I picked up my fork and forced myself to smile, when I just felt like shedding tears of frustration. I was so done with Carter’s shit. “Maybe a little, but in a good way,” I admitted, because it seemed like the best course of action. I didn’t want to alarm her. Grayson, Kenna, and I all agreed that this shit with Carter stayed between us. Involving Liana would only cause her stress. None of us wanted that.
Conversation resumed, and I made myself join in, giving the appropriate responses. My appetite disappeared, but I continued to put food into my mouth, not wanting Liana to think something was wrong.
I couldn’t look at Brock or Kenna, not without seeing flashes of the picture.
My hand curled under the table, the other tightening against my fork. If Carter showed up at the Edwards’ front door right now, I’d shove my fork between his eyes. It was a horrible thought for a horrible person, but not as bad as the next idea that popped into my head.
I needed to stop with the crazy impulsive plans. They tended to get me in trouble.
If I did go, wouldn’t it be the perfect time to enact some revenge on the asshole? I doubted he would see that coming. Ava got what she had coming. Now it was Carter’s turn. If I couldn’t get the prick arrested, then revenge was the next best thing.
But how?
I had little time to plan or prepare. I’d have to make the few days I had count.
Somehow I made it through the rest of dinner and dessert without creating a scene. That had to be a Josie record. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin Liana’s Thanksgiving, not when she’d been so excited to have such a full house. I was aware of Brock’s piercing glances and Grayson’s scowls from across the table.
I couldn’t hide or pretend the photo didn’t exist. Brock had caught a glimpse of it. Whether or not he saw who the photo was of remained to be seen, but he knew it had upset me.
I helped clear the table with Kenna. Elise had gone home earlier to spend time with her family. Turns out Liana wasn’t cold and heartless like Angie, who would have made her staff work hand and foot the entire day, not caring that they might have families of their own waiting for them.
Brock and Grayson shooed Liana out of the kitchen, leaving just the four of us to do dishes, a task Kenna was less than thrilled about when Brock volunteered us to handle them. She jumped up onto the island, dipping her finger into a leftover tub of whipped cream. “I’m not washing. I just got my nails down,” she stated.
“Fine, you can dry,” Grayson replied, tossing Kenna a towel. He flipped on the sink water and opened up the dishwasher, which Elise had already emptied earlier in the day. The woman was a godsend.
I told myself to focus on the mindless task of cleaning off the counters, plates, and table, to not let my mind wander to the text, but it was damn difficult with the two people involved right in front of me.
Brock caught me scowling at a stack of dirty plates. “Let me see it,” he demanded, holding out his palm and leaning a hip against the counter. The firmness in his tone caught everyone’s attention.
“See what?” Grayson asked, frown lines at the corner of his mouth as he glanced over his shoulder at us. He flipped off the water, bathing the kitchen in uncomfortable silence.
“The messages Carter sent her,” Brock responded.
Grayson’s eyes thinned, regarding me. “He’s sending you messages?”
“Apparently he is,” Brock answered, not giving me a chance to speak. “How long?” His voice dropped to dangerous octaves usually reserved for when he was about to hurt someone.
I sucked in a breath, my fingers steadying myself on the counter. “Who the fuck do you think you are, trying to intimidate me like that? I’m not the one who has his tongue down another girl's throat,” I hurled at him, finally letting my emotions get the best of me.
A bit of the fierceness in his features softened, as if he finally realized he was directing some of his anger at the wrong person. “What are you talking about, Firefly? I haven’t been with anyone else since the wedding.”
Not 100 percent accurate. He had that little fling with Ava, but I’d more or less forgiven him for that. Brock committing himself to one girl was a big deal around campus. Hell, it was a big deal in Elmwood.
“If this is about the picture you received,youof all people should know better than believe anything he sends you,” Brock pointed out.
True. So very true. I’d been one of Carter’s subjects.
A dull ache was forming behind my right eye, as stirrings of doubt found their way inside of me. Was I overreacting? The only way to find out was to show the evidence.
My shoulders squared, and I braced myself, not sure what would come out of Brock’s mouth. Little did he know, I had already deleted the message regarding meeting this person on Sunday night. “Fine. You want to do this. Let’s do it.” Reluctantly, I dug out my phone, unlocking the screen and handing it over to Brock. I didn’t even want to see it again. “Care to explain this?”
This single captured moment broke my fucking heart, a heart that never wanted to fall in love, never wanted to be vulnerable to another human, never wanted to be exposed or care so deeply for another.
Kenna and Grayson peered over Brock’s shoulder to catch a glimpse.
I watched Brock’s reaction first.
The shock, the tightening of his jaw as his eyes went from surprised to ice-cold rage. I thought he might crush my phone in his grip.