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Downstairs, his phone rang. “I always check; in case it’s Trenton or Susanna.”
“Of course. Go.”
He dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head, then gave her the wine before hurrying to answer the summons.
Trenton.Immediately Hayes answered. “Hey, kiddo.”
“Daddy? I wanna come home.”
What the fuck?His heart galloped, and he did his best to rein it in. He needed to be cool-headed to find answers. But when it came to his son, Hayes often reacted from emotion. “What’s going on?”
“Are you talking to your Dad?” Susanna’s voice was in the background, drowning out anything Trenton may say.
A muffled conversation between the two ensued, ratcheting up Hayes’s impatience.
Finally Susanna was on the other end of the line. “Trenton doesn’t like it here. He and Duggie don’t get along. I’d come back with him, but we’re skiing tomorrow, and then we’re having dinner in town. I thought you could charter a flight for him and Bree.”
He couldn’t believe he was hearing this shit. She was planning to send the nanny instead of coming herself? “You can’t fucking fly home with your own son?”
“He’ll be fine. If you can arrange transportation, he can be home tonight or in the morning.”
“You selfish bitch.”
She exhaled her frustration. “The judge said no name calling, remember?”
The man would probably have a few choice words about her behavior as well.
“Let me know when I should have him ready to go.” She hung up on him.
Jesus. He picked up his own wineglass and hurled it against the wall. When he looked up, Abigail stood there, wearing one of his shirts, her hand pressed to her heart. “How much did you hear?”
“Enough to put the pieces together. Your son needs you. Nothing else matters.”
“Look…” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Abigail.” He crossed to her to take her in his arms. “I’ll be back soon.”
Though she looked up at him with a brave smile, doubt clouded her eyes, and he was helpless to do anything about it.
“I’ll catch a ride home.”
That he couldn’t allow. He owed it to her, to what they shared. “I’ll take you.”
“No.” She shook her head. “Go, Hayes. It’s the right thing to do.”
No matter how much it tore both of them apart on the inside. “Abigail…”
But she wrestled herself out of his arms and fled up the stairs, away from him.
CHAPTERSEVEN
By the time he touched down in Aspen, it was nearing ten o’clock. Picking up Trenton and his nanny took another hour or so. Even though he had a plane waiting, logistics took time.
Hayes considered spending the night, but since snow was in the forecast, he opted to get out of Colorado while he could.
Fortunately Trenton fell asleep while watching a cartoon. And that gave him a chance to chat with the nanny. Turned out staying in Colorado had also been a nightmare for Bree.
Evidently neither she nor Trenton had really left the house. Before the trip, Susanna promised Trenton ski lessons and to take him ice skating. But none of that happened. Seemed Duggie—as Susanna called him—didn’t like having her kid around.
“They went out to lunch and dinner every day.”
