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“What,” Piper says, clutching a steak knife in her right hand, “thehellare you doing here?”
The two boys grow wide-eyed, exchange a glance, and look at their mother again.
“Piper,” Georgia says, finally snapping out of her stupor. “Sebastian lives here. He’s probably just here for dinner. Same as us.”
Piper rounds on her sister. “Heliveshere?” she whisper-shouts. “And you didn’t think to mention this? After what hedid?”
Sebastian stiffens. “WhatIdid?”
“Oh, don’t start,” Piper says, brandishing the steak knife to point in his direction. “Donotstart, mister.”
“Piper,” Georgia grates through clenched teeth, putting a hand on her sister’s arm, “it’s okay.”
“It is most certainlynotokay,” Piper says, spots of red appearing on her cheeks. She stares at her sister while still pointing the knife toward Sebastian. “He tried to do exactly what Jacob did to me. He saw your intelligence, your drive, your brilliance, and he tried to lock you down so you’d never do anything with it. He ignoredeverythingyou were and tried to steamroll you into being nothing more than an accessory to his life. And now for some sick reason, he chooses the same town as you to live in? Are you fucking kidding me?”
The boys don’t even giggle at her swear word. They just stare at the adults with wide eyes, knowing something serious is happening.
And that’s when I look at Sebastian, and I know. I justknow, based on the pallor of his skin and the way his eyes bug… He has no idea what Piper is talking about.
Turning to Georgia, he rubs his stubble-lined jaw. “That’swhy you said no when I asked you to marry me? You thought I was trying to hold you back?” His voice sounds pained.
Wait. Hold up. Sebastianproposedto Georgia? When? How?
Georgia’s back is ramrod straight. She lifts her chin, meets Sebastian’s gaze. “We were eighteen, Sebastian. We were just kids. I wanted more from my life than being barefoot and pregnant in your kitchen. You cared more about your family’s land than you ever did about me.”
Sebastian’s face is impassive, his eyes shuttered. “I see.” He jerks his head in a sharp nod. “Well, goodnight.”
Grabbing a bag of food on the way out, he exits the restaurant.
Piper huffs. “Good riddance.”
Georgia grimaces. She glances at Des. “Sorry about that.”
The big man just shrugs. “You okay?”
“Fine,” Georgia answers, digging into her food. “I’m perfectly fine.”
Des holds her gaze for a moment, nods, then excuses himself. He orders his own takeout and disappears while we finally turn to our waiting plates.
Dinner continues, but the mood never really lifts. When we say our goodbyes, I wrap my arms around Georgia and squeeze. She holds on for a long moment, then takes a bracing breath, smiles, and drives away.
A leather-clad arm slides around my shoulders, pulling me into Mac’s chest. “Is she okay?”
I shrug, inhaling the scent of the man I love. “I’m not sure. I hope she doesn’t try to pull away from us now. I really like her.”
Mac lays a gentle kiss on my lips. “Nothing you can do about it tonight,” he reminds me. Then he takes me home and reminds me of a million reasons why I fell in love with him in the first place.
14
GEORGIA
The dayafter the confrontation over tacos, I’m called for an emergency meeting at the library above Four Cups. I tell my sister I’m going to meet my friends and invite her along, but she just shakes her head. I think she felt oddly betrayed that I didn’t tell her about Sebastian. Instead of joining me, she decides to go spend some time in the gallery space.
I slip through the red door beside Four Cups and walk up the creaking stairs to the second floor. Once upstairs, I’m faced with an irate crowd of ladies who demand to know why I’ve been holding out on them.
I’m kidding—mostly. Simone, Fiona, and Trina are with me up here while Jen and Candice run the café downstairs.
The ladies sit me down on an old sofa and pour me a coffee with a generous dash of bourbon in it, then huddle around me and wait for me to speak. They’re not angry at all; they’re concerned.
