A Little Dare Read online

  Dare nodded. “I want him to know I’m his father, Shelly.”

  “I want him to know you’re his father, too, Dare, but we need to approach this lightly with him,” she whispered softly “He’s going through enough changes right now, and I don’t want to get him any more upset than he already is. I have an idea as to how and when we can tell him, and I hope after hearing me out that you’ll agree.”

  Dare went back to his desk. “All right, so what do you suggest?”

  Shelly nodded and took a seat across from his desk. She held her breath, suddenly feeling uncomfortable telling him what she thought was the best way to handle AJ. She knew her son’s emotional state better than anyone. Right now he was mad at the world in general and her in particular, because she had taken him out of an environment he’d grown comfortable with, although that environment as far as she was concerned, had not been a healthy one for a ten-year-old. His failing grades and the trouble he’d gotten into had proven that.

  “What do you suggest, Shelly?” Dare asked again, sitting down and breaking into her thoughts.

  Shelly cleared her throat. “I know how anxious you are to have AJ meet you, but I think it would be best, considering everything, if he were to get to know you as a friend before knowing you as his father.”

  Dare frowned, not liking the way her suggestion sounded. “But I am his father, Shelly, not his friend.”

  “Yes, and that’s the point. More than anything, AJ needs a friend right now, Dare, someone he can trust and connect with. He has a hard time making friends, which is why he began hanging out with the wrong type of kids at the school he attended in California. They readily accepted him for all the wrong reasons. I’ve talked to a few of his teachers since moving here and he’s having the same problems. He’s just not outgoing.”

  Dare nodded. Of the five Westmoreland brothers, he was the least outgoing, if you didn’t count Thorn who was known to be a pain in the butt at times. Growing up, Dare had felt that his brothers were all the playmates he had needed, and because of that, he never worried about making friends or being accepted. His brothers were his friends—his best friends—and as far as he’d been concerned they were enough. It was only after he got older and his brothers began seeking other interests that he began getting out more, playing sports, meeting people and making new friends.

  So if AJ wasn’t as outgoing as most ten-year-old kids, he had definitely inherited that characteristic from him. “So how do you think I should handle it?”

  “I suggest that we don’t tell him the truth about you just yet, and that you take the initiative to form a bond with him, share his life and get to know him.”

  Dare raised a dark brow. “And just how am I supposed to do that? Our first meeting didn’t exactly get off to a great start, Shelly. Technically, I arrested him, for heaven’s sake. My own son! A kid who didn’t bat an eye when he informed me he hated cops—which is what I definitely am. Then there’s this little attitude problem of his that I feel needs adjusting. So come on, let’s be real here. How am I supposed to develop a relationship with my kid when he dislikes everything I stand for?”

  Shelly shook her head. “He doesn’t really hate cops, Dare, he just thinks he does because of what happened as we were driving from California to here.”

  Dare lifted a brow. “What happened?”

  “I got pulled over in some small Texas town and the officer was extremely rude. Needless to say he didn’t make a good impression on AJ.”

  She sighed deeply. “But you can change that, Dare. That’s why I think the two of you getting together and developing a relationship as friends first would be the ideal thing. Ms. Kate told me that you work with the youth in the community and about the Little League baseball team that you coach. I want to do whatever it takes to get AJ involved in something like that.”

  “And he can become involved as my son.”

  “I think we should go the friendship route first, Dare.”

  Dare shook his head. “Shelly, you haven’t thought this through. I understand what you’re saying because I know how it was for me as a kid growing up. At least I had my brothers who were my constant companions. But I think you’ve forgotten one very important thing here.”

  Shelly raised her brow. “What?”

  “Most of the people in College Park know you, and most of them have long memories. Once they hear that you have a ten-year-old son, they’ll start counting months, and once they see him they’ll definitely know the truth. They will see just how much of a Westmoreland he is. He favors my brothers and me. The reason I didn’t see it before was because I wasn’t looking for it. But you better believe the good people of this town will be. Once you’re seen with AJ they’ll be looking for anything to link me to him, and it will be easy for them to put two and two together. And don’t let them find out that he was named after me. That will be the icing on the cake.”

