by Meghyn King
They headed to the egg toss, which had just begun to call for volunteers, and Scarlett signed them up. While they waited for it to begin, an older man approached Ethan. They shook hands, and Ethan introduced Scarlett as she hadn’t met him before, and they talked about the happenings around town.
While they chatted, Scarlett took the opportunity to glance around the crowded park. She noticed Abby and her older husband immediately, and they waved to each other. As she continued looking around, Scarlett’s eyes found Shiloh. She’d walked past a row of tables with Rob, and Scarlett saw the exact moment Shy noticed her. She stopped, and stared at Scarlett with sad eyes. She’d always hated those eyes on Shy.
Sighing, Scarlett patted Ethan’s shoulder. “I’ll be back in a second.”
Ethan glanced between Shiloh and Scarlett and nodded, smiling gently. “I’ll be right here.”
She knew his words were for comfort, and they worked. Such a simple statement and she felt confidence soar through her once again. She kissed his cheek, which seemed to surprise him, and walked toward her sister.
Shy said something to Rob and he sauntered away, heading toward one of the food stalls.
As soon as Scarlett reached her, she noticed Shy take a deep breath, as though she were waiting for Scarlett to yell at her. Instead, Scarlett grabbed Shiloh and dragged her into a tight hug. Her sister melded against her curvier body, ducking her face into the crook of Scarlett’s neck. “I’m so sorry, Scar.”
“I know.” Scarlett stroked her back and breathed in the scent of Shy’s hair. The citrus scent of her shampoo assaulted Scarlett’s nose and she let the sense of home wash over her. Her hold on Shy tightened. “I’m sorry too. You know me, I like looking for fights.”
“No, you don’t. You had every right to be angry at me. I betrayed your trust.” She tugged away, her hands gripping Scarlett’s shoulders. “I’m your twin sister. I’m supposed to protect you, not make your life harder. As soon as I did it, I regretted it. I swear. I tried to fix it, but it was too late.”
“It’s in the past, Shiloh. We’ve both grown and changed since then. We all have. We’re adults now.” She actually believed her own words too, and wondered if she was ready to offer Sofia some forgiveness as well. “Come on, let’s not talk about this now. It’s the Strawberry Festival, and Ethan and I are about to dominate in the egg toss.”
“Hey, I thought that was our thing.” Shy grinned. “What’s going on between you? I saw you kiss his cheek.”
Heat bombarded her cheeks. “Nothing. It’s just a holiday fling while I’m here.”
Shiloh sent her a look of disbelief.
“It ain’t anything more, Shy.”
“Okay. I believe you.” She didn’t. Scarlett could see it in the way her lips twisted wickedly. “And you’re not going to win the egg toss. Rob and I will.”
Scarlett’s brows rose, and she grinned. “Oh, it’s on.” She made a I’m watching you gesture at her sister as she retreated back to Ethan. Shiloh’s laugh followed her.
When she reached him, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, dragging her in against his side. “That sounded positive.”
Scarlett’s lips curved gently. “We’re good.”
Ethan returned her smile. “I’m glad.”
“But they just became our competitors. Rob and Shy are taking us on at the egg toss.”
He smirked. “They haven’t got a chance.”
“Let’s kick ass.”
They did manage to kick ass. Shy and Rob were one of the first couples to be eliminated, and Scarlett then had to deal with Shy glaring at her the entire time, but she managed to get through despite her sister’s attempts at intimidation. When Scarlett collected their prize, a mini trophy, she poked out her tongue at her sister and Rob.
Ethan just shook his head at their antics. They headed to Scarlett’s favorite stall and he bought her the pie she’d been craving. It was just as delicious as she remembered. Shy and Rob decided to stick with them for a little while longer, and they all took a seat at a stone table.
“Are you ready for the bachelor party?” Rob asked Ethan.
Scarlett’s eyebrows rose. “Shiloh is letting you have a bachelor party?”
“I’m not a monster, Scar,” Shy laughed.
Ethan had his arm wrapped around Scarlett’s shoulders and she was leaning against him. The night air had cooled down considerably, and she welcomed his heat.
