during the Tiara and Crown Festival and today.
“What are you ladies looking for?” he asks, showing us finished pieces and trying to sell us the most expensive ones.
Sophia buys a bracelet for her niece, who is sixteen. She makes me want a big family with lots of children. They seem to get along well and look after each other.
“I’ll be right there,” I call after her. “I’m undecided.”
“Take both,” the cute guy suggests.
“Just wrap them both for my wife,” I hear Pierce’s voice, handing his credit card. He’s towering over me, and his hand is on the small of my back.
The woman who had been busy with another customer until now turns her attention to us. “I’m Elissa. You already met Jax, my husband.”
“Leyla,” I shake her hand. “This is Pierce.”
“The husband,” Jax is the one who finishes the sentence for me and shakes Pierce’s hand. “Nice to meet you, man. I’m just…what, did you and your friend call me?”
“A marketing tool,” I answer.
Everyone laughs.
“You should put him to work,” he suggests. “What is it that you do?”
“I’m a veterinarian,” I answer. “He’s great with animals. I’ll think of something.”
When another wave of customers step up, we wave at them and walk away. “What was that?”
“You were flirting,” he growls.
“Why do you care? How was Mary Beth’s casserole?”
Earlier, Mary Beth Tattle and one of her sisters came to the house to visit him. They brought him breakfast since they know he wakes up early to tend to the animals.
Yes, we do.
Together.
Because he is still married!
I shouldn’t care, but that upsets me so much.
He glares at me. “I already told you I don’t care about her or any other woman.”
“Have you been with anyone since our separation?” I ask.
“Ley, please don’t ask nonsense, babe,” he whispers in my ear, and I shiver.
I speed up when I find Henry and Sophia. We are walking a treacherous path. We are five seconds from getting into a stupid fight—our usual excuse to have sex.
“Nice couple,” he sneers. “I skipped the thanking since you had done it already.”
“How’s Mary Beth, Pierce?” Sophia asks mockingly. “Are you two going out on a date?”
“Only if Henry and Vance agree to join us since she can’t go out without her sisters.”
Sophia doesn’t engage and instead asks, “I still don’t understand why they are called the Marys when the third sister’s name is Nina.”
I wasn’t here during the first three weeks. That’s when Blaire, Sophia, Hayes, and Henry were learning everything they could about the factory, The Lodge, and the town in general. Of course, I hear stories all the time.
So, I ask, “Wasn’t Nina the one who was trying to catch the doctor?” Because obviously, this conversation irritates Pierce, and I am nothing but superb at pushing his buttons when I’m bored or bitter. I think I’m both today. “They have their sights set on the Aldridge boys. I’m sure at least one of you is going to end up related to Anna Tattle. It could be you, darling husband.”
I swear the way he looks at me reminds me of a wolf about to pounce on his prey, and God, I’m so turned on I wouldn’t care if we end up doing it in a public bathroom. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this desperate.
When we started dating, we didn’t care where we were; we just made it happen. Pierce always found a way. He’s desperate too because suddenly he makes it his mission to locate some long drinks, hoping they have alcohol to keep him entertained.
“They have to be somewhere,” he insists, and I swear he sounds like an addict in withdrawal.
It’s not the alcohol he needs. It’s sex. I know it because I’m in the same boat. When he finds them, he drags me with him.
“Are you okay?”
His eyes are almost set on fire. “What do you think?”
“You should try running a marathon to burn off all that energy,” I suggest, almost laughing, not at him, but at both of us because I am so desperate to have sex—with him—it’s pathetic.
The lady behind the counter greets us, “Good afternoon, what can I do for you?”
“What do you have that has a punch?” he asks the attendant.
“Black tea lemonade,” she responds.
He growls with frustration, and I burst into laughter.
“Do your lemonades have something stronger than tea?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I can give you a lavender lemonade. It’s a good relaxer.”
“Sure, give me one of those, a regular lemonade, and what do you want,