Asshole Husband

“How do you know about that?” she asked.

“I heard you talking with them when I helped to fix your leaky tap.”

“You shouldn’t be listening in on other people’s conversations.”

“You’re right, Rachel, he shouldn’t,” Wolfe said.

He was way too close, and now she started to worry.

“Wolfe, where have you been?” Rachel asked.

She pulled her hand away from Ryan’s, but it was too late, Wolfe had already seen.

“You know, I told you to stay away from my wife.”

“Wolfe, come on, let’s go. There’s a pasta salad I think you’ll really enjoy.”

“And you’ve got a problem with me talking to your wife? I’ve been there for her when you haven’t for the past five years.”

“I warned you, Ryan.”

“I didn’t take the hint. You can try to crush me, but there are some places your money will ever work. This town, it knows me. They all know what I do and how I care. I’m in love with you, Rachel. I know you don’t believe that, but I also know there’s no way you can love him either. He abandoned you.”

“You better shut your fucking mouth,” Wolfe said.

There were a few gasps, and she knew this was going to get out of hand.

“Why the hell should I? It’s the truth. You’ve not been here. You weren’t there when Benjamin took his first walk, or even said his first words. Rachel and I were. She was at the diner for the words, and at her shop for the walk. We’ve all been part of your son’s raising, but you’ve been absent. You don’t deserve her. You’ll never deserve her.”

She let out a cry as Wolfe slammed his fist against Ryan’s face.

Chapter Ten

“Let me get this straight, you started a fight with Ryan, and pummeled his ass to the point the sheriff had to break it up?” Mary asked.

“I’m not finding your amusement funny.”

“Oh, please, it is totally funny. Don’t get me wrong, I’m shocked the cold, calculating Wolfe Montgomery would allow himself to be pushed to the point of lashing out and hitting another human being.”

Wolfe didn’t want to keep on talking to Rachel’s sister. After today, he wanted Mary gone. It was Rachel’s decision to get her sister to take care of Benjamin for the night. She didn’t even know if she’d send him into school after what happened.

“He was hitting on my wife. Telling her how he loved her and between the two of us, he’d be the better option.”

“You don’t agree?”

“Hell, no. I don’t agree with that shit. I will never agree to it.” Ryan had still gotten a few punches in, and his face was smarting like a son of a bitch.

“You know, Wolfe, a little advice, you really need to take a look in the mirror.”

“What the fuck for?”

“A reality check. You’re not exactly seeing things clearly right now.”

“And what do you need me to see clearly?” He had a really bad headache, not to mention he knew Rachel was pissed at him. She had to come and bail him out.

The press would have a field day.

“You haven’t been here, Wolfe. Put aside your and Rachel’s differences. She has been a single mother since the moment she found out she was pregnant. You weren’t there for her classes. You certainly weren’t in the room with her for the birth. I know you were at the hospital the day she did go into labor, but you weren’t there. Alice and I were. We’ve been the ones to stand beside her. You don’t know what she has been through. She wouldn’t have a nanny or help. She was so exhausted with taking care of the baby and working, she nearly collapsed.”

“I’d have given her everything. All she had to do was ask. She’s so stubborn.”

“You don’t understand a thing, Wolfe. She wasn’t working to spite you or to be stubborn. She was working so she didn’t have to think about you. So she could think about everything else but you. It was easy for you. You didn’t fall in love with her. She did fall in love with you, and you hurt her. She’s been trying to pull herself out of the pit of depression ever since, and you haven’t made life easy for her. You’ve made it even harder, and now, people in this town might not want her around because of what you did. You may not like Ryan, but he’s a good guy.”

“He only wants her as a mother to his son. He doesn’t love her.”

“He’s part of this town as much as the mayor. Believe me, you could have damaged the life she lives here.”

“Okay, I think we’ve got everything ready for you,” Rachel said, coming around the corner carrying a backpack. “It’s just for a couple of days while I figure a few things out.”

“Are you looking forward to being with your auntie, son?” Wolfe asked.