Page 109 of Love Among Vines

Scooter the cop sauntered into view. “What seems to be the trouble here?”

“This is a public event. I’m allowed to be here.”

The entitlement in Nate’s voice would have been detectable from the opposite shore of the twenty-mile-long lake.

Scooter looked at Rett, who shook his head.

“No, you’re not,” Scooter said. “Now I suggest you leave the premises. Unless you’d rather leave in handcuffs.”

“This is discrimination,” Nate announced to the crowd. “You’re all witnesses.”

“The last time I checked, ‘Douchebag Status’ was not a protected class in the state of New York.”

That was Gemma, who had come to stand next to Cindy.

Nate tried to juke around Rett, but he blocked him.

“Jade,” he said, barely visible peeking over Rett’s shoulder. “I know you don’t want this—whatever this is—with this guy, or with the others. I know it’s not serious. You want a relationship. You want love. And you had that with me. You could have it again. We could have a future together. You need me.”

Jade’s fingers clenched tightly. “And you think I’m going to find what I’m looking for with you, a cheating fuckboy with less remorse than your average serial killer?”

“Come on,” Nate called. “You know we belong together. You’re not like other girls, Jade. You’re different—alive, colorful, wild. We would be unstoppable together. Come with me. Let’s go home.” He extended a hand toward her.

Rett’s shoulders tensed.

It would take fifteen spiral-bound notebooks to unpack all the insanity in his last comment.

“Let’s get something straight here.” Jade stepped out from behind Rett and drew herself up to her full height.

“First of all, I’mexactlylike other girls. Women are powerful, beautiful, wonderful beings who have had to deal with toxic men like you pitting us against each other for our entire lives.” She took a step closer to him, filled with a deep rage.

“You use people. You chew them up and spit them out when they don’t serve you anymore, or when the interest fades away. Even Ashley, who’s about to be a whole-ass doctor. Nothing and no one will ever be enough for you. I realize that now.”

She took another step. Rett’s hand landed on her shoulder, and she dropped her pointy rage finger.

“Even if I’ve forgotten it at some point in the past two years, I am smart. I’m capable. I’m worthy of love, of partnership. But I don’t want any of those things with you. And I definitely don’tneedyou. Now get the fuck out of my town before I shatter a wine bottle over your over-inflated head.”

“She’s threatening me. You all heard it,” Nate said to the crowd.

“Anyone hear Jade say something?” Scooter asked.

Ted from the bakery shook his head. “Not a word. You might need to get your hearing checked, son.”

Others in the crowd shook their heads too.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Elena said, pushing her way into the circle. She must have finished up her shift at the hospital.

Nate took a step back, eyes darting from one side of the crowd to the other. “She doesn’t love you,” he said, one shaking finger pointed to Rett. “You’ll see.”

Scooter pulled his baton from his utility belt.

Nate eyed it up and took a step back, then another, before he dove through the crowd and beelined for the lake.

“And stay out!” Scooter called after him.

The crowd dispersed. Rett stared off in the direction that Nate left as if to make sure the scoundrel never returned.

Margie came up to Jade and clasped her cheeks in both hands. “You all right, sweet pea?”

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