Page 78 of The B!tch List

Minnesota snorted. “She may be a lady in public, but in the bedroom let’s say she’s less than that.”

I grabbed his t-shirt and pulled him closer. “I told you to shut it. Do not say another word.”

“Oh come on, Shaw,” he sneered. “You do know she only wants you for your family, right?”

“Minnesota,” Carter barked. “I suggest you do as Shaw says.”

“Just go,” Hunter added. “Before Shaw really lets loose on you.”

“Shaw, buddy,” Carter said his hand on my arm. “Let him go.”

I dropped my hand from Minnesota’s tee and watched as he stood up and then smoothed it down with his hands. He went to within a couple of steps from the door and then turned around.

“I mean it, Shaw,” he said. “She only wants you for your family.”

I shook my head. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Family,” he replied. “She fucking loves family. She hasn’t got one of her own so yours will do. Little orphan Nancy just loves your mom and dad and wants them for her own and if that means latching on to you then so be it. And now you’ve got a kid as well, damn it, Shaw you’ve played right into Nancy’s greedy little hands.”

It was then that we heard the gasp and our gazes swung to the doorway. None of us had seen Nancy come in but I was sure she’d heard every word. When I saw the tears springing in her eyes, I knew I was right.

It felt like Minnesota had just turned around and punched me in the stomach. The air rushed from my lungs and pain radiated through me, from my gut up to my heart. He’d hurt me when he’d left me to go onourtrip without me, but that had been nothing like this.

“Nancy.” Shaw took a step toward me, but I shook my head and turned to Minnesota.

“How dare you?” I managed to get out with a strangled tone.

He mouthed, ‘Oh fuck’ and looked up at the ceiling but made no attempt to apologize or come to me. In that moment I didn’t think I’d ever hated anyone more.

“You’re a fucking bastard,” Shaw growled at him and then moved to me.

“No,” I said, holding up my hand. “Don’t.”

With my heart breaking, I turned and ran from Delphine’s back down Main Street to where my car was parked.

All I wanted to do was get back to my apartment and be alone. It wasn’t even like I had a job to go to. Mrs. Baker had pretty much fired me on the spot when I’d given her my notice earlier. It might have been premature but even if the bank didn’t come off, I couldn’t work for her any longer. She was a mean-spirited old buzzard who didn’t deserve to work with the beautiful children that were in her care. I knew because of her I was more determined to help Mrs. Ranger get her kids at the custody hearing in a week’s time.

I ran across Main Street, dodging a truck, and ignored Shaw shouting my name. I couldn’t talk to him. What if he believed Minnesota? What if he really thought that I was going to try and trap him just because I loved his family. I mean I thought that they were great but that didn’t mean I’d try and get with Shaw because of them.

What hurt was that I’d told Minnesota how I felt about family because we were getting closer, and I thought that I could trust him. Yet he thought it was okay to shout it out it in front of a load of people. It was like he’d never really understood how lonely it was having no one in the world. Like I’d just told him I had a headache, not constant heartache at losing my mom and dad at the same time.

I should have known at the time that he wasn’t the right man for me. He’d given me a perfunctory hug and said, ‘well I ain’t that close to mine, so don’t get your hopes up’. It was an out and out lie. A lie he’d told because even then what he really meant was don’t pin your hopes on him being the man that I’d settle down with.

Reaching my car, I beeped the lock and opened the door, but Shaw’s voice calling me wasn’t far behind. I really didn’t want to talk to him about it, it was too embarrassing. I wasn’t quick enough though and before I had a chance to get in the car, he grabbed a hold of my arm and spun me around.

“Damn it, Nancy,” he said, breathing a little heavy. “You sure can run fast when you want to.”

“I don’t want you here, Shaw. Just go away.” Pushing a hand against his chest, I wasn’t surprised when he didn’t move even an inch. Instead, he reached for my hand and pulled me to him.

“Why are you embarrassed? He’s the one who should be embarrassed.”

“Why?” I said lowering my voice as Cindy Burbank who worked at the flower shop, passed us. “Because it’s pathetic, yearning after other people’s families just because I don’t have one of my own.”

“You really think that I’d believe that was the only reason you’ve had sex with me?” he lifted the corner of his mouth and grinned. “I mean it has to be because of my amazing penis, right.”

He did have a point. “It’s not for your humility, that’s for sure.” I dropped my face to my hands to hide the tears that were still threatening. “I told him that because I thought he cared. Because I thought I meant something to him.”

“He’s a dick,” Shaw growled.

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