When Brett asked me out three years ago, I couldn’t believe it. He was the town’s golden boy, the son of our mayor, and he was interested inme? I should have known the entire thing was doomed from the start.
Men like Brett don’t end up with girls like me.
My mom was born in a nearby trailer park and had me and my brother with a biker gang enforcer. A criminal.
My father never came to any of my recitals or graduations. His idea of quality time was bringing Maxton and me to the annual rally hosted at a nearby campsite by their gang, and leaving us in the care of strange women who smelled like cigarette smoke and bad decisions. The morning after, he’d drop us off at school in dirty, dusty clothes, and the looks I got made me pray the earth would just open up and swallow me whole.
I never felt like I belonged in this town. Growing up, I thought if I just tried hard enough, I could change that. If I got straight As, if I was never late for anything, if I was always flawlessly nice, maybe then the townspeople would see me as more than just white trash.
Brett choosing me felt like the universe had finally granted me my wish. It was so tempting to believe we could have a future together that I let myself be sucked into a fantasy.
The night I walked in on Brett cheating on me, I cried myself to sleep, and when I woke up in the morning, eyes puffy and chest aching, I decided I was done.
Done trusting people. Done putting myself last. Done with this town.
I wouldneverbe accepted here.
In a perfect world, I’d go no contact with my ex, but I can’t do that while I’m still in Darkwater Hollow for a long list of reasons. The most important one being—
“Hey, B. Mel said the Sam Adams keg ran out at the end of her shift last night. Might wanna get a new one in before the lunchtime rush.”
Brett comes around the bar, his leather boots appearing in my periphery. I shoot him a glance from where I’m squatting on the floor. Yes, my cheating ex is also my boss. The owner of Frostbite Tavern. Trying to find another job in Darkwater Hollow is hopeless. There are only a handful of other places in town that would hire me, and the only reason they would is if one of their servers died. As far as I know, they’re all in good health.
Which is why my number one priority at the moment is selling my house so that I can get the hell out of this town.
“No problem.” Changing empty kegs is also something Melissa should have done before clocking out for the night, but I’d rather keep my interactions with Brett to a minimum, so I let it slide.
Just when I’m hoping he’ll wander back to his office, he leans against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest, settling in for a conversation I have no interest in having. “Hey, you all right?”
I rub at the dried liquor on the ground. “Fine.”
“You sure? You look tired, B.”
I finish with the spill and stand up. “I’m good.”
He rubs his palm over his cleanly shaved jaw. The concern in his expression is so convincing, I almost believe it.
“I worry about you.” He points at my face. “You’ve got bags under your eyes, and you look like you haven’t slept in days. You need to take better care of yourself.”
“I said I’m fine, Brett.”
He raises his palms in the air. “I’m just worried.”
“No need to be.”
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulls out a small flat box. “I got this for you. For your birthday.”
I blink.My birthday?
God, that’s today. I’m twenty-three.
I can’t believe I forgot. Somewhere between grieving my mom, gluing my heart back together, and now trying to sell the house, it slipped my mind.
Brett gives the box a shake. “Take it.”
He’s going to keep me here until I do.
I grab it from him and pop open the lid.
