“They’re exceedingly cautious around her because she dissolves into tantrums or tears often and at random. They have no idea what will set her off so they’re careful with everything,” Dade continued sharing, and he looked at me. “She was not like this prior to us being married or, at least, not that I knew.”

“Let me guess,” Brock put in and Dade’s eyes moved back to him. “It happened, what? An hour after she signed the marriage certificate?”

“Upon return from our honeymoon,” Dade corrected.

“Terrific. At least you got the honeymoon,” Brock returned and Dade’s eyes widened.

“No,” he said quietly.

“Uh… yeah,” Brock replied.

“My Lord,” Dade whispered.

“So you’re divorcin’ her ass?” Brock asked.

“Indeed,” Dade answered.

“Shit, fuck, fuck,” Brock muttered harshly to the floor.

I would guess there were several reasons for Brock cursing at the floor. One of them would be that, without Dade, Olivia would be on her own again to drain him dry financially. The other was that she would have the time to put more effort into making him miserable.

Damn.

Dade looked at him. Then he looked at me.

He looked back to Brock and said softly, “Whatever move you’re going to make”—Brock’s head came up and his eyes locked with Dade’s—“make it soon. I will delay for a few weeks so the boys will have some stability, a roof over their heads, familiar things around them. But only a few weeks, Lucas. I cannot take much more.”

I felt my heart beating hard and I felt Brock’s body still beside mine.

“And,” he went on, studying Brock closely, “if it comes to that, I will do what I can to help you.” He paused. “For Joey and Rex.”

Wow.

Whatever they said about a woman scorned, when a man was… whoa.

When Brock said not a word and continued staring at Dade, I waded in.

“Dade, that… that’s very kind. Very kind. The boys may never understand but if they did, they’d appreciate it and, um…”—my head jerked to Brock and I finished—“we do too.”

Dade nodded, then said quietly, “This gives you only weeks to make that heart-to-heart cake, Tess.”

“I miss the deadline, I’ll bring a full one by your house and leave it on the doorstep,” I offered.

“My dear,” he replied, moving toward us and stopping in front of me, “ring the bell anytime.” He turned his head and his eyes went up to Brock before he said softly, “I started with a good one. Lucky for you that you’re ending with one.”

Wow. That was sweet.

He nodded to me and muttered, “Pleasure, Tess. Thank you for the coffee. I’ll let myself out.”

He waited for my smile, skirted us, and let himself out.

I turned to Brock.