“I know you missed me,” she murmured, swaying closer.
He moved away. “Maybe for a couple of weeks. But then I realized what a selfish person you must be to leave your family with nothing more than a note.” His fists tightened. “Your three-month-old baby, Diana. You didn’t even care about him enough to stay. Do you know how much he cried when you abandoned him?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re being melodramatic, and it doesn’t become you.”
“You can’t stay.” On this, he wouldn’t budge. “You forfeited any right to call us your family when you boarded a plane to Hollywood with no intention of coming back.”
Reaching out, she trailed a finger down his chest. “But I did come back.”
“I wish you hadn’t.”
Her expression didn’t waver, but the shock in her eyes told him he’d struck a direct hit. “Is this because of your little tramp?” she demanded, her claws coming out. “Dylan told me about her, you know. He doesn’t like her.”
Just like that, she evened the playing field. He’d forgotten how spiteful she could be.
“This has nothing to do with her. I don’t want you manipulating Dylan, getting his hopes up, and leaving again. On that topic, why have you been telling him you might move back to New Zealand one day?”
She shrugged. “I might. For all you know, I could be here to stay now. What makes you think I intend to leave?”
“Experience.” He didn’t like the way she was studying him as though she had the upper hand. “Commitment isn’t in your DNA.”
“Why don’t you give me a chance and see?”
“I said no.”
She scowled. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“You’re the one who’s ridiculous.” Their volume was escalating, but he couldn’t seem to stop it. “Now I’m asking you nicely to please leave. Find a hotel room, have dinner, catch up on sleep, and come back tomorrow. We can talk then.” Opening the door, he reached inside for her suitcase and deposited it at her feet, ignoring Dylan, who’d clearly been eavesdropping.
Diana poked Shane in the chest with a perfectly manicured nail. “This isn’t going to end the way you want it to.” Then, nose in the air, she huffed and stalked away, dragging her suitcase with her.