Page 33 of A Very Merry Enemy
“You don’t know anything about why I came back.”
“Sure, I do. I know your very public engagement ended, and your fancy culinary career hit a brick wall. So, you ran back home to lick your wounds, where everyone compliments you. When you’ve had enough, you’ll run away.” He leans in. “Just like you always do.”
“I didn’t run?—”
“You left for culinary school and never looked back. Moved on in three months.” His voice is cold as ice. “Forgive me if I don’t trust a single word out of your mouth.”
“That’s what this is about? We never discussed being exclusive! You told me to live my life! One picture is posted of me and a guy on the internet and you ghost me!” My throat burns.
“You were on his fucking lap!” he yells.
“I’m doing this contest without you. Tell Mawmaw yourself.”
“Already planning to.”
“Good.”
“Great.”
We glare at each other.
“Now get out of my bakery,” I say.
“Gladly.”
“Why do you always do that? Have to have the last word. It’s annoying. You’re annoying,” I mutter.
He turns toward the door, and his phone rings.
He pulls it out, glances at the screen. “It’s Mawmaw.”
“Don’t answer it.”
Lucas rolls his eyes at me. “You don’t get to tell me what to do,Peaches.”
“Stop with that.”
He answers, puttingit on speaker.
“Honey!” Mawmaw’s voice fills the bakery, sweet and cheerful. “Did you tell Holiday about the contest?”
Lucas and I exchange looks.
“Yep,” he says. “She said she’ll do it, but she won’t work with me. Only against me.”
“What?” Mawmaw sounds disappointed, and I glare at Lucas.
“I told you she’s stubborn and selfish. And only thinks about herself. Sorry, Mawmaw, I know you had your heart set on us winning this for you,” he says, really playing it up.
I hate you, I mouth, and it breaks my heart to hear his grandmother’s disappointed voice.
“Now, hold on just a minute,” Mawmaw says, her voice shifting. “Where are you right now?”
“Funny you should ask,” he says through gritted teeth. “I’m at the bakery.”
“With Holiday? Let me speak to her,” Mawmaw says.
I shake my head.
