Troublemaker (Havenbrook #2)
Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
RORY
I was constantly reminded how far I’d fallen from the pedestal Havenbrook had placed me upon, and today would be the worst reminder of all. My hometown on the Fourth of July meant festivities. Festivities meant crowds. Crowds meant busybodies. And busybodies meant pointed fingers and hushed conversations, all directed squarely at me.
It might have been weeks since my divorce had been finalized—not to mention more than six months since I’d filed—but the gossip mill in Havenbrook never stopped churning. At least, it didn’t until something juicier came along, and it’d take a lot to get juicier than my shitstorm of a life. Having my husband of more than a decade cheat on me with two dozen women had been bad enough. Having him do so with my best friend— former best friend—was just the cherry on that shit sundae.
A knock sounded at the door to my office, and I glanced up.
Willow, one of my younger sisters and fellow town hall worker bee, poked her head around the corner. “Hey, you. Thought I was the only one workin’ on the Fourth.”
Will was the Event Coordinator—among other things—for Havenbrook, which meant everything happening in the Square today was all her doing. It also meant she’d been running herself ragged for the past six weeks and wouldn’t get a break for another couple of hours.
I held up a note scribbled in our daddy’s handwriting. “What the mayor wants, the mayor gets.”
Will’s eyebrows lifted. “And he wants right now?”
“He does indeed.” I dropped my voice an octave to imitate our father and said, “With as much as I’m payin’ you, you can run in there real quick and get this appointment set. Let ’em know the mayor wants it done.”
That was my daddy. Always throwing around his status and money, even with his own daughters. Like I could forget I hadn’t gotten this job based solely on my qualifications—being a stay-at-home mom was a damn hard job, but it didn’t come with a whole lot of references—but instead, because of him. Or the fact that I made more money job-sharing and working only three days a week than many of the full-time employees who’d been there for years. Something I knew not only because I’d had to make sure he signed all paperwork denoting any raises, but because he brought it up every chance he got.
“Does he realize it’s the Fourth, and no one’s open?”
I dropped my voice again. “‘Everyone’s open for the Havens.’”
“Sounds like Daddy.” Will rolled her eyes. “Hey, thanks again for helpin’ me decorate the Square for the parade. You always have the best ideas.”
While decorating the center of town hadn’t been my most fulfilling work—that award went to my star project, The Willow Tree, Havenbrook’s first and only bar—it still allowed me to use that creative part of my brain that was currently in starvation mode most of the time.
I’d helped redecorate a few of Havenbrook’s residents’ homes, but it wasn’t something I could do full time. Not when I had two little girls counting on me and a brand-new mortgage to pay. I’d do anything for my daughters, including working a soul-sucking job while putting my dreams on hold. And I refused to use the child support I received from Sean for anything other than my daughters’ expenses. He would forever be in my life because of our girls, but I’d be damned if I saw his face when I looked around at my new place.
“Well, I certainly couldn’t leave you with only Mac to help.”
Mackenna, the second youngest of the four Haven girls, wasn’t what you’d call domestic. Or creatively inclined. Or helpful.
“I stopped askin’ her for help years ago. It would’ve been Finn out there with me.” Even mentioning her boyfriend’s name had Will’s face going all schmoopy. It made me a little nauseated, to be honest. He wasn’t even there, and I had half a mind to tell Will to get a room.
“In that case, I should be thankin’ you, ’cause I’d hate to see what that man would’ve come up with.”
Just recalling his suggestions for the bar had me recoiling. He might be one of the owners, but that didn’t make him right.
Will laughed and hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “You wanna head out with me? The parade’s startin’ in an hour or so.”
And be out in the open among all the whispers and stares for the whole damn thing? Not a chance in hell.
The parade started the festivities. Then we had the potluck, the carnival, the pie-eating contest, the baseball game—which I had to attend, no matter what—and the fireworks as the grand finale.
Yeah, I’d definitely be avoiding that for as long as humanly possible. Make sure my mask was good and secure before I ventured into the crowd.
“You go on ahead,” I said. “I’m gettin’ the girls from Sean’s momma a little later, and I have a few things I need to do before then.” Never mind that those things were mostly made up specifically to keep me out of the Square until the last possible minute.
“If you’re sure…” Will didn’t even try hiding the concern on her face.
I was so sick of seeing that look. I got it from Mac and Will, from my momma, from every damn person I passed at the grocery store or walking down the street. I appreciated the gesture, but that didn’t mean I didn’t hate every second of it.
Was I a mess? Absolutely. Was I set to crumble with the slightest jostling? Not even a little.
It’d take a hell of a lot more than a shitty ex-husband and an even shittier ex-best friend to crack Rory Haven.
“I’m sure,” I said, pasting on my smile. “I’ll see y’all out there in a bit.”
Will nodded, offered me a wave, and left. When she was out of sight, I exhaled, my smile slipping, and closed my eyes. I didn’t know when it had become so damn exhausting to wear that mask I’d perfected years ago, but I found it grated on me now. Had my nerves frazzled and frayed more than I’d care to admit. But I needed to suck it up and prepare for what was to come, because there was nothing but hours of it in my future.
The thought had dread pooling inside me. Of course, I’d been out and about since news of my divorce had spread, but this was the first major town event after it’d been finalized. I wasn’t looking forward to being the spectacle of Havenbrook today, and I had no doubt I would be. I couldn’t avoid it, though. Eventually, I’d have to show up.
I glanced at my watch. I still had a few hours to kill, and I knew just how to do it. If I was going to maintain that facade for hours, I needed a little spark to fuel my fire. Needed to take some time to stoke my creative side—the one that was just for me—and then I’d be able to make it through. I’d be able to play momma and daughter and sister and scorned woman just fine.
Town hall faced the Square, and I glanced out my office window to find people already milling about, settling in with lawn chairs to ensure prime seating for the parade. If I left out the front, I’d have to start this whole Poor Rory thing a lot sooner than I was prepared for.
So I did the only thing I could—I stood from my desk, hooked my purse over my shoulder, and avoided every stare as I strolled straight out the back door without a second thought.