Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm (Hollyhock Farm #2)

Chapter 33

33

MELODY

Melody heard Zac’s and Callum’s voices coming from the yard. They sounded excitable and she wondered what had happened. She hurried downstairs to see them, shocked when she reached the front door just as they sped off out of the yard, dust billowing from the wheels of Callum’s Golf. Where were they going in such a rush? She hoped nothing was wrong.

She decided to go and find Lettie and see what she could do to help her. Unsure where Lettie might be, Melody made for the barn, shocked when she heard Lettie calling her name. She sounded upset, or maybe angry. Melody wasn’t sure.

She turned to see Lettie running towards her from the lower field and hurried to join her and find out what was the matter.

‘Has something happened to one of the animals?’ Melody asked, assuming that’s what might upset her friend the most.

Lettie reached her and bent over to catch her breath, shaking her head and raising a hand. ‘No, they’re fine. It’s Rhys,’ she panted.

Melody’s stomach dropped. ‘Oh, hell. What’s he done now?’

‘Brodie’s just called me and told me he’s seen him in the village. Apparently he was dropped off in town a while ago.’

Zac’s speeding out of the yard made sense now. ‘Oh no.’

Lettie stood and stared at her. ‘What is it?’

Melody explained about Zac. ‘I think he had someone else in the car and I’m presuming it’s Callum.’

Lettie looked as anxious as Melody felt. ‘They’ll be racing off to track him down,’ she said, wincing. ‘Brodie mentioned he had already spoken to Zac about seeing Rhys in the village.’

Aware how vicious Rhys could be, especially when in one of his rages, Melody grimaced. ‘We have to go after them. I couldn’t bear it if Zac or Callum were hurt.’

‘I agree,’ Lettie said. ‘Come on, let’s take Mum’s car. We’ll try to catch them up. The last thing I need is my brother losing his temper and doing something he’ll regret.’

‘Yes, I couldn’t forgive myself if he got into trouble looking out for me,’ Melody agreed as the car slowed at the roundabout at the bottom of Beaumont Hill.

Lettie slapped the steering wheel in exasperation. ‘This damn traffic. Typical that it’s this bad when we need to get somewhere urgently.’

‘It’s bad for everyone though, don’t forget,’ Melody reasoned, feeling guilty that everyone’s angst was due to her ex-husband being a complete pain.

‘Good point.’

It only took them a further fifteen minutes to reach Charing Cross.

‘This one-way system drives me nuts,’ Lettie moaned. ‘It was much easier driving through town before all these changes were made.’

‘It is frustrating.’ Melody’s stomach was in knots. She scanned the area, desperately trying to spot Zac or Callum, or even better, Rhys. If only she could reach him before the two men managed to.

‘Oh no,’ Lettie shrieked.

‘What is it?’ Melody glanced at Lettie to see the direction she was looking in and spotted Zac and Callum running down the street. ‘Oh no, there’s Rhys. They’ve seen him. Quick,’ she said, going to open the car door to get out and follow them. Rhys was sauntering along without a care in the world. How typical of him.

‘What are you doing?’ Lettie asked.

‘Going after them, of course,’ Melody said.

‘Wait, I need to come with you,’ Lettie insisted.

‘But you have to park the car somewhere. I’m fine.’ She gave Lettie an apologetic look. ‘Sorry, I can’t wait. I have to get to them and stop Zac and Callum from confronting him before something dreadful happens.’

Lettie groaned. ‘Fine. I’ll catch you up. We can’t lose Rhys, not now we’ve seen him.’

Melody got out of the car and slammed the door, immediately setting off at a run. She had no intention of losing Rhys again. She’d had enough. She was going to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all, and she had no intention of letting the men do her dirty work for her.

‘Melody!’ Lettie called.

Ignoring her friend, Melody gritted her teeth. She could find out what Lettie wanted soon enough. She saw Rhys stop and turn to look in her direction. Damn, Melody thought, guessing he had heard Lettie calling out to her. Callum’s step faltered but Zac kept running. Seeing Zac, Rhys looked stunned for a split second before taking off again. He turned and ran down one of the back streets.

