Page 44 of Need You
Halfway to the kitchen door, he heard raised voices coming from Delaney’s house. He took a detour across the lawn to get a better look. She was on her deck with Robert and they appeared to be having an argument. It didn’t look physical and he mulled over whether to intervene or not. It was clearly a postdivorce thing, probably having to do with their business and the use of her name. Unfortunately, he’d seen domestic arguments turn to violence on a dime, not that he expected it in this case. But for Delaney’s sake, he wanted to break it up. He supposed he could say they were disrupting the peace, even though in reality the only peace they were disrupting was his.
Ah, the hell with it. He couldn’t leave her without backup and continued across the easement.
“Excuse me, is there a problem here?” he asked loud enough to be heard over their dispute.
Delaney froze and turned a dozen shades of red. “Uh . . . no.”
“Hell yes, there’s a problem.” Robert’s face was also red but from anger. Colt thought he was a few seconds away from erupting.
He climbed the deck stairs and put himself between Delaney and her ex. “How about we take it down a notch?”
“How about you mind your own goddamn business?”
“Robert!” Delaney’s eyes widened. “What’s the matter with you?”
“What’s the matter with me? What’s the matter with you? You’ve been ordered by a court of law to stop using the Delaney Scott name, yet you keep using it.”
Delaney started to say something in response, but Colt held up his hand. “I suggest you go through your respective attorneys on this. What you can’t do is stand out here and disturb the neighborhood.”
“Fine.” Robert pushed his way past Colt. “We’ll go inside. No law says we can’t.”
Colt looked at Delaney for guidance. It was up to her. If she wanted to let her ex into her house, there was nothing Colt could do about it. But under the circumstances, he didn’t think it was wise.
“I don’t want you in my house, Robert.”
Good girl.
“I built this goddamn house,” Robert shouted, and tried to force his way in.
“Delaney said no, Robert. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Robert turned and glared at Colt. “Fine. But this is going to cost you, Delaney. Mark my words. You’ll regret it.”
Robert walked off in a huff and that’s when Colt noticed the jacked-up suit he had on. Ankle-length pants—they looked like they had shrunken in the dryer—with a jacket, wingtips, and no socks.
“What’s wrong with him?” Colt asked as Robert peeled off in his Mercedes.
“Besides the fact that he’s from Assholia?”
“No, his clothes. Did he borrow them from a twelve-year-old?”
“Hey, I designed that suit,” she said, obviously peeved by his comment. “I’ll have you know it’s the height of fashion.”
Colt made a face. “If you say so. But if I were you I’d stick to cargo shorts.”
“Oh, be quiet.”
One side of his mouth kicked up and then he turned serious. “I’m sorry he gave you a hard time.”
“He’s a moron. Thanks for stepping in. I was holding my own but I appreciate you having my back. You don’t think any of the neighbors heard, do you?”
“Nah,” he said. “I wouldn’t worry about it. He won’t come back later to harass you, will he?”
“I don’t think so. Before you’d gotten here I’d made my position clear. Without clarification from the court, I’m not doing anything. It would be too big a hit for my new company.” She opened the door. “Come inside and try on your shorts.”
“Okay, but I should get out of my uniform first.” He motioned to his gun, which he needed to lock in his safe.
He crossed over to his house, took a quick shower, and returned to Delaney’s a short time later. She had him come up to her studio and handed him the shorts.
