Chapter 11

Sierra

WALKING INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM, I stopped and looked at the three men sitting around the table. I had asked for an update on how things were going for the trial. Clearing my throat, I glanced over to Mr. Walker, Dodge’s father, and smiled.

All three men stood as Mr. Walker motioned for me to sit down. “Wow, I’m going to guess y’all have bad news and Aaron was too afraid to tell me.”

All three laughed. “No, nothing like that Sierra. Aaron is running late from an earlier meeting. He asked us to be present during this meeting. Mrs. Jackson, this is Kyle Lenard and Bill Scott. They are both private investigators.”

“Got it,” I said with a smile as I looked at the private investigators. What in the hell is going on?

The door opened and I jumped when Dodge spoke. “Good afternoon, gentlemen, Sierra.”

Looking up at Dodge, I smiled. I hadn’t seen him in two weeks. I avoided Dodge because I was eaten alive with guilt by sending him a damn puppy to ruin a date. When I found out his big hot date was with his sister, I felt terrible.

Pulling my eyes off of Dodge, I caught his father watching me. Smiling the sweetest smile I could, I glanced down at my hands and slowly took in a deep breath.

“Aaron, I’m going to guess you have a good reason to call us all together?” Mr. Walker said.

Grinning, Dodge sat down. “I do. I’ve been looking into who might have broken into Mrs. Jackson’s house. My first guess was Lisa Blank, Dr. Jackson’s current girlfriend. After some . . . um . . . investigation, I was ready to rule Ms. Blank out; now, I’m not so sure.”

Mr. Walker leaned forward, “What do you mean? Are you thinking she was the one who planted the rose?”

Nodding his head, Dodge said, “Yes, I think she played a part in it. I have a theory. I think Robert was banking on us trying to go after him as the one who broke into the house. If we went after him, he was sure to have an alibi to say he was somewhere during the time you were in the tub.” Looking at his father, Dodge nodded his head as his father responded with a nod of his own.

Clearing my throat, I spoke. “Wait, I’m confused.”

Dodge looked at me. “He was trying to set you up, Sierra. Make it look like you were planting things against him to make him look bad.”

Sucking in a breath of air, I whispered, “That bastard.”

“Where does Ms. Blank come in to all of this?” Kyle asked.

Dodge leaned back in chair. “I think she paid the maid to plant the rose.”

Bill nodded his head. “I’ll do some looking around.”

Kyle nodded his head. “I’ve been keeping an eye on Ms. Blank like you asked. I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary.”

Dodge nodded his head. “We need to find out who has been following Sierra.”

Looking between the four men, I shook my head. “Wait. What makes you think he is still having me followed? I haven’t heard from him at all in a few weeks.”

Dodge’s face fell for a brief second. Sadness filled his eyes.

Glancing over to his father quickly and then back to me, Dodge moved about in his seat before looking back at me. Something moved across his face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “He has photos of you with a Dr. Elliot Emmerson together before you were legally separated. Since you appear to have started up your relationship again with Dr. Emmerson, your husband is now saying you were having two affairs while you were together.”

My mouth dropped open and my head began to spin. I wasn’t sure what I was more shocked by. The fact that Dodge just said I was having an affair or that Robert was pulling this card.

Standing up, I felt my entire body start shaking. “Are you accusing me of having an affair? I never cheated on my husband. Ever!”

Dodge reached into a folder and pulled out a handful of photos. Placing my hand on my stomach, I felt sick. I’d been out with Elliot three times in the last two weeks. I wasn’t even sure why; I didn’t like him, but it meant I wasn’t sitting at home alone. “Dr. Jackson is trying to offer a settlement. His lawyer sent these photos over yesterday afternoon,” Dodge said as he slid the pictures across the table.

Grabbing them, I sucked in a breath as I flipped through the pictures. One was of Elliot and me leaving the restaurant on our first date. The second one was of us jogging on the Town Lake trail. The next one made me feel sick. Leaning against my door at home, it looked like Elliot was about to kiss me. Finally I came across the one that Robert was trying to use to say I was cheating during the marriage. It was a picture of Elliot holding me in his arms as I was laughing. I knew exactly when and where that picture was taken.

Letting out a sigh, I dropped the photos on the table. “How long has he been having me followed?” I asked as my voice sounded weak.

