Serious Cowboy (Cowboys of Duncan Ranch #2)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The whole next day Joy felt like she was in a fog. Her coworkers noticed, asking her repeatedly if she was okay, but she just nodded, not feeling like going into it. It was still so hard to believe that Wayne had shown up like he had. Maybe she’d been na?ve to think that he’d been deceased after all.

But then, if he hadn’t been dead or incapacitated in some way, where had he been? What had he been doing? Those questions still plagued her.

It occurred to Joy that part of coming here to Montana hadn’t only been due to having her immediate family here—tense as it had initially been between them—but because she’d always felt safe here. So many of her most innocent childhood memories happened in Rocky Ridge and being with Aaron again had reminded her vividly of that.

Until now.

Now, because of Wayne’s appearance, she felt scared here. For her daughter and for herself.

And that made her furious.

She now knew a few things about his abrupt appearance. Like that the soap opera had indeed agreed to hire him for a part. Debbie had confirmed that much, as well as the role she’d played in informing him of Joy and Kara’s location. Wayne would have to return to Hollywood soon or lose the one thing he’d been drooling after for so long.

Joy seriously doubted that he’d risk that.

As much as she wanted to be irate at Debbie, she really couldn’t be. How could her old friend have known that Wayne would show up without letting his wife know first? How could she have known that Wayne would come over to see her and Kara without having good intentions?

Maybe in his own eyes, those were good intentions. To him, maybe he thought he could just go and collect his wife and daughter as if all the insanity of these past months and years had never taken place. If that was the case, though, Joy certainly wasn’t the only one who could claim the title as na?ve.

Yet somehow the na?ve angle where Wayne was concerned didn’t ring true to her. What motive could he have to darken her doorstep without feeding her even the most minimum of answers? Where had he been and why had he maintained his radio silence for so long?

It just didn’t add up.

She didn’t know if he was still involved with drugs or those who would’ve provided them to him or not. If he’d been in rehab somewhere, wouldn’t that have been the first thing he’d confessed? And if he hadn’t gotten clean, how did he succeed in securing such a crucial job offer?

What could his motives be? Why would he want them back after all this time when he’d clearly had no inclination to be with them prior to now? Was he trying to prove something to himself or others? Or was he so delusional that he believed she’d go back to him despite all that had transpired?

And why show up just to act so erratically? Didn’t he realize that his behavior would convince her that Kara couldn’t ever be around him again?

None of this made sense.

Maybe due to her distractedness or due to the lack of business, Christine sent her home early.

“Go on now. Go get some rest. I’ve never seen you look so tired.”

It wasn’t a compliment, but she couldn’t be upset with her boss for saying it. Joy had hardly managed more than a few winks last night. Not when her memory kept serving her heaping helpings of Wayne throwing his fist through her door over and over. She’d basically done nothing but toss and turn.

Even with Aaron there to keep an eye on things.

Her old childhood friend had been a lifesaver to her, though. And to her daughter. He was the one behaving as a man should, not the man she’d married. How had Joy made such a huge mistake in judgment only to realize it far too late?

Not that ripping herself to shreds would help. She just couldn’t seem to help it.

She’d contacted her landlord, who hadn’t been pleased to hear that her apartment needed yet another repair, then went to sit down with her lawyers for a follow-up appointment. She updated them with the new information she had to share, anticipating them having some solutions for her.

But they hadn’t.

“Your husband came to your place unexpectedly?” Phil asked her. He was one of the partners.

“Yes.”

“And this despite the fact that you didn’t think him amongst the living?” Craig, his partner and brother picked up the questioning.

“Yes,” she emphasized the word. Did they think she’d joke about something like this?

“The problem, Ms. Randall, is that you came to us seeking a way to divorce someone you strongly suspected—or told us you strongly suspected—to be deceased. Now that you know for certain that he’s not, this alters things significantly,” Phil said.

“Alters it how?”