  Dare gave her time to think about what he’d said before continuing. “What’s going to happen if AJ learns that I’m his father from someone other than us? He’ll resent us for keeping the truth from him.”

  Shelly sighed deeply, knowing Dare was right. It would be hard to keep the truth hidden in a close-knit town like College Park.

  “But there is another solution that will accomplish the same purpose, Shelly,” he said softly.

  She met his gaze. “What?”

  Dare didn’t say anything at first, then he said. “I’m asking that you hear me out before jumping to conclusions and totally dishing the idea.”

  She stared at him before nodding her head. “All right.”

  Dare continued. “You said you told AJ that you and his father had planned to marry but that we broke up and you moved away before telling him you were pregnant, right?”

  Shelly nodded. “Yes.”

  “And he knows this is the town you grew up in, right?”

  “Yes, although I doubt he’s made the connection.”

  “What if you take him into your confidence and let him know that his father lives here in College Park, then go a step further and tell him who I am, but convince him that you haven’t told me yet and get his opinion on what you should do?”

  Since Dare and AJ had already butted heads, Shelly had a pretty good idea of what he would want her to do—keep the news about him from Dare. He would be dead set against developing any sort of personal relationship with Dare, and she told Dare so.

  “Yes, but what if he’s placed in a position where he has to accept me, or has to come in constant contact with me?” Dare asked.

  “How?”

  “If you and I were to rekindle our relationship, at least pretend to do so.”

  Shelly frowned, clearly not following Dare. “And just how will that help the situation? Word will still get out that you’re his father.”

  “Yes, but he’ll already know the truth and he’ll think I’m the one in the dark. He’ll either want me to find out the truth or he’ll hope that I don’t. In the meantime I’ll do my damnedest to win him over.”

  “And what if you can’t?”

  “I will. AJ needs to feel that he belongs, Shelly, and he does belong. Not only does he belong to you and to me, but he also belongs to my brothers, my parents and the rest of the Westmorelands. Once we start seeing each other again, he’ll be exposed to my family, and I believe when that happens and I start developing a bond with him, he’ll eventually want to acknowledge me as his father.”

  Dare shifted in his chair. “Besides,” he added smiling. “If he really doesn’t want us to get together, he’ll be so busy thinking of ways to keep us apart that he won’t have time to get into trouble.”

  Shelly lifted a brow, knowing Dare did have a point. However, she wasn’t crazy about his plan, especially not the part she would play. The last thing she needed was to pretend they were falling in love all over again. Already, being around him was beginning to feel too comfortably familiar.

  She sighed deeply. In order for Dare’s
plan to work, they would have to start spending time together. She couldn’t help wondering how her emotions would be able to handle that. And she didn’t even want to consider what his nearness might do to her hormones, since it had been a long time since she had spent any time with a man. A very long time.

  She cleared her throat when she noticed Dare watching her intently and wondered if he knew what his gaze was doing to her. Biting her lower lip and shifting in her seat, she asked. “How do you think he’s going to feel when he finds out that we aren’t really serious about each other, and it was just a game we played to bring him around?”

  “I think he’ll accept the fact that although we aren’t married, we’re friends who like and respect each other. Most boys from broken relationships I come in contact with have parents who dislike each other. I think it’s important that a child sees that although they aren’t married, his parents are still friends who make his wellbeing their top priority.”

  Shelly shook her head. “I don’t know, Dare. A lot can go wrong with what you’re proposing.”

