my hands under Rhett's armpits and lifting him, his head resting on my shoulder while I cradled him to my chest. "I can be your shining star again, the squeaky clean cowboy you want me to be."

"Thank you," Nash breathed out, "Now enjoy your small break, I'm about to hop on the other line to try and secure the sponsorship for that fuckin Montana Dairy Farm you wanted. Talk soon."

When the line went dead, I got up from my seat on the bench in the kitchen, carefully making my way through the minefield of baby toys that were scattered around my house, walking to the second level into the nursery I had for Rhett. It was his naptime, and I was thankful he stayed on his routine. We settled into the rocking chair in the corner, his head on my chest as I started to lull him to sleep, my eyes closing at the motions and from the pure exhaustion that had been overtaking my life for the past three months. Rhett was a surprise, and as much as I wasn't prepared, I wouldn't change it for the world. The little guy has made me want to be better, hopefully, that shows for my sponsors.

Maybe having Madison around wouldn't be so bad.

When Rhett's breathing steadied out, his back rising and falling while he slept soundly on my I got up, clearing his crib of anything that could be a potential hazard, and laid him down, pushing some of his dirty blonde hair out of his face. His rosy cheeks made me smile when I leaned down to kiss his forehead, turned on the baby monitor, and slowly exited the room, shutting the door behind me.

I needed a beer and some barbecue food. So after I made my way through the mess of my first floor, I grabbed my phone, shooting off a text to Bucky and Sam, receiving a hell yeah, from them almost instantly.

When I collapsed on the couch minutes later, I ran my palms down my face. I did this to myself, I made it where I needed a handler, but Nash said it was temporary, and Madison couldn't be that special, she was off-limits anyway. I could handle not sleeping with her.

Or so I thought.

➵➵➵➵➵➵➵❂➵➵➵➵➵➵➵