“You heard me.”
His eyes move to Dallas behind me. “You like hanging out with big, tough-boy liars now? How long have you been screwing him?”
Now, I really am pissed the fuck off.
“Matt, listen—” she begins.
I step closer to him. “I meant every word, and if you don’t get your sorry ass off my property, it’s going to happen a lot sooner than you think.”
I pop my knuckles, my blood already nearing the boiling point. He throws his head back and laughs loudly, like a complete psychopath. Dallas suddenly darts in front of me.
“Duke, please stop,” she pleads, her eyes widening up at me before she flips around to face him.
That’s when I realize that I fucked up. I made this situation ten times worse for her because despite how big of a dick he is, she has no choice but to deal with him. Guilt stabsmy gut, but I step closer to her, in case he gets any ideas about laying a finger on her.
“My apartment caught on fire. The boys and I had to run, literally. Please keep your voice down. I just got them to bed. Duke doesn’t even live here. This house belongs to Rosie, my friend. He came by to talk to Eden, who’s inside. I was just about to go get her.”
I don’t outwardly react to the lie. She must have her reasons for telling it to him. He’s glaring daggers at me while she speaks.
“I tried calling you a million fucking times,” he spits out, finally looking at her.
“I know. I’m sorry. I just texted you back. It was chaotic and scary. I didn’t mean to ignore you. I’m really sorry, okay? The boys are fine.”
“So, you just live here now, huh?”
“No, of course not. Rosie offered for me to stay a few days, just until they let us go back. I’m thinking two nights, tops.”
“This is too far away for me to drive.”
“I know. I’ll meet you in town, at Walmart or something, to exchange the boys. Is that okay?”
He doesn’t say anything else. He doesn’t ask if she’s okay. He doesn’t ask if he can do anything to help. Instead, he looks me up and down one more time before curtly nodding and stalking back to his truck.
Dallas’s shoulders sag in relief as he slowly backs the truck up, reversing into the yard before heading back toward the main house and the gate.
She turns to me, her face fallen, looking more exhausted than she did before he showed up.
“Dallas, I?—”
“Just leave it, Duke. I’m so tired I could cry. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She brushes past me, grabbing the food off the rocking chair before going inside.
Right before she closes the door, I hear a faint, “Thank you for the food.”
I stand there for another five minutes, staring at the closed door and replaying the interaction in my mind. The way Dallas jumped in front of me and immediately started speaking in a calm, soothing voice to that asshole tells me a lot more about what their marriage was like.
She was apologizingto himfor having to flee an apartment fire with two toddlers, and he didn’t even show a shred of concern for her.
What kind of hell was she living in, being married to a guy like that?
Sam and Dolly’s wedding is the following weekend. I only see glimpses of Dallas and the twins, but she doesn’t move back to the apartments. I don’t know if her entire place went up in flames, and I don’t ask.
I do, however, have groceries delivered to the bunkhouse. I order her a mix of stuff I remember liking as a kid, as well asa few basics, like eggs, bread, and the pinot noir wine I saw her buy at Walmart.
On the wedding day, everyone is bustling about, but I’m too busy sitting with Pops and keeping him from falling when he gets up to really help with anything. Oyster runs through everyone, causing mayhem and stressing Dolly out until she demands I go lock him up in the barn.
On my way over, I see Dallas coming up the driveway. She left with the boys, but when she parks at the bunkhouse and starts walking back to the main house, they’re not with her anymore.
She’s wearing low-hung gray sweatpants and a cropped pink top. Her makeup-free face is pinched in concentration, like she’s deep in thought. I haven’t spoken to her since the night her ex showed up. She doesn’t seem to notice me on her way to the main house, where the girls are getting ready.