Kyle cleared his throat and began talking. “When was this last picture taken, Mrs. Jackson?”

Feeling tears build in my eyes, I dug my nails into my hands. “Please, call me Sierra. I can’t stand to hear his name.”

“Of course, my apologies.”

I couldn’t believe Dodge thought I had lied to him. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I turned to Mr. Walker and didn’t even bother to look at Dodge.

“The last picture was taken about six months before I caught my husband in bed with Lisa. It was at a team-building event for work. I have other pictures from that event, as well as a video I’m sure I can get my hands on. It will show that I had just made the winning goal in a stupid soccer game we were playing. Dr. Emmerson ran up and grabbed me and spun me around, congratulating me.”

Taking a chance to look at Dodge, I shook my head and let out a gruff laugh. “Had Robert asked whoever was following me where this was taken, he would have known I could dispute it. Honestly, it appears it’s not only Robert’s lawyer who doesn’t do their homework before they throw out accusations.” Dodge looked away.

Swallowing hard, I looked back at Mr. Walker. “The other photo, of us jogging together . . . we weren’t alone; it was a jogging group that some of the doctors and nurses set up. Elliot asked me to join them for a run and I did. The other photo, Elliot was dropping me off at home and was saying good-bye. He leaned in to kiss me, but I told him no. I’m guessing that’s why the super smart PI didn’t get a picture of us kissing . . . because we never did.”

“Are you dating Dr. Emmerson, Sierra?” Mr. Walker asked.

Shaking my head, I whispered, “No. But even if I was, Mr. Walker, I’m legally separated. Am I not allowed to date anyone?”

Standing up, Mr. Walker walked over to me. “Of course you are, Sierra. It’s just we need you to be careful. It seems Dr. Jackson is becoming desperate. He’s grasping at straws now if he is trying to pull affairs out of the air.”

Nodding my head, I looked back at Dodge. “Maybe next time before you accuse me of something, Aaron, you should ask me first.”

Dodge stood up. “I wasn’t accusing; I was trying to get answers, Sierra.”

Shaking my head, I took a few steps back. “Is there anything else we need to discuss before the hearing? I’m not feeling very well and ready to head home.”

Dodge’s father looked at him. “No, I think we’re good to go. I would like to go over some questions they might ask you. Prepare you for questioning,” Dodge said as he pushed his hand through his hair. I wanted to be turned on by the motion, but my heart was still throbbing from Dodge’s accusations of me having an affair.

“Sierra, are you free this weekend?” Mr. Walker asked.

Dodge began choking on his own spit. Good. I hoped he passed out and hit his head on something hard. “Dad, what are you doing?”

Holding up his hand to quiet Dodge, I glanced over at him and gave him a smirk. “We are running out of time before the trial and I really want to go over some things with Sierra before next week,” Dodge’s father said.

“No, sir. I’m totally open all weekend. No plans at all,” I said.

Turning back to Mr. Walker, he wore a huge grin. “Perfect. I’ll have my car pick you up at your house tomorrow morning around seven. You’ll be in Port Aransas just in time for lunch.”

My smiled dropped as I stared at Dodge’s father. Swallowing hard, I whispered, “Excuse me?”

Placing his hand on my shoulder, Mr. Walker gave me a wink. “Pack casual clothing and maybe one formal gown for dinner on Saturday night at the country club.”

Wait. What? What the fuck just happened?

Turning to Dodge, his back was faced toward us as he stared out the window.

“Wait, um, Mr. Walker what do you mean?”

Guiding me out the door, Mr. Walker started laughing. “You’re spending the weekend at my beach house, dear. We are having a family get together. It will be perfect for Aaron and me to prepare you for everything that Dr. Jackson’s lawyers are going to try to ask you while you’re on the stand.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see Dodge talking to Kyle. Looking straight ahead, I tried to concentrate on breathing.

Oh my God. I’m spending the weekend with Dodge and his family. How did this happen?

Oh Christ.

I’m screwed.

***

“Ryn! You’re not helping me any!” I shouted into the phone as I stared at two gowns hanging up in front of me.

“Okay, sorry. I can’t help but laugh at how stupid you were to walk right into this weekend.”

Rolling my eyes, I sat down on the edge of the bed. I could feel my heart pounding in my damn ears. “How in the hell did I know Dodge’s father was going to ask me to crash their family beach weekend?”

