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“Trying to force entry into someone’s house is a crime, and I have no problem calling the sheriff on you. Now leave and go find someone else to torture. Or don’t, because no one deserves to put up with your insanity. We’re already full on the crazy bar lately withmyex so you can screw off.”
Instead of leaving, as I wished she would, she jumped on the topic and crooned to Oliver. “Do you know that she’s married, honey? I heard it around town after the last batch of tourists came through. They recognized her and asked about her husband.”
Oliver’s arm settled around my waist, and he huffed. “She was never married, and the arrangement was broken off before it even went through. You’re not turning me against her, no matter what you say, Diana.”
I could all but hear the steam pouring from her ears as she dropped the sweet act. “She’ll leave you eventually. She’s from the city, and she won’t stay in this hole-in-the-wall town forever.”
I went to dispute that, but Oliver beat me to it.
“If she ever decides she doesn’t want to live here, we’llbothmove. As of now, though, we’re happy where we are. Now leave before I call the sheriff on you.”
He took out his phone, glaring at the door as silence hung heavy in the air. Just as I thought she’d left, she snapped.
“You don’t get to tell me when we’re done, onlyIdo. Sleeping with her won’t change that, you’re mine.”
The obsessive possessiveness swept ice over my skin and Oliver held me closer, unease clear as he dialed.
“I’m no one’s but my own, and if you’d wanted to keep me you should have treated me as any self-respecting partner would.” The sheriff picked up and he spoke into the phone.
“Hey, Neal. Sorry to bother you with this, but could you make a trip out to my house? No, Jen is fine, but Diana is here and-.”
She let out a shriek that made my ears ring. “You called the sheriff on me?! I haven’t done anything!”
Her voice kept rising in octaves, and I resisted the urge to rub my ear with a grimace. Instead, I scoffed. “You were trying to break in after he closed the door in your face, and I’m fairly sure what you’ve been spewing to this point could be considered harassment.”
Neal sighed, “She’s after youagain,boy?”
Oliver grunted. “Trust me, I’d prefer she wasn’t. How fast can you get here?”
Diana let out another scream before kicking the door. “This isn’t over!” Then I watched through the window as she stormed back to her car and peeled out. Once her headlights faded in the distance, Oliver sighed, leaning back on the wall.
“Never mind, Neal. She took off.”
Even from here I could hear the exasperation in the sheriff’s voice. “Boy, you and your lady have the worst luck with people.”
We shared a long look, and then I shrugged. “He isn’t wrong.”
I wish he were. Between Oliver and I, we’d dealt with enough crazy to last a lifetime, and I wasn’t afraid to say I wanted a break from it. Thankfully Harvey would be in jail soon–at least that was the hope–so that’d be one crazy down, but that still left Diana.
Until now she hadn’t been an active issue, but with today’s display…
Oliver sighed, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “I’m thinking of getting a restraining order against her, but with how small this town is, I’m not sure it’ll work.”
Yeah, three hundred feet was the standard starting distance for those and I could see that being hard to enforce here. It helped that his house wasn’t in town, but that would only go so far.
Neal spoke, tone heavy with exhaustion. “That’s the only reason I never encouraged you to get one the first time around with her. If it keeps up we may have to make it work somehow. Are you all good over there, or do you need me after all?”
Oliver shook his head and then seemed to remember that he couldn’t see it through the phone. “We’re fine. Thanks, Neal.”
He hung up, putting his phone away before looking at me with a tired smile. “Well, it looks like we’re going to have our hands full, won’t we?”
I hated the weight in his eyes, especially since there was nothing I could do about it. Hooking an arm around his waist, I soothed. “We will, but once it’s all settled, we’ll finally be free to just enjoy our lives. That’s the thought I’m clinging to right now.”
It was what I’dbeenholding to this entire time, and now I extended the lifeline to Oliver, too. I wish Diana wasn’t in the picture so it was just me dealing with nastiness from the past, but wishing didn’t do anything. I’d just be here for him through it all.
It didn’t feel like enough, but I’d make it be.
He relaxed, offering a tired but genuine smile down at me. “That’s a good goal to work toward. Do you still feel like making dinner, or should I order in?”
