Page 46 of Beating Heart
I wasn’t faking it or forcing it.
And it felt damn good.
Maybe this was all part of healing.
“So, you’re single, right?” Peyton asked as I sipped my beer. “Do you have your eye on any of our fine Magnolia Falls men?”
“Wow. You’re really smooth. How do you even know she’s single?” Ruby asked over her laughter.
“Please forgive her. She’s just nosy by nature,” Demi said, using her hand to cover her smile.
“Um, she can hear you. And I’m just getting to know our new bestie.” Peyton chuckled.
The word bestie had my chest squeezing. My lifelong best friend had completely betrayed me. Was I the worst judge of character on the planet? Could I even trust if someone was really my friend anymore?
“Direct talk and intense questioning is Peyt’s love language,” Saylor said with a laugh. “She did it to me, too.”
“That’s okay. You can ask me anything. I’m currently single. I was engaged, and we called the wedding off a few months ago. So I’m not looking for Mr. Right, because I just spent years with Mr. Wrong. I can’t be trusted.” I shrugged, as if I hadn’t just dropped a massive bomb on them.
They all gaped at me, Saylor’s and Demi’s eyes were as wide as saucers, Ruby’s brows were pinched together as she studied me, and Peyton had one eyebrow raised. Clearly, they all had different reactions to the news.
“Well, I’m not even hiding my curiosity now. I need the deets.” Peyton leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.
“She just told you that she called off her engagement. That’s all the details you get,” Demi said, shooting her a warning look. “And, Emerson, I’m so sorry that you’ve been going through that.”
“So, I’m guessing you didn’t come to Magnolia Falls for the small-town charm. You needed an escape, didn’t you?” Ruby asked.
“Ruby’s basically a therapist. She knows these things,” Saylor said.
I took another pull from my beer and smiled at them. It felt good to talk about it, if I was being honest. My family, mostly my brothers, were so angry that any time the topic came up, they would tell me that they wanted to physically hurt Collin. And then I was calming them down.
My mother cried about it all the time, and then I felt the need to comfort her.
My father was so angry about it that he’d just wrap his arms around me and hug me every time he saw me, and I hated the pity.
My grandparents were crushed that the wedding had been called off, as it had been built into this grand event in Rosewood River. Two families that had lived there forever, tying the knot, so to speak.
Being here in Magnolia Falls felt different.
Safe.
I didn’t have to defend anyone in the process of sharing what had happened. Even after all Collin and Farah had done, I didn’t want to have everyone in town hating them for the rest of their lives.
It was me that they’d betrayed. Not the entire town of Rosewood River.
But small towns were funny that way. They may be gossipy, but the locals were fiercely protective and loyal.
And the rumor mill had been in full force ever since the wedding had been called off.
“I just needed to figure my life out. I needed a new plan, and I didn’t want to do that back home in Rosewood River or in the city where everyone knew my story.” I shrugged because it was the truth.
“What you actually need is to find yourself an interim man. You know… a rebound. Give yourself the gift of having a fling. Cut loose. Otherwise, this escape was all for nothing,” Peyton said.
“I swear you have no filter sometimes, Peyt. Maybe the whole goal was to be alone.” Ruby reached for her drink and took a sip.
“Right. But she should still be pleasured.” Peyton waggled her brows at me, and Demi spewed her beer all over her lap. “Escape by orgasm is the best kind of revenge there is.”
“Peyton Francis, what the hell is wrong with you? She wasn’t asking for your advice!” Demi shrieked.
