Page 7 of Wish I Didn't Want You Back

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Oh, he was pissed.

Molly, bless her soul, stepped in front of me. “She needs a place to stay.”

He looked me up and down with disdain in his eyes that he didn’t even bother trying to hide. “This isn’t a damn homeless shelter. This is my home.”

“Seriously?” Molly parked her hands on her hips and stared up at him. “As you can see, she’s had a really rough day.”

He crossed his arms, his eyes not leaving mine for a second. “Not my problem.”

I wasn’t sure what she thought would happen, but I could have predicted this. “Molly. It’s fine. I’ll just crash on your couch.”

“Harlow. There is no reason for you to sleep on my couch. Emma is up at the butt crack of dawn and Brooks has bedrooms that never get used. You need to rest, and you won’t have any peace and quiet if you stay with me.”

While she had some valid points, I had a feeling that wasn’t the driving force of her decision to bring me here. Of all places. To a man who hated me.

The muscle in his jaw ticked. “She isn’t staying here.”

Molly leaned forward, unfazed by his attitude. “I know you’re mad that I just showed up like this…”

He threw his hands out and cut her off. “Mad? I’m not mad. I am furious. You honestly thought dropping her off on my doorstep like a stray dog without so much as a call or text to give me a heads-up would be a good idea?”

“I didn’t know where else to bring her.”

I finally reached my limit. “Would you both please stop talking about me like I’m not standing right here?”

He cocked his head to the side. “I don’t like being blindsided. I thought you would remember that by now.”

He was referring to when I told him that my dad had my future husband all picked out for me, and it wasn’t him. I guess he was still bitter about that.

“And I don’t like feeling like some charity case. I’d rather sleep outside on a bed of rocks than listen to this.”

Brooks stepped forward. His smile was all teeth. “I’m sure the wolves would love the company.”

Molly pushed on his shoulder gently. “Don’t frighten her. There are no wolves in the woods.”

He crossed his feet at the ankles. “Fine. Coyotes.”

Now, I was getting irritated. Did he think I wanted to be here any more than he did?

I lifted my chin, not even trying to hide my little attitude. I’ve had a shitty day, and at this point, I’d rather sleep with the wolves and coyotes. They would be better company.

I turned to my friend. “I can sleep in your car if I have to.”

“Perfect.” Brooks stepped back. “Problem solved.”

Molly groaned. “You two are impossible.”

I shook my head, glancing at the porch swing. It was a nice swing. It looked sturdy and a hell of a lot more inviting than the bitter man standing in front of me. “It’s fine, Molly. I’ll figure something else out.”

“No,” she snapped. “Look, I get it. This isn’t ideal, but it’s one night, Brooks. Please. She has nowhere else to go. Look at her…” She pointed to me, standing there in my wedding dress. He studied me, as if taking in every tiny detail. His gaze lingered, like he wasn’t sure what to do with me. “She didn’t plan this. She ran from the church and called me for help. Just let her stay for the night. She is having her things sent in the morning.”

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “What about the lake house?”

Molly shook her head. “Her key is back in New York, and the electricity and water have been shut off. Nothing can be done until morning.”

His shoulders dropped in defeat. I had to hand it to Molly; she was relentless, which made her a really good attorney.

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