Page 65 of More Than Anything

Avery spent ten minutes telling Rodney everything he knew about the situation, the company, his brother, Shannon, and the fact that his mother knew nothing. Lydia had already told her parents about Jason, and he explained that detail to Rodney too. “Boy, this is a mess,” Rodney said, shaking his head.

“Not really. I have nothing to do with any of that anymore, and once I get rid of her, that’s it.” He stood and extended a hand to Rodney, and Lydia’s father stood and shook it. “I need to get on this, but please, ask her to call me. I love your daughter, Rodney. I’d never do anything to hurt her.”

“I know, son. I know,” Rodney said and patted Avery’s shoulder. “I can’t imagine you would.”

“Thanks. I’m headed to Frank’s office. Talk to you soon, I hope.”

“Yep. Be careful,” Rodney called after Avery as the younger man pounded up the hallway and back out to his truck.

He had to get himself a divorce, and quick. He wanted nothing to do with that redhead. She’d caused him enough trouble in his life. Another minute more of her was the last thing on earth he’d willingly endure.

* * *

Frank started workingon everything the minute Avery walked in the door and told him what was going on. He confirmed in minutes that the divorce papers Avery had signed had never been filed, and Shannon had married Ben knowing full well she was still legally married to Avery. A couple of phone calls later, Frank assured Avery that Shannon was going to be prosecuted for bigamy by the state of Tennessee, but first, she’d have to be arrested and extradited.

Shannon’s Lexus was gone when Avery got back, and he took the stairs two at a time to see if her things were still in the closet. No?thankfully, they were gone. From there he headed straight to the front pasture, grabbed Dixie and saddled her, and tore out at a full gallop across the pastures to the area where Jason was working. Jason looked up and waved as he neared. Dixie had barely come to a stop when Avery dismounted and marched up to Jason. “Did you know Shannon was at the house?”

Jason’s jaw dropped. “Are you shitting me?”

“Nope. Confronted Lydia and sent her packing. I went to her parents’ house and tried to talk to her, but she won’t talk to me, so I talked to her dad. Then I went by to see my attorney.”

“To get rid of her? Have her arrested,” Jason said.

“No. To divorce her.”

“What?” Jason yelled. “What do you mean, divorce her? You’re divorced!”

“Seems we’re not?legally.” He told Jason the whole story and his friend’s jaw just kept dropping until it was almost on the ground. “So the state’s going to charge her with bigamy once she’s been arrested and extradited. I don’t know what her fucking game is, but…”

“Get Ben’s money and when it was gone, come back after yours,” Jason said, his brow dropping and eyes glowing with rage. “Of all the dirty, filthy, no-count, low down, back-stabbing, fucked-up deals, this takes the cake. Man, I’d beat the shit out of that bitch and throw her ass out in the yard.”

“You have no idea how tempted I am, but I’d wind up in jail and I don’t need that. I just don’t understand how she found me.”

“I’m probably to blame for that,” Jason said, his cheeks reddening. “I bet she followed me. She probably guessed that I’d come to see you.”

“Yeah. You’re probably right. But don’t feel bad about it. How could you have known anything like this would happen? You couldn’t.” His phone rang and he looked at the screen. “Oh, shit, it’s Lydia.” He turned away from Jason and answered softly, “Hey, babe.”

“Avery?” He knew she’d been crying; she was hoarse and still sniffling. “Avery, I don’t understand. Daddy just called and talked to me, but I really don’t understand.”

“I don’t either, precious, not completely, but you need to know that I didn’t know anything about this. I never had any reason to believe the divorce wasn’t final, no reason at all. Neither did my brother. I think he’s feeling kinda nuts right now too. FrankMartin is working on a divorce decree as we speak. If they can find the original papers and I can sign them, they’ll be filed and it’ll be as good as done. May take awhile, but it’ll happen. But I swear to you, Lydia, I knew nothing about this. I wouldn’t hurt you like this.”

The sobbing on the other end of the phone broke his heart. “I couldn’t believe you’d do something like that to me. I’ve always been honest with you, and I thought you’d always been honest with me. Oh, Avery, please, don’t lie to me!” she cried, and he felt tears welling in his own eyes.

“I’m not lying to you, baby. I’ve been standing here talking to Jason about it, and he’s as blown away as I am. He knows what I went through when she kicked me out, and he said he can’t believe she’d pull something like this. But I signed the papers in front of her and left them for her to file, and apparently she decided she’d just hang onto them, take Ben’s money, and then come after mine if his ran out or he kicked her out. And his ran out. So she’s back for mine.”

“Is she still there?”

“No. Her car’s gone and so is her stuff, so I just saddled Dixie and came straight out here into the pasture with Jason. Frank says Tennessee will prosecute her for bigamy, but they’ve got to arrest her and extradite her first. That’ll take a good while to get the paperwork all sorted out. Until the state can take her away, I don’t know what to do.”

Lydia started to cry again. “She told me to get my stuff out of the house because she was moving back in with her…husband!” she cried, and Avery wanted to die, but more than that, he wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. “Avery, please, do something!”

“I’m trying to figure out what to do.” The only thing he really could do was to try to find her and appeal to any sense of decency she might possibly have, though it was unlikely she had any. It could be days before the paperwork came through for the sheriff to arrest her, and he couldn’t wait that long. He wanted her gone, and yesterday was too soon. “I’ll talk to you when you come in later. I’ve gotta go.” He leaped onto Dixie’s back and pounded the dirt toward the house so he could once again head toward town.

Driving back and forth in the little place, he spotted her Lexus in the parking lot of the diner.Oh, no, his brain groaned.

Inside, just as he’d feared, she was holding court, telling stories about the two of them when they were married. Well, when they were originally married. Avery was so confused that he wasn’t sure how to explain it all to anyone, even to himself. He stepped up right behind her and all the women gathered around her looked up at him and smiled. As soon as they did, Shannon wheeled on her stool at the counter. “Hey, baby!”

“I need to have a word with you out front.”

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