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Great, she was going to be one ofthoseones.
Keeping my smile firmly in place, I greeted her while gesturing to the only free table. “Right this way. Will there be anyone else today?”
She nodded, sliding into the booth before locking those sharp, predatory eyes on me. “Yes, my boyfriend.”
Then she looked at my nametag, and vicious glee lit her eyes. My skin prickled, the feeling ofwrongincreasing by the minute as she leaned on her palm and smiled up at me.
“Ah, so you’re the famous Jen. I’ve heard a lot about you around town, including that you have a thing for Oliver.”
Alarms screamed at the back of my mind, but I nodded, unsure where this was going.
“This is hardly the place for me to talk about this, but yes, we’re dating. Do you want some drinks to start or-?”
She cut me off, that shark-like smile not budging. “Dating, is that what he told you?” She let out a shrill laugh that was honestly more like a cackle than anything else. “It appears he didn’t tell you some things, because the boyfriend I’m waiting for ishim.”
For just a second, my heart froze, and the doubts from before rose up.
It wasn’t possible; Oliver wasn’t the sort to cheat on anyone!
…But did I really know him long enough to make that call? I hadn’t seen Harvey’s true colors until it was all but shoved in my face.
The doubts surged, sensing that my resolve was weakening, but then I remembered the pain in Oliver’s eyes when he told me about what happened with Diana.
Her friend had forced herself on him, and she’d refused to believe he’d had no willing part in it. The entire town had flatly refused to hear his side, and now I was doubting him as if he’d given me a reason to.
Shame hit like a one-two punch and I straightened, glaring down at the woman who I was almost one hundred percent sure was Diana. I may have doubted for a second, but no more. Oliver wasn’t the sort, and I refused to be like her.
“You…you’re Diana, aren’t you?”
She nodded; that nasty smile still firmly in place.
Before she could spit more lies, I continued. “He told me what happened,the truthof what happened with you. You didn’t listen to him then, instead choosing to believe what the rumor mill spat out, and you lost him because of it. I’m not about to do the same. He isn’t the sort to cheat on me or anyone else, so you can take your scheming somewhere else because I’m not falling for it.”
Her smile dropped into a furious scowl, her eyes flashing with a rage I saw on few others as she stood up and got nose-to-nose with me.
“I walked in on him kissing my friend, and you have the guts to say he was the victim. She was half dressed and looking like she’d been mauled.”
I didn’t let the words hit me. Instead, I raised a brow and asked. “She was the only one mostly undressed, and you still didn’t believe him? Did you ever stop to think that maybe your friend isn’t really your friend at all?”
Her nostrils flared and before I could say a word, she lunged at me with a hiss. “You bitch!”
Her nails caught my cheek, raking upward and almost hitting my eye. Adrenaline hit like a truck and I jumped back, all heads turning to us as Diana stepped closer, looking ready for round two.
No wonder Oliver had wanted to get away; she wasviolent!
But before I could do more than brace for the next blow, a voice cracked out, freezing Diana in her place.
“What in the world is going on here?” The owner, Mr. Hern, stormed out, a palpable cloud of anger forming around him as he looked between Diana and me.
Immediately, she jumped into an act, crocodile tears appearing like magic as she sniffed. “It was awful; this woman attacked me!”
She had to be joking…
Mr. Hern looked at me, taking in the long nail marks across my face before pointedly looking over Diana’s unblemished skin with a barked laugh. “Right, and if I were to look at the cameras, they’d back up your claim?”
She faltered, the tears still flowing like rivers as she tried to keep up the act. “Well, sheverballyattacked me-.”
He crossed his arms, not losing his piercing glare. “And that warrantedassault? Last I heard, you were still in trouble with the sheriff over you stalking Oliver, and now you’re bothering his new girlfriend. I’m sure the sheriff would love to hear that.”