Ryn started laughing again. “I don’t know. But I would have given anything to see your face!”

“I hate you. Like, I mean I’m really feeling the hate for you, bitch.”

“Oh! I wonder if Princess will be there?” Ryn asked as she shouted something to Tristan.

“Princess? Who the hell is that?” I asked as I stood up and held the shorter gown up to me as I looked at myself in the mirror.

“You don’t know? You were the one who gave the dog to Dodge in the first place.”

My mouth dropped open as I tried to let that all soak in. “Wait. He named the damn dog . . . Princess?”

Ryn giggled. “Yep. Tristan said she goes to doggy daycare every day while Dodge is at work. Tristan even said that Dodge has admitted to sneaking her into work once or twice.”

Dropping the dress to my side, I smiled. “He kept the puppy?”

Ryn laughed. “Of course he did, Sierra. What did you think he would do with her?”

Slowly shaking my head, I paused for a moment as I pictured Dodge with that sweet little ball of fluff. “I don’t know. I figured he would have given her away.”

“It’s a chick magnet! Dodge is probably thanking you for her, Sierra. He told Tristan he has never had so many women offer up their numbers as he did when he was out walking Princess.”

Dropping my mouth open, I closed my eyes. Oh my God. Instead of pushing women away from him . . . I led them straight to him. Falling back onto the bed, I let out a moan.

Fuck. My. Life.

***

The car honked right on time. It was seven on the dot. Grabbing my bag and the two dresses, because I couldn’t narrow it down to just one, I headed to the door. Setting the alarm that my father insisted I have put in, I started to walk to what I thought was going to be some black mysterious-looking car. Nope. God is out to get me . . . clearly he likes to see me suffer.

Sitting in my driveway was a black Toyota truck with one dashingly good-looking asshole sitting in the front seat. Of course he had a shit-eating grin on his face as I stood there, frozen in my spot.

Dodge rolled down the passenger window. “Come on, Sierra. We need to be in Port A by noon or my mother will flip.”

His mother? Oh my God. I was going to puke. I was meeting Dodge’s mother! And I was not meeting her in the way I wanted to meet her, though. Dodge wasn’t bringing me home to meet her because I was the woman he loved more than anything in this entire world and he wanted to share that with his mother. No, he was bringing me to meet his mother because I was a client who needed to be prepped for her asshat husband’s stupid lawyers’ endless questions regarding an affair that never happened!

Ugh! This is not happening!

“Hello? Earth to Sierra?”

Shaking my head, I walked toward the truck as Dodge jumped out. Reaching for my bag, I pulled it back. “No. No, this isn’t right. Your father said his car was going to pick me up. He didn’t say anything about you picking me up.”

Dodge gave me that damn melt-my-panties-in-an-instant smile of his. “What’s wrong? You afraid to drive with me, short stack?”

Ugh. Dodge had given me that stupid nickname months ago and apparently it was going to stick.

I was about to answer when I heard a puppy bark and a little fur ball jumped up and looked out the window. Gasping, I pushed my bag and the two dresses into Dodge’s chest and made a beeline to the puppy.

“Oh my goodness! Look at her! She’s gotten so big!”

Dodge opened the back door to his truck and set my bag down. My heart melted when he hung up my two dresses. Most guys would have just tossed the dresses into the back seat.

“Wait. You’ve seen Princess before?” Dodge asked as he reached in and grabbed the puppy and put her in my arms as I sat down in the truck. Shutting the door, Dodge leaned in and my stomach dropped with how he was looking at the puppy. Why couldn’t he look at me like that? Looking forward, I snarled my lip. Did I really just think that? Good lord, I didn’t need to be near this man for the next three hours.

“Of course I’ve seen her before. Kacey was trying to get me to take her for a few weeks before I suggested you maybe wanting a dog.”

Dodge placed his finger on my chin and turned me to face him. His eyes met mine and I wanted to let out a moan. “What makes you think I needed a dog, Sierra?”

Smiling, I said, “Oh, Dodge. Don’t get all sweet and lovey on me. I only suggested it because I thought it would make your life a living hell.”

Dodge fought to hold his smile back, but I saw it in his eyes. “Thanks for that.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I said, “That’s what friends are for. Right?”

The light from Dodge’s eyes faded some. “Right.”

Shit. This was going to be a long drive.