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The man’s cheeks are pink and he looks like he’s being strangled by his tie. I’m sure he would like to take my head off already.
That doesn’t stop me from standing toe to toe and sharing something that should keep him up at night if he has any shadow of a conscience.
“You know what should kill you, Stu? Tess wouldn’t have ratted you out, wouldneverhave gone to the press with your lies or publicly denounced you. You pitiful little fuck. You lost your daughter for nothing.”
I jump off the stage and don’t look back, leaving the mayor to marinate in his humiliation and regret.
“I think that went well,” Conner says.
Gage snorts out a laugh.
Matilda waits for us in the lobby and speaks briskly. “I need to return to the office. Am I right to assume that there will be no more trouble today?”
“Christ,” Gage mutters and steps away before he says something worse.
I’m still trying to figure out how to respond to my mother’s insane question.
Conner, however, gives her a charming grin. “You know we hate to cause anyone any trouble, Aunt Matilda.”
“That’s very good to hear.” She’s already done with us and scrolls through her phone. “Micah, you need to have Tess call me. We haveplentyof opportunities at Yellow Brick for someone of her caliber. I can personally customize an ideal job description.”
She’s cracked in the head. Tess has no desire to work for her.
My mother, as usual, isn’t really waiting for a reply. She’s already heading for the door, assuming her wishes will be obeyed.
Sometimes I feel as if that woman has never actually met me.
“Are we out of here?” Gage says.
“Yeah.”
“Micah.”
His voice sounds just like his brother’s. It takes a few seconds for my muscles to relax when I see it’s just Josh Ballerini jogging over.
He throws a nod of acknowledgement to Conner and Gage before closing in to slap a hand on my shoulder. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Sure.” In my opinion, the guy is a brainless doormat but I’m curious enough to find out what he wants.
Josh comes across as anxious, shifting his weight and looking down at his shoes. “All I was told was that Tess moved in with you.”
“She did. After that bastard changed the locks, shoved all her stuff in a moving van and made up a lie that she takes drugs.”
His head snaps up and he frowns. “This has to be a misunderstanding.”
“There’s no misunderstanding. And I don’t have the patience to listen to you defend that shit stain you call a brother so fuck right off.”
He grabs my arm. “Wait, is she okay? I called her but never heard back.”
“Then take the hint and keep your distance.”
His shoulders slump with distress. “Look, I’m not part of whatever happened. I knew nothing about it. Tess and I have always been close. I’m just worried about her.”
I bite back the urge to tell him to fuck off a second time. “I’ll pass the message along. Best I can offer.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” He holds out his hand.
I’m about to walk away and leave him hanging, then think better of it and shake his stupid hand. But I’m not above squeezing hard enough to crush his fingers until he flinches.
