Chapter 10 Dallas #2
Dad nods slowly.
“What?”
He shrugs. “Don’t look like that girl’s in any rush to get back.”
“You get all that in ten minutes?”
“I got all that from Ellie tellin’ us Rose’s friend surprised her with an impromptu visit and that she thought she left. Then she ends up here. Offering help. Don’t take a rocket scientist, Dal.”
“Did you have a point or can I go spend some time with my daughter now before I leave her yet again to drive to the airport?”
He looks me dead in the eye. “Thought about asking her to stay for a while?”
Is he serious? The hell for?
“Don’t know what you mean by ‘a while,’ but no. I don’t need anybody here. Not for Ellie. Not for me. Not for a week, not at all.”
Dad looks at me like he understands my resistance all too well.
And since he’s the only one who does, I tell him.
I lift my head to the darkening clouds, rubbing a hand over my jaw.
“After Millie died, I didn’t know how to get by.
Hell, I didn’t think I could or even wanted to.
But then Ellie happened . . .” I sigh with an ease only she brings out of me.
“And I figured it out. How to live, how to be there for someone who depends on me. She and I—we finally got our rhythm. A trust I’m building from scratch because I missed six years of her life.
It’s the one thing—the only thing helping me move past losing the love of my life.
” I swallow hard, my eyes darting to the expanse of my fields as I continue to accept life without her.
“You were there. I don’t need it. I barely crawled out of that hole once.
I’m not about to go under again. Not when I’ve got a little girl depending on me.
I’m all she’s got. And she’s getting all of me. ”
His eyes are warm but his jaw is tight as he takes in every word.
“Son, I appreciate you don’t want Ellie growing close to anyone, but .
. . no one’s talking forever. These are desperate times.
You’re going to need help. Especially with winter staffing around here being minimal. Early mornings, sometimes late nights—”
“Not her,” I snap quietly.
Dad perks a brow. “Too pretty.”
I shake my head. Too fucking a lot of things.
Willow’s fierce but fragile, clever, witty. Beautiful as all hell, but her voice—if I hear her sing again, even hum, I’ll lose my goddamn mind.
Before I have a chance to tell him to drop it—or see my girl for even a minute—through the window I catch sight of a familiar truck pulling up to the house. “It’s Cole Hartly.”
“Ellie’s grandfather?”
I glance upstairs. “He must be here to tell her about Maya.” I rub my jaw, panic creeping into my veins. “I haven’t had a chance to call him to discuss when or how yet.”
“Hell,” Dad mumbles, then puts a hand on my shoulder. “Might as well get this over with. Want me and Ginger to go?”
Something twists in my stomach about Cole’s visit. “No,” I mutter. “Hold on a second. Keep Ellie upstairs, will ya?”
I’m in knots when I step outside. The man just lost his wife so I’m careful not to snap at him for showing up unannounced. Especially if he’s here to break my girl’s heart when it’s supposed to be a happy day for her.
“Cole,” I start, meeting him halfway—a good twenty feet from the front porch.
He nods and glances at the house.
“Ellie’s just settling in. Listen, I’m sorry for your loss. I know you were hoping for more time—”
He nods again, eyes in the dirt between us. “Time, yeah. Never seems to be a fair thing, does it?”
“It can be.”
“You know I’m nine years older than her. I shouldn’t have outlived her.”
His eyes are red, distant. And I feel his pain. There were many nights I thought the same thing. If anyone deserved to live longer, it was Millie. Woman knew how to live, how to make the most of life.
“Sure as hell shouldn’t’ve outlived my daughter.”
I swallow, knowing I couldn’t bear to lose mine. But I also don’t need to mention how many years I lost with her—important years—because he and his family kept quiet. “Tammy was special. But I do believe they’re in a better place now.”
“Just waitin’ for me, I suppose.”
“Listen, Cole, I understand why you’re here, but I don’t think it’s a good time to tell Ellie—”
“I’m not here to tell her about Maya.” He turns his gaze on me. Hard and decisive. “I don’t think I’ll be signing over custody of Ellie.”
I stare at him. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s nice that you’ve finally got a house for just the two of you, but what do you know about raising a little girl?”
I glance back to make sure Ellie’s still inside. And see Dad stepping out. His eyes focused on Cole like he’s a threat.
“With all due respect, Ellie’s my daughter. There’s a test proving it and I’m not so sure you’ve got much of a fight.” I don’t mean to attack. Not a kind, hurting man like Cole—but you come to my door threatening my family, and you won’t see any of the Thorne men hold back.
“Ellie’s all I have left,” he rasps.
I step closer, my voice low. “No one’s taking her away from you.”
“Oh yeah? Then why isn’t she out here?”
“I told you, I don’t want her knowing about her grandmother yet.”
His jaw tightens. Eyes dipping down to the ground again. “I’ve already spoken to Jenny. Told her I changed my mind.”
“You did what?” Dad snaps from behind me.
I hold up a hand without glancing back, my eyes trained on Cole, my back teeth clenched. My emotions in check. “Cole. I know you’re hurting, but taking Ellie away—”
“I’m not taking her away. I’m taking her back. I’m not abandoning her,” he cries out and I blow into my fist to remind myself who I’m dealing with.
I place a hand over his shoulder. “Take a walk with me. There’s no need to get loud.”
He and Dad exchange a glare before I turn him away, leaning in close. “Look, I know there’s still a few boxes we need to check, but I’m sure Jenny told you we can’t turn back now.”
