Page 27 of Highlands Homecoming

“I mean, I slammed it shut.”

Sandy studied his son’s face. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Colin sat beside his father and began to talk.

Melissa tidiedthe living room as she glanced at the antique clock on the wall. It was almost eleven a.m. It had been a few hours since Colin had texted her with a mysterious text:I have news. She had no patience whatsoever, and wondering about his news was making Melissa completely stir-crazy. She’d already scrubbed the kitchen, re-organized the pantry, and put all the books away in the library. She needed to keep busy to keep from bursting at the seams.What could it be? News about the divorce settlement? News about the inn? Something about his father? Could he be sick? Could it be bad news? Bad news?!That hadn’t even occurred to her.

A small gray car turned into her driveway. Her heart raced.Could Colin have decided on an impromptu holiday? What a wonderful surprise!She looked in the mirror and saw that her brown hair was relatively tamed—it wasn’t raining—and her blue eyes sparkled. Brimming with joy, Melissa slipped on her boots and walked out to greet her visitor. But when she got within sight of the driver, her stomach twisted in knots. She would recognize that balding, miserable being anywhere. It was Dave.

Melissa just stared as Dave parked the car and got out, looking around in wonder at the spectacular stone home that was hers.Hers, she stressed as she watched him appraising the brass fixtures, the stone fence, and the grounds.

“What are you doing here?” Melissa pressed her lips together and looked at Dave. She couldn’t believe she’d been married to him, let alone for two whole years.

“I had to fly to see this house you’ve been hiding from me. It looks like it’s worth quite a lot,” said Dave smugly.

“It’s mine,” Melissa asserted, her voice laced with determination.

“It’s ours, dear,” he said. His tone carried an undercurrent of malice that made the words all the more chilling. He’d never been abusive before, and Melissa had never seen him this way. She mustered up all her courage and faced him.

“It was a Mackenzie inheritance, and you’re not a Mackenzie.”

“I’m married to one, darling. And as the man of the house, I’m putting it on the market immediately.”

“No, you’re not,” said Melissa bravely, while frantically wondering what she could do. “We’re officially divorced,” she added, as if that would stop this lunatic.

What could she do? Could she sell the house to Colin? Lindsay? Rent it out as an Airbnb?She remembered ruefully that she’d once talked about putting the home in Jingles’ name. As she looked at the fierce determination in Dave’s eyes, she knew she’d have to do something.

“Can I have a tour?”

“No.”

“I’ll call my lawyer,” said Dave with a smirk on his face.

“You do that,” she said. She went inside and slammed the door shut behind her.

Inside, she looked around at her beautiful house. The first thing she’d ever owned all by herself. It was perfect. Spacious, yet cozy. Old-fashioned, yet modern. Full of stone and wood and Mackenzie history. It meant so much to her. There was no way she’d let Dave get control of it or sell it. She’d gone through too much.

Melissa called Lindsay as she watched Dave scout the grounds.

“Dave’s here,” she whispered.

“What?! Where?”

“Walking around outside my house!”

“No!”

“Yes. He wants to sell it. Have you heard from Colin? I can’t reach him. When I call, there's just a recording.”

Lindsay paused. “That’s strange.”

“Maybe he got a new phone?”

“Is Dave still there? What’s he doing?”

Melissa snuck another look out the window. Dave was walking toward the back yard, peering into the well—the beautiful, historic wishing well that held ancient healing waters and legendary powers. The well that had made her own wishes come true. Her blood boiled thinking of him trying to take this place away from her.

“Walking around like he owns the place. He’s so pompous and awful.”