I maneuveredthe SUV away from home and towards the small resort a few minutes outside of town. I hadn’t wanted to leave. Hadley and the twins were wreaking all sorts of havoc on our kitchen in an effort to make the best chocolate cake of all time. But the wariness still clinging to Hadley had told me I needed to go.
I turned onto the private road that led to The Wolf Gap Lodge. The buildings themselves were gorgeous, the resort catering to high-end tourists looking to escape city life for a while. I pulled into a parking spot in the guest lot. Sliding out of my SUV, I strode towards the main structure.
The Lodge had several restaurants, and I had no idea which one Jackie worked in, but I started with the main one. The hostess looked up from her stand. “Good evening, sir. How many in your party?”
“I’m actually looking for someone. Jackie Evans.”
“Oh, yes. Just a second.” The young woman scanned the space before she landed on Jackie. “Let me go get her for you.”
I waited, watching as she approached my ex-wife. She spoke a few quiet words, and Jackie’s head snapped in my direction. The smile that stretched across her face only fueled my rage. She thought this was some sort of victory.
Jackie moved swiftly in my direction, her hips swaying. “Calder, it’s so good to see you.”
“Cut the shit.”
A bit of the smile faltered. “Please don’t curse at my place of employment.”
When had Jackie ever cared about things like that? I guessed she was trying to create a new persona for herself. “Then maybe we should have a word somewhere more private.”
That damn smile was back, but it had more of a sly quality this time. “Of course.” She guided me down an empty back hallway. “No one uses this route. I only have ten minutes, but I could come by after I get off work and—”
“I only need one minute.” I looked Jackie directly in the eyes, letting my expression go hard. “Listen and really hear me. You and I will never happen. Not if you were the last woman on Earth. I’m not trying to be mean, but it’s the truth. You will not approach the woman I love and try to mess with her head. This is my only warning. You keep this shit up, and I will file a restraining order. Do you understand me?”
Jackie widened her eyes in shock, but I could tell it was fake, just like the rest of her. “I don’t know what Hadley told you, but I did no such thing. I simply told her how important it was for me to get my family back, to fight for you.”
“We aren’t yours to fight for,” I growled.
“You’ll always be mine, Calder. I’m sorry I didn’t see just what I had years ago, but I see that now.”
“I’ll give it to you, you’re still good at that manipulative bullshit, but I see through you. I know what you pulled with Hadley today, and it makes me that much more confident in my decision not to let you around the girls.”
Jackie’s mouth thinned. “You may not have a choice about that for much longer.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I met a lawyer while I was working here. Told him about my situation, and he thinks a judge might overturn that old ruling since I’ve changed my life for the better. He said he’d take my case pro bono.”
My rib cage tightened around my lungs, making it feel as if I couldn’t take a full breath. I had no idea if that was even a possibility or if this was some middle-aged lawyer, who hoped he’d get lucky by stringing Jackie along. “You want to play it that way, fine. Just remember everything that’ll get dredged up when you do. Every police report and witness statement. The drugs found in your car and your little hidey-hole in our damn house—somewhere Birdie and Sage could’ve stumbled across accidentally. I will find out every last thing you have ever done, and I will make sure the judge knows about it.”
“Calder,” Jackie said softly. “That isn’t what I want. Just give me a chance. I’ll prove to you that we can be good again.”
She moved in closer, reaching out as if she might lay a hand on my chest. I stepped out of the way. “You don’t get to touch me. Stay away from me. Stay away from the girls. And stay away from Hadley.”
I turned on my heel and strode down the hall. My spine jarred with the force of my footsteps as I made my way to my SUV. Hell, none of this was good. Jackie was like a starving dog with her last bone when it came to something she wanted.
I pulled out of the parking space and made my way back to the private road. Instead of heading home like I wanted to, I made the turn for the sheriff’s station. I pulled into an empty spot right out front and jogged up the front stairs.
An officer whose name I didn’t remember greeted me.
“Hey, is Hayes still in?”
“He is. Let me call back.”
Within a few seconds, the young guy told me to go on back.
It was past quitting time, so the space was full of mostly empty desks. But as I passed, I gave chin lifts to the few remaining folks. I knocked twice on Hayes’ door when I got to his office but didn’t bother to wait for an answer.
“Is Hadley okay? Did something happen?” Hayes asked before I even crossed the threshold.