“It’s not pornography,” I hear myself say.
Everyone turns to look at me.
Judith’s smile sharpens. “I’m sorry, did you want to speak now? I wasn’t finished.”
“Then finish,” Mayor Benally says firmly.
Judith smooths her blazer.
“As I was saying, Sadie Pierce has profited significantly from this book. It’s hit number one on Amazon. She’s made thousands—possibly tens of thousands—of dollars by exploiting our community and turning into a literary brothel.” She turns to face me directly. “And now she wants us to do what? Congratulate her? Thank her for making Sierra Rose Ridge into a setting for her... her disgusting fantasies?”
Her words drip with contempt.
Bile rises in my throat. My mother’s voice overlaps with Judith’s:Disgusting. Degrading. Shameful.I’m eighteen again, watching my parents burn my first manuscript in the fireplace.
My chest tightens. The room feels too small, too hot. I want to stand up and run, just like I always do, but Mateo’s hand finds mine and holds tight. He leans in.
“Don’t let her get to you,tesoro,“ he whispers. “She’s wrong about all of it.”
“I believe Sadie Pierce owes this community an apology.”Why does she keep saying my full name?“But an apology isn’t enough. Not for this level of degradation. No, Ms. Pierce needs to leave Sierra Rose Ridge.”
Gasps from parts of the crowd ripple through the room. Mateo fidgets in his seat like he’s itching to get up and say something.
She wants me to leave. Just like Owen did. Just like my family did. Everyone always wants me to be smaller, quieter, gone.
But I’m not running. Not this time.
“We don’t need her kind of publicity. We don’t need pornography readers coming here looking for the ‘real Sunset Ridge’ so they can gawk at us like we’re characters in some author’s sick fantasies. We have standards here. We have values. And we will not be made into a brothel for one woman’s profit.”
She sits down.
The room erupts in noise. Some people clap. Others argue and shout. Mayor Benally bangs his gavel. “Order! We’ll have order!”
The room quiets.
Mayor Benally looks at me. “Ms. Pierce, would you like to respond?”
Every head in the room turns to me. My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat. I stand. My legs are shaking.
Please don’t give out on me now.
Mateo’s hand squeezes mine once before letting go. I walk to the center front of the room and turn. I see Jess’s face, fierce and proud, my friends nodding with encouragement, and Mateo’s eyes locked on mine like I’m the only person in the room.
I can do this.
Deep breath.
“Thank you, Mayor Benally.” My voice sounds steadier than I feel. “And thank you all for being here tonight.” I look at the faces staring back at me. Hostile. Curious. Supportive. Uncertain. “I understand why some of you are angry. I do. Judith is right about some things. I did writeWildfire Summer. I did set it in a town inspired by Sierra Rose Ridge. And yes, I’ve made money from it.”
Judith’s smile widens.
“But I want to tell you why I wrote it.” I look at Mateo. He smiles and nods. “Five years ago, I came to Sierra Rose Ridgebecause I was running. My family found out I was writing romance novels and was not supportive, to say the least. Like some members of our community, my mother also called my writing pornography. She said I should be ashamed to put my name on something so degrading, that I was an embarrassment to the family.”
The room is completely silent now.
“So I left. I changed my pen name. I moved somewhere they’d never look for me. I came here.” I gesture around the room. “And this town—this beautiful, complicated, sometimes infuriating town—gave me a home when I needed one most.”
My voice cracks slightly.
