Simple Man (31 page)

“When Will got in trouble I was crushed. I always wondered if Will still had Frank in his life…a boy needs a strong role model, a good father to guide him. When your child does something to shock you, something wrong, your first instinct as a parent is to say, no, not my child. But the truth is, we can teach our children the difference between right and wrong, but that doesn’t always mean they’ll make the best choices when we aren’t there for them.

“I never met your sister. I imagine if she was anything like you, Logan lost out on having a wonderful mother. You’re so different from my William. You’re responsible, patient, and you want—so very much—to be a father.”

She looked down and picked up a teething ring, turning it this way and that. “When Will told me about Logan I was confused and then, after it sunk in, I was thrilled—a grandbaby to love and spoil. I don’t have many friends since Frank died. I told William he had to do what was right and be a father to his son.

“I didn’t realize the mistake I was making at the time. Logan
has
a father, an amazing one who’d sacrifice anything for him. But being a parent isn’t about the bloodline you share. It’s about what’s in here.” She placed her hand over her heart.

“It’s been three weeks and William barely knows his own son. I love that baby boy, but he’s not mine. It isn’t right that I keep him when he has a father who’d do anything to be there for him.”

He held Logan tight and looked at Nadine. “What happens now?”

“I told the caseworker I think Logan should live with you.”

His heart raced so fast he thought Logan might feel it pounding through his chest. “What about Will?”

“William won’t contest. I sort of pushed him into this in the first place, thinking I was doing what was right. He’s been away for so long, he wants to be out in the world, not home with a baby. He’s not as mature as you. He just doesn’t get that the simple things in life are what makes it magical.”

He looked at her and she sighed. Shane’s voice was tight. “I don’t know what to say.”

“I just hope that you’ll let me still be a part of Logan’s life. I adore him and think of him as my grandchild.”

“You’re his grandmother, Nadine. I’d never deprive him of that.”

“I hoped you wouldn’t.” She smiled at him. “You’re a good man, Shane. I’m sorry I put you through this.”

That afternoon when he drove home, his mind was numb. He was getting Logan back—for good. He’d be Logan’s legal guardian and Logan would be his son.
His son.
It was almost too good to believe.

As he stepped into his trailer, he looked around. The laundry was all put away. The sink was empty and the counters were clean. His mother’s quilt covered the couch and the pillows sat neatly in each corner. There was only one thing missing.

He went to the closet and pulled out the two trash bags. He turned on his stereo and put in his Skynyrd album. Taking his time, he carefully pulled out each piece of clothing and folded it into a pile. Carrying the clothes to the bedroom, he placed them back in the drawers. He set out all the toys and baby paraphernalia. His son was coming home.

* * * *

That Wednesday Nadine and Will showed up in the courtroom with a large suitcase. Logan opened his arms to Shane the moment he saw him. 

The judge spoke to Stephanie the caseworker and asked Will questions. Nadine didn’t speak.

Everything sounded so cut and dry on the surface. The judge asked if Shane was still interested in custody and he immediately agreed. Kate was there beside him the entire time.

Once Will renounced his sole guardianship the judge dismissed them and Tabitha took them to a private room to go over paperwork. Nadine and Kate sat in the hall with Logan while he and Will signed what needed to be signed.

The other man looked resigned. “I really appreciate this,” he said.

Shane simply could not wrap his brain around the other man’s decision to give up his child. He nodded, too afraid to say too much and maybe cause Will to change his mind.

He signed on the dotted line and they shook hands. It was surreal. He knew there would be more paperwork to follow, but the basics were done.

Will left the private room and Tabitha handed him his set of copies. “Congratulations, Shane. You deserve this.”

He smiled at her. “I’m so glad you found me.”

“Me too,” she said and shook his hand. After gathering her things, she quietly left.

Shane stood alone in the room for a few minutes, feeling the rest of his life waiting for him on the other side of the door. He folded his papers and shoved them in his back pocket when his phone suddenly vibrated.

“Hello?”

“Shane?”

“Yes?”

