Page 175 of Knockin' Boats
Rick staggered sideways, tripped over his own feet, and fell headlong into the lake.
There was a loud gasp as everyone watched. Then Rick surfaced, spluttering and flailing.
“Someone call the cops on these assholes!” he shouted as he treaded water. “They assaulted me!”
“They’ll do no such thing,” Mom said firmly. “You tripped and fell. We all saw it.”
Rick slapped the water. “Whose side are you on? It’s him or me!”
My stomach tightened. This was exactly what I feared would happen.
Mom turned a pained look on me. I braced for the worst.
Sawyer wrapped an arm around me, holding me together.
“If you think I’d ever choose you over my son, you’re out of your mind,” Mom said. “You lied to my face about everything that happened. You’ve harassed Ash for the last time. We’re over.”
Mom pulled off her diamond wedding ring and threw it in the lake beside Rick.
He squawked and made a grab for it. “That’s a $50,000 ring!”
What an asshat. Of course he was more worried about the ring than the marriage.
“And it’s just the start of what this divorce will cost you,” Mom said. “I plan to get averygood lawyer.”
“You should probably get one too,” Sawyer said. “Because I’ll never recant my witness statement. The authorities will find out the truth and you’ll get what you deserve.”
Rick sputtered out more impotent denials and threats about slander, but no one was listening. Most people had turned to each other, speaking quietly, tsking and shaking their heads.
Mom pulled me into a hug. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you sooner.”
“You chose me,” I said, still shocked. “Your whole life is with him.”
She pulled back and cupped my face. “You are my whole world, Ash. I love you more than anything, and I’m so sorry if I gave you any reason to ever doubt that.”
My eyes burned. “I’m sorry. I know you wanted us all to get along.”
She shook her head. “No. This isn’t your fault, hon. Rick had his flaws, but I hadno ideahe’d ever stoop to this. You’re saving me, because this isn’t a man I want to stand by.”
I glanced toward the lake, where a couple of men were helping Rick out of the water. He looked like a drowned rat.
There were a few snickers of laughter from the crowd. Rick had lost his dignity and his wife in one fell swoop. To him, humiliation was a far worse fate than an arrest would be—but I had no doubt that eventually would come to pass, too.
I sent Sawyer a smile, and he smirked, seeming to be on the same page with me as usual.
Finally, people saw Rick for who he really was.
And it was fucking glorious.
CHAPTER 37
Sawyer
We left Rick still dripping at the marina and went to help Ash’s mom pack up a few belongings. We’d offered to get a locksmith, so she could stay in her house, but she wanted no part of it.
“It’s just an empty shell without a heart,” she’d said. “It has been for a long time now.”
We’d taken her to stay at the Swallow’s Nest resort, since she didn’t have a convenient way to get to and from the houseboat.
