“I defend anyone being bullied.” She should remember that from our high school days. “I’m using what you did to Bree as a point in a very long list of people you’ve screwed over. It’s time to stop. You're a grown-ass woman acting like we’re still in high school.”
“I’m not–”
“You think anyone believes your lies?”
Her jaw tightened. The tears came next, right on schedule, welling up in her eyes with impressive speed. She’d always been able to cry on command, I just hadn’t realized it soon enough.
“You’re being cruel.” Her voice wobbled, and she wiped carefully at her face, no doubt making sure not to smudge her makeup. “I welcomed her to town, and this is what you think of me.”
“I think you’re smart enough to know what you’re doing. I’ll give you credit for that, and I know for a fucking fact that you’re smart enough to understand what I’m telling you right now.”
She pressed the back of her hand to her cheeks. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. But if anything else happens to Bree, if I hear one more comment out of you abouther, or to her, then you can be sure that I will do everything in my power to make sure every person in this town knows who you really are. And I will never, ever speak to you again. I will not say hello. I will not evenlookat you.” I wouldn’t do those things anyway, but she needed to believe the threat because getting attention was the only thing that mattered to Bethany.
“Finn.” She sniffed hard and moved toward me.
I held up a hand and moved backward, toward the sidewalk. “No. We are done. Forever. Quit your mean girl act and grow up.” Another step back put me in the sunlight. “You’ve done enough harm, and it’s time for you to stop.” It took effort to turn around and walk away without yelling and telling her I knew exactly what she’d done. Ronan’s voice in the back of my mind kept me focused and in control, but every step landed harder than the previous one, until I stomped so loud people across the street looked up and frowned.
26
BREE
The Honda–myHonda–rolled past the pub’s front windows at half past two. My stomach dropped straight through the floor.
Someone had stolen my car.
I’d left the keys after the parking lot incident, unable to even fathom looking at the car. That didn’t mean I wanted itstolen. How dare someone drive it down the street like nothing ever happened. I ran for the door with my heart in my throat.
Declan caught my arm in one hand, pulling me to a stop. “Easy.” He grinned, which made absolutely no sense given he had to have seen what I did.
I pointed at the window. “That’s my car.” I pulled free and rushed through the door and out onto the sidewalk. Sunlight slammed into my face, blinding me long enough for the driver to pull up and park directly in front of me.
The familiar rumble of the engine cut out, and the driver’s side door swung open.
What was going on? Had the person who’d taken the car decided that it wasn’t worth it and brought it back? I shielded my eyes from the sun.
Ronan unfolded himself from behind the wheel and climbed out, straightening to his full height. He patted the door as he closed it. “What do you think?”
“What?” Ronan filled my vision, and I blinked up at him before swinging my gaze to the car and back to Ronan. It took a few seconds for it to sink in. No marshmallows. The hood didn’t look new. It looked exactly like it had a week ago. “How did you? When did you?”
Ronan held out his hand, then flipped it over so the shamrock keychain dangled in my line of sight. “Drove it to Boston. My brother-in-law runs a body shop and is an expert at paint matching.”
My mouth worked but nothing came out. I walked to the car in slow, measured strides that contrasted my racing heart. Sunlight glinted off the hood, the same faded, beloved blue I’d grown up with. No raw paint primer from where I’d peeled off the marshmallows. No evidence anything at all had happened.
Mom’s car. My throat closed.
I spread my fingers across the hood, needing to touch the paint and ground myself in the reality of the monumental thing he’d done for me. Ronan’s brother-in-law had matched it so perfectly to the surrounding panels I couldn’t tell where the damage had been, couldn’t see any trace whatsoever.
“He blended the front too.”Ronan stood close enough beside me his hip brushed mine. “He said he couldn’t leave the hood without addressing the fade. Whatever that means.”
“All three of us pitched in.” Declan spoke from behind me. “And it’s a gift, so don’t even try to figure out how to pay anyone back.”
I turned to face him. Ronan tucked his hands into his jacket pockets, his gray eyes steady and a wide grin showing his teeth.
Declan wore a matching smile, his eyes dancing as he took in my expression. “What do you think?”
I had no words. Not one. I crossed to Ronan and threw my arms around him, pressing my face against his jacket. His arms wrapped around me, the solid impact of his forearms around my ribs making it all real. This was not a dream. They’d really done this for me. “Thank you.” It came out muffled in his jacket, but his chest rumbled with a response as both hands patted my back. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
