Page 46 of Just Can't Fall for the Enemy

The visitors from the city looked at one another. “Uh,” the woman began. “It’s apparent you haven’t seen it yet. I assume he secured your permission before posting this?”

“No,” I said through gritted teeth, struggling to maintain my composure. This wasnotthe place to break down. “He didn’t. But I know where he got it.” Carmen was the only person who could have given it to him. I’d asked her to delete it a long time ago and never followed up to make sure it was done.

It felt like a double betrayal, Tanner and Carmen both. No, way more than that. There had been Mari’s advice to give him a chance, the memory of my parents quietly arguing, Grammy’s interference . . . practically everyone I knew and loved had pushed us together. Yet the only person who’d been right about Tanner was his ex. She’d tried to warn me and I hadn’t listened.

My life was once again a wreck in the middle of an intersection. But this time, it was my heart that had taken the impact and nobody else’s. At least I could be grateful for that.

Now Paul looked a little pale. All three of them glanced around in discomfort.

“We can refer you to an attorney,” the man offered. “Although I have to say that this can only help you in your career. It’s a very touching demonstration of your passion for wildlife and the environment. I doubt you’d get such exposure anywhere else.”

“If I wanted exposure, I would have asked for it,” I told them and stood. “Thank you for the kind offer. I’d like more time to consider, if you don’t mind. I’ll be in touch with your office tomorrow.” I glanced at the screen, my face now frozen on it in an expression of sadness.

I wasn’t sad now. I was furious.

The couple leaped to their feet. “We’re so sorry for these unfortunate circumstances,” the woman said as the man struggled to repeat something similar. She reached out a hand, and I shook it. “But we certainly hope you’ll accept. You’ll do a great job running things here.”

Not because I had experience but because I was famous. These people wanted to use me too.

I bid them goodbye and escaped out the door, fighting back angry tears.

Carmen reached the house at the same time I did. When I emerged from the car, she threw herself into my arms. “He promised he wouldn’t show it to anyone,” she wailed. “I made him swear, and he did, and . . . I’m so sorry! I didn’t know.”

“I know you didn’t. He fooled us both.” My voice felt distant, cold. As hard as my heart.“Is Grammy still here?”

“She went to visit a friend outside of town. I don’t think she knows.” Carmen wrapped her arm around my head from behind, almost like a headlock, and dragged me to the front door. “I’m with you, Sophie, no matter what. If you want to make a video to expose him, I’ll make sure it gets out there. Want to steal his car and drive it into the lake? I’m in the driver’s seat. Seriously. Whatever you need.”

I closed the door behind us and embraced her again. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

And I meant it—because I’d just relearned the lesson Alan taught me long ago. Visitors couldn’t be trusted, especially handsome ones. They only brought pain and sorrow to me and the people I loved. Safety wouldn’t be found in the arms of a man but in my town and its people. Lessons my parents probably knew all along. And above all, a lesson that hurt more than the others combined.

I didn’t deserve real love and could only ever be used.

I retreated to my room and closed the door, leaning against it and sinking to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to the empty room and the ghosts of my dead parents. “I’ll never doubt you again.”

Eighteen

I woketo my phone buzzing on the nightstand and squinted at the time. 10:04. But wait—I hadn’t set my alarm.Had I?

After blinking the fuzziness away, I looked at the screen. This time, I saw that I was getting a call. It disappeared and the buzzing stopped.You have 4 missed calls,the screen read.

I sat bolt upright, taking my phone with me and accidentally ripping it off the charging cord. The calls were all from Ben.

My heart practically stopped as I slammed my finger on his name to call him.Please don’t let it be Mom. Please don’t let it be Mom.

He answered right away. “Don’t worry. Mom’s fine.”

I released my breath in a whoosh and sat back, hitting my head against the old-fashioned wooden bedpost. I barely felt it. “Emily, then?” My sister-in-law was still early in her pregnancy, but Ben had said there weren’t any complications.

“No, she’s fine too. Actually, I have two questions. The brother part of me wants to know whether the woman confessing the deepest feelings of her heart is the one you’ve fallen for—because she’s gorgeous and I’m happy for you if that’s the case. And the lawyer part of me wants to know whether she gave you permission to use that video. Because it really doesn’t seem like something she’d want plastered across YouTube, and if she didn’t . . . we’re in big trouble.”

His words bounced around in my groggy brain. “What are you talking about? I haven’t posted a new episode since last week, and there’s no talking woman.”

“The one you released last night. Were you drunk or something?”

Last night.I’d been with Sophie, but I’d dropped her off around ten and returned the horses shortly afterward. I hadn’t received Jill’s email yet with the new episode, so I’d dropped into bed the moment I got to my room. I still wore yesterday’s shirt. I lifted it to my face, smiling to realize it smelled a little like Sophie.

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