‘Damn.’ She had no idea where he was going and if she lost him now, she doubted she would find him again. Melody kept running, ignoring a couple of surprised looks from holidaymakers out shopping.

He ran down another street and unable to keep him in her sight, she was relieved Zac and Callum were following. She lost them for a moment, then saw a sign saying Hue Street. She was unsure where it would lead them. Assuring herself that Rhys couldn’t have expected to see them coming after him or have any of this planned, she doubted he was taking her down a dead end. Even if he was, she decided, she was too furious to care.

She lost him again, then hearing Zac’s enraged voice followed by a commotion, turned left down another street and saw he had cornered Rhys by some large wheelie bins. He must have taken one of the small lanes and bypassed the pair of them. She was relieved to see he had caught Rhys.

‘You OK?’ Callum asked her when she reached him.

‘A little out of breath,’ Melody said, spotting Lettie bringing up the rear. ‘You could have stayed with the car,’ she said, hating that her three friends were getting so deeply involved in her drama.

Melody saw Rhys’s eyes narrow dangerously. She recognised that look, it came before he lashed out. Zac’s fists clenched and he moved forward. Determined not to let Zac get into trouble on her account, she ran forward and pushed her way in between them.

‘I can deal with this now, Zac,’ she said, turning her back to him as she glared into Rhys’s steely eyes.

‘No chance. I’m not leaving you to deal with this creature.’

‘It’s fine. I’ve got this,’ Melody said. ‘But thank you for tracking him down, guys.’

Rhys laughed. She ignored his mocking.

‘Are you sure?’ Zac said after a moment’s hesitation. She looked at him and saw his concern and loved him even more for wanting to protect her.

‘One hundred per cent certain.’

Melody folded her arms so Rhys couldn’t see how badly her hands were shaking, although she wasn’t quite sure whether it was through nerves or having needed to run after him. Her legs were a bit shaky too, she realised.

‘Why are you still here, Rhys?’ she snapped, turning her full attention back onto his contemptuous smirk.

‘Why shouldn’t I be?’

She noticed Zac’s hands were closing into fists then opening again out of the corner of her eye but was glad that he left her to deal with Rhys when she had insisted on doing so. He was clearly struggling to keep control of his temper. But she needed to do this for herself.

‘Because there’s nothing here for you,’ Melody said as calmly as she could manage through gritted teeth. ‘Surely even you must understand that by now, Rhys? Our marriage is over. Well and truly finished. Let’s be honest, neither of us have been happy for months now.’ He went to argue, but she shook her head slowly. ‘It’s true and, what’s more, it’s about time you took responsibility for the way you’ve treated me. Your behaviour was disgusting, but hitting me, well, surely even you must have known that was going way too far. Maybe you even subconsciously knew that by doing so I would leave you, so that you didn’t have to make that decision for us.’

It was the first time the thought had occurred to her but now it had she suspected that’s exactly what he had done. He was a coward; it was as simple as that.

He glared at her for sharing their private moments, but she didn’t care, aware that doing so took away some of the power he felt he had over her.

Melody held up her hands and pointed over her shoulders to Zac and Callum who she knew were still behind her. Lettie joined them, out of breath for the second time that afternoon. ‘I’ve told my friends everything,’ Melody said, aware how much he would hate to think others had been made aware of the way he had treated her. ‘I’m not embarrassed to tell them how the man I married ended up treating me.’

‘Friends.’ He spat the word. ‘Don’t tell me you and farmer boy here haven’t got something going on.’

‘We have.’ She was taking a chance that her admission might push him too far but was past caring. ‘You no longer have any say about the choices I make, Rhys.’

She felt less afraid of him with every word. Her shoulders felt lighter and she wanted to be open about her and Zac, but more than anything had every intention of letting Rhys know exactly where he stood.

His mouth opened to say something but nothing came out.

After a few seconds of staring at her Rhys looked down at his feet and she wondered if he was giving himself time to think of a reaction, or whether he had finally got the message that their relationship was over. Melody’s hopes that she had got the better of Rhys rose briefly before she saw a smug expression form on his face and he looked up and smiled at her.

