“No shit?” Hartman’s head swiveled like one of those dashboard dolls. “Like one just turned up on your doorstep?”
“More or less.” Brandt stretched, letting the crisp morning mountain air fill his lungs. Gorgeous clear blue skies, totally at odds with his jumbled thoughts. In the distance, the mountains loomed large, white tips and craggy silhouettes, unchanging, unlike Brandt’s life.
“Damn. How old are you anyway if you’ve got a kid searching you out?” Hartman’s words were light, the sort of ribbing all the guys gave each other. Nonetheless, they stung. Never had he felt every one of his thirty years more than sitting there in the lawyer’s office trying to make a plan for the baby.
“Screw you. I’m not that old,” he shot back, giving as good as he got before he softened his voice. “It’s a baby. With an AWOL mom. Long story. But I’m gonna need to sort out insurance paperwork at some point I guess, if the paternity test results prove the kid’s mine. Rich’s wife is helping me with the legal stuff.”
“God bless Cameron.”
“Seriously.” Brandt might still be smarting from her comment about smoke jumping and single parenthood being incompatible, but he couldn’t deny that she’d also been a huge help. “She even had a list of what all I might need for the baby.”
“Baby, huh?” Hartman shook his head, expression as incredulous as Brandt still felt. “Linc can probably help you with the paperwork situation. He’s...discreet. Won’t gossip about your new addition.”
“Thanks.” They were a couple of weeks into training, but he’d already picked up on Hartman and Lincoln Reid, one of the instructors, being a couple. Intra-crew hookups happened on the down low occasionally, but longer-term relationships like what they had going were rarer. The two were nothing other than professional, and Brandt figured if he had to tell someone, he could do a lot worse.
“Cameron did some wills for us.” Hartman gave him a serious stare. “I know no one ever likes to think about shit like that, but if you’ve got a kid now, have her do one for you too. Update your life insurance as well.”
Brandt knew better than most how fast life could change, and there it was again, that same uncomfortable feeling as when Cameron had talked about the realities of the smoke jumping life. He’d make this work. He would.
“Good tip.” Things felt too heavy now, like trying to haul an extra pack with their gear. He didn’t much like that, so he made himself laugh. “You leaving everything to the dogs?”
Luckily for him, Hartman seemed to pick up on his need for lightness. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re leaving it to a human. Who will then take care of the pack.”
“Huh.” Who would Brandt leave Jewel to? Shane? Could he count on him that way? He was there for the lawyer and late nights, but Brandt was under no illusions of this being permanent. His head swam as he went through his vast and varied friend network. Who could he count on when the chips were down? Not liking how few names he came up with, his gut churned.
“You okay to jump?” Hartman grabbed his sleeve as they reached the hangar. “It’s understandable if your head isn’t in the game, but you gotta tell me now, so I clear you staying back with management. We’re taking the rookies up with us and can’t afford distractions.”
Brandt shook his head, trying to clear it. No way did he want to miss some airtime. “Nah. I’m good to go.”
“Excellent. Let’s do this thing.” Hartman’s strides took on new purpose before he stopped and pivoted back to Brandt. “Oh, and Wilder?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve got a ton of nieces and nephews. You let me know if you need anything. I can probably track down hand-me-downs or recs for things like sitters and doctors.”
“Will do. I’ve got childcare right now. The baby’s uncle is staying to help.” That niggle of how long was back, a pesky branch scratching against the window of his brain.
“That’s good.” Nodding, Hartman picked up speed again. Blessedly, he didn’t inquire further into Brandt’s situation or Shane’s presence, not that Brandt had a lot more insight on either. “Okay, let’s find those rookies.”
The rookies were still sweaty from an early morning run, and most were eager to get their first jump reps in. The one assigned to Brandt was almost as tall as him with short, punk hair, but it was her shaking hands Brandt was more concerned with.
“So, I’m nervous,” she announced defiantly, like Brandt was waiting for an excuse to kick her off the jump list.
“Really? Never would have guessed.”
“Don’t play dumb.” Her voice was more irritated than uneasy now. “I know everyone’s waiting to see if I wash out.”
“Nah.” Brandt wasn’t here to be a self-esteem coach, but he also didn’t want to bring her down further.