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They tried to contact me. Whenever I turned my phone on, the inbox was flooded with calls and texts. Even Toby tried his best to get in touch with me but anger kept me at bay and I refused to look at or listen to any of the messages. After a few days, I kept my phone off completely and relied fully on e-mail to converse with clients.
Sebastian received one other email simply with a request to be put in touch with someone below him. I would honor the contract I signed but wouldn’t deal with him directly.
The days ticked by, and the grey world outside mirrored the dullness in me. No food tasted good, no job felt worthwhile and any time I paused, even just to take a shower, my mind would run, and the tears would fall.
I was in love with three men who had broken my heart the moment I put myself out there.
And to make matters worse? Four days of sickness had Lily bringing around a pregnancy test. It hadn’t crossed my mind given how religiously I took my pill but it seemed fate was cruel.
I was pregnant.
I had sobbed against Lily on the bathroom floor, utterly torn up that somehow, years later, I had found myself in a similar position as my mother with no idea of how to move forward. The later tears were tears of guilt that I had consumed so many bottles of red wine upon returning here to drown my sorrows.
Ever the rock, Lily swore never to leave my side no matter what I decided or how I wanted to handle it—a small blessing in an otherwise cursed life.
A few days later, I finally dragged myself into town for some groceries and was hit face-first by just how beautifully the town was decorated for the festival.
Valentine’s Day was so close that balloons laden with little baskets and chocolates were tied to the front of each storefront with pink ribbons. Lily’s flower displays were absolutely stunning, the town had never been so colorful in February before. Even the town square was covered in floral blossoms, ribbon, and glittering lights, with rosy, pink water pouring from the fountain and soft white pop-up gazebos lining the Square. All ready for the stalls that would form underneath. The town was pouring with love, and I was the Valentine’s Grinch.
Things really couldn’t get worse.
“Well, well, well. I heard you were back in town.”
I stared hard at the box of oat bran in my hand, tightening my other around the basket. Of all the people to run into when shopping, it just had to be Shane, didn’t it? I rolled my eyes slightly and refused to look at him, tossing the box into my basket and turning away.
“Go away, Shane.”
Of course, he decided to ignore that and follow me. Shane fell into step beside me, leaning close enough that the stink of body odor and stale beer clogged my next breath.
“Awwh, did your rich city boyfriends drop you all the way back here in the sticks?” he gloated. “Guess they saw your real worth, huh?”
I walked down the aisle and turned up the next one but still he lingered.
“I knew as soon as I saw them that they wouldn’t stick by you for long. There’s just something about you, Scarlett. You bring out the worst in people because you’re a user, you know that? You don’t think of anyone but yourself.”
“Oh, I’m selfish?” I snorted, trying to keep my focus on the pasta before me. “Guess you better fuck off then.”
“Nah, you’re not getting away with it this time.”
“With what?” It was tough to keep my voice level and my stance calm. Being near Shane after the last interaction with him was a little scary, only there was no one to save me this time. No, they had decided I wasn’t worth anything other than information. They had hurt me more than Shane ever could.
“You owe me an explanation.” His hand landed between me and the pasta, blocking me in with his body. With no other choice but to look at him, I lifted my gaze and met his eyes with a sigh.
“I don’t owe you shit.”
“The fuck you don’t,” Shane sneered. “You fucked off to the city, leaving me without any fucking money and I had no idea where you were. You don’t do that to someone you love.”
“Oh, but cheating on them is okay?” I raised a brow and swallowed hard, unable to even get angry at Shane now. I was far too numb from everything else.
“I explained how that was your fault. If you were a little more generous with the thing between your legs, then maybe we wouldn’t have been in this mess. But you fucked those millionaires, didn’t you?” Shane leaned closer, and I tried to angle away.
“Shane, it’s not?—.”
“I knew it! You’re a cheating whore, and now that they dropped you back here, you think I’ll take you back?”
I couldn’t help myself. I laughed and stepped back even though it meant pressing against those shelves. “Shane, there is no chance in the world that I ever want to get back with you, do you understand? We are over. We were over the minute you stuck your dick in another woman!”
Shane surged forward, catching my wrist in a painful grip and pushing me back against the shelves. Products shuddered as the shelves shook, and a spark of fear lanced through me as I stared him down, heart hammering.