‘Who do you think you are to tell me how to behave?’ He sneered at Zac. ‘And you. You’ve known her, what? Five minutes?’

She turned to see the muscle in Zac’s jaw moving frantically and Melody knew she needed to speak quickly if she wasn’t going to lose control of the situation.

‘I think we all know you lost your right to have any opinion on what I do when you acted like a thug towards me. Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, Rhys, you gave me no choice but to leave you. And, what’s more, you can be certain that whatever you say or think you’re going to do, I will never be coming back.’

‘Exactly,’ Lettie agreed.

‘Now, it really is time for you to leave,’ Melody said, desperate to see the back of him but not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how frustrated she was with him.

‘It certainly is,’ Zac said. ‘There’s a ferry returning to the mainland in three hours and I’m sure you should be able to embark as a foot passenger.’

‘And if I refuse?’

Melody wasn’t ready to step back from this fight. ‘Then I’ll report you to the Jersey Police for assaulting me in the car park.’ She glanced at Zac. ‘You know I have a witness and I’m sure Zac won’t have any reluctance about backing up my story.’

‘I’d be only too happy to do that,’ Zac said.

Rhys looked from one to the other of them. She could tell he was unsettled by her threat. The last thing he would want is to be arrested, especially in a place where he didn’t have his own lawyer; she knew that much.

‘And how will you know if I’ve left?’ he asked, a look of bravado on his face.

‘Because, Rhys,’ Callum explained, a weary tone to his voice. ‘This is a small island, and we have friends everywhere. One of my closest friends is a customs officer at the harbour. Another two work in security at the airport. You can be certain we’ll make sure all the ports are covered to keep an eye out for you from now on.’

‘And I suppose you have photos of me to show them.’ He jeered. ‘No, of course you don’t.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Rhys,’ Melody said, losing her temper with him. ‘I have photos of you and won’t hesitate to share them.’

‘We’re not kidding, Rhys,’ Zac said calmly. ‘If you want to be anonymous anywhere, this really isn’t the place to choose. Not if you’re intending stalking someone who is a friend of the locals.’

Encouraged by the look of defeat on Rhys’s face, Melody began to relax.

‘Fine, but I want to see to you alone before I leave.’

‘What do you think, Melody?’ Zac asked, clearly not happy at the thought.

Rhys laughed. ‘You two are pathetic.’

Melody waited for Zac to reply and when he did his voice was low and he spoke very slowly. ‘Whether Melody is or is not interested in me is irrelevant as far as you’re concerned. Your opinion on our relationship is of no consequence to me, and I imagine to her. You are separated, don’t forget.’

‘Not legally,’ Rhys snapped triumphantly.

‘Either way,’ Lettie said. ‘Melody has made it clear she doesn’t want you in her life any more. She is finished with you, and I can guarantee you that none of us will stand by and allow you to bully her again.’

‘Allow me?’ Rhys snapped, spittle flying from his mouth. ‘How dare you? You want to watch what you’re saying.’

Lettie wiped the spittle from her cheek without diverting her gaze.

Melody was impressed with her friend’s calm reaction. Furious with Rhys, Melody stepped closer to him. ‘Be quiet, Rhys. Your threats no longer bother me. Now, why don’t you do the sensible thing and leave? Return to the mainland and get on with your life. I’ll be starting divorce proceedings soon and have every intention of getting on with my life. I suggest you do too and stop wasting your time hounding me.’

She stared deep into his eyes, determined not to look away first. She needed him to understand she meant what she was telling him. Seconds later Rhys averted his gaze. She had finally got her message across to him. For now.

‘Fine. Do what you like. I don’t care.’

Not trusting that he meant what he was saying and aware that she still probably had a long battle on her hands while their divorce went ahead, Melody decided to enjoy her triumph while it lasted.

‘Now,’ Zac said. ‘If it’s OK with Melody, I suggest Callum and I accompany you back to your hotel, help you pack and give you a lift to the harbour. It’s not far, but I have a car parked nearby so there’s no need to walk.’ He looked at her. ‘Melody? Is that all right with you?’

‘It is. Thank you.’

Without another look in Rhys’s direction she turned and walked away.