Page 26 of Rafferty

“That’s probably thanks to your stellar acting at the photo shoot, Tempe,” North adds, giving her a teasing nudge. “Got her questioning her own sanity.”

“I think we should go,” I say, suddenly feeling uneasy, but Tempe blows it off.

Shaking her head, she puts her hand on my arm. “We’re doing no such thing. We’re not going to let that nutjob run you off from your friend’s wedding. Besides, you and I are surrounded by friends. She won’t do anything stupid.”

Tempe sure has a lot of faith in a woman who is, by all accounts, unhinged.

“Maybe not right now, but we’re leaving tomorrow for a quick in-and-out game in Florida.” I don’t like that Tempe will be here in Pittsburgh, as will Tansy. She doesn’t travel with the team, but maybe I’m being paranoid.

Tempe doesn’t respond to my worry, instead saying, “That must be exhausting. Traveling there, playing a game, then flying back?”

“It’s all about routine,” King explains. “You get used to it. The real challenge is keeping the energy up for the games, especially these quick turnarounds, but our team plane is surprisingly comfortable and we’ll all sleep as much as we can while in the air.”

“Oh shit,” Mazzy says under her breath. Tansy heads toward our table, stride assured, her chin lifted in defiance.

Involuntarily, I drape my arm over the back of Tempe’s chair, the tips of my fingers brushing against her shoulder. She doesn’t flinch at either my touch or Tansy’s approach.

It’s funny how there was a day I once thought Tansy was smoking hot… the type of beauty that most women dream of and men can’t resist. But her ludicrous behavior and vanity has made her completely unattractive and sadly, she doesn’t get it.

She offers a fake smile as she comes up on my left, looking back and forth. “Rafferty, Tempe,” she begins, her tone sugary sweet. “Still playing house, I see?”

I can actually feel my friends tense around me, a circle of solidarity forming as they prepare to defend our lie.

“Yes, Tansy,” I reply, my arm moving to drape over Tempe’s shoulders. “We’re very happy together.”

Atlas is the first to jump in, to stake his position at our backs. “Give it a rest, Tansy. They’re great together. You’re just jealous.”

Tansy’s eyes narrow, and she scans the faces around the table, each of my friends nodding and murmuring their agreement.

“It’s really none of your business, Tansy,” North adds. “Let them be.”

Tempe doesn’t say a word but she does lean into me, her hand coming to rest on my thigh, which Tansy can clearly see.

She scoffs, her gaze flickering with annoyance. She glances around the room, eyes landing on a fixed location, and my stomach drops when I see her staring at Brienne across the room with her husband, Drake McGinn, our team’s goalie.

Her attention then comes back to me, her expression taunting. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I must go talk to my cousin. It’s been awhile since we caught up.”

“Tansy,” I warn, my tone laced with menace. I can’t stop her from spewing lies about me and she knows I have no power.

She bends over and so quick I can’t prevent the touch, she pats my cheek before pulling away. “It’s cute when you panic.” With that, she spins on her heel and stalks off toward Brienne.

None of us says a word, my heart in my throat as Tansy gives Brienne a warm hug and they start chatting amiably. We wait for Brienne to look our way, indicating that Tansy is indeed filling her head with lies, but she doesn’t. In fact, she doesn’t speak to Tansy for long at all, turning to shake hands with some other folks paying their respects.

“It’s only a threat she doesn’t intend to follow through with,” Foster says confidently.

“Or she just didn’t want to make waves at the wedding,” Mazzy suggests, her tone hard and skeptical.

“It’s still a threat,” Tempe says quietly. “One she knows she can keep hanging over you.”

“But she knows she’s lost,” North says with a disgusted shake of his head.

I frown at him. “What makes you think that? She was just here gloating over her disbelief.”

“Because it’s clear at this point, she’s operating on pure jealousy and anger that you won’t give her the time of day.”

Willa nods. “It does seem like she’s enjoying this as more of a way to get back at you for not choosing her. I think Foster might be right… it’s an empty threat.”

Maybe, but the weight of her potential influence with Brienne hangs over me like a dark cloud. I feel a hand squeeze mine under the table—Tempe’s. Her silent support tells me she’s in this, no matter what comes.

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