Weakly, he pushes my hand off his shoulder. “You’re wrong. Jenny suggested I get a lawyer and we can take it from there. I called Glenda. She said with your record, it shouldn’t be an issue. She’ll be calling Jenny to pause the process tomorrow.”
“On what fucking grounds?”
“Everyone knows you’re still grieving your fiancé. Saw it myself when I first met you.”
I bite back a retort. One that calls him out for being guilty of the same damn thing. My voice is hoarse. “That’s really not fair.”
“That and the fact that you’re a bachelor. I’ve got my sister ready to move in. Raised three daughters and an army of granddaughters.”
I know Glenda Lost. The expensive town lawyer, PTA president, on the board of everything. She’s a shark. Goes for the kill every time. But it’s impossible to get her to take your case.
Unless . . . you tell her you’re going after the biggest family in town.
I don’t bother asking how he thinks he could afford Glenda. My money’s on her taking the case for free.
When we started the custody transition, we didn’t need lawyers. I only consulted mine over some logistics, but no one was put on retainer.
I turn back to look at Dad and I know he sees the anger in my face. The worry.
Cole and I watch as Dad walks back into the house. And I’m grateful for it. Dad isn’t exactly friendly when it comes to threats to the family.
I’ll handle this . . . man to man. From one grieving man to another.
“Cole, I think you need a few days. Why don’t I come by with Ellie tomorrow? We’ll both tell her about Maya and—”
“Forget it. You can’t raise my girl here. In this house you built in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but you and your brothers. There’s Ginger, I suppose. But Ellie needs—” He cuts off, eyes over my shoulder.
A hand touches my bicep and I still at the contact. “Hey,” says Willow, and I hear the smile in her voice before I turn around. “Connor asked me to come out here and invite the nice gentleman in for some warm apple tarts.”
He did what? “I don’t think—”
As usual, the woman ignores me, stretching out her hand. “Hi there. I’m Willow.”
Cole’s lips part before he speaks. His tone changes. “Willow?”
“Like the tree. Or that Taylor Swift song—whatever your pleasure.”
“Cole Hartly, I’m—”
“Ellie’s other grandpa, yes, I’m slowly learning all the important people around here.
” She’s still smiling brightly as she turns to me.
“I helped Ellie unpack and your dad’s starting the fire.
See you inside soon?” She grips tighter onto my bicep and lifts up on her tiptoes, placing a feathery kiss to my cheek.
I still. Or maybe my heart stills. Soft lips. Warm breath.
I flex my arms, catching her waist on instinct to hold her steady. Our eyes are locked—hers giving nothing away.
They wouldn’t.
But there’s an unmistakable tremble beneath her hoodie as I set her down on her heels.
“OK then,” she breathes, then tears her eyes off me, returning her gaze to Cole. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Er—thank you. And I’ll pass on the tarts for tonight.”
With one more glance my way, Willow turns back toward the house.
We wait in silence as the clouds seem to darken.
Cole turns a hard glare back at me. “I don’t buy it and neither will Jenny, or Glenda, or the state of Colorado.”
“Excuse me?”
Cole shakes his head. “That engagement ring looked like it belongs to Ginger. Not a twenty-something girl clearly not from round here.” He stalks off with a grumble.
I scowl, following him to his truck. “Hang on a second. What does Willow have to do with Ellie?”
“I don’t know where you found her. If she’s a babysitter or a one-night stand—or both. I’m taking my granddaughter back.”
“Will you—” I pause, blowing another hot breath into my fist. “I’m asking you not as Ellie’s father, but as a friend. Take a few days to think about this before you call Jenny?”
“Too late. She’ll be in touch this week.” He hops back in his truck and fires up the engine. Wheels spinning in the other direction.
My vision is blurred. My jaw is clenched so tight it aches. I stare at the tire tracks of Cole’s truck.
He’s hurt. He’s grieving.
But he was sober. No sober man comes to another man’s house threatening to take their kid away and not mean it. But I have to believe this’ll pass.
My hands fist at my sides and for the first time in months, I feel the need to scream.
The front door swings open behind me. I hear Dad’s hard steps on the gravel a minute later.
“Why’d you send her out here?” I ask, not bothering to turn back.
“Who? Oh, you mean Willow. Well, tarts were gettin’ cold.”
I turn. “You noticed the ring on her finger.”
“Hard not to.”
I rub my hand along my jaw.
“Did it work?” he asks flat out.
“And you’re still assuming she has nothing to go back to?”
“Son, when you’ve lived as long as I have you know a single woman when you see one.”
I kick the dirt, not about to analyze that one. “Well, it didn’t work. He didn’t buy it.”
His eyes trail the tire tracks. “He’s not the one you need to convince.”
“Convince of what?” I snap, but Dad keeps his tone cool, like some damn therapist.
“That Ellie is coming into a warm, secure, and loving family environment. Not one shrouded in grief.”
I swallow down the fear. “Get real. No social worker is going to take that man seriously. He’ll be fine by morning.”
He won’t be fine by morning. He won’t be fine for a while. But it doesn’t matter. He’s just as alone as I am. If there’s going to be a fight, it’s going to be an equal one.
“Ask her to stay,” Dad says firmly behind me.
I snap my head back like he’s out of his mind.
But I don’t focus on how serious he might be about Willow staying.
Because she’s standing at the top of the porch steps.
With her suitcase.