Wyatt was on his feet in a blink. “It’s so obvious to everyone but you. You stare at each other like lovesick puppies.”
Judd glared, tracing all the hard lines on Wyatt’s face. “You know what else is obvious to everyone? Your marriage is falling apart. You glare at each other like you can’t stand to be in the same room.”
Wyatt picked his chair up five inches and slammed it back in place. “Stay out of my marriage.”
“Stay out of my life. Who are you to tell me I can’t be there for Thatcher’s kids, that Wynn has to do this alone? She doesn’t. And as long as I’m breathing, she won’t have to.”
The room was silent. The coffee maker gurgled to life, strangely loud in a now crowded space. Judd glanced around. Dozens of pairs of wide eyes stared at him.
Michelle bustled around the counter. “Boys! What is the matter with the two of you?” She took them both by the back of the shirt and pushed them toward the door. “This is a family establishment. If you have a problem, take it outside.”
“Sorry, Michelle,” they mumbled like scolded children standing before the teacher.
Embarrassed beyond measure, Judd hung his head. Wyatt opened the door, and the two of them stepped out. The door shut firmly behind them with the ringing of a bell.
Judd rubbed the back of his neck.
Wyatt kicked the building with his boot. “That wasn’t how I planned that to go.”
“Oh? You mean you didn’t want to get us kicked out of Aunt Michelle’s shop? ’Cuz that was epic. You know she’s going to call our moms.”
Wyatt chuckled. “That’s all I need. One more female breathing down my neck.” Nothing like getting in trouble together to dissolve angst between two rivals. “Truth is, things are rough at home.”
Judd clapped Wyatt on the shoulder. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Naw. I’m not even sure what’s wrong. We just can’t seem to talk without fighting. I keep thinking Jaydon deserves better—parents who can get along, ya know?”
“Yeah.” He didn’t know, didn’t understand the trouble Wyatt described. His heart went out to his cousin, though. “I have no advice.” He laughed at himself.
Wyatt joined in a beat later. “Look. I’m sorry about what I said in there. I saw you and Wynn and the kids at the pumpkin contest, and you all looked like such a happy little family, and I kept thinking that it should be Thatcher. I know he’s been gone a couple years but I still look for him. I miss him. Ya know?”
Judd nodded. “In the beginning, I thought that a hundred times a day. I still think it sometimes. I guess I’ve accepted that he’s not coming back. He won’t show up tomorrow and step back into his family—our family.”
Wyatt sighed heavily. “I guess I’m still working on that.”
“It hits you harder because you aren’t in the thick of it every day.”
“Maybe. And I have my own crap to deal with. We good?” He stuck out his hand.
Judd shook it. “We’re good.”
“Good. No hard feelings about the pumpkin either?”
“Oh, there’s hard feelings there.” He squeezed Wyatt’s hand tighter. “I’m coming for you next year.”
Wyatt squeezed back. “I’m counting on it.”
They dropped hands and headed in different directions. Judd started to whistle, but the sound died out quickly.
If Wyatt was offended at seeing him and Wynn together, what would the rest of the family think? Would they all throw fits? Call him names? Or worse, go after Wynn? He couldn’t let that happen. Not that they’d promised anything other than the chance to kiss each other every now and again. Though he wanted thenowsto be often.
Still, what would Anders think? Or Birdie? Or Mom and Dad? Was he doing something wrong by caring for Wynn? It didn’t feel wrong—ever. But he wasn’t sure that that made it right, either.
There were lines a man shouldn’t cross. The trouble was, he didn’t know if he’d already crossed it. And if he had, what was he going to do about it?
Chapter 12
Wynn
