Chapter Twenty-Three
The following Saturday afternoon, Dom smiled to himself when he arrived back at the house and the gates swung open before him. He’d already grown used to the way they did that, Sadie still commented on it every time. She loved it. And since it made her so happy, he’d decided that they’d need gates just like them when they built their own place.
As he pulled forward, he was hoping that she’d be home. He’d been over to town this morning; he and Damon hadn’t worked out together all week, so they’d decided to make up for it this morning since Sadie and Jo were hanging out together. They’d gone shopping at the plaza.
It was hard to believe that it had already been a week since he first brought her to the house. They’d spent most of their time together since then. Of course, she still worked a few hours every day for Jake, and she went over to check in with her dad most days.
Harvey had been Dom’s biggest concern. He wanted Sadie here with him, but he didn’t want her or Harvey to feel like they were missing out. From what he could tell, they were both happy with the way things were working. Harvey was back on his feet, and he still had Savannah staying with him, so he wasn’t all by himself. Dom frowned. Tilly and Parker were at the garden center all day, every day, too. He still hadn’t quite figured out how he felt about those two. Harvey wouldn’t hear a word against them, but Dom had his reservations.
He was disappointed when the garage door opened to see that Sadie’s minivan wasn’t back yet. At the same time, he was pleased that she and Jo enjoyed each other’s company so much.
He went inside and opened the fridge. They weren’t going out tonight, so he figured he could get something started for dinner.
He closed the fridge door and pulled his phone out of his pocket when it rang.
“Hey, Harvey. Is everything all right?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Is Sadie with you?”
His heart started to pound. “No. Why?”
“I’ve been trying to get ahold of her. I left her a message, but she hasn’t called me back yet.”
“What do you need? Is there anything I can do?”
“Yeah, there’s something you can do. I probably should have called you first. You can run dopey Dale out of town for me.”
“Out of town? Are you saying that he’s here?”
“Yup. He had the nerve to show up here. I told him where he could stick it, but he says he needs to talk to her.”
Dom scowled. “It’s a long way to come to talk to her – why couldn’t he just call her?”
“That’s what I wanted to know. He wouldn’t tell me, though. He’s a little weasel, Dom. You’re going to have to watch him.”
Dom could hear the blood rushing in his ears. “You don’t think he wants her back?”
He was surprised when Harvey laughed. “Calm down, and get your brain back online, son. Of course he wants her back – he’d be crazy not to. But there’s no way that she wants him back. I reckon she must’ve told you herself by now, but even if she hasn’t, I’ll say it for her – she loves you. She loves you in a way that she never loved him. You don’t have to worry about that. When I say you’ll have to watch him, I mean that he’ll play on her soft heart. Don’t let him.”
“What does he want?”
“Same thing he’s always wanted – as much money as he can get his hands on with the least effort possible on his part.”
Dom scowled. “From the way I understand it, he’s got the upper hand there already. He’s still living in their house, still running their business – with access to all the funds – while Sadie’s working for Jake just to cover her everyday expenses.”
“Don’t I know it. He wouldn’t tell me, but I’ll bet he’s come up with some angle to screw her over.”
“No way.”
Harvey chuckled. “Exactly. She’s her own woman, and she’ll make her own choices, but I reckon between us we can help her to see sense.”
“Yeah.” Dom stared out the window at the lake. He hated the idea of Dale taking advantage of Sadie, but at the same time, he didn’t want her to feel like he was trying to make her decisions for her.
“She’s out with Jo. She should be back soon. I could call her and…”
“If she’s going to be back soon, maybe you should wait. You can tell her that he’s here and have her call me. I’ll tell her what I know.”
“Okay. And are you alright? Did he come into the garden center?”
“He did. You could tell he was shocked to see me. He probably thought he could ask Tilly and Parker where she was.”
Dom frowned. “Do they know him?”
“They do. Why?”
“I… It’s probably not my place to say, but I’m not sure about them.”
“Not sure how?”
“I’m just going to throw it out there – I may be wrong, but I’d rather say it and be wrong than have kept quiet if I’m right. They’re not trying to screw you over, are they?”
