The Cowboy's Package Love with Faith (COMPLETED)

Chapter 38

Traven stops halfway through the door in mid step as he hears the words coming out of the uninvited guest's mouth. Sure he knew Cole wasn't Jedediah's, but he never really put two and two together that someone could in fact come back to claim Aubrey and Cole. In that moment he isn't sure if he should continue into the house and be there for moral support for his friend or if he should simply settle on the porch. However that inner debate lasts mere seconds. If those words were thrown at him he would want his friend beside him. So as to announce his entrance he scrapes his boots on the 'Welcome' mat just inside the door.

"Hi," he says extending his hand to the still sitting guest. "Traven Long."

"Samuel King," the guy answers gruffly.

Traven nods and claps Jedediah's shoulder as he takes a seat on the other side of him. The three men look at each other with the tension heavy enough to cut with a knife. "So! You two know each other?"

"No," Samuel answers abruptly. "I'm sure you know Cole and Aubrey."

"Yes sir, they are lots of fun to be around."

Samuel nods firmly. "Indeed. Well I'm here to take them back, so where are they?"

Without a moments hesitation Jedediah and Traven both stand up to their full height and let their muscular builds show to the not so friendly intruder. "My family is not here. Not that it is any of your business," Jedediah answers.

"Well here's my number. I'll be in touch." 

The buddies follow him out onto the porch and it is there that Samuel that turns around. "I will get them back."

As his sports car leaves clouds of dust Jedediah kicks the porch post. No one messes with his family and gets away with it. He quickly takes his phone out of his pocket and begins to pace as he dials the lawyers number that has been helping them with the official adoptions papers for Cole. He begins to pace as the ringing sounds meets his ear. He catches sight of Traven leaning against the house with his hands in his pockets and his gaze on the concrete in front of him. Never before has he seen his friend looking so uncomfortable, but he can't blame him.
***

Aubrey throws the door open with a smile on her face, but it quickly fades. At the kitchen table papers are scattered all over it and Jedediah is hunched over a few at the far end. The lights are slightly dimmer than usual and Cole is nowhere to be see. "Handsome, I'm home," she whispers as she rubs is back.

He looks up and a small smile graces his lips. "Oh, hey sweetheart." He leans up and meets her descending lips. "How was your day out?"

"It was great. What's all this?" She gestures to the papers while her eyebrows are knitted together.

He sighs and rubs his hand over his hair. "Umm, we can talk about that after a while. Let's go tuck our son in bed, first."

She smiles and lays her head on his shoulder as his arm snakes around her waist. "Okay."

When they get into the smaller room that Cole's little toddler bed is in they find him curled up on it sound asleep. Aubrey smiles and gently pulls the covers over him and places a soft kiss on his forehead. "Good night big boy."

Jedediah, too, kisses the little blonde's forehead and whispers good night to him. Then wrapping his arms tightly around Aubrey's torso he kisses her lips passionately before guiding her out of his room. "You sure are beautiful this evening."

This comment makes her blush. "Thank you Jed." She kisses his cheek lightly. "Are you ready to talk about the papers?"

He sighs and nods. "Let's go sit on the couch and I'll tell you about it."

Once she is snuggled up against him in his lap he begins to stroke her hair and takes a deep breath. "Well this afternoon Samuel stopped by the house."

Her body instantly tenses at the mention of his name. "What did he want?"

He kisses her forehead and stares ahead. "You and Cole." The words are like poison to him and his voice is soft as he says them. He holds her tightly against him as he feels as though he is the most vulnerable guy in the world. Sure, he knows she has no intention of ever going back to Samuel, but that still small voice of the enemy whispers that she might.

She sits up in his lap and cups his face in her hands. "Jedi, hey, look at me. No one is taking either one of us from you. You have been there for me practically since I set foot on this ranch. A high school lesson isn't going to change the fact that you are the one I want. You are the one that God created just for me." 

Not wanting to be an inch apart form her for another second he pulls her flush against him and captures her lips with his. The kiss is sweet as they both savor it until they are breathless. "And I just found out that the papers were excepted and the certificate of adoption is on its way to our mail box!"

"What?! You are kidding," she shrieks before covering her mouth that holds the biggest smile this side of the Mississippi River.

He too has a huge smile on his face as he shakes his head. "Nope! I am one hundred percent serious."

She pulls his lips to hers and kisses him deeply before saying, "That is the best news I have heard in a long time. Now how do we convince Samuel to leave us alone?" Her smile never falters and her voice holds just as much cheer at the mention of her ex's name.

"Let me worry about that sweetheart."
***

Jedediah kisses the top of Cole's head and then Aubrey's lips before closing the doors on her Toyota 4Runner and waves. It has become their morning routine lately for him to send them off, to Raely and Traven's house, in such fashion before he starts his daily list of things to do. He turns to the barn to begin feeding and saddling the young stud that is his mount for the week, but he only gets a few steps before his eyebrows squish together and he peers back down the dirt road. A cloud of dust is all he can see, but he can hear the deep rumbling of a spruced up car.