“Always did,” he continues. “Just my type.”
The words scrape.
The friend frowns. “How do you know that?”
Liam shrugs. “Small town. Everyone knows everyone.”
Then, too casually, like he’s commenting on the weather he adds, “She was engaged once. To some guy named Ethan, I think.”
My stomach drops.
“She walked in on him screwing her own bridesmaid.”
The sound that leaves me isn’t human.
I don’t remember moving.
One second, I’m at the counter. The next, I’m in front of him, my hand fisted in his collar, yanking him forward so hard his drink splashes onto the floor.
“What did you just say?”
His eyes widen as he looks up at me.
I’m taller. Bigger. And I don’t bother hiding the fury.
“Ethan.”
I shake him once, hard. “Say it again.”
People scatter. Chairs scrape. Someone gasps.
His friend stammers, hands up. “Man, Liam’s just an idiot.”
I ignore him.
Liam’s face pales as recognition settles in. “I didn’t—”
I shove him back into the counter. “You don’t get to say her name.”
“Ethan!”
Claire’s voice cuts through the noise.
She’s there suddenly, hands on my arm, fingers curling around my sleeve, grounding and urgent. “Stop. Please. Lily will be back any second.”
The name hits me like a bucket of ice water.
Lily.
My breath comes hard. My hands shake.
I release him.
Liam stumbles back, coughing, eyes darting around. His friend grabs him and drags him away, muttering apologies without meeting our eyes.
The food court slowly resumes, people pretending nothing happened.
Claire’s hand lingers on my arm for half a second longer than necessary.
