“I’m checking the status in the system right now. Jenny’s already got the petition to stop the adoption process.”
“How the—?”
I practically jump out of my seat at the holler.
“It only takes one party to have second thoughts for them to call pencils down on the custody transfer.”
“Hell. The guy is out of his mind, Noah.”
“Look, I’m not saying he’ll win, because any court will see she belongs with her biological,sane,sober, and business-owning father. But until it’s decided, it could take weeks or months of court dates. Till then .?.?.”
“Don’t say it.”
“She may have to go back to living with Hartly.”
Dallas lifts his hands off the wheel like he’s going to bang it but holds back. “How do I keep her, Noah?”
My heart thumps.
He’s choosing to fight.
“Odds are in your favor—unless he gets dirty. I’ll call you tomorrow when I know more.” Noah hangs up.
Dallas’s jaw ticks. “He already has got dirty,” he mutters under his breath and runs a hand over his stubble.
But he’s not putting the car back in drive.
The words are on the tip of my tongue. I can help him. Ishouldhelp him. Lord knows no one’s ever needed me quite like this little family does right now.
I should take a moment. Really consider what I’d be offering to do here. Would I really do this? Stay in this dust-covered, tight-knit town with this grumpy cowboy who one second goes from looking at me like I hung the moon. And the next like he’s ready to toss me off it?
Heavens, I think I am.
I take a breath. “Look, I’m not saying we need to get married.”
“Course not.” He glances at my ring. “You’re married to never getting married. You think I don’t remember how fast you lied about having a boyfriend when you thought I was comin’ on to you in that bar?”
I twist the band around my finger. I don’t keep it on to repel men. But I have sworn off them for the foreseeable future. Or until I make my own future. Commit to making myself happy before anyone else.
And after Eric, I’m not exactly desperate for someone else to stake his claim, tell me what to do, where to sing, and who comes within three feet of me.
“Can we focus here and leave the digs aside for now?”
He grunts.
“You can’t let that little girl get tossed around. I know that’s no one’s intention, but it’s what will happen. If there’s a chance that just mypresencecan help—” He sighs mid-sentence, and I need to raise my tone to be heard. “—then why won’t you fucking take it, you giant bull-headed grump.”
He twists his neck to look at me. Eyes stretched wide. He breathes out hard, the kind of exhale that says,fine, you win.
Without another word, he flips the car around.
It’s a quiet ride for about five whole minutes until he asks, “You’re not a fugitive or anything, are you?”
“If your first guess as to why I’m offering to stay and help is that I’m running from the law, you’re in worse shape than I thought.”
“Just sayin’, it’s not often a pretty redhead with a sharp tongue workin’ toward a blackbelt drops her life to help agiant bull-headed grump.”
I shift in my seat, muttering, “Especially one as appreciative as you.”
