The Horseman's Son by Delores Fossen

reminders that he was well worth fighting for.
    Dylan spotted Collena smiling, too, and Adam seemed pleased that he had someone else’s attention. He offered Collena a pea that was pinched between his tiny thumb and forefinger, and Collena got up to take the offer.
    Adam giggled when Collena ate the pea from his fingers.
    “You two sure look an awful lot alike,” Jonah commented. He shoveled another forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
    For such a simple comment, it certainly caused a reaction. Everyone stopped, as if waiting to see how Dylan would respond to that. Then, seconds later, Ruth tossed her silverware onto her plate. It made a loud clanging sound.
    “Adam’s tired,” Ruth announced, standing. “It’s time for me to get him ready for bed.”
    Collena looked at Dylan. “Can’t he stay up just a little longer?” There was a definite motherly plea in her voice. Just as there was a back-me-up plea in Ruth’s eyes.
    And that’s when Dylan knew he had to put a stop to this.
    First, he motioned for Ruth and Collena to sit down, and because he was positive he would need it, he finished off his glass of wine.
    “Collena is Adam’s birth mother,” he started, making brief eye contact with everyone at the table. “Someone stole Adam from her, and Collena’s spent all these months looking for him.” He had to pause a moment. “The adoption was probably illegal.”
    No one seemed shocked by that revelation, which meant it’d likely been the topic of house gossip all afternoon.
    “You didn’t know it was illegal,” Millie declared. “The judge will understand that. You won’t lose Adam.”
    Dylan wasn’t so certain of that.
    “What about Curtis Reese?” Jonah asked. “What’s he got to do with any of this?”
    “He’s Adam’s grandfather,” Collena answered before Dylan could.
    Dylan added to the explanation. “And he plans to fight both Collena and me for custody of Adam.”
    Now, that caused a reaction. Jonah stopped eating and stared openmouthed at Dylan. Millie flattened her hand over her chest and frantically shook her head. Ruth went ash pale and slowly sank back onto her seat.
    “He can’t take Adam,” Millie said practically in a whisper.
    Dylan nodded. “Collena and I have a plan to stop that from happening.” That also got everyone’s attention. Dylan figured he was going to get more than their attention with what he had to say next. “Collena and I have decided to join forces to fight Reese. And the best way for us to do that is get married and have me legally adopt Adam.”
    “Married?” Millie and Ruth said in unison.
    Hank and Ina apparently decided it was a good time to go check on dessert. He didn’t blame them. Dylan waited until they were out of the room before he continued.
    “Together Collena and I can make a stronger case for custody,” he added.
    Millie stood. “But marriage?”
    Dylan nodded again. “I’ve gone through all the options, and this is the best one for fighting Reese off.”
    “So, this would strictly be a marriage of convenience?” Jonah asked while still chewing his food. Despite what had to be a shocking conversation, it’d only deterred Jonah from eating for a few seconds.
    “Yes.” And Dylan hoped they all understood that. After what’d happened to the other women he’d loved, he wanted to make it crystal clear that he didn’t care for Collena.
    That was the only way he could save her from the fate of the other women. Even then, it was still a risk. This might open old wounds that he never wanted open. Now, if he could only figure out whose wounds it was that had made his life a living hell.
    “There has to be another way,” Ruth declared. “You can’t marry her, Dylan. She could take Adam and run.”
    “She can try to do that even if we’re not married,” Dylan pointed out. “Collena is Adam’s mother. I have no legal or moral right to try to cut her out of Adam’s life.”
    Ruth stared at him, and there were tears