“Ivy, I promise I will never give your mom cause to cry again. Hurting her is the last thing I want to do. To either of you.”
“But you’ve yelled at her. I heard you last night.”
Heath understood where her fear was coming from. “True, adults yell, and everyone yells, but I would never hurt her no matter how angry I got. I have never laid a hand on a woman in anger and never would.”
Ivy looked like she was warming up to him, when a voice he knew very well came to his right. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Heath glanced up and knew he was in trouble by the murderous eyes, glaring down at him. “Hello, Kathy.”
“I warned you.” Was all she said, before a meaty fist swung in his face, connecting with his nose.
Chapter 28
Olivia gasped in horror, as she watched Kathy punch Heath in the face. She had just walked out of the kitchen, after cleaning off her plate and froze, when she saw Heath sitting with Ivy. Not only that, Ivy was talking to him and didn’t look scared. She stood by silently wondering how this would play out, when Kathy took matters into her own hands and marched up to them. Heath smiled at her, and then she punched him.
While Olivia was angry at him, she didn’t want to see him hurt. Being a victim herself, she didn’t like to see others hurt. It was never deserved. Olivia watched helplessly, as Heath’s head whipped to the side. He didn’t say anything, as he turned back to face Kathy, but she could see his nose was red and painful looking.
Olivia finally leapt into action, before Kathy decided to hit him again. It was sweet of Kathy to champion her, but Olivia didn’t want to see people hurt over her. “Kathy, that’s enough.” Olivia tapped Kathy on the shoulder. The woman whirled on her, making Olivia squeak and cover her head. Suddenly, she was wrapped in arms she knew well. The smell of peat smoke permitted her nose. Heath was holding her.
“I’m so sorry, Olivia.” Kathy cooed, trying to pull her from Heath’s arms. Olivia felt she was in the middle of a tug of war match.
“Stop it both of you.” Olivia pushed out of Heath’s arms. “Ivy, let’s go.”
“Olivia, wait.” Heath protested, reaching out a hand for her arm, but Kathy batted it away.
“Don’t touch her. I warned you what would happen if you broke her heart.” She raised her fist menacingly.
Heath didn’t back down. “I need to talk to her.”
“And she is standing right in front of you and can speak for herself.” Olivia looked back and forth between Heath and Kathy, before settling back on Heath. “I have nothing to say to you, Heath. Everything that needed to be said was done last night.”
“Well, I’m not finished talking about it.”
“But I am.” Olivia said seriously. Seeing Heath stand in front of her, looking so sincere, was crushing her. She needed to leave. What more did he want from her? To see her crumble, before his eyes. To watch her cry or beg him to give her another chance. It would be a cold day in hell. “Ivy, let’s go. I have errands to run.” She didn’t want Heath knowing she was going to see his friends.
“May I escort you?” Heath offered.
“No, you may not.” Kathy answered for her. “Olivia, stand aside. I’m going to give him an ass whopping.”
“No, Kathy. I don’t want there to be bloodshed on my account. Violence never solved anything.”
That sobered her up. Both Heath and Kathy knew she had been hurt by Royce but not to what extent. They didn’t know about the multiple hospital stays, or the internal bleeding that caused her to get a hysterectomy.
“I appreciate what you’re doing Kathy, but please, don’t hurt Heath.”
“Olivia, I’m sorry about last night.” Heath started to say, but Olivia didn’t want to listen to any more of his honeyed words.
“Enough, Heath. I don’t want to listen. You don’t like kids, and you’ve made that perfectly clear. You don’t need to come here and harp on me about it. I won’t bother you again.”
“That’s not what I want. Not anymore.” Heath looked over at Kathy, who stood guard and back at Olivia. He looked like he wanted to say more but didn’t want an audience for it. Not that it mattered, since half the diner was watching them, since Kathy punched him.
“Mom,” Ivy said timidly. “I think you should listen to him.”
Olivia was startled her daughter was defending Heath. What did he say to her in a few minutes that Ivy would defend him? She didn’t like it, and Olivia felt cornered. “Fine, we’ll talk out back, where there aren’t prying ears.” Olivia turned around and marched out back not waiting for a response.
Olivia didn’t turn around, until she was outside halfway between the diner and Kathy’s house. Heath, Kathy, and Ivy stopped in front of her. “Kathy, I’d like to talk to Heath alone, please.”
Kathy squawked at being sent away.