  “True, but on the other hand, a lot can go right. This way we’re letting AJ call the shots, or at least we’re letting him think that he is. This will give him what he’ll feel is a certain degree of leverage, power and control over the situation. From working closely with kids, I’ve discovered that if you try forcing them to do something they will rebel. But if you sit tight and be patient, they’ll eventually come around on their own. That’s what I’m hoping will happen in this case. Chances are he’ll resent me at first, but that’s the chance I have to take. Winning him over will be my mission, Shelly, one I plan to accomplish. And trust me, it will be the most important mission of my life.”

  He studied her features, and when she didn’t say anything for the longest time he said. “I have a lot more to lose than you, but I’m willing to risk it. I don’t want to spend too much longer with my son not knowing who I am. At least this way he’ll know that I’m his father, and it will be up to me to do everything possible to make sure that he wants to accept me in his life.”

  He inhaled deeply. “So will you at least think about what I’ve proposed?”

  Shelly met his gaze. “Yes, Dare, I’ll need time,” she said quietly.

  “Overnight. That’s all the time I can give you, Shelly.”

  “But, I need more time.”

  Dare stood. “I can’t give you any more time than that. I’ve lost ten years already and can’t afford to lose any more. And just so you’ll know, I’ve made plans to meet with Jared for lunch tomorrow. I’ll ask him to act as my attorney so that I’ll know my rights as AJ’s father.”

  Shelly shook her head sadly. “There’s no need for you to do that, Dare. I don’t intend to keep you and AJ apart. As I said, you’re the reason I returned.”

  Dare nodded. “Will you meet me for breakfast at Kate’s Diner in the morning so we can decide what we’re going to do?”

  Shelly felt she needed more time but knew there was no way Dare would give it to her. “All right. I’ll meet you in the morning.”

  Three

  Dare reached across his desk and hit the buzzer.

  “Yes, sheriff?”

  “McKade, please bring in John Doe.”

  Shelly frowned when she glanced over at Dare. “John Doe?”

  Dare shrugged. “That’s the usual name for any unidentified person we get in here, and since he refused to give us his name, we had no choice.”

  She nodded. “Oh.”

  Before Dare could say anything else, McKade walked in with AJ. The boy frowned when he saw his mother. “I wondered if you were ever going to come, Mom.”

  Shelly smiled wryly. “Of course I was going to come. Had you given them your name they would have called me sooner. You have a lot of explaining to do as to why you weren’t in school today. It’s a good thing Sheriff Westmoreland stopped you before you could cause harm to anyone.”

  AJ turned and glared at Dare. “Yeah, but I still don’t like cops.”

  Dare crossed his arms on his chest. “And I don’t like boys with bad attitudes. To be frank, it doesn’t matter whether or not you like cops, but you’d sure better learn to respect them and what they stand for.” This might be his son, Dare thought, but he intended to teach him a lesson in respect, starting now.

  AJ turned to his mother. “I’m ready to go.”

  Shelly nodded. “All right.”

  “Not yet,” Dare said, not liking the tone AJ had used with Shelly, or how easily she had given in to him. “What you did today was a serious matter, and as part of your punishment, I expect you to come back every day this week after school to do certain chores I’ll have lined up for you.”

  “And if I don’t show up?”

  “AJ!”

  Dare held up his hand, cutting off anything Shelly was about to say. This was between him and his son. “And if you don’t show up, I’ll know where to find you and when I do it will only make things a lot worse for you. Trust me.”

  Dare’s gaze shifted to Shelly. This was not the way he wanted to start things off with his son, but he’d been left with little choice. AJ had to respect him as the sheriff as well as accept him as his father. From the look on Shelly’s face he knew she understood that as well.

  “Sheriff Westmoreland is right,” she said firmly, giving Dare her support. “And you will show up after school to do whatever he has for you to do. Is that understood?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I understand,” the boy all but snapped. “Can we go now?”

  Dare nodded and handed her the completed form. “I’ll walk the two of you out to the car since I was about to leave anyway.”

  Once Shelly and AJ were in the car and had buckled up their seat belts, Dare glanced into the car and said to the boy, “I’ll see you tomorrow when you get out of school.”