“Will there be strippers?” Scarlett cocked her head toward Ethan.
“Why? You jealous?” Ethan’s cheeky grin made her snort in amusement.
“Nope. I’m hotter than any stripper.” She ignored how closely her sister was watching their conversation. She knew from experience that it was best not to acknowledge that look.
“You’re much hotter.” Ethan whispered the words. They were only meant for her, and Scarlett felt her heart squeeze in her chest. Her cheeks warmed and she laughed, trying to push away the sudden embarrassment. She’d heard those words before, but this was different. He said the words with such honesty that she couldn’t help but believe them. He was the first man who had ever made her think she could trust him.
The look Shy sent her deepened and a grin spread across her face. Clearly she’d heard what Ethan had said. Scarlett glared at her, but her cheeks were still flaming.
“We should head out,” Shy said loudly, grabbing Rob by the arm. Rob appeared to be oblivious to what was going on between the sisters and frowned at her.
“Why?”
“We’re going,” Shiloh said with more force. “I still have things to organize.”
“It’s two days until our wedding. How do you still have things to organize?” Rob sent Ethan a confused glance, looking for support.
Ethan shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I’ll never understand weddings.”
“I just do. Do you know how much work goes into a wedding, Robert?”
Scarlett snorted. “I chatted with Ebony today. She and her friend are going to organize some flowers and have them sent here. They’ll arrive in time. They’re adamant that gardenias are beautiful and different and perfect for weddings.”
“Really?” Shy’s eyes lit up in excitement. “You’re the best.” She rushed over to Scarlett’s side of the table and dragged her out of Ethan’s arms, hugging her tightly.
Scarlett returned the squeeze, holding on to her sister as firmly as she could. “You’re welcome. Don’t say I didn’t help you with your wedding.”
“When the time comes, I’ll help you with yours,” Shiloh said loudly.
Ethan had just taken a sip of his Coke when she said it, and he choked on the liquid caught in his throat, causing it to dribble out of his mouth and down his chin as he tried to drag oxygen into his lungs.
Scarlett, Shiloh, and Rob threw their heads back and laughed.
“You’re in trouble now, dude.” Rob stood and slapped Ethan on the shoulder.
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Don’t stress, it’s not like that.” She wasn’t sure who she was directing the comment to, but three pairs of wide eyes turned to her, and she felt the need to elaborate, for all their benefit. “Ethan and I are just… hanging out.”
Shy’s disappointed gaze fell on her and she pursed her lips, but she didn’t say anything. She grabbed Rob’s arm and tugged gently on it. “We should head out.”
Scarlett glanced at Ethan and frowned. He’d focused back on his food, but his shoulders looked tense and he was hunched over the table. She wanted to touch him but decided it would be better to say her goodbyes to Shiloh and Rob first. They hugged and kissed, and Rob shook Ethan’s hand before they disappeared into the milling crowds.
Scarlett retook her seat next to Ethan, but he didn’t move to hug her like he’d done earlier. He barely glanced toward her.
“Ethan, would you look at me, please?”
He glanced at her briefly as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Yeah?”
“Are you angry with me?”
“Why would I be? You said from the start that you don’t do relationships.” Disappointment laced his voice, and he barely looked at her, his gaze wandering off to something behind her then back down to his food.
She reached out and cupped his jaw, her heart aching. A huge part of her wanted to tell him that she’d stay—and that part caught her by surprise. She didn’t want to stay in Ponchatoula. She couldn’t… except that part of her wanted to be with Ethan, and she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying so. When she felt like she’d gotten a grip on her emotions, she caressed his cheek with her thumb. “You’re right. I don’t do relationships, and I certainly wouldn’t move back here.”
He nodded, her touch on him dislodged as he turned back to his pie. He finished off the last bite and wiped his hands on a napkin.
She wanted to know what he was thinking, but she was too much of a coward to ask him. Her stomach was doing flips and her heart thumped against her rib cage, a feeling she wasn’t used to. His pain was hers in that moment, and she hated what she felt. “Ethan….”
