Read A Match Made in Texas for Free Online Page B

leaned up and ran a hand through his hair. “What’s best for Emmie is getting to spend time with her father.”
    “Not when her father has a bad temper and a tendency for brutality.”
    Right about then, Heather was right. Dusty wanted to jump up and ram his fist through the wall. But that was exactly what she wanted. She had manipulated a display of temper out of him in court and gotten full custody of their only daughter, but he’d be damned if she’d continue to manipulate him. No matter how hard it was, he sat back in his chair and tried to remain calm.
    “I won’t stop calling or showing up for my visitations,” he stated. “I don’t care if your fancy lawyers get a restraining order. I won’t have Emmie thinking that I deserted her.”
    There was a long, exasperated sigh. “Fine. But don’t call her at bedtime. You can call her in the morning when she has all day to forget about the lies you tell her.”
    Dusty’s hand tightened on the phone. “I’ve never lied to Emmie. Or you for that matter.”
    “Ha! What would you call promising to love and honor? You never loved me a day in your life, Dustin Hicks. You just seduced me to get your hands on my daddy’s money.”
    Dusty could’ve argued the point, but what was the use? Heather’s father had brainwashed her, and nothing Dusty could say would change that. He had given up fighting for his marriage, but he would never give up fighting for his daughter.
    “So it’s still morning,” he said. “Put Emmie on.”
    There was a long pause followed by the sound of heels clicking against marble flooring. “Emma James! Your daddy’s on the phone.”
    A shriek echoed through the receiver, filling his heart with joy and, at the same time, making it feel as empty as a crushed aluminum can.
    “Hey, Pa!” Emmie yelled so loudly that Dusty had to pull the phone away from his ear.
    He grinned at the name Em had started calling him after watching an episode of Andy Griffith on some pay channel. “Well, hey, yourself, Nugget.”
    “Did you catched any crim-aminals today?”
    “Nope. What have you been doing?”
    “I gots to make pea-nutty butty cookies with Elsa.” She lowered her voice, her words muffled against the mouthpiece. “And I don’t like pea-nutty butty cookies.”
    Dusty laughed. “I know that. You threw up all over me the last time I gave you one.”
    “When was that, Pa? I don’t me-member.”
    It took a strong will to keep the raw emotion from his voice. “It was the last time I came to visit. When we went to the Houston zoo.”
    “Oh! I’ve been there with Grampy. I like the flame-minkos the best. Did you know that they can standed on one leg, Pa? Just like this. Can you see me, Pa? I’m a pink flame-minko.” There was a loud thump, followed by Emmie’s cries.
    “Emmie!” Dusty sat up in the chair. “Baby, are you okay? What happened? Where’s your mother?” But Emmie didn’t answer. She just continued to cry until her mother got back on the line.
    “Now do you see what I’m talking about? Can’t you just leave well enough alone?” The line disconnected, and Dusty was left cradling his cell phone, wishing with all his heart that it was his daughter instead.
    But it didn’t take long for his pain to be transformed into anger. He pulled the phone from his ear and scrolled through his contacts until he found the number he wanted.
    Like Heather, his friend Ryker picked up immediately.
    “Hey, Dusty. What’s up?”
    Dusty released the breath that he’d been holding. “I was wondering if you’ve found anything out.”
    “I’m sorry, man, but the last time I followed her, all she did was go talk to her accountant. Are you sure there’s a guy?”
    Dusty wasn’t sure of anything. He was simply grasping at straws. Anything to prove that Heather wasn’t the saintly mother her lawyers had made her out to be. Anything to get his Emmie back.
    His shoulders drooped. “Just let me know if you discover something. I’ll send