Page 164 of Lavender Lake
Poet cleared her throat and threw me a nervous look.
“I invited her,” Hadley said. “As a gesture of good will. She’s writing a wedding piece for the town paper.”
“Well, that was a mistake, clearly,” Wyn stated.
“Amber, let’s go talk somewhere,” I said, keeping my voice calm even though I was raging inside. Raging and nervous, because Amber was running her mouth and Wyn had clearly been imbibing. Which meant she had no filter . . .
“Oh, I don’t think that’s necessary.” Amber flashed a red-lipped grin. “But Salem, aren’t you going to tell everyone your good news?”
“What news?” Hadley asked, her attention turning to me.
Even Gracie, who’d cut a few slices of cake, had stopped to peer at me.
Amber’s eyes lit with excitement. “Oh, to hell with it, I’ll tell them for you.”
“Harlan,” Cas snapped. “Get her the fuck out of here. Carry her if you have to.”
I marched across the dance floor toward Amber, ready to take matters into my own hands, praying I got there in time.
But my weak ankle gave out and pain shot through my leg, momentarily distracting me.
“It’s truly a time for celebration!” Amber crowed, looking at Hadley. “Not only did you just get married, but Salem and Bowman are having a baby!”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
The Ranch
It was so quiet you could hear the horses nicker in the barn. Everyone seemed frozen for a moment, and then it was like a director yelled cut and all the actors started moving again.
“That’s it,” Wyn snapped. “I’ve had enough out of you and your trouble-making ass.” Wyn set down her half-drunk cocktail on the edge of the cake table and stalked in Amber’s direction.
Amber must’ve seen the look of determination in Wyn’s eyes because she backed up a few steps.
Unfortunately, she plowed into Eloise and Lucy, who’d been going drink for drink with Muddy, and they were in no mood. Each of them grasped one of Amber’s arms.
“We’ll hold her for you,” Eloise offered.
“Let her go,” Wyn said, and cracked her knuckles. “I want to see her run.”
Amber let out a squeak and attempted to burrow herself deeper into Eloise and Lucy’s grip, but they flung her away.
“I’ll give you a five second head start,” Wyn murmured. “But fair warning, I was on the track and field team in high school, so choose your direction wisely.”
Amber dashed from the party, heading for the hills.
Literally.
“One, two . . .” Wyn counted to five. “I’m coming for you!”
Wyn ran after Amber.
Declan glared at Cas. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“What?” Cas demanded.
“You got Salem pregnant?”
I moaned. “Can we not do this now? It’s your wedding day.”
