By the time he reached the parking lot, Sophia’s SUV was pulling out. He ran to his car to follow her. The garbage bag he’d brought along to protect his seat from the mud crinkled underneath him as he got in and yanked the seat belt on, huffing and growling the entire time.
Colleagues and family members alike had always complimented Wes on how eloquent he was. Always clear and to the point. Surely he’d just debunked that in one fell swoop. He had to hold himself back from slapping a palm to his forehead. “Idiot!” he muttered, focusing on Sophia’s SUV taillights.
As soon as she parked in front of her condo, she darted to her door, but he managed to catch her before she disappeared inside. He gently wrapped a hand around her upper arm.
“How dare you kiss me like that and then tell me you don’t want to like me,” she muttered through clenched teeth, snatching her arm out of his grip.
Wes placed his hand over hers where she was jamming the key into the lock. “Sophia, I don’t like—”
“Momma needs to get home. Whatever you want to say can hold.” She swatted his hand away and shoved the door open, but before she could slam it, Wes shouldered his way inside.
“No. This won’t hold. I don’t like you; I—” Before he could tell her he loved her, they both came to a halt in the dim living room.
Stretched out on the couch, watching TV while holding his son and looking right at home, was none other than Ty Prescott. He flashed them a megawatt smile before placing a finger to his lips in a hushing manner, giving the illusion of a perfect daddy. The little guy was snoring with his tiny arms latched around his dad’s neck, as if even in sleep, he worried Ty would disappear again.
The image twisted Wes’s gut. He hoped Sophia’s stiffened shoulders indicated she was no more thrilled about Ty’s presence than he was.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Momma?” Sophia whispered.
“Hey, babe.” Ty grinned again and winked at her. Wes had never wanted to punch someone so badly in all his life. “I sent her home.”
“But what are you doing here?” Sophia moved closer and pointed at the boot on Ty’s foot. “And what happened to your leg?”
“You didn’t watch last night’s game?” When she shook her head, Ty explained while rubbing Collin’s back. “Made the game-winning touchdown only to be tackled at the back of the end zone. We got twisted up and I injured my Achilles tendon. I’m out for the rest of the season.”
Wes wanted to tell Mr. Football to go recover somewhere else. That Ty wasn’t welcome in their home, but he stopped himself when he realized this wasn’t his home, nor was it his place to say anything.
“Who’s this?” Ty asked, jerking his chin in Wes’s direction with an attitude he had no right having.
“Oh, this is my boss, Dr. Weston Sawyer. I’ve told you about him.” Sophia shifted her weight from one foot and back to the other. “We participated in a charity run tonight.”
It bothered Wes that she didn’t include the fact that he was her friend or her fake-yet-real boyfriend with whom she held hands on a fairly regular basis. Nor did she add that he was an amazing kisser. But Wes figured he deserved her omitting all of that after he’d just flubbed probably one of the most important moments of his life.
“Yeah, Lucy told me about it.” Ty slowly sat up. “Babe, you want to put our son down?” He cradled the toddler close while placing a kiss against his messy curls.
It was the very same spot Wes had placed numerous kisses. Nauseated, he knew the deadbeat dad had more right to do it than he did, and there was nothing fair about that.
“Umm . . . let me change out of my muddy clothes first.” Sophia hurried down the hall. As her bedroom door shut, the men’s eyes locked.
“Thanks, man, for giving my wife a job while my lawyers work out our mess.”
Wes caught Ty’s use of the word wife but chose not to point out what they both already knew. He wouldn’t say anything out of line while Collin was in Ty’s arms.
Sophia was back in a flash, wearing black yoga pants and a long-sleeved black shirt. “Good night, Wes,” she said dismissively before bending to pick up Collin and march toward his bedroom without one glimpse back.
Ty stood and stretched, giving Wes a chance to size him up. The guy had at least six more inches in height than Wes and was broader through the shoulders. Lincoln Cole could take him, Wes thought, but I’m not so sure I could. The notion caught him by surprise because he’d never been a violent person. But something about Ty standing before him had his protective instincts on high alert. Perhaps some pride was mixed in there, too.
“Lucy filled me in on all you’ve been doing for my family. Heard you potty trained my boy and got him to stay at the preschool. Aren’t you handy to have around?” Ty picked up the remote from the couch cushion and turned the TV off.
“Among other things,” Wes replied dryly, knowing the docile conversation was heading toward a spitting contest and that just wasn’t his style. Even though he was seething, he held on to an air of aloofness, determined not to give Ty the satisfaction of getting under his skin.
“Now that I have a few months off, I’ll take it from here.” Ty hobbled over to the door and opened it.
Wes remained where he was standing and glanced down the hall, knowing Sophia had no intention of reemerging any time soon. “Sophia is your ex-wife, so she’s no longer your concern.” He gave Ty a measured look.
Ty grinned like he thought what Wes said was cute. “I plan on winning my wife back.” He made a lazy ushering motion at the open doorway.
Wes glanced down the hall again. He had the overwhelming desire to snatch Sophia and Collin and take them as far away from the wretched man as possible.
When Wes made no move to leave, Ty took a step over to him and whispered, “I’m good at getting what I want, and those two are all I want. I’m here to see that happen.” He loomed over Wes, obviously going for intimidation. “They’re mine.”
Wes stood taller and bowed out his chest. “You better not hurt them again, because I can promise you one thing . . . you won’t get away with it unscathed this time.”
Ty’s smirk fell away, revealing a severe glower. “Who do you think you are?” The words came out in a hushed snarl and a manner that would have had most people backing away.
Wes didn’t back down, even going so far as taking a step closer. “I’m a real man who knows it’s never appropriate to hit a woman. A real man who knows how to stay faithful to his marriage vows and understands what a precious gift his wife and child are. One that would never put himself first instead of his family.” His temper was about to get the best of him, so Wes leisurely walked out the door as if he didn’t have a formidably fuming blockhead at his back.
Halfway down the outdoor steps, he turned around and glared at Ty. “If Sophia chooses to give you a second chance, I won’t stand in the way. But you better think twice before mistreating her or Collin in any way. You won’t get away with it again,” he reiterated, leaving the threat to linger heavily in the air between them.
The only thing Wes could do at the moment was leave well enough alone and plead with God to protect Sophia and Collin. But despite praying all the way home, nothing about the night sat well with him.