Harvey laughed. “No, you got no worries there.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. I’m glad you mentioned it because for one thing, that means you’re smart enough to pick up that there’s something going on. For another, it means that you’re prepared to speak up even at the risk of me being pissed at you. So, do you want to know what’s going on with them?”
“I do.” Dom glanced at his watch. Of course, he wanted to talk to Sadie, but he didn’t see the point in calling her and spoiling her time with Jo – she’d be home soon enough. And this conversation with Harvey was important, too.
“They want to buy the garden center from me.”
“They do?” That took him by surprise.
“Yeah, they’ve wanted to buy it for a while.”
“But you don’t want to sell.”
“I didn’t, but I’m starting to think it might be time. I know I bitched and moaned about having to sit on my ass after my fall – and if I sell, I’ll have to find something to keep me busy – but I found, going back to it after that break, my heart isn’t in it like it used to be.”
“Wow, you surprise me.”
Harvey chuckled. “I surprised myself. And don’t say anything to Sadie yet. She’ll be more than surprised. I told her that I wanted to get back to it because I didn’t want to just sit on my ass and wait to die. I don’t want her to think that I’ve changed my mind about that. It’s not that I want to sit on my ass – it’s that I want to do some more living before I die.”
“That sounds like a plan to me. And if there’s anything I can do…”
Thanks. I’ll figure it out. First, we need to make sure that we get rid of Dale and that he doesn’t leave Sadie penniless in the process.”
“He won’t. That’s not going to happen. Even if it came down to it, she doesn’t need to worry. I can take care of her.”
Harvey cleared his throat. “I know, son. You know, when you first came in to buy some plants, I wished that she could have met someone like you. Now, I feel like I can die happy.” He chuckled. “Not that I plan on kicking the bucket anytime soon.”
“Good, I reckon if you’re going to sell the nursery and retire, you can have some fun years ahead of you. And I give you my word, you don’t need to worry about her. I’ll take care of her.”
“I know. And you can start by telling her that Dale’s in town and making sure that she doesn’t let him pull the wool over her eyes.”
“You can bank on it.”
~ ~ ~
Sadie couldn’t help smiling to herself as she pointed the remote at the gate and it swung open. It might seem like a little thing to anyone else, but that fancy gate seemed to sum up just how wonderful her life was now – her life with Dom.
As she drove up the driveway, she spotted him standing on the front steps and waved. He was wonderful! She was surprised that although he waved back, he didn’t look happy.
She parked inside the garage and checked her watch as she climbed out of the minivan. She was back later than she’d said she’d be – was he mad about that? She hoped not. So far, he seemed so easy-going. She loved being with him; it was easy and fun, but every now and then – like now – she found herself waiting for the worst to happen, for the shine to come off.
By the time she closed the door, he was there, standing beside her.
“What’s wrong?”
He shook his head and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Nothing, come on in.”
She let him take her hand and lead her into the kitchen, but there was definitely something wrong.
When they reached the kitchen, she held onto his arms as she raised up on her toes to peck his lips. “What is it?”
She relaxed a little when he slid his arms around her waist and hugged her to him.
“Your dad called.”
“Oh no! Is he okay?”
He held her a little tighter. “He’s fine. Sorry, I shouldn’t have worried you like that.”
“What is it then? What did he call about?”
“He wants you to call him. He wants you to call him because Dale’s here.”
She stared at him for a moment, her brain was refusing to process what he’d just said. “Dale’s where?”
“Here, in town. He went to the garden center this afternoon looking for you.”
She shuddered involuntarily. “Why?”
Dom shrugged. “I don’t know. Your dad thinks he’s up to no good.”
She let out a short laugh. “Dad’s seen him? I bet that went well.”
Dom shrugged again. “He wasn’t thrilled about it, and he wants you to call him.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay. I will.” She was starting to process the shock when it occurred to her that Dom might have even more questions about why Dale was here than she did.
She ran her fingers down his cheek. “You know you have nothing to worry about, don’t you?”
He leaned down until his forehead rested against hers. “I want to believe that.”
