His father stared at her for a few minutes before asking, “Why are you staying here?”
“Threats against both Melanie and Hope,” Wyatt said. “Luke is here when I need to leave. The girls are going a little stir-crazy. I wish they’d just find this guy already.”
His father didn’t look too excited. “Problem with that is what follows. Charges, court . . . it won’t be over for a while. And with everything else on her plate . . .”
“Much as she’s gonna hate cleaning up after that thing, the dog was a really good idea.”
“I didn’t do it alone.”
“Oh?”
William nodded across the lawn. “Miss Gina suggested a four-legged playmate for a sad little girl.”
About then, Hope let out a contagious giggle.
“I’d say Sir Knight was a good call.”
“Labs are known to find one favorite owner and stick by them. The more time Hope spends with him, the higher the chances are he’ll stick by her. Not sure how much of a guard dog he’ll be, but you’ll always know where she is.”
Wyatt smiled. “I like how you think, Dad.”
“She’s brave, you know.”
“Hope is a smart girl.”
“I didn’t mean Hope,” his father said.
Wyatt watched his girls run around the yard, playing tag with a puppy that was sure to grow into those big paws. His girls . . . since when did he look at them and think that?
“You’re going to win this case, right?”
“Don’t I always?”
Wyatt glanced at him, then moved his gaze back. “I don’t know, do you?”
“I’m going to win. And even if she has to go through a divorce, this should all be tied up by the holidays.”
“Tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m pushing for action now. No guarantees. Chances are Nathan wants to move fast, too. My guess is he’ll only push for custody for so long. It’s the divorce he wants and the illusion that he isn’t a shit.”
“He is a shit.”
“Yeah, I got that the first time we met.”
The phone rang from inside the house and Melanie ran toward the back door. “I’ll get you for that dog later,” she warned, smiling as she passed to get the phone.
Wyatt heard her answer the inn’s phone with a pleasant voice, then she went silent. “Yes, I did.”
His radar went on and he turned to watch her from the back door. “I’d like to talk, Nathan.”
She’d left a message at his office shortly after Wyatt’s father had arrived, and apparently the call went through even on the weekend.
“You know I can’t do that right now. Hope needs me here.”
Wyatt saw her clenching the phone as she paced. “I don’t want to fight. We need to talk. This doesn’t have to get ugly.”
“No lawyers. No police . . . no, he won’t.”
Wyatt tried to figure out what the ass was saying on the other side of the line and only caught half.
“Fine.”
When she hung up the phone, she leaned against the counter and sucked in a deep breath.
Wyatt walked through the back door and stood opposite her. “You okay?”
“That was Nathan.”
“So I guessed.”
“He agreed to meet me.”
“That’s good.”
“Not in town, he doesn’t feel comfortable.”
Wyatt didn’t like that.
“No lawyers, no Jo.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“I need you to stay here with Hope,” Melanie told him.
“Yeah, that isn’t going to happen.”
Her eyes met his. “You have to. He won’t meet with me if you’re there.”
“I’ll stay in the car.”
“I need you here. Luke can take me, or Mr. Miller.”
Wyatt shook his head. “I’m not letting you go without me, darlin’.”
“Excuse me? You’re not letting me?”
Maybe that wasn’t the best way to put it . . . but damn right, he wasn’t letting her.
“Be reasonable. This guy is a threat.”
“Mr. Lewis is a threat. Nathan is just a prick. I’m going without you and that’s it. If you won’t stay with Hope, I’ll find someone else to do it.”
He ran both hands through his hair and felt his pulse race. “When is he coming?”
Melanie placed both hands on her hips. “I’m not telling you.”
“Oh, for God’s sake.”
“You have to promise you’ll stay away. If he sees you, he’ll think I lied and question why I even want to talk to him.”
“Sure, fine . . . when is he coming?”
“I can handle Nathan.”
He didn’t believe that either.
“What? You don’t think I can, do you?”
“I didn’t say a thing.”
She turned away and started toward the back stairs to the rooms.
“We’re not done, Melanie.”
“Yes we are.”
She stormed up the stairs as Wyatt’s father said, “Well that went well.”
“I don’t like it,” Jo mimicked Wyatt’s concerns.
“See?” Wyatt waved in Jo’s direction as he tried triple hard to get everyone in the room to suggest he accompany Melanie to the meeting with Nathan.
“We need him to talk,” William told them. “Now, I know you want to be by her side, son, but if the guy clams up, it’s all for nothing.”