Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Ramsay had the audacity to give me a wounded look before turning toward the door and saying over his shoulder, “I’m not doing this.”
“You’re a coward!” I called after him. “When it matters the most, you’re a coward!”
Taran’s front door slammed shut so hard behind him, the walls shook.
34. Tierney
The beautiful thing about small-town living was that everyone rallied around each other during difficult times. The entire community had my back and were looking out for me as another week passed in my recovery.
That didn’t mean they weren’t gossiping among themselves now that it was public knowledge my affair with Ramsay was over.
The not-so-beautiful thing about small-town living was that everyone was in everyone else’s business.
It was interesting to me from a human perspective that no one gave me pitying looks when I returned wounded from being stabbed on Main Street by an “assassin for hire.” No, they’d looked at me like I’d survived a war.
But getting dumped by a guy … that got me pitying looks.
And wasn’t that fucked up?
I was pissed.
I was pissed at Halston Cole and Shawn Prescott.
At Leth Sholas for not treating me like the walking wounded over my actual physical wound but over a guy breaking up with me.
At Ramsay for lying. For his mixed signals.
At myself for getting involved with him when I knew it was going to hurt in the end.
I hadn’t realized how bad it was going to feel. It was worse than the knife wound—that I could take a million times over this bullshit.
Mostly I was angry that I could feel this way about someone I didn’t know very well. He hadn’t really shown himself to me, so how could I … how could it feel like he’d broken my heart?
I’d have to be in love with him for that to be true.
How could you love someone who only showed half of himself to you?
In desperate need to feel anything but this low, simmering seething, I’d jumped on the chance at a girls’ night. I could now walk without getting exhausted and my wound only hurt if I jerked my body a certain way. Cammie invited Taran and me to the Lantern, promising Quinn and Ramsay wouldn’t be there because a folk band was playing and it wasn’t their thing.
It was the first time being out in the village that I didn’t feel like everyone treated me to pitying, sympathetic looks. Our neighbors raised their pints when we walked in, and a group of fishermen very kindly gave up their table so I could sit.
We bought them a round as a thank-you and ordered a round of ale for ourselves.
It was a nice night. I’d told Cammie about Greig and had teased her about the attractive young decorator ever since, which was fun. Moreover, since I’d moved in, we’d both noticed a change in Taran. Having me there really did seem to help pull her out of the black hole of grief. Now she joked more with us and even opened up a little about her mom and her failed engagement.
The folk band was made up of three women and a man—a female vocalist, two fiddle players, and a bass violinist. They played a few songs, then took a break so the pubgoers could enjoy socializing among themselves. Then the band would play another few songs and break and so on and so forth.
It was a nice night.
For about an hour.
Then Ramsay and Quinn walked in.
“Oh shit,” Cammie muttered under her breath. “Ladies, I’m so sorry.”
Taran glanced over first, her expression tightening as she and Quinn locked eyes for a moment before she turned away.
I was afraid to look at Ramsay.
But I … I couldn’t help myself.
He didn’t even look my way. He found a space with Quinn to squeeze in at the bar.
They didn’t come over, if only to say hello to Cammie.
“Arseholes,” Cammie huffed. “Big man babies.”
“I might go.” Taran shifted, reaching for her purse.
Cammie covered her hand to stop her. “Please don’t. You … I say this with the utmost kindness and understanding … eventually, you have to coexist with him.”
They shared a long, loaded look.
Finally, Taran nodded, and the tension drained from Cammie.
Not from me.
“I’m not leaving,” I said at their questioning stares. “I was here first.”
Cammie smirked, but the band began playing again before we could speak.
Still, I felt everyone watching us. Waiting to see if any drama would unfold. I tried to focus on the band, but I could see Ramsay out of the corner of my eye turning to watch them too.
Unfortunately, I noticed the lead singer, an attractive, very tall, very voluptuous redhead closer to Ramsay in age, staring in his direction as she sang. When her lips turned into an inviting smile, I stiffened, following her line of sight.
Sure enough, she and Ramsay were locked in a staring contest.