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“You’re calling me a gold-digger? I remember it being the other way around.”
“Relax, precious, nothing you have to offer would be worth the effort.”
I’m about to yell something back, to defend myself but, no. Nope. Justin is no longer the touchstone of my self-esteem. He can do and say whatever he wants. I no longer care.
I breathe in and out slowly. I only wish he didn’t have the power to still get me so angry. Justin is an insignificant speck in the universe’s scale, a lower lifeform than a cockroach. But, dang, if he doesn’t know how to push all the wrong buttons.
I’m about to ask him to leave, when a deep voice from behind asks, “Is there a problem here?”
I look past Justin’s shoulder to see Gabriel and Thomas staring at us. Gabriel’s arms are crossed over his chest and he looks positively morose. Thomas has his hands shoved in his pockets and appears slightly less aggressive. They look so alike as to be twins, but for the eyes.
“I’m just saying hi to my ex-girlfriend,” Justin says. “As you can see, she’s fine.”
The men enter a staring contest, and I’m glad when Justin lowers his gaze first in defeat. He takes a step away from the Mercer brothers as if he were ready to go hide behind me.
If I weren’t this mad, I’d laugh at the way Justin so easily cowered before the Mercer brothers. To be fair, both men look formidable in their dark sunglasses, black hiking get-ups, and hostile expressions.
“There’s nothing wrong here,” I say with a forced cheeriness I’m sure doesn’t sound convincing.
Gabriel’s scowl doesn’t relax one-tenth of an inch.
“I didn’t like the tone you were using with her,” Gabriel warns Justin. Small mercy he didn’t catch the ugly words accompanying the nasty tone, or no one could’ve saved my ex from getting punched in the face. And Gabriel from being sued for it.
Thomas comes to the rescue, unleashing one of his I-was-born-so-privileged-I-can-be-at-ease-in-any-situation smiles on the scene.
He walks up the stoop and links his arm with Justin’s. “Justin, it is, right? Thomas Mercer, great to meet you. I hear you’re a star in your field; you have to share a few of your tricks.” Thomas nonchalantly steers my ex away from the porch.
Justin throws one last glare my way but follows the money as always.
Gabriel and I watch them go until they turn a bend. At which point, Gabriel asks me, “Are you okay?”
“Except for the fact that I was just peeved by a pathetic, whiny baby with a mean streak?” I reply. “I’m great.”
He nods in understanding. “What did he want?”
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly.
“Shall we wash out the sour aftertaste of that encounter with pancakes flooded in a river of maple syrup?”
“Let me just get dressed.”
Emergency passed, Gabriel’s eyes roam over my body, starting at my bare legs and moving up to his sweater, the only thing I’m currently wearing.
He smirks. “Cute PJs.”
I’ve been caught, but that doesn’t mean I have to fess up to it. “Hey, I’m wearing your sweater only because the fabric is very soft.” I rub the sleeve against my cheek as a demonstration.
His eyes twinkle. “Sure you are.”
I ignore him and hurry back into the cabin to get dressed and grab my trekking backpack. I’m out again in a flash.
“How was your night?” he asks as we amble across the forest.
The soil is still damp from last night’s storm. But the air is warm.
I tilt my head up to feel the heat of the sun on my skin and smile for the first time in the day. “I didn’t sleep much thanks to you.”
“Moi?” he asks, mock surprised. “I thought my lullaby would be infallible.”
