Page 21 of Battle of the Exes

“Oh, Iknowyou do, sweetheart,” Mae says. “Handsome, polite, good career. Why, if I were thirty years younger…” She sighs dreamily.

I nearly choke. “Mae.”

She waves me off. “Relax, sugar. I’m just saying, some men age like expired milk. This one—” She gives Beau an appreciative once-over. “—is a fine, fine wine.”

I throw my hands up, forgoing my cobbler. “Great. I’ll just leave you two alone, then.”

Beau winks. “Aww come on Ivy, don’t be jealous. There’s enough of me to go around.”

Mae laughs delightedly while I consider thelegal ramifications of justifiable homicide.

Thankfully, my sister walks in, saving me from a possible life sentence. Rue orders a slice of carrot cake. We take a table in the corner, leaving the lovebirds behind.

“How’d it go with Jasper?”

“He’s a creep,” I say, bluntly.

“Yeah, I picked up on that when I saw his straying hand,” she says, handing me a fork which I use to swipeoff the cream cheese topping and gobble it down. I earned it after two hours with Jasper.

My sister looks at the mangled pastry. “Oh. Kay.”

Mae stops chatting with Beau and eyes our plate. I hear her say, “Be right back.”

She returns with a steaming cup of hot coffee, setting it before me. Without an invitation, she slides into the empty chair beside Rue and, in the least subtle way possible, gestures toward Beau. “What happened all those years ago between you two?”

As if his ears are burning, Beau tosses a bill on the counter and walks out.

“Pardon?”

“You and Beau Carter. As I recall, you couldn’t get enough of each other.”

Her memory is back.

Rue looks amused. And oddly curious.

“Water under the bridge.”

Rue says, “I want to know, too.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I shoot back, a knot tightening in my stomach.

“You never really told me the details of what happened.”

“That’s not true.” The words come out sharper than I intend, and I immediately regret the tone.

I sigh, feeling a lump form in my throat. Mae seems content to stay where she is.

“I don’t really know myself.

Mae makes a face. “Oh, come on.”

I shrug. “Seriously.”

Rue has given up on the cake so I take another bite.The mouthful of sugary goodness is almost enough to calm my nerves.

Almost.

What do I expect coming back to town, seeing Beau after all these years? All the old stuff is floating to the surface, like debris after a major explosion.

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