I didn’t want to push her right now in order to settle our future or dredge up more pain from the past.She looked so wiped out.The last thing I wanted to do was add to her pain.If I said anything, she’d dish out something hurtful to protect herself.
Instead, I squeezed her hand and let go.Someone behind me put a hand on my shoulder.
I was surprised to see my mom.She took Erika’s hand that I’d just relinquished.“You’re holding up great, hon.I’m sorry they’re gone.You let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you.”She leaned in and whispered, making sure I overheard, “You let me know if either of my sons act like horse patooties.I’ll box their ears and make them apologize.”
Erika broke into a genuine smile.“I might hold you to that.”
Mom hooked her arm in mine and tugged me away.“You best leave her be today.Listen, I’m going to grab one of Marty’s brownies and run.Hate doing it, but I’ve got to set up for the supper at the church.”She went on tiptoe to kiss me on the cheek.“Behave yourself.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
A couple whose names I couldn’t recall converged on me the moment she left.They launched into a discussion of their chihuahua who regularly puked up things they hadn’t known had gone missing.I gave them a work smile and nodded.In the back of my mind, I prepared myself for the future surgical removal of at least one of those items.
Across the room, Drew, polished in a sharp suit, slid a hand along the small of Erika’s back as he leaned in to talk to her.She laughed, soft and easy, and he caught her hand, lifting it to his lips before brushing it with a kiss.
Something twisted hard in my chest, snapping tight like a wire pulled past its limit.Heat crawled under my skin—slow, dangerous, and possessive.
“Stand down.Too many witnesses here to kill him outright.”Dante forced me to accept a Solo cup of red punch.He ordered, “Drink.I spiked it.”
I hadn’t even realized the chihuahua people had moved away.
I sipped.Hawaiian punch had nothing on the sweet fruity concoction that frequented events like this around town.The added vodka scorched the back of my throat and made me cough.
“We should spike the big bowl too.Might make this crowd more interesting.”Dante sipped from his cup.
“How are you a sheriff’s deputy?”I toasted the plastic cup his way.
Dante winked at me and took another sip.
“Hey, baby.”A woman linked her arm with mine.A glance down found Milly in a black sweater dress.“Oh, hey, Dante.”She granted Dante a saccharine smile that had nothing to do with pleasure at seeing him.“Is Tonya here, or is she at the Walmart?”
“She had to work today.Too many out sick,” Dante said.
“Never a day off for management, right?”I asked.
Milly hung off my arm, grinning up at me in a way that made me sweat and want to run.
“Always interesting to see you, Milly.I…uh…I see someone I’m going to go talk to.”Dante emptied his spiked punch in one gulp, tossed the cup in the trash, and ditched me.Some wing man he was.
“Nice speech.Are you doing okay?”Milly asked.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.You look stressed or something.”
“I wonder why I’m stressed.”It came out sarcastic.I just buried my mentor and his wife.And I’m watching Drew make a move on Erika.
A part of me knew I should be kinder, but I was running hot right now.Now wasn’t the moment for another speech from her on how terrible Erika had been to me in the past.
“She’s leaving.It’s good for all of us.”Milly stared at Erika.
“In what way is it good?Vinny gets pulled out of everything he knows.I’ll lose the best player on the baseball team.I’ll have no one to help me handle the overload of patients and overnight emergencies.What you mean is her leaving is good foryou.”
Milly’s eyes bugged out and filled with tears.She visibly folded into herself.
I’d hit hard, fully expecting her to give me an Erika-style comeback.Erika would’ve gotten in my face and sniped right back at me about being a selfish jackass.I was gunning for a fight because…
Damn it.Drew was still holding her hand.I was going to hit or break something, and I didn’t even understand why.
