Page 30 of A December to Remember
“It’s not stalking—you up and left without telling anyone where you were going.”
“That’s because I didn’t want you to follow me! I don’t have to tell you anything because we are not together. You need to get that through your head.We are over!”
“Look, let me come up, we’ll talk.”
Back in the shadows, Maggie leaned in and whispered, “Got to give him points for perseverance.”
“Can I punch him yet?” Simone asked.
“Give them another couple of minutes.”
Stu’s wail filled the air. “But I love you!”
“Whatever, this isn’t love. I’m sorry.” Her voice was pleading, begging Stu to understand.
In that moment, Simone could absolutely understand how her sister got into the scrapes she did. She was too nice for herown good. Peace, love, and understanding had their place, but sometimes a person simply needed to be told to swing their hook!
“What amIsupposed to do now?” From his tone it was clear that this was not a rhetorical question.
“I don’t know. I can’t tell you what you should do. Quit drugs? That might be a start. But you need to go.”
“And what if I don’t?”
The pleading of a moment ago had morphed into something more menacing, and Simone felt herself clench.
“I’ll call your probation officer,” said Star. “I don’t want to, but I will if I have to.”
Simone could hear the hesitation in Star’s voice and so, it seemed, could Stu.
“You wouldn’t.” His smile was cocky, as though this was a game they had played before, one which he was sure was going to end in very good makeup sex.
“I absolutely would. I mean it, Stu. I have tried to be kind. I wouldn’t mind if it was only me you hurt, but you hurt my sister, you violated her home and her trust in me, and I’ll never forgive either of us for that.”
Simone felt her spine stiffen.
“What?” The cocksure grin was becoming a sneer. “You’re choosing your stuck-up sister over me?”
Star leaned so far out of the window that Simone’s heart gave a stutter of alarm.
“Every time!” Star hissed.
The boulder of resentment that Simone had been lugging about for the last two years suddenly felt like a pebble. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Maggie watching her.
Stu rocked on his heels for a beat as though in shock andthen grabbed a fistful of shingle and hurled it up toward Star, yelling, “Don’t you turn on me, you bitch! Who else is gonna want you—”
But he didn’t get to finish his tirade because Simone had broken cover and was striding toward him with her arms swinging and Maggie half running to keep up. Stu, suddenly aware of the two women barreling toward him, one of whom he definitely remembered robbing and last saw shooting death stares at him across a courtroom, stumbled backward into the large concrete planter.
“What!” he quavered, trying to scrabble out of the planter. “What do you want?”
Simone reached him and bent over his cowering form. She could feel Maggie beside her, acting as adjudicator to make sure things didn’t get out of hand, and she was vaguely aware of being grateful for her presence; left to her own devices she would very possibly crush Stu like the cockroach he was.
“I’m going to make this clear for you because I can see that you’re having trouble understanding the word ‘no.’ Leave. My. Sister. Alone,” she snarled. All the anger and hurt she kept dammed up was bubbling out of her.
“Or what?” There was no mistaking the crack in his voice.
“Or I will make you sorry. Unlike my sister, I won’t hesitate to call your probation officer. In fact, if you don’t leave Rowan Thorp right now, I’m going to call the police.”
“And tell them what?” Stu was breathing fast; after his initial surprise his bravado was returning. Maggie piped up.