“Your divorce will not automatically go through uncontested channels, for one thing,” Craig said, and the way they were volleying the conversation back and forth was making her feel like she was in the middle of some sort of intense tennis match.

In combination with her lack of sleep, it was also giving her a headache.

Phil spoke up next. “For a divorce to be uncontested, both parties have to mutually agree to part ways. They have to decide who gets any property or belongings. They have to decide on the custody of any children, as well.”

“But wouldn’t I get custody since Kara’s been with me all along?”

“Most likely,” Craig tilted his head toward her. “But without him agreeing to that, it could prove a point of contention. If he fights you on this divorce, it could become much more costly than you were anticipating. And if you have to go to court to fight for the custody of your daughter, we’ll need to have proof ready that you’re the superior parent. Especially if you plan to keep her away from him entirely.”

Did she want to keep Kara away from him entirely? Before last night, she wouldn’t have thought so. But then again, before last night, she’d been ninety percent sure that she would never lay eyes on Wayne again.

“We’re not saying it’s impossible,” Phil leaned in closer, softening his voice.

“Definitely not,” Craig added.

“We’re merely letting you know that the game has changed. With your husband indisputably alive and residing in another state, it complicates our ability to sever ties with him in a manner that would be cut and dried. This will likely take more time and financial resources now,” Phil informed her. Not unkindly.

And all she had were her few meager belongings and a stylist from a small town’s salary. Which, frankly, wasn’t that much. Fine to live on as long as no real monetary setbacks came up, but nothing like what she used to make. The cost of living in Montana might be cheaper than in California, but that advantage could rapidly disappear in the face of high legal costs.

This wasn’t good news.

“Based on his actions, the first thing we suggest you do is file a restraining order against him,” Craig told her. “Not only for your safety and that of your daughter, but to create a longer paper trail. If he violates it in any way—and that means visiting you at work or even sending you a call or text—then that would be grounds for the court to find in your favor.”

This was frightening, and not only in the way that Wayne acting so erratic was frightening. So much was at stake.

“Good thing Aaron didn’t plant his fist in his gut, then. That probably would’ve made everything worse.”

“Say again, please?” Craig focused on her with narrowed-gaze scrutiny.

“Aaron. Aaron Hunter. He’s my…” What was Aaron to her? What had he become to her? “I suppose you could say we’re dating.”

“That’s something you’ll need to cease and desist this instant,” Phil sounded stern. “If you’re already being accused of cheating, the last thing you need is to have a man in the offing that your ex can point a finger at.”

She shook her head. “But it’s not like that at all.” Even as she said this, though, her traitorous memory brought to her images of their fervent kissing. Kissing that had taken place on more than one occasion.

“We’re not stating that you have to end the relationship on a permanent basis,” Craig picked up an ink pen and clicked it a few times. “But until this case is wrapped up, for the good of yourself and your daughter, it’ll look better on your end to not have any other… entanglements.”

Joy felt heat come into her face, even though she wasn’t technically guilty of any wrongdoing. Still, they were making her feel that way. As if carrying on with Aaron somehow meant that she was the one who was guilty.

Even though she knew she wasn’t.

“It’s about appearances,” Phil explained, standing. He retrieved some paperwork which she glanced through. “This will enable us to continue the divorce proceedings with the new information that has come to light. There’s still a possibility that your former husband could let this go through uncontested…”

“But from everything you’ve just told us,” Craig took over. “We doubt it. So, you should prepare yourself for a fight. And it might become a difficult one.

Phil indicated where she should sign, and once she had her copy, she held the papers in her lap, staring at them without really seeing anything.

“We’ll send a copy to your email. Once Mr. Randall receives the updated paperwork, we’ll let you know his response. And we understand that this is a lot. Just know that we’re on your side, Ms. Randall.”

“Thanks,” she muttered. But she left feeling far more concerned about her life—and her ability to retain custody of Kara—than she had upon entering. This was so overwhelming. Having to explain to Aaron that they could no longer be in contact, especially.

How was she going to do it?