Page 13 of Winning His Wager

He’d just asked that of the daughter who habitually wore Wonkus McBubbles and Prince Rufus tennis shoes. And T-shirts. Proudly. Who had been running around with Quade Davis for at least the last two weeks. Everyone knew Dylan was dating that dork. Everyone.

Dylan smacked a hand over her face. “My burdens are so heavy. Go away, Dad. Just go away. I don’t want to deal with you right now.”

“I have had enough of your nonsense. This little rebellion of yours is causing more problems for your family than you are solving.”

Dylan’s cheeks were turning red. But it was the glassy hurt in her face that Fletcher couldn’t miss. There was no way in hell his own father would have pulled that kind of manipulative BS. No way.

Fletcher crossed his arms over his chest before he reeducated Arthur Talley on how a father should act. The hard way. Hell, he wasn’t stupid—Dylan would do anything for her family. And her father was using that against her. Guilt-tripping completely. Asshole.

No wonder she’d run right to Fletcher’s house, the first chance she had. He wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t have done the exact same thing.

Fletcher was herescape.

Now her reaction to that stupid bet was making more sense.

She’d used him to get away. Her declared mortal enemy forever was a better bet than her own father, her own family, right now.

Damn it. Now he got it.

“This isn’t a little rebellion. This is me getting on with the rest of my life. Or at least figuring out what I want next. Now, go. Or, so help me, I’m going to start swinging from the light fixtures in the inn lobby with Quade Davis. Tonight. We might even be naked while we do it. Andyoucan’t tell me to stop.” She looked at Fletcher. She shrugged, but he could see the embarrassment. “I do apologize for the baboon masquerading as a father standing in your kitchen. I would say it won’t happen again, but who knows? He’s a bit much. So how would I know? Don’t hold him against me, okay? I can have a jackass for a father and still darn your socks and wash your undies just fine.”

She turned back to the other men. “Ben, sweetie, do not hold him against Dusty, either, okay? Go away, Dad. Now…I am going to settle into my new room down the hall. Before I have to be back at the inn to work there too. See, Dad? I am learning how to be arealTalley too. I haven’tabandonedthe inn and diner. I didn’t even leave Dorie on the doorstep with a note saying I don’t want her any longer or anything like that. Do you know how much restraintthattook?”

Ben coughed. Fletcher smirked. That was a good one.

“Damn it!” Talley yelled, moving toward her again. Ben and Fletcher both stepped in front of him.

“What? What did I say that was so wrong? I didn’t leave the baby on the inn doorstep, Daddy.Ileft her inside! You should take lessons!” Dylan shot her father a grin—one very much like Dusty’s most wicked. “Or possibly notes? Now, goodbye, dear Father, goodbye. I will deal with youlater.”

“There has never been a more infuriating kid on the planet!”

“Well, see, there is something else we are going to have to disagree on. I am the most infuriatingwomanon the planet. Despite what Fletcher thinks, I am awoman.That means I get to make my own decisions now. You are going to have to cut the strings sometime. This dependency you have on me is so unhealthy—for both of us. It’s notyou.It’s me. Well, actually, it is you. Leave me the hell alone, now. Thank you. I love you. Have a good day. Go home and eat your prunes.”

Just like that, she took off down the hallway, talking to herself about jackass fathers. And blessing his heart since he just didn’t seem to know any better. That she should have raised him better than that and everything.

Talley turned back to him. “You do one thing to my daughter, put your filthy hands on her,anything,and I will rip you apart.”

Well, he hadn’t considered putting his hands on Dylan before—except possibly to chuck her out the window—but the man in front of him had himalmostwanting to do just that. Put his hands on Dylan and see what happened.

“Like to see you try it, old man.” Fletcher wasn’t as practiced at martial arts as his brother Ben, but he could take care of himself just fine. Especially with this asshole twice his age. “She’s a full-grown woman. Why don’t you try respecting her right to make her own decisions?”

And quit putting that hurt look in her eyes.

Dylan had deserved so much better than this.

7

Dylan gotdown to business as soon as her father went on his merry little way. Time to take stock of Fletcher’s habitat.

Fletcher’s house smelled likeman. But in a good way, she decided as she settled at the kitchen island. She had to come up with aplan. She could see the man in question out the window now, but…

Dylan looked a little closer. Was her grouchy old bossman limping? He was favoring his left leg, but she couldn’t see why. She immediately fought a rush of concern. She had tokeephim in optimum condition, or this gig wouldn’t last long enough for her to win.

He disappeared into the barn and then was gone. She watched for him a few more minutes—but whatever he was doing in that tiny shed in the back was apparently taking a while. And, well…

Dylan had things to do.

The kitchen needed seriously rearranged for maximum efficiency. She needed to find all his cleaning supplies—she was seriously hoping his stuff wasn’tvintageor anything—and just take stock of everything a four-thousand-square-foot sprawling ranch house needed—it was single-story except for the super-scary attic and basement where the Yeti probably lived; she’dheardsomething skittering down there. Skittering. It had sounded man-sized, but since she’d seen Fletcher walking to the barn at the time…