“That’s fucking ridiculous.” I’ve never seen Wade lose his cool. “Alienation of affection? Is that even a real thing.”
“Not in Illinois. Still, she’s trying. She’s suing me for ten million dollars for emotional damages.”
“For fuck’s sake, Trouble.”
“I know. It’s laughable and a bull-shit lawsuit. My lawyer is putting together a motion to dismiss, obviously, but she needs statements from everybody who was on the cruise with me.” Here’s where it gets tricky. Our marriage is a mutual, innocent mistake we have agreed to fix as soon as we can. But this lawsuit, while a joke, has ramifications. I look away, but Wade touches my chin with his finger and turns my face back to his.
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“Probably not.” I take a deep breath. “My lawyer especially needs a statement from my husband, who spent every minute with me. She also says that because we got married on the ship and because I flew directly here rather than back to Chicago, itadds weight to our argument that Paula is using the courts for a personal vendetta.”
“I don’t see why you think I wouldn’t be willing to give a statement.”
“That’s not the problem” When Wade goes silent, I point to his mug. “You can make a double shot if you want. God knows that I would.”
“What exactly are you saying?”
“What would you say about staying married until Paula’s suit is dismissed? It shouldn’t be long. Just time to give my attorney an opportunity to get in front of a judge,” I say in a rush. “Not forever. We can put a time limit on it. A week. Two, tops.”
“For fuck’s sake, Trouble.” I know he’s going to say yes. Wade would never leave a friend hanging when he could help. This is a big fucking ask, though. “Two weeks,” he says.
“Deal.”
Kat gets to her feet. “Melissa has given me her lawyer’s contact information. Shoot me a text and I’ll have you come in to give a statement I can notarize and pass along. In the meantime, you two need to work out your plans. Is Melissa staying in Lonesome? Is she going back to Chicago? Are you going with her? I’d plan two weeks for us to get everything received, filed with the courts and get a judgment either way. If you two have vacation days, you might want to use them.
“I own the bar and grill, Kat. I’ll make the schedule work,” Wade says.
“I don’t have a permanent gig. I’ve been covering vacations and leaves for friends in various restaurants. But I have enough in savings that I can wait it out for a couple of weeks.”
Wade stands, calling an end to our meeting. “Kat, thank you. Wylie, sorry in advance for monopolizing her for the next couple of weeks.”
“No problem, Duck. You know that things have been calm around here since Christmas. We need a new crisis every couple of months to keep things interesting.” He winks at me, laughter in his brown eyes.
“Is Lonesome really that exciting?”
“You have no idea. But you will soon. Drinks tonight? Everybody wants to meet you,” Wylie says. “Duck, eight o’clock? I’ll let the boys know you’re bringing your wife.”
“No.”
“Oh, please. Like Mason hasn’t already told everybody about Melissa.”
“I’m his president. He’ll let it go.”
“You’re his big brother. He’s going to ask questions,” Wylie insists. “This isn’t club business. It’s personal. Admit it, if this had happened to anybody else, you’d demand all the details. Eight o’clock.”
“This is going to be so much fun! See you later,” Kat says on her way out of the kitchen.
Wade refills his coffee. “I knew you were going to cause me problems the minute I saw you in that fluffy pink dress.”
“The first time or the second time,” I ask.
“The first.”
CHAPTER 8
DUCK
I don’t knowhow Melissa manages to look so hot when she is working from a carry-on suitcase and a garment bag containing a formal gown from the ‘00s, but she’s pulled it off. I warm up the truck as she prepares to play her part as my new blushing bride for the evening. Wylie and Kat have the entire picture, but my vice-president knows the score about how serious this can get for Melissa, and Kat has lawyer-client privilege keeping her silent. The rest of the club will get the fun half tonight, and the second half once Melissa’s situation is resolved.
