Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
D allas paced the inn’s dining room, impatience making him feel like a caged tiger.
“No, I will not hold,” he snapped. “You’re the third assistant I’ve spoken to this morning, and you’re wasting my time.” Before the assistant could apologize again, he hurried on. “I realize it’s Sunday, Rebecca, but I’m telling you, your boss will want to speak with me.”
There was a silence. Hopefully this was the last call he’d have to make to get a hold of Walter Spencer.
He strode over to the window and looked out at the backyard. Ronnie was there, roaming the grounds with Bailey and Drew.
For a second, the sight of Drew gave him pause. Drew was friends with Eric, but there’d been an unspoken agreement that they’d deal with the Willow situation without dragging him into it.
But if this battle went any further…he’d have to take sides. Judging by the way he was currently smiling at Bailey like a smitten fool, Dallas figured it was safe to assume he’d make the right choice.
But he didn’t envy him or Bailey that confrontation when the time came.
As for him and Ronnie…
He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she strode from the greenhouse to the old barn with that graceful, purposeful gait of hers.
Man, even the way she walked made his insides warm with longing. He liked everything about her. To the point that it was, quite frankly…a little alarming.
But in a good way. Especially since the feeling seemed to be mutual. Which made him wonder as he watched her and Bailey laughing together.
Had she told Bailey yet that they were dating?
A surge of pride and joy nearly made him forget about this phone call entirely. A part of him wanted to say “screw it” and head out to be with his new girlfriend.
She was his girlfriend, right? Sure, they hadn’t defined the relationship, but he had to assume that inviting him along on her tour made it official.
Right?
“Sir, are you still there?” Rebecca asked.
“I’m here.”
“I’ll transfer your call to Mr. Spencer now.”
Dallas turned away from the window and braced himself. There’d be time to dwell on his new relationship with Ronnie later.
For now, as the eldest King sibling, it was up to him to take the reins in this situation.
“What’s this about?” Walter cut right to the chase, the head of the Spencer clan leaving no room for pleasantries. “Who do you think you are calling me?—”
“Who do I think I am?” Dallas spat. “I am Dallas King. And you and your family have crossed the line.”
His laugh was derisive and condescending. “As if you and your family can talk.”
“At least we’re not trying to insinuate ourselves into your family by targeting individuals.”
There was a small pause before Walter huffed. “What are you talking about?”
He honestly seemed clueless. So maybe Eric had been acting solo.
Maybe.
But he wouldn’t put “playing clueless” off the table for a Spencer.
“I saw your son and my youngest sister with my own eyes,” Dallas gritted out. “And that is crossing a line. You tell him he needs to stay away from her!”
Another pause before Walter’s steely voice came over the line. “I have no idea what you’re trying to spin with these lies, but how dare you accuse my son of such underhanded tactics!”
“I’m not lying. He dropped her back at the inn this morning.
I saw them. And I would be very interested to know what Eric’s intentions are, because apparently they’ve been spending a fair amount of time together.
” His anger bubbled as he pictured Eric and Willow in No Man’s Land.
Giselle couldn’t confirm for sure that they were meeting up there, but he wasn’t stupid.
Dallas could put two and two together, and he despised the outcome.
“Your son is pretending to be nice to a sweet, innocent woman who wouldn’t harm a hair on anyone’s head!
But I’m onto him. If you think you can weasel your way into this family?—”
“Why would I waste my time with one of your kind when my lawyers have every legal right to claim that land?” the older man shot back.
Dallas laughed. “If you had a legal leg to stand on, you’d have that land in your hands by now and we both know it.”
“You haven’t seen anything, boy.” The raw anger in Walter’s tone had Dallas’s spine stiffening. “We’ve barely even begun this fight.”
“Neither have we,” he growled. “You think you can win this through the law? Think again. I’m already in talks with our lawyers to countersue. And we won’t back down until we’ve driven your family off this land…” With a sneer, he added, “Again.”