She kissed him. “You’d better believe it. Whatever he has to say, he’ll just be trying to work things to his advantage. In fact, if I have to see him, have to talk to him, will you please come with me?”
The corners of his lips lifted up in a small smile. “If you want me with you, I’ll be there.”
“I want you there. I should call Dad and see what he knows.”
By the time she got off the phone with her dad, she wasn’t much the wiser. Well, she knew that Dale was staying at the lodge at Four Mile Creek, but she didn’t know what he wanted. She wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t told her dad much.
Dom brought her a drink, and they sat down on the sofa. She leaned into his side, and he wrapped his arm around her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just don’t feel prepared for this.”
“You don’t need to see him, you know.”
“You don’t know him. If he’s come all this way, it’s because he’s determined to see me.”
A little shiver ran down her spine when he scowled. “It doesn’t matter what he wants. All that matters is what you want. If you don’t want to see him, you tell me. I can be pretty determined myself.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist. “Have I told you today that I love you?”
She felt him relax, and that beautiful smile of his touched his lips for a moment. “You have, and I know I’ve told you that I love you, too, but I’ll never get tired of it. I mean it, Sadie. If you don’t want to see him…”
She blew out a sigh. “I don’t, but it might be the easier path to take. I just wish I knew what he was up to.”
“Where’s Leanne with the divorce?”
“She filed, and now he has twenty-one days to respond. After that, there’s a waiting period of ninety-one days until it can be finalized. Although, Leanne said it might take a lot longer than that if we get into a battle.”
“Do you think he’s come to try and take you home with him?”
The question took her by surprise, so much that she sat upright. “No! There’s no way I could see him doing that – and I hope you know that there’s no way I’d ever go back to him.”
He ran his hand over her hair. “I know you wouldn’t.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I know it, but there’s a part of me that’s worried. I know it’s not rational, but that doesn’t mean it won’t slip out now and then.”
She hugged him tighter. “I love that you’re so honest about it.”
“I told you; that’s how a healthy relationship works. I’m not perfect – not by a long shot – but I’m not afraid to share my fears and faults with you. Do you think you should call him and find out what he wants?”
She pursed her lips. “Probably, but I’m going to call Josh first.”
“Don’t you think that Josh would have warned you if he knew?”
“Absolutely, he would. But he may have some idea of what’s going through his father’s head.”
“I’ll start dinner and give you some privacy.”
He started to get up, but she caught his hand. “Oh no; I want you right here with me. I’ll put Josh on speaker, and we can both talk to him.”
She was relieved when he sat back down with a smile and asked, “You’re okay with that?”
“It’s what I want. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve let Dale tie me up in knots in the past. He gets inside my head and makes me feel like everything’s my fault. There were times when I questioned my own sanity after talking to him. Josh is good at setting me straight. I know that you will be, too. And we’re in this together.”
She took her phone out of her purse and dialed her son’s number.
“Hey, Mom! How are you doing?”
“I’ve had better days. How about you?”
“I was doing fine until you said that – what’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you in a second. I’m going to put you on speaker first – Dom’s here. Is that okay with you?”
Josh laughed. “It is, I’ve been looking forward to talking to this guy.”
She put the phone on speaker. “I’ve been looking forward to introducing the two of you. I hope you’re going to come and visit when you can, Josh?”
“I am. I was looking at flights yesterday. Hi, Dom.”
“Hi, Josh. Let us know when you decide you’re coming – I’ll drive your mom to the airport to pick you up.”
Josh laughed. “Thanks. That’s a good opening gambit, but I’ll probably rent a car.”
Dom chuckled. “Yeah, that makes sense. The offer stands, though.”
“Okay, thanks. So, what’s going on, Mom?”
“I just talked to Grandpa. He told me that your dad’s here – he stopped by the garden center, looking for me.”
“Shit! Really?”
“Yep. Do you have any ideas what he might be after?”
Josh blew out a sigh. “No, but I could take a guess.”
“What would you guess?” Dom asked.
“The short answer is money – as much of it as he can get his hands on in the divorce. He’ll either have some proposition that sounds good but is skewed in his favor, or he’s realized how much he stands to lose, and he’s come to try to win you back, Mom.”
