“At this point, there’s nothing else to do. You’ll be a laughingstock if you go ahead with it. You certainly won’t win,” Dirk says matter-of-factly.
Collin’s jaw pulses. “Thanks to you.”
Dirk flicks his gaze to me for a brief second before pinning Collin with a look. “Everything I’ve done has been for you. To help you. To guide you. To advance your career. But then you go and get your heart caught up with some nobody when it matters the most.”
I flinch, and Collin stands.
“Noli is not nobody. She’s the woman I love. She’s my wife, and you’ll give her the respect she deserves if you have any desire of having a relationship with me in the future.”
I reach for his hand. “It’s okay, Collin,” I whisper.
“No, it’s not.” He sinks back down into his chair but doesn’t let go of my fingers. He pierces his dad with another look. “Butseeing as how you sabotaged my campaign, maybe you don’t want anything to do with me, regardless of my relationship status.”
Dirk pushes forward on his desk, hands out wide, a menacing look on his face. “I did what was best for the people. Public safety depends on you being at the top of your game.”
“Pops, you really think I can’t handle doing my job and being in love?” Collin shakes his head. “Give me some credit. People fall in love and continue to be contributing members of society every day.”
Dirk presses his hands together. “I stand by what I did. You would not have been a good fit as sheriff. Not with your head in the clouds.”
“You don’t know a thing about being sheriff. You’ve never been one.”
Dirk’s nostrils flare, but he stays silent.
“Is that what this is really about?” Collin asks. This time, the incredulity is apparent in his voice. “You never got to be county sheriff, and you didn’t want me to achieve something you hadn’t? So you made a last-ditch effort to sabotage me?”
I’m holding my breath, my gaze bouncing between Collin and his dad. I catch Bev’s eye, and it looks like she’s trying hard not to cry.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve tried to help you this whole time.”
“Until now. Until I stopped doing things on your terms.” Collin shakes his head, like he’s seeing his father clearly for the first time. “It’s like you only wanted me to be sheriff if you were the puppet master pulling the strings. The second you lost control, you turned on me.”
Dirk leans back and re-crosses his arms. “I did what was best.”
“Yeah, for yourself.” Collin’s tone is hard as ore. He stands up and turns to me. “Ready to go, Noli?”
He does not have to ask me twice, but I hesitate when I glance over at Bev.
Collin must be thinking the same thing. “Mom, you’re welcome in my home any time. Dad, you are not.”
He grabs my hand then and walks with me toward the front door.
“Son, don’t throw your life away on a woman like this.”
Collin grips my hand tighter and keeps walking.
“Bow out of this election. You can regroup in the next couple of years, find a real wife, and go at it again. It’ll be better that way.”
Collin doesn’t look back. He wrenches open the door to the office and pulls me toward the front door.
I swear I hear him mumble, “I don’t want a real wife unless it’s Noli.”
39
Defend Yourself
Collin
Inever understood the monikersteam coming out of one’s earsuntil this very minute. I’m pretty sure my ears are chimneys right now. All that’s missing is Santa and a couple stockings hung by the fire with care.
