No.Hell no.
I shift, angling myself toward her, keeping her close with one hand still in mine.
“I don’t call because there’s nothing to say,” I tell Marla. “We’re done.”
She pouts. “Done? Come on. You can’t tell me you don’t miss what we had. The way we were...”
She leans in, fingertips brushing down my arm. And then stops when she reaches the hand still holding Willa’s.
Her gaze flicks down. Her smile goes tight.
“Oh. I see.”
“See what?” I ask, even though I know.
“You’ve replaced me with...this.”
Her eyes drag over Willa’s body like a blade. “What are you, sweetie? Twenty? Don’t you think he’s a bitoldfor you? Or are you one of those girls who likes a man with gray in his beard?”
Willa’s cheeks flush.
Not from shyness.
From fury.
She opens her mouth, but I squeeze her hand. “Don’t,” I say softly. “You don’t have to.”
Then I face Marla full on.
“Youwill nottalk to her like that. You won’t talkabouther like that. You cheated. You left. I moved on. End of story.”
Marla laughs, brittle and mean. “Moved on? Tothis?You’ve known her for what, aday? She’s a rebound, Sebastian. The whole town’s talking. The grumpy innkeeper finally found someone to warm his bed. Loretta said—”
“Loretta can speak for herself,” comes a voice from behind me. Calm. Sharp.
Loretta.
“And I said nothing of the sort,” she continues. “I said Sebastian deserves happiness. And if youactuallycared about him, you’d stop embarrassing yourself in front of half the damn town.”
Marla’s eyes go hard. “Stay out of this,old woman.”
Loretta gasps. “Old— Well, I never. That’s it, Sebastian. Hold my earrings.”
I nearly choke. Even with fury running hot through my veins.
I move, stepping fully between them.
“Go ruin someone else’s night, Marla.”
She opens her mouth again —
But the mayor’s voice crackles through the speakers, calling for everyone to join hands and sing.
People shift around us. Someone bumps into Marla. She stumbles back, hissing.
“You’ll regret this,” she snaps.
But I’m already turning. My arm wraps around Willa, steering her away.
