For a big bad rancher like Malloy, he sure did talk eloquently.
And he cared.
Boy, did he care.
He followed up with us more after what happened with my family than Mal did. He called every Sunday to talk to each of us boys. Checked up on Georgia. Honestly, I was fairly sure that he was the one responsible for fixing up the old homestead that our grandparents had lived in once upon a time, and restored it back to livable conditions.
“What now?” Desi asked, wiping her eyes as she pulled away from Malloy.
“Now we get your house paid off so you don’t have to live in debt. Because I’m fairly sure after I’m gone, Mal’s not going to pay for your house out of the goodness of his heart.” He paused. “I’ve started a new will… but the bulk of the money is going to my son.”
Desi nodded as if she understood completely.
“Honestly,” she said softly, “I could sell it to you. Then he can have that, too. That’s all he wants.”
His eyes went thoughtful for a moment.
“He wants this house because it means something more to him than he’s willing to admit,” Malloy explained. “He’s bitter because you got the house. He’s mad that I suggested that you get it in your name only, because if he’d had it in his, y’all would’ve had to split it. He thinks that I choose you over him, and honestly… he’s right.”
“Then why leave your fortune to him?” I asked curiously.
Malloy looked down at Desi, who looked away.
“I will not be the reason Mal hates me even more,” she said stubbornly. “When he told me he was leaving the money to me after the divorce, I kind of threw a small fit.”
Malloy let out a hearty laugh. “A small fit.” He chuckled. “Oh, that’s rich.”
Desi scrunched up her nose.
“Her small fit was not speaking to me for two weeks,” he explained. “And I hated it. So, I agreed. Albeit reluctantly.”
Desi shrugged. “Mal already hates me. I don’t need to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.”
“He would never do anything to harm you,” Malloy explained, trying to defend his decision.
“No?” she asked. “Then why was he in my house this morning when he knew I didn’t want him here? Why is he making checks out with him and his new fiancée on them? Why is he stealing my mother’s engagement ring and giving it to his new fiancée? Why is he doing anything that he’s doing?” She paused. “I have no idea what I did to him. None. But he feels that I’ve wronged him in some way, and I will not continue to lord the things you give me over his head… which is why I want you to buy the mortgage. Take over payments. Whatever. I know that you’re friends with the bank manager that gave me the loan. If this is what he wants… he should have it.”
He blew out a breath. “My son has always been jealous of my time. When I remarried, he went off the rails.”
I snorted, remembering that vividly.
Mal hadn’t just gone off the rails. He’d gone off his rocker.
He’d done shit that should’ve never, ever been done to another human being.
He made his new stepmother’s life a living hell, and eventually Malloy was forced to choose his son’s well-being over his love for his new wife.
Pretty much, Mal had ended up being his normal usual asshole self when he didn’t get what he wanted—his father’s undivided attention—and had proceeded to drive a wedge between Malloy and his new wife until she was forced to make the only decision that she could—divorce.
“So you’re saying that when Desi came into the picture, and you started treating her like your daughter-in-law, he started to resent her?” I guessed.
Malloy nodded. “That, and I think he was pissed off that I warned him not to hurt her. I honestly think that he would’ve likely been okay if I hadn’t let him know that he should be careful or else.”
“I did the same thing yesterday,” I admitted. “Walked over there and got her ring back. Then warned him off… guess he doesn’t like warnings.”
Desi snorted as she walked to her fridge and pulled out milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla.
“Are y’all going to stay here long?” she asked, looking from one of us to the other.
“I’ll stay if you’re making cake or pancakes or biscuits,” Malloy said, grinning widely.
Desi seemed to swallow hard. “If you want to come over every day, I’ll make you whatever you want, Malloy.”
There was a stillness to the room, and I realized I should probably give them some time.
“I’m going to go to the front door and put the new lock in,” I said. “Then I’m going to change this one. After that, we’re going to work on the alarm. I’ll show you how to change it, then you can do that on your own after I leave.”