Page 33 of Dependable Cowboy

More chatter.

“Don’t apologize. Just… You didn’t know what he would do. I didn’t, either, when it comes down to it. I had no idea he was even alive.”

“Me, neither,” Debbie must’ve hollered it because Aaron was able to understand that loud and clear.

After some more back and forth, Joy hung up with Debbie.

“She apologized all over herself. Said she was so surprised and delighted to see him that she didn’t think anything of giving him our address. I get it. I mean, she knew us as husband and wife. And back then, he’d been a more normal guy. Even if he did have all these huge aspirations. But in Hollywood, that’s not unusual. Lots of dreamers.”

“Nothing wrong with dreamers,” Aaron put in. “As long as their dreams don’t make them lose touch with the important parts of their reality.”

Like Kara.

Not that he said that part out loud.

Although he didn’t say anything further, a bunch of different possibilities occurred to him then. With Wayne alive and aware of where Joy and Kara were, he could come after them again. She may need to file a restraining order against him.

Or, on the other side of the coin, he could be paying child support. Especially if he was making money off a soap opera. He owed it to his wife and daughter after treating them so poorly for so long.

But it was Joy who came up with a concept that he never would’ve thought up.

“He could fight the divorce and make things difficult.”

“That’s true.” Aaron grimaced at the idea.

“Or even try to take custody.”

“He could, but no court or judge would give Kara to a former—or maybe current—drug addict. No way.”

“But what if he makes more than I do? Couldn’t that go against me as staying her guardian?” He could hear the worry in her voice.

“You have proof of his drug use?”

“Yes.”

“And that you’ve been the sole parent to your daughter for all this time?”

“Sure. I also have copies of all those missing persons reports I filed. I might even still have a poster somewhere.”

“Then, you should be more than covered,” Aaron hugged her. “So, if he tries to fight you for her, he’ll lose.”

“Do you think he will? Try to fight for her?”

“I don’t know. Maybe,” he admitted. “But I’ll back you up, if need be.”

“He’ll probably just reassert that you’re the man I’ve been ‘cheating with,’” she said, using finger quotes, her expression downcast and glum.

“We know better.”

Then, her features brightened. “The next step in divorcing him was having him officially declared dead. That’ll be on record, so maybe that’ll help my case, too.”

“I’m sure it couldn’t hurt.” He played with the ends of her hair. “I don’t feel right about you being here alone. Do you want me to stay here on the couch?”

“I could just go to my parent’s house.”

But she glanced at the bedroom where Kara had so recently gotten to sleep.

“You could. But why disturb her?” He didn’t mind. Even if it would make it necessary for him to leave before dawn to get ready for his time at the ranch. Aaron was more than willing to make that sacrifice, though. He didn’t think he’d receive one minute of undisturbed sleep if he went home knowing they were alone, anyway.

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