Bridget angles her body toward me, reaching out to pick up one of the drinks waiting on the bar. Benson is a silent sentry, but his eyes are amused as he watches us continue to act like Paisley and Esther aren’t here.
“Raewyn has always been too gracious,” Bridget says regretfully as she sips her drink. “It doesn’t feel right that there are no consequences. It sets a dangerous precedent for other predators.”
“Predator!” Esther pales when she realizes how loudher voice is, lowering it to a harsh whisper when we look at her. “My daughter is not a…a…apredator.”
Paisley’s eyes shift behind me, widening, just as Nolan says, “Who’s a predator?” Her cheeks go bright red as he reaches for the beer left on the bar. “I got tired of waiting for my drink. What’s going on?”
“This is Paisley,” I tell him with an eye roll, “and her mother.”
“Ah.” The sound he makes is knowing, and Paisley’s eyes drop to the floor, even as Bridget shoots me an amused look before she focuses back on Esther.
“It must be hard for you,” she says sympathetically.
Esther seems to be thrown by Nolan’s appearance, but she’s not ready to back down at the threat to her daughter—in a confrontation Paisley started. “What must be hard?” she demands haughtily.
Bridget’s expression doesn’t change. “Having two children just walking around, assaulting people. I bet you’re wondering where you went wrong as a mother.”
Nolan hides his smile behind his drink as I shift my attention from Esther’s horrified face to Paisley, who’s looking a little ill. “Nick did apologize to Braxton, so I guess that’s something,” I murmur.
Esther clenches her hands into fists, stepping forward, her shoulder brushing Paisley’s.
Benson clears his throat. “Esther, enough.”
She ignores him, her furious stare moving from Bridget to me. “You girls don’t know what you’re talking about?—”
“I think they know just fine.”
Esther whirls around to find Raewyn standing there, taking us all in. A step behind her is Stephen, Braxton, and Nick, each one wearing an expression of fury, disgust—with a healthy dose of embarrassment mixed in on Nick’s.
“Mom. Paisley,” he grits out. “What the hell are you doing?”
Esther opens her mouth, but Raewyn steps forward, her voice carrying through the bar. “You encouraged your daughter to go after a taken man. You think none of us connected those dots?” She looks around. “Where’s your husband tonight?”
Esther doesn’t answer, stubbornness flashing across her expression as Nick looks from Raewyn to her, demanding, “What’s she talking about, Mom?”
“Nothing,” Esther replies stiffly. “She’s not talking about anything.”
“What was her name again?” Stephen nudges his elbow against Raewyn’s arm. “Irene, wasn’t it?”
Esther cuts in before Raewyn can answer. “Joseph was single when we started dating. Irene was a friend.”
Braxton has his eyes locked on me, his brow knitted together with worry, and it feels like no one else exists for him. I give him a small smile before focusing back on Esther.
“You didn’t consider Braxton and me seriously together, right? What did you say again?” I pretend to think about it. “Oh, that’s right. We aren’t married or even engaged, so Braxton was fair game.”
He curses, stepping forward, but his father grabs his shoulder, holding him back. Nick shakes his head, shoulders slumping as he mutters, “Mom, go home. Take Paisley with you.”
“Nick—” Esther starts, but Raewyn interrupts.
“Yes, Esther. Go home to your husband before you make the situation any worse.”
Esther’s expression darkens furiously, and she shakes off Paisley when her daughter tries to grab her arm. “You’re throwing everything away for a girl you barely know. Gracie—” she spits, throwing a venomous glare my way. “She doesn’t know the meaning offamily. Look how fast she ran when things got hard. Are you really going todestroy years of friendships and the family our children could have over someone like her?”
Stephen rolls his eyes, but it’s Braxton who barks out a laugh. “Are you kidding?” He looks at Nick, who nods once before looking away, tucking his hands into his pockets. Braxton gives Paisley a derisive look, and she flinches. “Esther, you’re saying all this like Paisley ever stood a chance with me, but you’re forgetting that she only went after me because I was taken.” His smile is cruel. “You like taken men, right, Paisley? I heard you prefer married professors, though.”
Paisley lets out a broken gasp, staring at her brother with eyes full of betrayal. “You told him?” she whispers, her eyes gleaming with tears. “Whose side are you on?”
Raewyn’s eyes flare with shock, but Stephen shakes his head, mumbling, “Told you she was bad news.”
