You aren’t,a voice whispers in the back of my head, and while it isn’t wrong, it doesn’t feel right, and that bothers me most of all.
Light chatter picks up as I struggle to keep up. These women have lived here their entire lives, using that time to form a bond I might never obtain. Autumn bought and restored the bar. Paris is a single mom to four-year-old Kayden, and she also threw in a story about werewolves attacking her husband, so she’s definitely in denial there. Kenzie really runs this entire town, but Ernie is the actual mayor. She isn’t, they just called her the mayor because she fixes all of Ernie’s mistakes.
And Bloom… I don’t know what to make of Bloom. She’s kind, she well and truly is kind, and that makes it worse because I like her. If I removed the entire part where she is actually Arlo’s ex, I’d really like her. But I can tell just by the way she lights upand love shines in her eyes when she says his name that she still loves him.
It makes me feel like theother woman,and that’s something I promised myself I’d never become.I only have one drink, and two hours drift by, neither fast nor slow, so I’m chalking that up as a win. Their steady banter sends a pang to my heart, and watching them, I realize just what it could be like to have girlfriends.
“So next week?” Bloom asks me.
“If she’s still around,” Autumn mutters.
“Sure,” I agree, just to irritate Autumn.
“Fabulous, Wren. I’ll walk you out.” Kenzie drags me up and out the door and into the crisp night. Luckily, I don’t fall over this time. “Don’t let Autumn bother you,” she says as we walk a few paces away from the bar.
“She isn’t wrong,” I admit, though the words lie heavily on my tongue.
“Doesn’t matter if she’s right or if she’s wrong. She’s looking out for Arlo and Bloom. They are her best friends.”
“That explains that.” I shove my hands into my pockets, feeling ever the outsider that I am.
“After they broke up…” Kenzie shakes her head. “Look, they aren’t my reasons. But know they didn’t break up because they didn’t love each other, they broke up because they wanted different things.”
“Thanks.” It’s all I can say because a ball forms in my throat.
“See ya next week.” Kenzie turns and walks down the dark road without a care. A moment later, she pulls out something short and thick, and with a jerk of her wrist, it grows… into a baton.
Well, that could have gone multiple directions.
Feeling defeated, I spin and head back to the B&B quicker than when I left it. I enter silently, all the lights out in the oldhome. Floorboards creak under my feet, and Cooper rounds a corner in the dim light, his fluffy tail vibrating as he twines around my legs.
I lift and cuddle him to my chest, needing something familiar, something friendly. A light down the hallway catches my eye, and careful of my steps, I make my way toward the sitting room. The glass doors to the room remain open with a single lone bulb illuminating the area.
Arlo sits in a high-back chair with his head tilted to the side and his feet up on the ottoman, and there’s a full glass of whiskey beside him on the end table. But what gets me is the open book on his chest with my copy ofThe Name of the Wind.
Once more, something inside me clicks. Slipping off my shoes, I pad over to the throw blanket, carefully cover him up, and mark his place in the book. He doesn’t stir, let alone wake as I back away.
They didn’t break up because they didn’t love each other.
The words swirl in my head, reminding me I’m just an outsider—one who agreed to a date with this incredible man. Feeling unsure, I make my way back upstairs to peek in on Lark.
Her red hair spills across the pillows, her face angelic in sleep. Whole and safe. My heart twists at the promise that Arlo kept. Making sure my girl was okay.
I try to tell myself we don’t belong here, and yet I’m not so sure of that anymore. Then I remind myself of Bloom and Arlo.
I never want to be the other woman. I should probably tell him no to that date.
CHAPTER 12
The week fliesby as Lark and I settle into a routine. We have breakfast with Saffron, and then we walk to school before I head to the library. I have lunch with Arlo a few times. I tried to break off our date, but he just scoffed.
Scoffed.
Eventually, he told me it was just a hike, not a date, and to chill. I did, but it didn’t change the fact that I felt horrible about it, especially knowing how much Bloom adores him. Loves him. We should have talked about it, but I felt weird and I’m not always the best at confrontation, choosing instead to ignore it.
Slowly and steadily, the library comes together. Ms. Aberdeen watches me from the shadows with a skeptical eye while taking pictures and sending them back to her mysterious son.
I have a running tab with all the shops in the town now, digging myself a hole I might never get out of. People weren’t wrong when they said small towns drag you in with claws and you can never get out.
