Page 67 of More Than Anything

“I’m aware of that. But he understands where I’m coming from, not to mention that your wife threatened me.”

“She’s not my wife!” Avery shouted in frustration, then blew out a harsh breath, his hands on his hips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. But damn, Lydia, don’t you see what’s going on here? She thinks if she can drive a wedge between us, she has a chance.”

“Does she?”

Avery shook his head. “Hell no! No chance at all. None.”

“Then get rid of her. I can’t take this. I’ve got to go.” She tried to close the door again, then said, “Please let me close the door. Please?”

Avery moved his foot and the door slammed. That sound drove a stake through his heart. He had to figure out how to get rid of Shannon.

Even if it was illegal.

Avery drove home, showered, and dressed. He needed to go out to the pasture and see how Jason was doing, but he just didn’t have the strength or motivation. Instead, he sat down with his phone and looked at pictures he and Lydia had made of each other. In one of them, she stood there in jeans and a TexasA&M tee shirt, smiling at the camera. He thought the pictures would make him feel better, but he only felt worse.

When Jason came in from the pasture, he showered too, and the two of them headed to town to get something to eat. They finished eating and Jason decided he needed some personal things, so he drove to the big discount store in Texarkana. But before Avery could go home, he drove past Lydia’s place and left a note under her windshield wiper to tell her he loved her and missed her.

One lamp was on in the living room when he got home, and he dragged himself upstairs. He’d given Jason a key, so there was no reason to stay up. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he climbed into the bed, but he couldn’t sleep?he couldn’t even lie still. All he wanted was Lydia in his arms. He could still smell her perfume on his pillow, and it drove him very nearly mad.

Worse yet, he had to admit that he understood where she was coming from. TuckerCity was a small town. Everyone knew everyone else. And LydiaKinsey didn’t want to be known as the woman who screwed around with married men. He got it. He understood. And that understanding made his heart wilt in his chest.

There was a soft knock on his door, and he wondered if she’d changed her mind. “Yeah?”

Opening the door a crack, Jason stuck his head in. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m okay,” Avery answered, his voice shaky.

“No. You’re not. But as long as you’re answering me, I guess it’s okay. Is there anything I can do?”

“Unless you’re ballsy enough to kill Shannon, I guess not,” Avery grumbled.

Jason snorted. “Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind!” That made Avery chuckle. “Get some sleep. And let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

“I will. Thanks, man. Thanks for being here. I appreciate it.” Avery watched as Jason closed the door and the room went silent again. He could hear his friend moving around a little across the hall, but he was making almost no noise, and Avery appreciated how considerate Jason was. It made him regret how prickly and difficult he’d been all those months when he’d stayed with the poor guy.

But there was nothing he could do about that now. There was nothing he could do about anything, at least not at that moment. Frank was working on it. Maybe something would break loose fast. Because if he had to go one more day without Lydia, he was pretty sure he’d die.

* * *

The bangingon the front door irritated the hell out of Avery the next morning, and he stumbled down the stairs and threw open the door to find one very angry brunette standing there.

“Where the hell’s that bitch? I’ll kill her with my bare hands,” Danette snarled, catching Avery completely off guard.

“Whoa! Good morning to you too!” he countered.

She glared at him. “Shouldn’t you be feeding the cattle?”

“Yeah. I should. But I haven’t. What the hell are you doing here this early?”

“Because Lydia called me and I’m tee-totally pissed off at this woman who’s claiming to be your wife, that’s what,” she barked, then wandered into the kitchen. “I’m fixing coffee. Where’s all the stuff?”

Avery pointed to the cabinet over the refrigerator and when Danette frowned at him, he reached up and pulled it all down. “Okay. Fix away. I’m going to get dressed,” he announced and dragged ass back up the stairs.

When he came back down, there was a pot of coffee waiting for him and Danette was pacing the floor. She wheeled and stared at Avery. “How can you be so calm?”

He shrugged. “What am I supposed to do? There’s nothing I can do about it immediately. And you need to know that the claim she’s making is true?legally, anyway.”

“No!” Danette’s mouth fell open and Avery had a flashback of the look on Jason’s face when he’d been told. “Are you serious?”

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