“Always.”
Her heart gave another kick. Then she rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll reschedule with him, and you and Indie can come over tomorrow morning. Happy?”
“You don’t have to do that, Bon.”
“I want to. I need to see Indie. How about nine thirty?”
“That works.”
Two women rounded the corner ahead of them.
Bonnie’s chest tightened. Maisie and Jane, Dean’s mother. Did Maisie only ever spend time with Dean’s family?
Maisie’s eyes widened, while Jane’s narrowed in anger. Then she gasped, “Bonnie…”
The older woman marched forward, but Noah stepped in front of Bonnie before Jane could reach her.
“I couldkillyou for coming back here!” Jane shouted, emotion clogging her voice. “You left my son at that party when you were supposed to drive him home. You let him crash that car and die! And now you want to live here again?”
“That’s enough!” Noah shouted.
Bonnie glanced to Maisie, but the other woman wasn’t looking at Bonnie. Her gaze was set firmly on the ground.
“You need to leave,” Jane growled, trying to push her way past Noah like she wanted to hurt Bonnie. “I shouldn’t have to see your face around here. Ever!”
“Youneed to leave,” Noah growled. “Now.”
Maisie touched Jane’s shoulder. “Come on, Jane. Let’s go.”
Finally, Jane stepped away from Noah and let Maisie pull her down the sidewalk. But even when the two women were gone, Bonnie’s heart didn’t stop thumping. It hit her ribs so hard that it hurt. A physical pain that throbbed through her entire body.
Noah touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She felt like she’d been slapped in the face. What if Noah hadn’t been here? Would Jane actually have attacked her? Would Maisie have just watched? Could Bonnie not even exist in the town she grew up in without someone wanting to hurt her?
“I should get home.” She wrapped her arm around her waist.
“I’ll walk you.”
Bonnie shook her head, already taking a step around her brother. “No, I need a few minutes by myself.”
“Bon—”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Noah.”
She walked away from him, her steps fast, but not as fast as her pulse.
The anger in Jane’s eyes, the hate, it was so fierce, and all aimed at her.
How, after all these years, was shestillblaming Bonnie for her son getting drunk and getting behind the wheel?
Bonnie dipped her chin to her chest, a little scared someone else would recognize her. Attack her. It took her half the time it usually would to reach her apartment building. Her head was still down when she reached the door.
She was pulling out her key when someone grabbed her from behind and shoved her into the wall beside the door.
She cried out, the shock rendering her completely still as a deep, raspy voice growled into her ear. She barely heard it above the blood roaring between her ears.
“Leave. No one wants you here.”
