Page 34 of Dependable Cowboy

Aaron remaining here provided Joy with the solution she was looking for. The one she needed. And the oneheneeded.

So, with her giving him a blanket, he sacked out on the living room couch, facing that door. Luckily, unless Wayne turned into a spider or a bird, there was no other way in. He didn’t sleep much since he stayed on the lookout, but as Joy and Kara stirred to ready themselves for school and work, at least he had peace of mind.

“I’m likely going to have to stay late at the ranch.” He thought of the extra work he’d have to cover because of firing Brock. He’d also have to explain himself to Bryce. But the rest of the Duncans other than Sam and Whitney should be back on duty today. “So why don’t you head on over to your folks’ house tonight?” He could see the objection forming on her lips. “Or at least until your landlord has the time to replace your door?”

Reluctantly, she nodded. “All right.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The whole nextday 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 naïve 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 naïve.

Yet somehow the naïve 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. Sheupdated 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.

---