“Russ Myers. How are you?”

“I’m great,” he said calmly. “How about yourself?”

“I can’t complain. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to be the first to tell you that your name came up first in the lottery. The job’s yours if you want it.”

Breath settled in his lungs as a thousand worries took flight. Tension he’d been walking around with for weeks slowly unraveled inside of him. His shoulders unknotted and, for the first time in months, he felt like he could finally breathe again.

He’d lost everything, yet was the richest man in the world. Not because he’d be making money again soon, but because he’d managed to find security in a tumultuous world that came without promises. Emotion locked down on his vocals as he realized he’d done something good for himself. Not one to pat himself on the back, the due praise felt good. He was proud of himself.

He didn’t want his new boss to think he was crying, even if he was. He cleared his throat.

“Thank you, sir. That’s great news. I’d love to take the job.”

“Good, good. Can you come in on Monday and we’ll get you all set up?”

“Monday’s perfect.”

He hung up the phone and wiped his eyes. As he pushed open the door the first vision he saw was Kate holding a sleeping Logan. She smiled at him. He loved them. They were his everything.

“Congratulations. It’s a boy,” she whispered as he stepped close and kissed her discretely. His hand tenderly brushed over Logan’s head and he smiled. His son.

“Guess what?” he whispered.

She looked up at him, asking with her eyes.

He smiled. “I got the job.”

She jumped and Logan stirred. She quickly comforted him back to sleep and pressed her face close to his chest as if it took everything she possessed not to kiss him right in the courthouse. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I love you,” he said back, needing for her to understand how much she meant to him. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I could have never done this without you, Kate. Thank you.”

She smiled. “Come on, let’s take your son home.”

They left the courthouse with Logan’s new belongings in tow. Shane put him in his car seat, which he was getting too big for, and drove them all back to the trailer.

That night at dinner Logan dined on mushed up macaroni and cheese while they dined on the non-mushed variety. Shane had never felt more like a king.

After he put Logan to bed he came to join Kate on the couch. They sat in silence, but continuously met each other’s gaze and grinned, as though they were communicating telepathically. Their expressions were twin pictures of serenity and relief. This was it. His life was figured out.

Turning to her, he watched the soft smile curl her lips. It was a day of wins, yet something was missing. He took her in. Her toenails were the color of bubblegum. Her pants were pressed and fitted. She wore a sweet, butter yellow blouse and a delicate string of pearls.

That was his Kate, yet he saw the girl within. She was wild and silly and had a little gremlin tattooed right next to her money spot. He laughed.

“What?” She turned, grinning at him curiously.

His gaze dropped to her hands folded primly on her lap. His fingers plucked the tab off his beer and faced her. She blinked adoringly at him. Taking her hand, he fiddled with her fingers, slipping the beer tab over the tip of her ring finger. She looked at him and giggled.

“Marry me, Kate.”

She stilled, her expression sobering.

When she didn’t immediately reply, he said, “I know I don’t have a whole lot to offer you, but it’ll come in time. Right now I have my heart to give and I only want to give it to you and Logan. I want to love the two of you with everything I have.”

He hadn’t planned this. When she still didn’t answer he looked down at her finger with the silver beer tab stuck on the end and frowned. He should’ve planned this out better.

“If you don’t want to—”

She grabbed his face and made him look at her. “Shut up,” she rasped. “I’ll marry you, Shane. I’d love nothing more than to be your wife.”

A smile split his face. He kissed her and she kissed him back, their lips curling with happiness. He had an idea and suddenly pulled away.

His fingers went to his ear and he undid the diamond stud there. It was his John Bender diamond and she was his Molly Ringwald. She was his Claire. He pressed the post of the diamond earing through the narrow hole of the tab and attached the back. The diamond winked back at them. He grinned at his handiwork. “There, that’s better.”

“Did you just Ringwald me?”

“I believe I did.”

She kissed him. “I love you, Shane Martin. Thank you. That was probably the most romantic thing anyone’s ever done.”

He felt himself flush. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Please,” she said, and shut off the television.

