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“Oh, yeah, sorry, it’s not a good time. I’m about to lock up. I’m starving and Liam is bringing a pizza,.”
Levi and Jude came barreling down the stairs. “Cheddar isn’t up there.”
“Did Liam take him?” Jude asked.
“No. I mean, I sent you up there because I didn’t want him to be alone in a new place.”
“I’ll keep looking.” Jude ran back upstairs.
“What’s happening?” Mom popped her head out of the kitchen.
“The cat is missing,” Jared answered with a shrug. “I’ll go look outside.” He put the flowers and wine down and headed out the front door. The strangest sense of déjà vu filtered over me as I watched him walk away.
“We’ll look downstairs.” Gram said. “Levi, go look in the garden just in case. He’s tiny still, so he couldn’t have gone far.”
“Try not to worry, darling, we’ll find him.” Mom headed into my workroom while I frantically flipped the lights back on and scoured every corner of the shop before heading out to the front porch to look.
“Holly,” Jared called out. He was down the street, close to the turnoff that led toward Luke’s place. “I think he’s over here. He’s orange, right?”
I didn’t even think; I just went running. “Yes, where is he?”
Jared didn’t look right. His eyes were glassy, and his energy was off. No longer was he cool and suave; he appeared frantic and a bit desperate.
“It’s my turn now, Holly, and you’re going to listen to me.”
“What? Where’s Cheddar?” I dashed to the edge of the forest. This didn’t make any sense. How could he have gotten way out here? I spun back to face Jared. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you. But only after you listen to me first, okay?”
Every internal alarm bell I had was going wild, but I needed to know if he knew something about Cheddar. “Okay. Talk.”
“It’s my turn.” He slapped a hand against his chest. “I waited while you and Maren fought over that idiot you were both dating back in high school. I tried to wait for you to tire of Owen before I finally had to take matters into my own hands and push him back to Ava. But I’m losing patience again. What is happening with you and Liam? What more do I have to do to make you see you belong with me. It’s my turn, damn you!” He stepped closer, and I stepped back. “I’ve been more than patient with you. It’s time to open your eyes. God, I even convinced that idiot Owen that you wanted him back. I got him all riled up to go after you so I could step in and rescue you. What a damn joke. That Liam is always one step ahead, and I’m so tired of it.”
“You’re out of your damn mind. Yourturn? I’m a human being, for Pete’s sake. You don’t get aturnwith me. That’s not how this works. Where is my cat? Do you even know?”
He shook his head. “If you knew the things I’ve done for you, you wouldn’t be speaking to me this way—you wouldn’t dare. I let that stupid little cat out to get you to come out here and talk to me just in case the wine and flowers didn’t work. Just like I did at your birthday party all those years ago. Don’t you see the lengths I would go to for you? How lucky you are to have me in your life?”
Red clouded my vision as I tried to comprehend what he had just said. “You stole my cat? Persephone? You took her? And Cheddar?”
I saw—as if I were in another body—my fist lash out and hit him in the face. He stumbled back but didn’t fall.
His eyes flashed with anger as he rubbed his cheek. “I would have given her back if you had given me even the slightest hint that you wanted to go out with me. But all you did was cry over that stupid animal. It was hardly worth it.”
“Where is Cheddar?!” I screamed.
He shrugged. “Around the store somewhere, I assume. I left the doors open. I put him in your herb garden. He’ll find his way inside. He should be fine.”
“He’s a baby! And so was Persephone. How could you do that?”
“Persephone was fine, and she had a good life. I hid her in my car and gave her to my cousin in Washington as a birthday present. Calm down.”
“Calm down?This is my life you’re fucking with! How dare you?!”
“Because it’s MY TURN, damn you!” He thumped a fist against his chest. “I’m a catch, Holly. Why can’t you see that when everyone else does. Everyone wants me. I can have any woman in Sweetbriar, and I chose you. I’ve been choosing you since we were kids and you’ve always been too damn blind to see it.”
“And I’ve been telling you since we were kids that I don’t like you like that. How is it my fault that you don’t know how to fucking listen!” I shrieked. “No means no, goddamn it!”
I turned to leave but he grabbed me by the arms and shook me before I could get away. Up close I could see his eyes were red rimmed and lit up with manic energy.
