The door to the shop opened, and Harper internally groaned at the sight of Vanessa. As usual, the woman looked impeccable, with her three-inch heels, perfect makeup, and skintight jeans. But even though Harper barely knew her, from what she’d seen, the woman didn’t seem so perfect on the inside. How could she be when she’d cheated on a man like Cody?
Her eyes narrowed when they fell on Harper, but that was nothing compared to when she looked at Tilly. The anger was so evident, Harper could almost feel it.
“What areyoudoing here?” Vanessa growled.
There was a flicker of uncertainty in Tilly’s eyes before she straightened in her seat, her features hardening like she was preparing for battle. “I’ve moved back.”
“For good?” Vanessa’s jaw dropped like it was the most shocking piece of information she’d ever heard. “Why? Because you want to steal even more from the hardworking people of Misty Peak? Because your family hasn’t taken enough? Should I just take off my diamond ring and hand it to you now?”
“Vanessa!” It was Mrs. Sandler who spoke, her voice completely devoid of the gentleness of a few minutes ago. “Tilly never took anything from anyone. I’m almost finished with theirorders and will be with you soon, but if you can’t be polite, you need to leave.”
Vanessa’s lips pressed into a hard line, but she remained silent.
“Tilly, your iced coffee is ready,” Mrs. Sandler said, her tone softer.
Tilly gave Harper a small smile, but it was strained and didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll see you around.”
Harper nodded, then the woman paid and collected her drink before leaving the store. Vanessa watched her the entire time as well, eyes digging arrows into Tilly’s back.
God, what was wrong with that woman? Anyone could see that Tilly was a kind person. Maybe Harper didn’t know the background of what had happened before she left town, but whatever it was, she was certain Tilly wasn’t at fault.
When the door closed behind Tilly, Vanessa took out her phone and moved to stand at the counter.
Harper probably should have kept her mouth shut, but the quietly spoken words just tumbled out. “You know, it doesn’t cost anything to be kind.”
Vanessa snort-laughed, gaze remaining on her phone. “You just got here, what the hell wouldyouknow?”
“I know enough.”
Finally, Vanessa looked down at her, one perfectly shaped brow raised. “You don’t, actually.” Her words were low, only reaching Harper’s ears. “I bet you don’t know that you’re the rebound. Cody and I didn’t break up that long ago, and when I say his heart was broken, I’m not exaggerating. He wascrushedwhen I left him.”
“Cheated. When youcheatedon him,” Harper corrected.
Her brows slashed together. “A rebound never lasts, because in the end, he’ll always want what he can’t have—me. And you?Well, you’ll probably end up back wherever it is you came from. Where was that again?”
She shouldn’t let the woman’s words affect her. Still, they trickled through her carefully constructed walls and straight into her heart…because wasn’t that her greatest fear? That shewouldend up back in the clutches of her family, and someone like Cody wouldn’t stick around for someone as simple as her?
“Coffee and cupcake are ready, Harper.”
At Mrs. Sandler’s words, she forced herself to her feet, paying and thanking the older woman before stepping outside.
Vanessa’s words were still rolling around in her head when she looked up and spotted Cody, Eastern, and a young child just down the street.
“Uncle Cody,how old do I need to be before I can work at your bar?”
Cody bit back a laugh at Eastern’s growl.
“Fifty,” Eastern replied before Cody could.
Avery frowned. “Fifty? Uncle Cody isn’t even fifty.”
“Doesn’t matter. They’re my rules.”
Cody shook his head. “The legal requirement is twenty-one.”
Avery’s little shoulders sagged. “That’sforeveraway!”
“Why do you want to work at the bar?” Eastern asked.
