43. Zee
Here With Me - d4vd
Heading into Pigeon Creek shouldn’t be anyone’s idea of hell, but it’s mine.
That I’m here for a ‘depraved date’ says a lot about how much I used to dream of this.
A part of me wants to cling to Colt’s arm when he opens the truck door for me. Cling and cling and cling. Never let go. Just hold on. But I don’t. Exactly because I want to do nothing more.
Then, he takes the choice away from me by wrapping an arm over my shoulder and hooking me into him so that we’re walking around in a surprisingly smooth tandem.
During the walk to the General Store, I see Tee’s dad who greets me with a one-armed hug and Colton with a suspicious glower.
“I always knew Martin didn’t like me,” Colt drawls. “But it’s only recently I’ve come to learn why.
“He was one of the few on Team Zee.” I pat his chest in mock sympathy, trying not to flush when he snatches a hold of my fingers and presses a kiss to the tips.
“I owe him a massive thank you then.”
Heat blossoms on my cheeks, so I’m grateful when we reach our destination and focus shifts off the reason behind Martin’s dislike of my husband.
The Glovers, owners of the General Store, stare at us like I’ve grown a second head. Mary watches me like I’m going to start pickpocketing, then sniffs at me when I try on a pair of boots. Meanwhile, both our husbands discuss the best chicken feed for Ida’s new hen house and the new security cameras they’ve installed since Lydia’s death.
Because Pigeon Creek has always been considered a safe place, few took any steps to secure their properties. That’s all changing now that a murderer is walking around and Sergeant Reilly is in no way close to finding Clyde or making an arrest.
Satisfied with the simple, brown-leather, hand-tooled boots, I merely settle a cool look upon Mary that makes the distaste in her eyes grow as I lever them off my feet and hand them to her to box up.
The town’s hatred is a visceral touch that never stops making me feel sixteen again. Colt’s focus can’t always be on me, but once I return to his side, and with his arm tucked around my waist, I feel so much better. Like I have stalwart support when I’ve never had it before.
Once Hilary Browne and Jessica Cardinal stride in, making up the devil’s trifecta of the worst (still-living) bitches in town, I can hear them alternating between dissing me and tattling about the new celebrity who moved into the old Linnox place. A celeb who has yet to show his or her face in town.
Smart man/woman.
It’s with relief that Colt approaches the counter to have the few items he’s purchased bagged up.
When we’re standing there, he stuns us all by rumbling to Andrew, “Everyone’s entitled to their petty squabbles, Andy, and they’re also entitled to a warning—if I see Mary look at my wife as if she’s a piece of dog crap on her shoes again, I’ll be taking my business elsewhere.”
The chatter between the devil’s trifecta immediately stops.
I didn’t realize he’d noticed Mary’s dirty looks, but that he did has my hand settling on his hip so that I can squeeze him there in thanks.
Andrew sputters, “I don’t know what you mean, Colton.”
Still, as happy as I am for his defense, the last thing I want is to feed the fire of their dislike of me. “This isn’t necessary, Colt. We should go?—”
“It’s very necessary,” he disregards, holding me closer. “I’m talking to a business owner about a member of staff?—”
“She’s his wife.”
“She’s an employee in his business,” he corrects. “As a member of the town, I can’t request a shift in her behavior, but as a patron of this establishment, I can make certain demands as, without my business, the store would likely fold…”
Andrew gulps. “I’ll talk to Mary.”
“See that you do,” he rumbles as we walk past the stunned women.
That he even goes so far as to tip his hat to them is just the cherry on top of the sundae.
Still…
“You made that worse!” I muse as we’re walking through the door and onto the street, the corners of the box containing my new boots digging into my calf with every step until he snags the bag in his fist.
“I’m not going to let this continue. I can’t make them like you?—”
“No, seeing as this isn’t kindergarten and you’re not my mom,” I insert.
“No,” he drawls. “But I could be your daddy.”
When his brow arches, I shove his arm. “Shut up.”
Smirking, Colt’s fingers tighten around mine. “I can put weight behind my actions. I choose to stay local. I choose to support the town. But Saskatoon’s ninety minutes away and I can have things delivered to the ranch. If they’re going to treat you poorly, then I can do the same to them. Simple.”
His defense of me feels good but it doesn’t sit right with me and I’m not sure why.
I’d have done anything when I was sixteen to have his backing, but I’m no longer that girl. I don’t care if the folks of Pigeon Creek dislike me. Their validation isn’t something I need anymore.
My brain screeches to a halt as the decade of self-loathing that’s part of being hated by the town drifts away like it weighed no more than a feather.
It means that as I walk with him, aware of the whispers that once would have brushed my skin like rain dosed with acid, I don’t feel the pain.
Beside me, Colt gets angrier and angrier, but he’s only been dealing with this for a couple hours.
This is normal for me.
Maybe accepting and rejecting it is something I can do because he’s on my side?
Gah, I’ll never understand how my brain works.
“Has that happened before?” Colt demands, tugging me to a halt before I can step toward The Coffee Shop.
“Every time. Why do you think I stopped coming into town?”
“I’m so goddamn sorry, Zee.” He runs his free hand through his hair. “Let’s go to Saskatoon?”
“For?”
“A real date.”
I don’t bother hiding my delight as I lean on tiptoe, my intent obvious. As his mouth presses to mine, I sigh into the kiss. One hand settles on his nape so I can hold him closer.
“They can hate me. You can’t.”
He cups my cheek. “Even when I thought you’d betrayed me, I didn’t hate you.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not. You broke something in me. But you fixed it. Wanna know how?”
“How?”
“By.” He kisses my forehead. “Being.” He kisses the tip of my nose then, against my lips, he rumbles, “You.”