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Snow sidles up to me and I side eye her. “What do you want?”
She hooks her thumb over her shoulder. “I saw that little exchange. You okay? You look like shit when you’re stressed.”
“Thanks,” I deadpan.
“What? Would you prefer I lie to you?”
I sigh. “Not now, Snow; I’m not in the mood. So, unless you need something, leave me alone.”
“Nah, I’m good; was just seeing if you were,” she says with a shrug.
“I’m fine.”
She arches a brow. “You’re not, but whatever. You don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want to. I probably wouldn’t have anything constructive to say, anyway.” With that, she strides away, leaving me to my brewing headache.
* * *
By the timelunch rolls around I’m dying to get some fresh air and some much needed space. I grab my purse and walk the few blocks to Main Street. I arrive at Perky’s Books & Brews on the tail end of the lunch rush so there’s only a couple of people ahead of me as I line up to order.
While I’m waiting, I browse this week’sHe’s a ten, but…display. I’ve read a few of them already and pick up the first new-to-me title I see. The Post-it on this one says,He’s a ten, but… He’s her son’s best friend and it’s not what you think. I scan the blurb and it sounds like a good read, so I pick up a copy to buy then return the labeled one to the top of the stack.
Turning back to the counter my jaw hardens. Maggie stands in front of me, a self-righteous smile on her annoyingly pretty face.
“Belle, hey! I was hoping I’d see you soon,” she says.
I stare at her; she’s rocking a new look. Her hair is lighter, and her outfit is on point. If I didn’t hate her, I’d probably like it. I deliberately keep my face expressionless as I ask, “And why is that?”
“Can we sit? I need to talk to you.”
Umm, no.“Yeah, no. I don’t have a lot of time.”
She places a hand on my forearm. “It won’t take long.”
I scowl and step away from her touch, but then my guardian angel Perky, calls out, “You’re up Belle; what’ll it be, sweetie?”
I shoot Miss Perky an appreciative chin lift, then excuse myself from Maggie’s conniving ass even as she smiles pleadingly at me. It’s fake as shit because Maggie is fake as shit. “I really don’t have the time right now. Maybe another day.”
Or maybe never.
“Okay, it’s just, with Valentine and I getting back together, I really wanted to clear the air between us,” she says.
And my stomach drops. I pivot to face her. “Excuse me?”
Maggie frowns. “Oh, he didn’t tell you?”
“That would be a negative, Maggie. Seeing as how Val doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
Her smile turns malicious. “You poor love, you’re misinformed. Sounds like you and Valentine aren’t as close as you think.”
Folding my arms and tucking my book against my side I glare at her. “Then maybe you should enlighten me.”
“We’re going out tomorrow. That’s not exactly the behavior of someone who doesn’t want anything to do with me. Wouldn’t you say?”
This chick. She’s starting to make me stabby. “Look Maggie, Val’s too nice to say it, so allow me to do it for him. Stay. The. Fuck. Away.” I take a step closer to her with each pointed word. When I’m mere inches from her, I lower my chin and stare her down.
The corner of her mouth kicks up in a smirk. An actual freaking smirk. Violence thrums in my veins. If it wasn’t for my impeccable nails, I’d punch her in her smug face. She hurt Val so badly when she offered up her ultimatum. What kind of person does that? And now she thinks she can just waltz back into his life.
Over my dead body.
