The room erupted. People shouted and chairs scraped on the floor. For a second, it felt like a riot was about to break out.
"That clause was reviewed by our legal team," Mouser shouted over the noise, "and it didn't align with our financial interests. It was removed."
I pushed through the row of seats until I was standing in the aisle, ten feet from Beck. "Did you know?"
The room went quiet again.
"I just found out." He still couldn't look at me.
"Mr. Shepherd." Mouser's voice was like a knife. "May I remind you of the NDA you signed this afternoon? I'd sit down and keep quiet unless you want to join your friends in the unemployment line tomorrow."
Beck hesitated. I watched him look at Mouser, then at me. He did the math right there in front of everyone. Then he sat down.
"I knew it," I seethed. "You used us stupid hicks to get your deal."
"Clara—"
"Don't!" I snapped. In my best leather boots, I marched to the front row and slapped Beckett across the face. A few people gasped, but a couple cheered. My hand stung, but I didn't shake it out. Clenching my fist, I marched out of the community center and didn't look back.
I made it outside before the tears spilled down my face. I walked fast, rubbing my arms to keep warm. My coat was still in Megan's van, and my truck was two blocks away, but I didn't care.
"Clara, wait!"
His footsteps were heavy behind me. "Clara, please." Beck caught my arm and I spun around, ready to hit him again.
"Get your hands off me."
"I didn't know." He was breathing hard, his breath fogging in the air between us. "Mouser changed it at the last second. Charlotte and I drafted that clause together. Ask her.”
"But it's gone, Beck. And when he threatened your paycheck, you sat down."
"I was trying to figure out a way to fix it—"
"You lied to me." My voice broke. "You looked at me this morning. In my bed. You told me it was handled."
"It was supposed to be."
"But it wasn't!" I was screaming now. "I believed you. Again. God, I'm so stupid."
"You're not—"
"I let you in. I let you meet my friends. I let you touch me." I swiped at my eyes with my sleeve. "And the whole time you were just playing the local girl so you could close your deal."
"That's not true. What happened between us was real, Clara. It had nothing to do with the rink."
"How am I supposed to believe that? You're still the same guy, Beck. You're the guy who leaves when things get messy. You're the guy who chooses himself every single time."
"That's not fair."
"Neither is what you just did to this town." I turned away from him.
"Clara—"
"Go away, Beck. You should have stayed gone."
The drive home was a blur. Dash met me at the door, his tail thumping on the wooden floors as I kicked off my boots. I dropped to my knees and buried my face in his neck. I let him lick the salt off my cheeks until I could breathe again.
"It's okay," I whispered into his fur. "We don't need him."