“Well, well, well, would you look at this?” Their moment was broken when Jeremy and Nicole sauntered up to them. Jeremy sneered at them, the face Scarlett once thought handsome looking ugly with the twist of his lips. “Like sloppy seconds do you, Officer Antonelli?”
Ethan tensed beside her, his jaw clenched when he glanced up at Jeremy. “Step off, Jeremy.”
“That’s Mr. Harper to you, Officer.” Jeremy turned his attention to Scarlett. “Like a man in uniform, do you?”
Scarlett sighed angrily, her eyes narrowing in on the woman standing beside him. Nicole? Why was Nicole here with him? She frowned as she thought back, trying to recall if Nicole had mentioned it the last time she’d seen her, at the dress shop for the fitting, and stopped short. She’d tuned out on the gossiping, but now she thought about it, she remembered Nicole saying something about Jeremy. Had that included the fact she was going to the festival with him? Horror dawned on her as Ethan’s numerous stories about Jeremy replayed in her head.
Paling, Scarlett smiled sadly. “Hi, Nicole.”
She looked so small against Jeremy’s tall, muscular form. At around five feet, she’d always looked short against her friends, but the height difference between her and Jeremy was almost humorous. It wasn’t as amusing as the difference between their personalities, though. Now Scarlett knew what kind of abusive jerk Jeremy was, she wanted to keep Nicole away from him. If only she’d been paying attention earlier, she could have stopped this date from happening.
Nicole waved at her. “Hi, Scarlett.” Her gaze flicked uncertainly toward Jeremy. “Am I missing something?”
“Nothing that your little mind could comprehend,” Jeremy snickered.
Both Scarlett and Ethan shoved themselves off their seats, squaring off against the jerk.
Scarlett glared furiously at him. “Don’t talk to her like that.”
Jeremy crossed his arms. “Let the men talk, slut.”
She managed to grab Ethan before he flew at Jeremy. She held on to his arm tightly and sent him a meaningful look when he turned his angry eyes on her. The last thing she wanted was for Ethan to lose his job for something he did outside of work. Not to mention that Jeremy would undoubtedly use it as a perfect excuse to press charges against him.
Scarlett faced off with Jeremy again. “Slut? Is that the best insult you can come up with?” She smiled softly at Nicole. “Nicole, this man isn’t worth your time. He’s a real man, who hits women. Did you know that?”
Nicole’s eyes widened, and her hold on Jeremy loosened. As she released his arm, Jeremy grabbed her hand, tightening his hold on her. “Don’t listen to her, Nicole. She’s just jealous that I rejected her.”
Scarlett’s brows rose in amused disbelief. “You rejected me? And why would I even want a piece of shit like you?”
She dug into the pocket of her playsuit, where her phone rested. She knew her apps by heart, so she didn’t have to look at it to find the voice recorder. Even though the park was loud, they were sitting in a quiet area, and she hoped it recorded his voice clearly enough. She’d met jerks like Jeremy before, and they always gloated, sometimes too much.
“Because I’m the best you’d ever have, whore.”
Ethan tugged at her arm, but Scarlett wouldn’t release it. She crowded his body, stroking the skin of his wrist in a comforting gesture. “If you need to make yourself feel bigger by calling me names, you go ahead and do that. You’re not going to upset me, Jeremy.”
“Really? What about if I call you… piggy?”
Scarlett knew all hell was being released the moment Ethan shoved himself out of her grip and rushed at Jeremy, but he didn’t reach him. To her absolute relief, Rodriguez jumped between them and shoved at Ethan’s chest.
“Down, boy!” she snapped at him. “He just wants a reason to press charges.”
Scarlett gave her a grateful smile as she dragged him back again. “Ethan, don’t let this loser upset you.”
Jeremy smirked at Ethan. “She’s nothing like your sister. She has a lot more passion and control. Your sister just curled up on the floor and whimpered.”
“Are you admitting that you hurt Sofia Antonelli?” Scarlett asked carefully.
He scoffed at her. “Why do you care? You bitches hate each other.”
“Maybe I want to thank you for it?”
She ignored the shocked, hurt stare Ethan gave her. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she had a plan, but nothing in her gaze could convey that.
