Chapter Ten #3
When Trey came out, Cleo rose, and when he stepped onto the deck, walked to him. She wrapped her arms around him, pressed her lips firmly to his.
“Nice to see you, too.”
“Anybody who goes after my girl, Sonya, they go after me. Anybody who stands for her, stands for me. Now, you sit down with her awhile. I need to put the groceries away and start dinner.”
“I put them away; Owen’s bringing dinner. We thought it was a good night for pizza.”
“When isn’t it? Then I’m going to go open us a bottle of wine.”
“Opened, breathing on the island.”
“I like a man who thinks of everything.” Pleased, she kissed him again. “I’ll just go get glasses, put together a little crudité.”
When she went in, Trey sat. He took one quick study of Sonya, and smiled.
“Bouncing back, aren’t you, cutie? You always do.”
“If I start to worry, I just bring back a picture of his face when he ran out of the house. It’s right up there with the picture of Dobbs when I hit her with the rock.”
“Owen’s up to date so you won’t have to go through it again. And my dad’s drafting a letter to the fuckhead.”
“A letter?”
“Very formal, very legal. He’s great at that.
Basically, a cease and desist. Citing the harassment before the Ryder proposal, the incident here, the threat at the end of it.
Legal action, blah blah, if such actions continue, if he disparages you or your company, and so on. He’ll copy you when it’s done.”
“Covering all the legal bases.”
“It’s what we do. They’re pretty steamed.”
“They?”
“Ace was with him when I called, so expect—between them—the letter to be ice-cold and crystal clear.”
“Thank you. Thank you for coming even when I didn’t want you to, and for steering me through what I absolutely understand needs to be done.”
“He needs to pay a price.”
“He does, yes, he does. And you’ll make sure he will. Now I have to go through it one more time. I need to go up, FaceTime with my mother. No,” she corrected, “I’m going to bring my tablet down, do it right here, so she can see I have you and Cleo. It’ll knock down some of the worry.”
She came back with her tablet, and Cleo brought out wine and crudités.
“Here goes.”
Winter answered with: “What a treat! After a long, busy day, a call from my baby.”
Sonya’s first response came with surprise. “Your hair!”
“Oh, right.” Laughing a little, Winter lifted a hand to the shorter pixie style with its sweep of window bangs. “Saturday afternoon impulse for summer.”
“I love it!”
Cleo leaned into view. “Me, too! Sassy Winter.”
On another laugh, Winter shifted, looked sassily over one shoulder. “That’s me, and I get a bigger treat with my two girls. And don’t you both look wonderful?”
“Trey’s here, too. We’re sitting on the deck having wine. You should get a glass and join us.”
“I don’t mind if I do. Hi, Trey!”
“Hi. I like your hair, too.”
“I wanted a change. It looks like you’re having a beautiful day in Maine. It just stopped raining here. I don’t see Owen.”
“He’s bringing pizza,” Sonya told her.
“Sounds good. Too bad he doesn’t deliver to Boston.”
“Mom, I need to tell you Brandon came here this afternoon.”
Winter paused in the act of lifting her wineglass. “He— What?”
“I’m fine, and with a little help from Clover, Jack, my dog, and Cleo’s cat, kicked him out.”
Winter took a breath. “What do you mean kicked him out? He came into your house? The nerve of that son of a bitch. I know damn well you didn’t invite him in, so that’s trespassing. I’m going to talk to my boss about charges.”
“Already in motion,” Trey told her.
“All right, of course. I’m taking a breath.” After it, she drank some wine. “I want to know what happened.”
So Sonya went through it one more time, and found it easier, as with some questions, Trey or Cleo picked up the answer.
At the end, Winter nodded, even smiled. “Clover and Jack. I bet they scared the crap out of him. And you stood up for yourself, Sonya. What a, well, dick. He can’t stand your success, baby.
The woman who kicked out his cheating ass a year ago is thriving, and he can’t stand it.
But there have to be consequences for this.
“Trey, can you lay those out for me? I’m going to take notes, and if you don’t mind, I do want to speak to my boss about it.”
“Sure I can, and I don’t mind. Criminal trespass,” he began.
He was winding it up as Owen and Jones came out. Since Cleo had left him a note on the fridge, he’d skipped the beer. Now he poured wine.
“Hey, Winter.”
“Owen. Now the gang’s all there.”
Owen sent Trey a long, long look. Trey just shook his head.
“No, we’re not heading down to Boston so you can hold my metaphorical coat while I kick his ass. Punches only hurt so long. My way’s going to hurt deeper and longer.”
“Why not both?”
“Counteracts the deeper, longer pain if we’re arrested for assault.”
“And here I sit agreeing with both of you. My gut wants that ass-kicking, Owen,” Winter said.
“But my brain has to agree with Trey. I’d like a copy of the cease and desist if that’s okay.
And don’t worry, I honestly don’t see him coming here.
But if he does, he won’t get in, and I’ll call the police.
I think being arrested and charged will shock him enough to make him stay away.
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“Then I’m more than ready to put all things Brandon Wise in a bag, tie an anchor to it, and toss it overboard.”
“I like the visual. Now, you all go eat your pizza. I think I’m going to order one myself.”
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, baby. And that goes for everyone else. We’ll talk again soon.”
When Sonya signed off, she breathed out. “She’s upset and angry, but she handled it well. She always does.”
“Seems like you take after her there. And one more thing,” Owen continued, “before you tie that anchor? If you ever change your mind about that ass-kicking, I’m available.”
“I’ll keep that offer in reserve. Now? Anchor tied, bag tossed. Splash! Let’s have some pizza.”