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Chapter One
Dallas McCray was a little bit in love with his brother’s wife.
Not in an “I have to have you” kind of way—though if they were both unattached he wouldn’t kick Dusty out of bed—but more in an “I really wish I had someone like you to share my life with” kind of way.
He couldn’t help thinking about his brother’s happy marriage as he stared at the manila envelope he had just pulled from his mailbox.
His final divorce papers.
He took a deep breath and tore open the package. There it was in black-and-white. His marriage was over.
Not that he was upset about it. He no longer loved Chelsea. He wasn’t sure he ever had, at least not in the way that Zach and Dusty loved each other. But failure was difficult for Dallas. Even the failure of a marriage he no longer wanted sliced like a hunting knife into his gut.
He strode into his home office, rolling his eyes at the thought of the colossal financial settlement he had paid Chelsea. Anything to keep from having to pay her alimony. He wanted her out of his life for good.
A clean break.
It had been easy enough. For Chelsea, it had always been about the money, and Dallas had plenty.
Thank God they hadn’t had kids. Another knife cut into Dallas’s heart at the thought of children. He had wanted them. Chelsea hadn’t. His face tensed at the memories of how she had deceived him.
Quickly he shoved the divorce papers into a file drawer. Best to get them out of sight.
So he didn’t have children. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be. He was glad he hadn’t had them with Chelsea, or he’d be bound to her for eternity. He’d probably be a terrible father anyway. His younger brothers had hated him growing up. They’d seen him only as an overbearing control freak, and he hadn’t been close to either one. He was only now making reparations for his past actions toward them. Thankfully, they were both open to a new relationship with him.
On a whim, he picked up his cell phone and called Zach.
“What’s up, Dallas?”
“They came today.”
“The papers? You all right?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Why don’t you come to the house for dinner tonight? You shouldn’t be alone.”
“Nah. I’m okay.”
“Come on. You know how Dusty loves to fuss over people. And Seanie misses his Uncle Dallas.”
Dallas grinned as he thought of his one-year-old nephew. He did love that little guy, and letting Dusty fuss over him didn’t sound too bad either.