“Oh, I hit the bitch all right.” He grinned triumphantly. “She begged for her brother.”
“I’m going to kill you,” Ethan growled, his teeth clenched. “One day, I’m going to kill you.”
“Ethan,” Scarlett snapped. She’d heard enough, and all she had to do was erase Ethan’s words from the recording. Pulling out her phone from her pocket, she shook it at Jeremy. “Thank you for that, Jeremy. I appreciate the proof.”
Jeremy’s eyes widened. “You can’t do anything with that.” He took a step toward her, but Ethan blocked his path.
“Go ahead. Try and attack her. I’ll be happy to teach you a lesson in self-defense,” Ethan snarled, his fists clenched at his sides.
The jerk hesitated, then sneered again. Jeremy was many things, but he wasn’t an idiot. He took a step back, dragging Nicole along with him. Nicole seemed like she didn’t know what to make of the situation. Her gaze darted from Ethan to Jeremy, but she couldn’t walk away from him even if she wanted to, not with how tightly Scarlett saw him holding her.
“Nicole, are you okay? If you want to leave and you can’t, we can help you.”
Jeremy bared his teeth like a savage dog. “She doesn’t want to go anywhere, do you, sweetheart?”
Nicole blinked, and her mouth parted. She finally shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Scarlett wanted to scream at her, but she knew Nicole. She was soft-hearted and let people walk over her. Apparently, Jeremy knew to target the insecure, and then he used that insecurity against them. Scarlett hated him with a passion and she barely knew him.
“Nicole—”
“Bitch, she said she’s fine.”
Ethan exhaled loudly from his nose. Scarlett could almost imagine flames licking at his nostrils. “I swear to the almighty God, Jeremy, if you call Scarlett another word that isn’t her given name, I will make you live to regret it.”
“What are you going to do, Officer? There’s nothing illegal about calling someone a name.”
Rodriguez, who had been standing at the side as an observer, groaned. “Okay, this is done. Y’all hear me? Done. Both of you testosterone-filled brutes go your separate ways. I mean it, now!” She pointed a thick finger at Ethan. “Back off, Ethan. You don’t want to give this alligator turd a reason to press charges.”
“Ashleigh’s right, Ethan.” Scarlett kissed his cheek softly. “Let’s go. We have this recording. We’ll take him down.�
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Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Controlled by the pussy.” His fingers pressed into Nicole’s arm hard enough that Scarlett could see the impacted skin turn white. Nicole hissed. “The man has to take control, Officer Antonelli, but I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re controlled by the women in your life. You ain’t got the balls.”
Rodriguez crossed her arms over her chest. “If I was you, I’d release that hold on Nicole, Jeremy.”
Jeremy glanced at the damage his fingers were doing and laughed. “Oops. Sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t realize how tightly I was holding you.”
Fury roiled in the pit of Scarlett’s stomach, but she knew she couldn’t do anything. She had the recording, and they could work with that. Taking a deep breath, Scarlett tugged at Ethan’s arm. “Let’s go, Ethan.” She looked at Nicole one last time, asking without words if she was sure about what she was doing. When Nicole looked away and stared off into the distant crowds, she turned and glared at Jeremy, and ignored his confident smirk as she dragged Ethan away.
Ethan didn’t rip his gaze away from Jeremy until he was completely out of their sight. When they reached the car, he laid his palms on the roof, leaning over it. He breathed deeply, his fingers shaking. His eyes were closed, his jaw clenched tight, and he leaned his head against the top of the Mazda.
“Are you okay?” Scarlett laid her cheek against his shoulder.
“I fucking hate him.”
“I have the recording,” she said quietly, keeping her voice soft in an attempt to soothe him.
Ethan exhaled. “Thank you, Scar, but that’s basically useless. Unless one of the women comes forward, unless Sofia comes forward, it’ll mean nothing.”
He dragged her against him and encircled his strong arms around her waist. She rested against his hard warmth, her cheek pressed onto his chest. His chin rested on top of her head and he sighed.
“Thank you.”
Disappointment sat heavy on her chest. She thought she’d done the right thing, that Ethan could finally get him with that damn recording. “For what? I did nothing.”