Page 147 of The Lumberjack and the City Slicker

Charged.

Greyson turns to me slowly.

And the look in his eyes makes my stomach drop all over again.

Anger.

Confusion.

Something darker.

“Explain,” he demands.

Not softly.

Not gently.

Just explain.

I stare at him, heart pounding.

“That’s my ex. Geoffrey. He just showed up,” I say, still shaking. “I didn’t know he was coming.”

“He was grabbing you,” Greyson snaps. “You let him grab you.”

“I did not let him—” My voice cracks. “He grabbed me and I shoved him off!”

Greyson drags a hand through his hair, pacing once like he’s trying to keep himself from exploding.

“I see you on the porch with him,” he says tightly. “He’s close. You’re not pushing him away fast enough.”

“Are you serious right now?” I whisper.

“You didn’t tell me he’d show up.”

“I didn’t know he would!”

My hands are trembling now.

Not from Geoffrey.

From this.

From the accusation hanging in the air.

“What did he want?”

“He wants me back,” I say, swallowing hard. “He thinks I’m throwing a tantrum. He thinks I’ll just come home because he snapped his fingers.”

Greyson’s jaw clenches.

“And?”

“And what?” I fire back. “You think I was considering it?”

He doesn’t answer immediately.

And that silence hurts more than the punch he threw.