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She fantasized about how she would march up to Lily, give her a piece of her mind, and let her know that she was not going to stand for this little plan she had concocted.
April imagined herself telling Lily that she knew exactly what she was trying to do and that it wasn't going to work. She pictured the look on Lily's face as the words came out of her mouth.
The surge of power at the thought surprised her, knowing that if it ever did come down to it, she could stand up for herself and win any argument. She was still a lawyer at heart, after all.
April wanted to ask her what she was thinking, coming here so often. But she knew the consequences of such an outburst would be more harmful than beneficial.
Walking out of the restaurant, both enraged and disappointed, April continued down the street, hoping that it would soon help her relax.
***
"And that's how my last date ended in disaster," Alice explained.
Beth shrugged her shoulders. "They all end in disaster one way or another. Just be glad it ended on the first date."
Kellie laughed, then sipped from her wine glass. "Could you imagine what would've happened if you found out he was a jerk on the fourth date? You would've spent way too much time with him."
Surrounded by her new friends, April felt comfortable for the first time in days. The meeting of the group of women who came to Sandcrest looking for new lives happened every Monday night. And April was always excited to go.
The other women's stories made her feel better about her morning of finding Lily at Giant's. They all had trouble in the love life department. Well, except for Kellie, who happened to find her soul mate visiting town a few months ago.
They were all jealous, even if they didn't say it.
April smiled, feeling grateful for the camaraderie that came with spending time with other women who understood her struggles. She felt relieved that she could speak openly without fear of being judged.
As the conversation continued, April couldn't help but think about Nigel. She had been so distracted by Lily's appearance that she had almost forgotten why she had gone to Giant's in the first place.
She wondered if he was still there, talking to Lily. The thought made her blood boil again. How could he not see through her manipulations?
But then again, maybe she was just being paranoid. Maybe Nigel really wasn't talking to Lily, and it was all in her head.
"And what about you, April?" Alice said, her smile inviting and warm.
She took a deep breath, preparing herself and her words carefully. But it didn't matter how put together she wanted to look. Her words came out like lava spewing from the top of a mountain.
"Nigel's ex-girlfriend is in town. I don't know how to feel about it. Obviously, we just started dating not that long ago. We're still figuring things out. But I was at his house when she came by and asked to talk to him. It was so uncomfortable."
Beth gasped, clutching her chest with her hand. "What? She came to his place while you were over there? What gives her the confidence?"
"Well, she's gorgeous for one," April said, resentment on her lips.
Kellie shook her head. "That doesn't give her the right to just waltz into his life like that. I mean, what's her endgame?"
"I don't know," April said, feeling defeated. "But she keeps showing up at his restaurant. It's like she's trying to get him back with these little gestures."
Alice tilted her head in thought. "Have you talked to him about it?"
"Barely," she said, exasperated. "He claims that he's sent her away from Giant's. But who knows? He told me they were engaged and that she was the one who broke things off. I like him, but I'm still processing all of that."
Beth leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Well, have you tried fighting fire with fire?"
April frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Beth said, her voice low and sultry, "what if you actually fight her. Like physically. Show her you mean business. I'll bet you could win a fistfight."
The ladies laughed. "Ah, very funny," April said, sarcastically. It hit too close to home for her. Because though she wasn't going to physically fight Lily, she was in the middle of some kind of battle. Half of it was with herself.
Kellie leaned forward and set her wine glass on the table. "You know what? Don't take this the wrong way, April, but I think you should give him an ultimatum. Either he tells Lily to stay away, or you'll leave." The other women nodded in agreement.