Epilogue

Kate picked up another garbage fry doused in chili and cheese, and God knows what else, and tossed it in her mouth, her wedding ring flashing amber under the dim lights at the Grill. She was getting fat, but she didn’t care. These fries were unbelievable.

Shane reappeared and slid into the booth across from her. “Sorry.”

“How was he?”

He laughed. “Ridiculous. Nadine said he insisted on saying goodnight before he went to bed.”

She laughed. “You really shouldn’t indulge his every whim.” Her phone rang and she brought it to her ear. Shane gave her a knowing look, his one eyebrow arching high in his beautiful face.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Mommy?”

“Hey, big man. Why aren’t you in bed?”

“Mom-mom said I call you.”

“I see. And what did you have to call me for?”

“This…” He blew raspberries into the receiver and she laughed. “I sound like Uncle Duce!” he giggled.

She shook her head at Shane. This was his influence. “Yes, you do sound like Uncle Duce. Now go to bed.”

He laughed. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too, Logan.” Her heart raced every time he said those words.

“Do it back,” he said excitedly.

Kate looked around. Leaning low over her fries, she stuck her tongue between her lips and blew raspberries into the phone.

Logan cracked up. “Mommy farted!”

She laughed. “Goodnight, stinker.”

“Goodnight, Mommy.”

She shut the phone. Shane gave her a dubious look. “You know, you really shouldn’t indulge him like that.”

“Oh, shut up,” Kate said, smiling as she shoved another fry in her mouth.

Shane stood and kissed her. “Do you need anything before I go up?”

“No, I’m good. Break a leg.”

“Roger that,” he said as he grabbed his guitar case and headed to the stage.

Kate finished her fries and leaned back as the waitress removed the plate. She watched her husband, just like she did every Friday night, as he set up his equipment.

She still had a hard time believing she was married to such an incredible man. She loved him with a fierceness some might call obsessive, but she didn’t care. He was hers and she was never giving him back.

Her sisters and her parents had both welcomed Shane into the family with open arms. Having not been around family in such a long time, he was shy with them at first. It didn’t take them long to see what Kate saw in him. Everyone saw it. His modest ways seemed to charm everyone that crossed his path. Even her nieces, Keira and Kiley adored him.

The microphone whistled as Shane took his seat. “Good evening, everyone.”

She’d never forget the first time she heard him play. She probably fell in love with him in that moment. He was so incredibly talented. His voice was like silk and when he sang, it covered her skin in goose bumps every time.

“This first song’s for my beautiful wife. Katie, I love you.” His fingers strummed over the guitar. His voice rung out.
“Well Momma told me…”

His hair was getting longer again. She liked it. He
was
the John Bender to her Claire.

When he hit the chorus to Skynyrd’s
Simple Man
the crowd applauded. He sounded wonderful. Heat blossomed in her chest. He was her simple man, but she knew deep down he was anything but simple. He was the other half to her soul. He was her world, her heart, her very extraordinary husband.

When they pulled up at the rancher, Nadine’s car sat in the driveway. He grabbed his guitar out of the trunk and opened her door. “Come on, sleepyhead.”

They walked into the house and Nadine stood from the couch. “How was he?” Kate asked, putting her purse on the table next to a stack of Shel Silverstein books.

“He was wonderful.”

She kissed them goodnight and Shane walked her out. Kate tiredly bent to pick up a pile of Transformers scattered all over the floor. Sims convinced Logan they were the coolest toys and he played with them every day.

Shane came back in as Nadine’s headlights skittered across the back wall as she pulled out. He locked the door and came behind her, hugging her tight.

His hands rested on the swell of her belly, peeking from the opening in her cardigan. Pressing his lips to the back of her neck he asked, “You tired?”

She sunk into his hold and shut her eyes. “Depends. What did you have in mind?”

He swayed with her and hummed the tune to their wedding song,
Tupelo Honey,
by Van Morrison. “I was thinking about carrying you to bed, stripping you out of these clothes, and making love to you until you passed out.”