  Ignoring AJ’s glare, he then turned and the look he gave Shelly said that he expected to see her tomorrow as well, at Kate’s Diner in the morning. “Good night and drive safely.”

  He then walked away.

  An hour later, Dare walked into a room where four men sat at a table engaged in a card game. The four looked up and his brother Stone spoke. “You’re late.”

  “I had important business to take care of,” Dare said grabbing a bottle of beer and leaning against the refrigerator in Stone’s kitchen. “I’ll wait this round out and just watch.”

  His brothers nodded as they continued with the game. Moments later, Chase Westmoreland let out a curse. Evidently he was losing as usual, Dare thought smiling. He then thought about how the four men at the table were more than just brothers to him; they were also his very best friends, although Thorn, the one known for his moodiness, could test that friendship and brotherly love to the limit at times. At thirty-five, Thorn was only eleven months younger than him, and built and raced motorcycles for a living. Last year he’d been the only African-American on the circuit.

  His brother Stone, known for his wild imagination, had recently celebrated his thirty-third birthday and wrote action-thriller novels under the pen name, Rock Mason. Then there were the fraternal thirty-two-year-old twins, Chase and Storm. Chase was the oldest by seven minutes and owned a soul-food restaurant in downtown Atlanta, and Storm was the fireman in the family. According to their mother, she had gone into delivery unexpectedly while riding in the car with their Dad. When a bad storm had come up, he chased time and outran the storm to get her to the hospital. Thus she had named her last two sons Chase and Storm.

  “You’re quiet, Dare.”

  Dare looked up from studying his beer bottle and brought his thoughts back to the present. He met Stone’s curious stare. “Is that a crime?”

  Stone grinned. “No, but if it was a crime I’m sure you’d arrest yourself since you’re such a dedicated lawman.”

  Chase chuckled. “Leave Dare alone. Nothing’s wrong with him other than he’s keeping Thorn company with this celibacy thing,” he said jokingly.

  “Shu
t up, Storm, before I hurt you,” Thorn Westmoreland said, without cracking a smile.

  Everyone knew Thorn refrained from having sex while preparing for a race, which accounted for his prickly mood most of the time. But since Thorn had been in the same mood for over ten months now they couldn’t help but wonder what his problem was. Dare had a clue but decided not to say. He sighed and crossed the room and sat down at the table. “Guess who’s back in town.”

  Storm looked up from studying his hand and grinned. “Okay, I’ll play your silly guessing game. Who’s back in town, Dare?”

  “Shelly.”

  Everyone at the table got quiet as they looked up at him. Then Stone spoke. “Our Shelly?”

  Dare looked at his brother and frowned. “No, not our Shelly, my Shelly.”

  Stone glared at him. “Your Shelly? You could have fooled us, the way you dumped her.”

  Dare leaned back in his chair. He’d known it was coming. His brothers had actually stopped speaking to him for weeks after he’d broken off with Shelly. “I did not dump her. I merely made the decision that I wasn’t ready for marriage and wanted a career with the Bureau instead.

  “That sounds pretty much like you dumped her to me,” Stone said angrily. “You knew she was the marrying kind. And you led her to believe, like you did the rest of us, that the two of you would eventually marry when she finished college. In my book you played her for a fool, and I’ve always felt bad about it because I’m the one who introduced the two of you,” he added, glaring at his brother.

  Dare stood. “I did not play her for a fool. Why is it so hard to believe that I really loved her all those years?” he asked, clearly frustrated. He’d had this same conversation with Shelly earlier.

  “Because,” Thorn said slowly and in a menacing tone as he threw out a card, “I would think most men don’t walk away from the woman they claim to love for no damn reason, especially not some lame excuse about not being ready to settle down. The way I see it, Dare, you wanted to have your cake and eat it too.” He took a swig of his beer. “Let’s change the subject before I get mad all over again and knock the hell out of you for hurting her the way you did.”