Sadie held Dom’s gaze as she said, “And we all know that’s not going to happen.”
Josh laughed. “We do. And Dom? In case you have any doubts at all – don’t.”
“Thanks.”
“The last time I talked to him, he was bitching about the business. We all know that you’re the brains behind the place, Mom. And by the sound of it, things aren’t going so well without you there.”
Sadie sighed. Dale really wasn’t capable of running the business by himself. She knew that. The plumbers and techs tolerated him, but she’d always been the glue that held things together.
“There was a time, last year, when we talked about selling the place. Maybe we should do that now.”
“From the way he was talking, you’d have to be quick about it – before he runs it into the ground.”
She covered her eyes with her hand. She hadn’t thought about that. They’d had a business valuation done, and she’d kept that figure in her mind ever since. It was a decent amount of money, and she’d been figuring it into the divorce. However, the valuation was based on the profit and loss. There was a very real danger that Dale might erode the profits and run up some losses without even trying.
Dom rested his hand on her shoulder. “Did you have any possible buyers?”
She shook her head slowly. “The only interest we had was from the employees. You know Trevor, Josh? He was interested in putting a bid together, making it a kind of co-op, where all the employees would chip in and own a share.”
“Do you think they might still be interested in doing that?” Dom asked.
She let out a short laugh. “Trevor doesn’t even work there anymore – he walked out in disgust.”
“You know, Mom,” said Josh. “Maybe you should talk to him. You and Dad aren’t the only ones who stand to lose if the business fails. You won’t be able to sell it if it’s not profitable. But for Trevor and the rest of the guys who work there, they won’t have a job or an income anymore.”
Dom met her gaze and nodded.
“You’re right, I should give him a call. Can you think of anything else that your dad might be after?”
“No. Not off the top of my head. I’ll think about it and give you a shout if I come up with anything. Are you going to see him?”
She glanced at Dom. “I’ll call him first, see what he’s thinking. He’s come all this way…”
“Don’t go out of your way for him, Mom! You didn’t ask him to come. Hey, Dom?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask you a favor?”
“Sure.”
“If she does arrange to see him, will you go with her?”
Dom cocked an eyebrow at her, and she nodded. Still, he didn’t speak.
“It’s a genuine request,” Josh said. “I’m not testing to see if you’ll try to boss her around – I’m asking you to please have her back.”
Dom laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You know, at some point, the three of us need to sit down and talk about where you got this idea of everything being a test.”
Josh chuckled. “I’ll look forward to the three of us sitting down together, but I think you know the answer to that one.”
“Yeah, I reckon I do. And to answer your question, yes, I’ll be with your mom if she meets up with him. We already talked about that.”
“Thanks. Will you call me back after you talk to him, Mom? Keep me in the loop?”
“I will.”
“In fact, can I have your number, Dom? I feel like we might need to have a loop of our own.”
Dom cocked an eyebrow at her again, and Sadie chuckled.
“You can’t see this, Josh, but he’s asking my permission – even though I know that the two of you would love to gang up on me – for my own good, of course.”
Josh laughed. “That’s what I thought. I look forward to talking to you, Dom.”
“Likewise,” said Dom.
After they ended the call, Sadie wrapped her arms around Dom. “Thank you. And I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
She shrugged. “I thought that we were at the point where we could start getting on with our life together. This feels like we’re being dragged back into my past.”
“You have a lot of details still to take care of. We are getting on with our life together – this is part of it. We’re not being dragged back; we’re making sure that the loose ends are tied up so that we can move forward without any of it hanging over us. And there’s something I need to say.”
She raised her eyebrows. “That sounds ominous.”
“It’s not, you probably won’t like it, but I have to say it anyway.”
“Go on.”
“I know I said from the beginning that you shouldn’t let him walk all over you, but if you want to just walk away, I need you to know that you don’t have to worry about money.”
She cupped his cheek in her palm. “Thank you. That’s so sweet of you. I appreciate it, I do. But if anything, it makes me more determined. I’ll admit that I usually take the path of least resistance, but in this case, I’m not going to. I’ll figure it out – and I want you by my side as I do.”