“This isn’t your fault.”
Nash’s voice filled the darkened space of his SUV as we drove home. I’d tried to keep it together for family dinner. I smiled and laughed when Nash’s siblings and parents teased him about finally making a move. I answered questions and made conversation.
And the truth was, they’d made me feel incredibly welcome in my new role within their ranks. It should’ve been a moment I relished. But instead, worry had gnawed at me the whole time.
“It’s my fault he’s here. That he’s making trouble for you. I should’ve had better radar for this. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
I’d never forgive myself if Nash lost his job because of me.
He reached over, taking my hand and interweaving our fingers. “Whatever we’re facing, we do it together, remember?”
My stomach twisted. Nash didn’t know how deep Adam’s hatred of him ran. Didn’t know how Adam fixated on him.
Nash also didn’t understand the true depths of how manipulative Adam could be. How good he was at bringing people to his side. At using the powers that be to his advantage.
I’d seen him do it before: cast doubt on a competitor’s character, twist things so people wanted to go to his fundraisers and not another charity’s, get dirt on the leaders of those charities and leak it to the press.
I couldn’t let him do that to Nash.
Nash squeezed my hand. “In it together, no matter what comes our way.”
“In it together,” I echoed. But I knew I’d do whatever it took to protect Nash.
The sun shone down on Nash and me as we stood outside The Brew. It was one of those perfect mornings, but my stomach had no fewer knots. In fact, there were more. “What time is your meeting?”
“Not until two.”
I gripped Nash’s hands harder, pulling him toward me. “You’ll text me right after?”
Nash brushed his lips across mine. “As soon as I have news.”
I had to hope the town’s supervisory board would see through the lies. They had to know who Nash was. “Maybe I should come. I can tell them what happened with Adam—”
Nash shook his head. “I don’t want you to do that unless you have to. You gave Lawson your statement.”
But that wasn’t the same as someone hearing it from the victim’s mouth. And Adam was convincing. “You know I’d do anything for you, right?”
Nash’s expression gentled, and he pressed his forehead to mine. “I know. And I’d do the same for you.”
“We’re pretty lucky when you think about it, even with all the ugliness swirling around us. Most people don’t get to find their soul person. And we’ve had ours for almost our entire lives.”
Nash wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Love thinking about it like that.”
“Me, too.”
I didn’t want to let him go, but I knew I had to. I was already a couple of minutes late for my shift. I forced myself to step back. “Call me if you get news on anything.”
Nash nodded. “You do the same. Any texts or sightings, I want to know.”
“I’ll call.” I forced a smile to my lips and turned toward the café. Everything would be okay. It had to be. I wouldn’t let anyone ruin the happiness that Nash and I had found.
The bell over the door jingled as I stepped inside. A handful of customers were scattered around tables. I said hello to the patrons I knew and then stashed my purse in a cabinet before pulling on my apron.
“Morning, Maddie,” Aspen greeted with a wide smile. “How’s Clyde settling in?”
“He’s doing great. He even likes Nash now.”
She chuckled. “I bet it’s all the treats Nash gives him.”
I grinned. “You might be right.” I glanced around the café. “Where do you want me?”
Aspen made a humming noise. “Why don’t you take the register?”
“You got it.” I moved deeper behind the counter. It didn’t take long before I lost myself in the rhythm of taking orders and payments. I chitchatted with regulars and gave tourists advice on places to visit.
As I closed the cash drawer, I looked up to greet the next customer. “Welcome to The Brew. What can I—?”
My words died on my lips as I took in Dale Nixon, my father’s old crony. His familiar scowl twisted his face. The only time I’d seen the man laugh was when he’d seen my father smack my mother or me around. He looked the same as before I left, just older and harder somehow.
I swallowed, trying to clear the dryness in my throat. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of cowering. “What can I get you?”
“You can get me your sniveling tight ass crawling back into whatever hole you came out of.”
The couple behind Dale gave each other a wary look and backed up.
Crap. The last thing I needed was him stirring up drama at my place of work. “I’d be happy to hear your stream of vitriol when I get off work at four. You are welcome to yell at me then. But for now, what can I get you?”
“Vitriol,” he huffed. “You think because you use big words, you’re better than me. But you forget that I know where you come from. You’re lower than dirt. You turned on your own family.”
Something in me snapped. I was so tired of people thinking they could beat me down time and time again and that I would just take it and never fight back.
“I’m pretty sure throwing your twelve-year-old daughter down a flight of cement steps is what qualifies as turning on your family. My skull fractured because of that man. I almost died. If you think I’m going to stand here and take whatever BS you throw at me, you’re dead wrong. He’s garbage, and you defending him just shows that you are, too.”
I hadn’t realized that the entire café had gone quiet around us until someone started clapping. Then another person. And another.
With each customer that joined in, Dale’s face got redder and redder until he was the shade of a tomato. “You deserved it. You’ve never been anything but trouble. You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
He turned on his heel and stormed out of The Brew. I held up a hand in a little wave, and the patrons laughed.
Aspen moved in at my side. “Are you okay?”
I straightened and looked over at her. “You know what? I really am. I feel great.”
Her mouth curved. “Found that spine of steel, I see.”
I grinned. “I guess I did.” And it felt damn good.
