Page 18 of A Very Merry Enemy
She’s a red flag liar. But good luck with that. I did it for our customers. I don’t give twofucks about her.
Another text comes in.
Jake
I just overheard someone say you were dating Holiday.
Lucas
HELL TO THE NO!!!!!!
I groan and glance at the bakery.
For the first time today, Holiday’s not scowling. She’s holding up a sign in the window, and I quickly read it.
Thanks for the free advertising, babe!
Same time tomorrow?
The gossip gals of Merryville read the sign and immediately turn to me with smiles.
“Babe? Are you two dating?” Edna Parker asks. Now that she’s retired, she’s been hanging out at the farm with her sisters.
“Absolutely not,” I snap.
Holiday blows me a kiss through the window.
For a second, I’m seventeen again. She’s blowing me kisses across the lunchroom when no one’s looking. Back when everything was simple. Back when I thought she might be mine.
Then I remember she’s just trying to piss me off.
“Are you sure?” Edna presses. “You two used to be thick as thieves. You, her, and Sammy. We always thought you two would get married.”
“We changed,” I say through gritted teeth. “People change.”
“That’s a shame. You were good together.”
I walk away before I say something I’ll regret.
My jaw is clenched so tight it aches. I throw an extra chain saw and gas can in the back of a side-by-side, then drive to the back field to meet my cousins.
“Saw the pics of all those cookies,” Dean says when I arrive. “Good on you for supporting Holiday. Guess you changed your mind?”
“No, I didn’t. She can still fuck off.”
“Yeah, now say it without that twinkle in your eye,” Matteo adds, smirking.
I glare at him. “I can leave.”
“Please don’t,” Dean says. “We’re drowning back here.”
I get to work, doing what I do best—cutting trees. The chain saw roars, drowning out my thoughts.
After I cut trees, I load them onto the lowboy trailer. We do this for over an hour, until my shoulders burn and my hands hurt even through work gloves.
By sunset, I’m exhausted. I make my evening rounds—checking that everyone has what they need, the equipment is stowed, and the gates are locked.
Then I notice her car still parked in front of the bakery. For a second, I wait to make sure it actually starts this time, and I won’t need to save her ass again.
