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After talking to Tiffany the other day, he considered her to be intelligent, but that was the poorest move ever. Did she think saying anything about a wedding would calm this guy’s obvious jealous rage? He opened his mouth to speak, but Marcus’s fist landed on his jaw before he could form a word. So much for diffusing the situation. It was all Bastien could do to restrain himself from knocking the aggressor to the floor, but Tiffany was still in no danger and hitting back would constitute a fight that would land him in equal trouble. His mother would have a heyday in court with that.
At least Tiffany had been smart enough to call 911 at the outset. The next hour passed in a blur of police reports, cold compresses, and Tiffany’s deep regret. At least they wouldn’t have to worry about Marcus for the time being, since he would be kept in jail until his bond hearing.
He now missed Charlotte even more and took a stroll along the street, hoping he’d find her, or they’d meet by chance. Unfortunately, her shop was empty. He walked down the street to Cricket’s and took a seat precisely underneath a framed image of a rooster swinging with the words “Fowl Play” beneath it. The irony wasn’t lost on Bastien when he looked up and saw the image.
“What happened to you?” Cricket asked as she came closer. She examined his bruised and slightly swollen jaw. “Wow. It looks like Charlotte put a hurtin’ on you.” She snickered. “I didn’t know she could be so tough.”
He winced and clamped his hand against his aching jaw. “It wasn’t Charlotte.” He massaged the tender area. “Have you seen her?”
“She was in here earlier fighting with the insurance adjuster. They refuse to compensate her because of a lack of photographic evidence. It appears they think she is trying to pull something over on them.”
“But weren’t there photos of the store before the damages?” he asked.
Cricket sat down opposite him. “Apparently, they can’t confirm it was her shop that was damaged,” she said. “She’s been trying to get her friends to make statements.”
“I’d be glad to provide a statement in support,” he offered.
Cricket pushed back in her seat and folded her arms. “Are you two having an argument?”
Cricket’s words jarred him. They weren’t fighting, were they? She hadn’t said a word to him since Tiffany showed up. Maybe he was too presumptuous when he kissed her a second time. He knew he had been too forward the first time, although she told him she liked it.
“I assumed you and she were a couple. She always seems so cheerful in your presence, and your daughter adores Charlotte. She’s a real gem, a once-in-a-lifetime woman, and a force of nature.”
“We’re just friends.” Those words didn’t sit any better with Bastien than the agreement with Tiffany, but they were the truth no matter what else he felt.
“Do you smooch all your buddies?”
He cocked his head. “How did you know that?”
“Small-town gossip is like an emergency alert system and probably more efficient. Dr. Robinson mentioned seeing you on the beach to Agnes Myers, and once it gets to Agnes, it spreads like wildfire.”
“Good to know.”
“Let me give you a word of advice,” Cricket said.
Bastien leaned back and waited.
“If you’re looking for a good woman,” she said, “you won’t find anyone better than Charlotte. She’s the best of the best. But if it’s trouble you’re chasing,”—she looked at his sore jaw—"go back to Sweet on You. Maybe you like coming out of there with a nasty bruise.” She pulled out her pad. “What’ll it be?”
It would appear that Cricket missed nothing in town.
“What do you suggest?”
She smiled. “I’ve got the perfect thing for you. How about my ‘pull your head from your ass’ stew? It’s served with a ‘just say you’re sorry’ salad and a big baboon biscuit.” She wrote it down. “Just friends, my ass. If you can’t see how Charlotte feels about you, you don’t deserve her. Worse, you don’t seem to wanna let yourself see how you feel about her, but I do, and I have since the first time I saw you two together.”
“I don’t believe in a love that lasts forever, let alone love at first sight. Charlotte feels nothing for me,” he said flatly.
Cricket rolled her eyes. “Save room for the idiot ice cream dessert. Ever ask yourself what would have brought you this far in life without someone by your side if it wasn’t you just waiting for the right one? You don’t believe in love? Gimme a break. You just don’t believe in you, except if you’re wheelin’ and dealin’. Any bank accounts hug you lately? Has any contract looked at you sweetly and told you everything was gonna be okay? No, that’s what love does. You know what else love does? It shows up when you lose someone close and there’s no one to look after a sweet, precious little girl who is counting on you for everything from chocolate chip pancakes to college. Charlotte showed up for you even when her own dreams were literally washed away. And you think she feels nothing for you? Wow, it must be dark under that rock where you live. This ain’t my first rodeo, son. I know what I know. I’m going to bring you a side of ‘open your eyes’ cobbler with that idiot ice cream.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
“What do you mean, you're not marrying him?” Emmaline reached for her wine but kept rocking. Ollie's tail swished back and forth, narrowly avoiding a pinch from the chair.
After her run-in with the insurance adjuster, Charlotte headed straight for Emmaline's ranch.
“I marched back to the house to tell him I'd do it, but I was too late. They'd already made the deal.” It shouldn't have come as a surprise since Bastien's career was about making deals. Although she was sure most of his deals made him money rather than cost him.
“And you didn't say anything?”
