Page 19 of Sweet Escape at Bayside
Andre met Justin’s steady gaze and bit back the jealousy tearing through him. He lifted his chin in greeting, earning a curt nod in return.
Justin hiked a thumb over his shoulder and said, “Sorry to interrupt, but um…we’renot a secret anymore, babe. Y’all are pretty loud.”
“Man,” Andre muttered. “Sorry, Vi.” He drew his shoulders back and thrust a hand toward Justin. “Andre Shaw.”
Justin shook his hand. “Justin Wicked.”
TENSION ARCED BETWEEN the two men as they sized each other up. Justin had never come to see Violet at the inn, and she had no idea why he’d chosen today of all days to show up. But she had enough to deal with.
She stepped between the badboy biker and the possessive man who was an enticing mix of artist and physician and put her hands up. “Stop the chest-pounding, okay?”
Neither one moved.
“Cut it out, okay? What the heck?”
Andre and Justin both cleared their throats and then they muttered something under their breath.
“The Real Housewives of Wellfleetare gossiping a blue streak,” Justin said. “Once Dean and the guys realized Violet was okay, they took off.” He eyed Andre, though he was talking to Violet as he said, “You’re okay, right?”
“Yes,” she said sharply. “Fine.”
A delivery truck pulled up the driveway, and Andre said, “That’s my stuff.” Touching her hip in an obviously claim-staking way, he said, “Let’s catch up later.” He nodded at Justin, who did the same.
The second Andre stepped away, Justin stepped closer.
She held up her hand, watching Andre walk away, and said, “Give me a second to breathe.”
“So that’s the dude you told me and Dixie about?”
“Yeah.” She looked at Justin and said, “The one I screwed over. I’m such a witch, Justin.”
Justin put his arms around her, squeezing her tight. “You’re not a witch. You’re just not used to letting someone love you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and stepped back.
“What kind of loser does that make me?”
“Only the best kind.” He winked and said, “You’re darn lucky to have friends like the ones you’ve got here.” He eyed Andre, talking with the delivery guy as they unloaded boxes. “The guys were all up in arms about you and Andre.”
“It’s not their crap to deal with. I already told you he’s a good guy.”
“I was telling them that when you started arguing. Then you said it all for them to hear. Sorry if our baggage got in your way with him.”
She shook her head. “It didn’t. I mean, I’m sure he hates that we messed around, but all that anger you heard is because of me. If I weren’t so screwed up, I could have said goodbye to him like a normal person. Who knows what would have happened.”
“If you were like everyone else, we never would have connected. You’re the coolest chick I know, and I wouldn’t change a thing about you.” He nodded toward Andre and said, “I heard everything he told you, and I gotta say, the dude’s hurting. But it didn’t sound like he wants, or needs, you to change. It sounds to me like he just wants and needsyou, Vi. Period.” He dug his keys from his pocket and said, “You sure you’re going to be okay?”
“Aren’t I always?”
“Yeah. I’m around if you need me.” He arched a brow and said, “Six-pack Jack, huh?”
She laughed. “Maybe that’ll get you a date with Chloe.”
“Oh no…If Dixie has her way, I’ll be taking a trip to Maryland to hook up with one of her friends who works for her family’s bar. I’ll see you later.”
She held her breath as Justin approached Andre, exhaling when he extended his hand with a hint of a smile. She’d never expected to see Andre again, and seeing him with Justin, the only person to whom she’d ever confessed her feelings for Andre, did all sorts of uncomfortable things to her. She wanted to protect Andre from Justin’s big-brother-like leers, even though she knew Andre didn’t need protecting from anyone. And she wanted to protect Justin from Andre’s need to show his dominance. But she wouldn’t do that either. She knew them both well enough to realize they needed to do those things as much as she needed to go deal with the gossip girls.
She couldn’t hear what the men were saying, but when they both looked over at her with serious expressions, she headed for the girls to deal with the fallout from her past.
As she came through the gate, the girls jumped up from their seats and surrounded her—like a cavalry, not a gossiping brood of hens, as she’d expected.
