Page 93 of Follow My Heart

There was no maybe about it. He should stand up to her. But that decision had to come from him. Not me.

“I wanted to see you tonight.”

“You disappeared after lunch, and I needed to get the ice-cream cart to my house and return the rental.”

“I wish I could have helped you with that.”

“You were busy. But next time, can you let me know what’s going on?” So I don’t look for him the rest of the festival, disappointed when I don’t see him again.

“I was just consumed with everything that was going on.”

“I can’t pretend to know what you’re going through. I’ve never been married, and I don’t have a child, but I think you need to protect Faith from this kind of thing. You have to be steady for her. This back-and-forth with Stacy has the potential to impact both of you.” It wasn’t healthy for either of them, and I couldn’t help but think Stacy did it on purpose to ruin their weekend. It had certainly put a damper on mine.

“Shit. Stacy’s calling again.”

“I’ll let you go,” I said flatly.

Either he wasn’t listening, or he was too caught up in Stacy’s drama and their history to see it as clearly as I did. She was controlling him, his reactions, and even his day with his daughter. It wasn’t right. But I couldn’t make him see what he didn’t.

“Thanks for understanding,” Ryder said right before he hung up.

The thing was, I wasn’t so sure I did.

CHAPTER 20

RYDER

On Sunday, there was a family meeting in the morning to discuss the farm. When I arrived, Faith joined Izzy who was playing with Colson. They adored him.

The rest of the family was seated at the dining room table.

Stacy kept texting to see if I’d convinced Faith, so I turned off the ringer.

It didn’t do anything to settle my stomach. I hadn’t slept well last night. Stacy wasn’t giving up on this idea of me convincing Faith to move in with her and Phil. I didn’t agree with it, and it wasn’t what Faith wanted.

I hadn’t broached the subject with Faith yet, but I was sure she was aware that I was upset.

Daphne’s brow furrowed. “What happened to you yesterday? One minute you were getting the girls funnel cake, and the next we couldn’t find you.”

“Something came up.”

My screen lit up with the name Stacy again, and Daphne raised a brow.

“Does it have anything to do with that?” She pointed at the screen.

I turned my phone over so no one would have to see how often she was calling. If I didn’t answer soon, her next call would be to her attorney, where she would ask for increased custody. Right now, we had agreed to joint. Both of us made decisions on education and living arrangements.

But nothing was final until the divorce petition was signed, and even then changes could be made from time to time. “Stacy wants to move in with her boyfriend.”

“What does that have to do with you?” Daphne asked.

No one in my family liked how Stacy kept me and Faith from visiting over the years. I might have made the ultimate decision to keep my distance rather than risk Stacy’s wrath, but they’d accurately assumed she was the culprit.

“She wants me to convince Faith to go along with it.”

Daphne sucked in a breath. “What does Faith want?”

“She hates Phil. She wants me to talk to her mother about living with me and going to school here. She likes being near the family.”

---