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“Of course we can. My treat, darling.”
“What’s happening here?” Gram was confused and I didn’t blame her. My mother and I could make up and keep an argument going at the same time. We were weird that way. But it seemed like those days might be over. If she stuck to her no-meddling declaration, that was.
I pulled away, feeling a bit better. It seemed like this part of my life was on its way to being mended. Having my mother on my side meant a lot.
“What are we going to do about our permits, Gram? I’m going to have to go to the stupid Sweetbriar Street Festival with him.”
“I’m going with you. I don’t like the way he looks at you and I never have. It’s like he think he owns you and it’s just a matter of time before you’ll accept it. You’re not dating or sleeping with that little shit to get this shop open even though he seems to think you will. We’ll figure something out if it comes down to that but I’m pretty sure he knows better than to directly threaten you with the permits.”
“I don’t know, Gram. I think he might try.”
“Play along for now unless he goes farther than you can handle. Pretend you’re the pretty dumb blonde he wants you to be until we get what we need. We’ll spread the word after the shop is open. No woman deserves to be intimidated by the likes of him. Does that work for you?”
I didn’t want to be around him but didn’t want to create another issue if I didn’t have to. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.”
“Are you two talking about Jared? He would never do such a thing,” Mom scoffed. “I’ve known him since he was a baby, for goodness’s sake.”
“Ugh. I’m so sick of you defending him and trying to get me to like him! I am not interested in dating him, mother.”
Her head drew back on her neck in confusion. “It’s been years since I wanted you to go out with Jared, honey. You know that.”
“Um no, I donotknow that. I know no such thing. What about Valentine’s Day? I had to hide in the back room of Vi’s shop for her entire party while you repeatedly texted to tell me he was there. Lily said—”
“I was texting to tell you he was there, yes. But to warn you to stay in the back. His intentions toward you have been clear since you got back to Sweetbriar. He’s always had a crush on you, and I know you aren’t interested in him that way.”
“So, Lily misunderstood when she told me you were trying to get me to go out with him. Is that what you’re saying?”
“It seems like it. I’m sorry, darling. I should have gone back there myself to warn you, but he was being so chatty I didn’t want him to follow me. Don’t get me wrong. Back in your high school days, Marjorie had me convinced it would be cute for the two of you to be together and for a while I agreed with her. But that’s not where your interests were, and I told her so. You had an adventurous spirit and you deserved to discover it without a boyfriend holding you back. But then you got involved with that Owen and got engaged and we all know how that turned out, the cheater. Those good looks are completely wasted on the likes of him, sad isn’t it?”
“Dahlia,” Gram snapped. “Leave her alone. Jared is a pest and always has been, always running after Holly at school and whenever he was over at the house with his mama. Who do you think told her to punch him in the nose when he kept tugging on her braids? Me, that’s who. That whole ‘boys will be boys, shoving girls around on the playground’ stuff is bullshit and I let her know how to stick up for herself.” Gram stood, took my hand, and lifted her chin, likeI got this.Mom always had a blind spot when it came to Jared.
“Nonsense. He was just a shy little boy with a crush. But I hope he isn’t trying to use his position to get close to you. That isn’t right and we will not tolerate it if it’s the case. Just please consider giving him the benefit of the doubt. Remember, he’s the one who told you about Owen’s cheating. He saved you from making a huge mistake. He wouldn’t have done that if he was so bad, right?”
“I remember, okay? I know I owe him.” I hated feeling indebted to him. It made it hard to set boundaries.
“You do not own him a thing, Holly. Dahlia, do not use the fact that he told her what anyone else in her life would have told her if they had known. Do not to try to make her like that boy,” Gram insisted. “Holly, any decent person would have told you Owen was cheating on you.”
“Are you two about to argue now? Isn’t that ironic?” I joked to lighten the mood. I didn’t want them fighting on my behalf. Especially because I was going to do whatever the hell I wanted anyway.
“Hush,” they said in unison, and I laughed.
Chapter14
Liam
Halfway to Luke’s office I realized what I’d done and turned around. I’d left Holly and Rosemary alone in that house after Owen had put his hands on her. Clouded with anger, I had stormed out to find Luke and get that asshole officially fired, possibly arrested, and out of Holly’s life in every way I could think of. Never had I done something this stupid. But I also had never felt anger quite like this before and I didn’t want her to see me this way. I can’t believe I had left them there unprotected.
What if he came back?His behavior was like nothing I’d seen from him before.
I flipped a U-turn and headed back to make sure they were okay. I passed Jared in his Porsche when I turned onto Rosemary Street, the flashy prick. There was another asshole I had my eye on. Something about him had rubbed me the wrong way from day one.
Pulling into the driveway, I recognized Dahlia’s minivan parked at the curb, and no sign of Owen’s truck. I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe I hadn’t entirely fucked up and they were okay.
“Liam, sweetheart!” Dahlia’s beaming face greeted me as I walked up the path to the front porch. “We’re headed to Holloway’s for burgers. Join us? I’m driving.”
“Burgers for breakfast?”
Holly shrugged and sent me a smile. “We had a craving,” she said.
