Page 17 of Butter My Biscuit

He unbuckles and opens his arms, and I fall into them. He holds me and pets my wet hair.

“Why does this always happen to me? What iswrongwithme?”

He gently moves me so he can meet my eyes. “Nothing. There’s nothing in the world wrong with you. I don’t want you to think that for a damn minute, okay?”

My bottom lip quivers, and he pulls some tissues from his glove box and hands them to me. I blow, making a noise.

“I feel like a cheap whore. I’m so stupid. This is all my fault.” I shake my head.

“He’s married, isn’t he?”

My mouth falls open. “How did you know?”

“Just a feeling. Fucking asshole.” Harrison breathes in, and his hand balls into a fist. “I’m sorry, Gracie.”

“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Oh, I know. I’m pre-apologizing.”

Then, he puts the truck in drive, and we zoom off.

4

HARRISON

Isee red as I grip the steering wheel.

I should drive us back to the rental, but I can’t do that when she’s heartbroken again. This time, I can’t sit by and do nothing, not when she’s blaming herself. Luckily, I’m good with directions, and I remember exactly where the dickwad lives. I take another left, and I slow down in front of his house.

“Harrison.” There’s sadness in her eyes.

I honestly thought my intuition was wrong. At least I hoped.

I reach over and brush my thumb across her cheek. “You’re too dang pretty to be crying.”

She says my name again, but I get out of the truck, walk down his driveway, cracking my knuckles, then knock on the door. A busty blonde in a fuzzy house coat answers the door. Her brows lift, and she smiles.

“Howdy, ma’am,” I say. “Is your husband here?”

“Are you two friends?” Her eyes move up and down my body.

“Acquaintances.”

“Joey,” she hollers over her shoulder. “Baby, there’s someone here for you.”

“Who?” he asks, rounding the corner.

Not a flash of recognition meets his face as he looks at me, trying to figure out who the hell I am. And that’s because he never cared about Grace, her friends, or her family. He never tried to meet anyone from Valentine. Makes me wonder how many women he has waiting in the wings.

Joey’s brow creases as he moves to the doorway. “I’m not buying anything.”

“Oh, I’m not selling you anything. Just wanted to tell you how much of a piece of shit you are.” I swing and slam my fist right into his face.

His wife screams and covers her mouth. “Joey?”

“Call the cops. I don’t even know who this man is.”

“If you ever message or call or even try to see Gracie again, I swear to fucking God Almighty, I’ll cut off your dick and shove it down your throat.” I spit on him.

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