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I did. “We’ll have dinner with your family and eat dessert with mine.”
“Why?”
“Because I would rather you didn’t have to eat a full meal while you have my father being … well, my father. He’s less rude nowadays, but still.” And surely no one could properly enjoy their food while being glared at. It sure wouldn’t be good for a person’s digestion.
A dismissive frown settled over Dax’s face. “You know I don’t care that he acts that way.”
“Well,Icare. I’m determined to put an end to this ‘I can’t be nice to my daughter’s husband on principle’ idiocy once and for all.”
He gave his head a slight shake. “You’re wasting your time trying to make him welcome me into the family.”
I let out a stubborn sniff. “I don’t see why. It’s not as if you two have no shot at getting along. He actually likes you, and he doesn’t like many people outside our family.”
“Doesn’t matter. I had the downright nerve to marry his baby girl. That changes things. I’ve explained this already.”
“Yes, but it’s positively ridiculous. I’m going to be hopeful that things will improve.”
He gave a fluid shrug. “You’re only setting yourself up for disappointment.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “I have to leave now. I have an early meeting to attend.”
As he rose from his seat, I shot him a bright smile. “Have a good day, sweetums.”
He stilled, the image of unimpressed. “No. Just no.”
“Yeah, sounds cringy when I say it out loud,” I conceded. “But don’t think I don’t know that you want to smile right now.”
Amusement briefly flickered in his gaze. “Later.” His lipseverso slightly quirking, he rounded the table and walked away.
∞∞∞
Tensing in his armchair, Wyatt sighed up at his wife. “Woman,stop hovering.”
Melinda gave him an arch look. “I’ll hover as much as I like. Now eat.”
Wyatt cast a sad glance at the salad on his lap tray. “Can’t a man have a cheeseburger in his own home?”
“Not when he recently had a heart attack,” she retorted.
He scowled. “Even the birds wouldn’t eat this.”
“Of course they wouldn’t. It isn’t a plate of seeds.Eat.”
Wyatt looked at me. “Do you see how she treats me?”
Stifling a smile, I shifted a little on the sofa to better face him. “You gave us all a scare,especiallyMelinda. She’s trying to ensure you don’t end up back in hospital. You should be putting in the same effort.”
She gave me a serene smile. “Thank you, Addie.”
He grunted and lifted his cutlery. “At leastsomegood has come of all this. The damn neighbors have stopped being a problem.”
Yes, I’d heard that the young couple had gotten such a fright from him having a heart attack right in front of them that they hadn’t thrown one of their usual overloud parties since then. I suspected they wouldn’t ever again, since I knew my dad had had a little chat with the couple—he would ensure they kept a lower profile from now on. And if that didn’t turn out to be enough, Dax would likely step in.
“So, how’s everything with work?” Melinda asked me.
“Fine. Busy.” I’d only been away from the office two hours and I had another shit-ton of emails and a fair few voicemails waiting for a response.
The three of us chatted and laughed as Wyatt ate. Well,triedto eat. He kept grimacing and shuddering and cursing beneath his breath like she’d fed him goddamn gruel, the drama king.
About an hour or so later, when it was time to leave, I gave them both hugs and assured them I’d be back for another visit soon. Pulling my key fob out of my purse, I walked down the path and over to my car.
