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“She was drunk, Darby. Fucking lit like a fire and ready to go at it. Her so-called friends from work scattered and left her to me when I showed up at the restaurant. I was responsible for that bitch as she caused a scene. Then, she decided to play dirty, so fucked-up she thought she was being sexy. Grabbed my dick, sidled up to me, and offered herself in the goddamned bathroom—thinking that would ever happen again. I had to pay her damn tab, practically haul her out of there, and get her home. I considered putting her in a goddamned Uber but knew her ass was too drunk for even that.”
I repeat his words from a few minutes ago. His voice shook when he called to tell me this. I worried about him driving, but even more, I worried about his state of mind when he got to his parents’ to pick up Maya and Cole. There’s no way he could tone down that type of rage.
“She grabbed him in public?” Scottie sounds appalled.
“That’s what he said.”
“This crazy bitch is klassy with a ‘k’.”
“Forget that part. What’s with offering herself in the bathroom and it never happening again?” Stephanie’s eyes dance with excitement and curiosity. She senses a juicy story.
“I’m not going into details, but let’s just say Pierce and Connie’s brief sexual encounters weren’t exactly traditional and romantic.”
“Scandalous,” she chirps.
“More like sketchy and sleazy.”
“What did he do next?” Scottie asks, scooting to the edge of the chair and bending forward.
“He said he left her at her front door, dodging more advances, and walked away with her screaming at him.”
“She sounds unstable.”
“Which is exactly why I can’t be involved. Pierce doesn’t need this type of stress in his life, and he won’t listen to my reasoning. Even after this afternoon, when I had a mini-panic attack, he keeps pushing.”
Their eyebrows shoot up, and their expressions are identical. “Something we need to know?” Stephanie’s giggly mood turns serious. There’s no way to miss the concern in her tone. She’s well aware of what triggers my anxiety-induced panic attacks.
“I told Pierce today that I’m not interested in meeting his children.”
“How’d he take it?” Scottie asks.
“He didn’t say much, but I get the impression that he didn’t accept it.”
“Start from the beginning.”
I take a large gulp of my drink and do as Stephanie demands, telling them about my visit from Pierce this afternoon. Neither of them moves a muscle, keeping their attention on me during the story. When I finish, they exchange a long glance, swing their heads back at the same time, and spear me with a glare that sends a shiver down my spine.
“Will you stop gaping at me and one of you say something?”
“What should we say?” Scottie asks cautiously.
“You two obviously have something on your mind.”
“I wanted to hate him. No matter what Stephanie told me, when we showed up in Aspen, I was dead set on despising the bastard. He wasn’t getting my forgiveness. All the time you stood in front of that room, I was torturing him in my mind. Then his hand slid around your waist, and I witnessed a miracle. You melted. My gorgeous Darby actually melted. To the untrained eye, it was invisible, but I saw the small quiver of your body, the flush of your cheeks, the sparkly light in your eye. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed. My resentment toward him vanished. A few minutes later, after seeing him holding you and that kiss, I knew this was it for you. Forever. Being around you and Pierce the last week has been an experience unlike anything I ever imagined,” Scottie says gently.
“He told you he never stopped loving you and wants to spend the rest of his life with you. He also said he’s going to battle for you. That can’t be easy for him,” Stephanie adds.
“I didn’t ask him for any of this. I never should have come back.”
“You can try to lie, but we don’t believe that for a second. I was scared to death of the fallout of your return to Charleston, but I took one look at Pierce Kendrick and knew I had come face to face with the man that would heal you and give you a future of happiness you deserve.”
“You have to agree there’s no longevity here. This thing with Pierce is supposed to be temporary. We cleared the air, admitted our mistakes, and found a way to have peace.”
“Darby, you aren’t stupid enough to believe that. To Pierce, there is nothing about this that’s temporary. He’s going for it again, and you’re the only one standing in the way.”
“That’s not fair, Steph. There are obstacles everywhere. His daughter thinks I’m a floozy, and her mother is a making life hell on them because of me!”
