Page 33 of There’s Trouble Brewing

The baristas bustled with the day’s activities, a choreography of steaming milk and pulling shots. Emily caught Sue’s eye, the younger woman smiling warmly as she slid a cup her way. The weight of what Emily had to do pressed heavy on her chest, and Emily struggled to return the gesture. She’d have to tell them soon before the words broke free without them being measured.

Mark approached, his usual easy gait stiffer than normal. Their eyes met, a flicker of the previous night’s tension sparking between them. “Late start,” he commented, his voice flat and controlled.

“I had a lot to do before I came here,” Emily retorted defensively.

“Joe follow up with you yet?” Mark asked, arranging shop merchandise with mechanical precision.

Emily hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. He wanted to know when I could be there.”

He paused, the air between them tight and charged. “And?”

“I’m leaving Faith Valley today,” she blurted out, the words rushing out faster than she intended.

Sue looked up, eyes wide. “Wait—what?” she exclaimed, setting down the cup she was holding.

Mark’s expression darkened, a storm all its own. “I see,” he said, the anger slicing through the façade of professionalism.

Emily swallowed hard, her voice trembling. “I don’t know why you’re reacting that way. You didn’t seem to care when I brought it up to you last night,” she accused, the heat of her own anger taking over.

Mark’s jaw clenched. “That’s not exactly how it happened,” he shot back, his words short and clipped as he folded his arms across his chest.

The staff watched, a captive audience to the unfolding drama. Sue stepped forward, her tone a careful bridge over turbulent waters. “Maybe we can talk this out calmly,” she suggested; the hope in her voice sparking more than it soothed.

Emily shook her head as she clenched her fists at her sides. “Talk? About what? He doesn’t even want me to stay,” she cried, the rawness of it hanging heavy in the air.

Mark’s eyes were intense, sharp. “I didn’t say that,” he countered, but the argument was already a wildfire, bright and uncontrollable.

Emily’s anger boiled over, her voice trembling but loud. “It doesn’t matter. I’m leaving Faith Valley, and there’s nothing left to say.”

The staff stood frozen, coffee cups mid-pour, the dramatic moment stretching long and taut. Emily turned, breathless and hurting, as her declaration echoed against the walls of the small shop. The tension snapped with a ferocity that left everyone speechless.

An hour later, Emily shoved clothes into her duffel bag, each hasty push a declaration that she couldn’t wait to get out of town. She moved with the desperate rhythm of a woman running from a pain she didn’t want to admit was there.

Emily zipped her bag with a rough, decisive pull, the sound barely audible over the howling wind. Her mind was a tangle, tight and uncomfortable, like the jumbled mess of clothes in her bag. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew she couldn’t stay—not like this.

The wind picked up, rattling the windows with vicious intent. She pressed her lips together, determined but so very lost. It felt like running away and standing her ground all at once, the contradictions as fierce as the storm itself. She swung her jacket on and grabbed her helmet and keys.

As she exited the hotel, the rain beat the pavement outside, an urgent drumming that mirrored the thrumming of her heart. The storm pushed back at her, daring her to make it through, but she refused to let it slow her.

Then he was there, as sudden and shocking as the lightning that split the sky. Her ex, Dave, was standing in front of her with all the force of the storm and none of the warmth. Emily stopped short, surprise freezing her mid-step.

“Em,” Dave shouted, his voice hard and commanding against the roar of the wind. “I’m here to take you back to Hero with me.”

Her heart raced, fear and anger competing with the rain for space beneath her skin. She shook her head, a wild defiance in the gesture. “No,” she yelled back, her voice barely reaching over the storm’s fury. Each word was a struggle, a victory against the tempest that raged both inside and out.

Dave took a step closer, his eyes fixed on her with aggressive determination. “You’re making a mistake,” he insisted, the accusation sharp and rage-filled as he reached out to grab her arm.

“No, I’m not,” she shouted, yanking free. Emily’s fear tightened in her chest, causing her to turn and run back into the hotel. Emily hesitated for a moment, considering her options.

“Are you all right?” one of the workers asked, his voice gentle but probing.

Emily simply shook her head, her mind racing. “Is there a back way out of this place?” she inquired, urgency edging her voice.

The man nodded, pointing behind her. “Through the back. There’s a sidewalk that wraps around to the parking lot.”

Without a second thought, Emily dashed through the lobby and out the back doors. The looming storm seemed less daunting than the prospect of confronting her ex through the front again. As the wind whipped around her, Emily realized she had made the right decision. She was ready to face whatever came next, closing one chapter in Texas and beginning another in Montana.

Chapter Twelve

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