CHAPTER 12
EDEN
While I know I have no reason to be pissed, I’m fuming. The day was going so well too, but then I just had to run into the one person in Wintervale who has the special ability to get under my skin. She always could.
Back in the day the thing that pissed me off most about Brandy was how much she clearly wanted Fletcher. How desperate she was when throwing herself at him would have been laughable if I wasn’t in love with him. I hated the way she would fawn all over him. He never encouraged her and often snubbed her advances, but she never fucking let up.
It was clear Fletcher only had eyes for me, but it didn’t stop her. It was fucking sad to watch, but it always made me seethe.
Brandy hasn’t crossed my mind in years, but the moment I saw her today at the Winter Market, I recognized her instantly and my stomach dropped. All I wanted to do was get out of the house and check out what the town was offering. I wanted to show Macklin more of the town too since we’ve been spending so much time between my parents’ place and Limitless.
I want Wintervale to feel like home to him and one way to ensure that is to get him out and to show him how nice everyone can be.
After the date Fletcher took me on a few days ago, I felt more comfortable that people weren’t going to snub me because of everything that went down years ago. Even though Fletcher has never been one to broadcast the details of his life, the town is small. People will talk and draw their own conclusions.
I’m sure a lot of assumptions were made after I didn’t come home and then continued to stay away. When we went out to dinner, I was pleasantly surprised to find people were happy to see me. There wasn’t any judgement in their eyes, and they seemed even happier to see Fletcher and I together.
Until then I wasn’t even aware how worried I was about the whole thing. It became very clear that I had been hiding out and avoiding town. It wasn’t fair to Macklin, and I woke up this morning determined to change it up and show Macklin the best of his new home.
As we walked through the market there were some surprised faces, but everyone greeted me kindly and then introduced themselves to Macklin. My son was his normal charming and adorable self. He soaked up the attention from anyone willing to give it and was more than happy to tell everyone about how much time he’s been spending helping his Gran, Gramps, and the Burns brothers at Limitless.
I watched as person after person fell in love with my little boy. It was becoming very clear that they were welcoming him with open arms and without even a hint of judgement. I’m sure they have questions—like where his father is—but no one asked.
Would I be the subject of gossip? I’m sure, but I wasn’t worried about it.
It was a revelation that had me feeling light and excited as we explored the market. The market showed me a town flourishing and highlighted some businesses which weren’t open when I was growing up. It made my heart so damn happy to see.
I heard Brandy before I saw her. I knew her high, nasally voice the moment I heard it. She was bragging about traveling all over the world and it took everything in me not to grab Macklin’s hand and run in the other direction. Just as I was considering my options, she turned toward me and spotted me.
Brandy sounded surprised as hell, “Eden?” Her voice went up an octave making it right under that of a dying cat, “Eden Wallace? Is that really you?”
I forced a smile on my face and had to practically drag Macklin a few steps closer. I glanced down at him, and he was watching Brandy with wary eyes. Yeah, when you want to know about the vibes a person puts off, just see how a kid reacts to them.
Brandy was giving off major fake vibes with a side of cruel ‘pick me’ girl energy. She always has and it was clear it hadn’t changed with time.
When she noticed Mack at my side her eyes widened, and I steeled myself because of the glint of cruelty in her eyes which she was quick to mask. I quickly pulled my phone out of my purse and pulled up a kid’s game I always keep installed, just in case. It’s given me a few minutes of peace when I’ve needed them the most.
Mack looked relieved when I handed him my phone and Brandy was looking down at me, the judgement coming off her in waves.
“Hi Brandy,” I chirped sounding fake as fuck, but not really caring.
“Wow,” her smile reminded me of a shark, “so you’ve finally come crawling back to Wintervale?”
I straightened my spine and glared at her. “I’ve moved home if that’s what you mean.”
She nodded, the movement condescending and accompanied by a cruel twist of her lips. The way she was looking at me was like she knew something I didn’t, and it had me on edge. “Tired of trying to convince yourself and everyone else you’re better than this little town?”
My eyebrows hit my hairline, and I swallowed hard. Not because she was right but because I try very hard not to curse in front of my son, and it was becoming a losing battle very fucking quickly. “Wasn’t it you I just heard squawking about traveling?”
She waved her hand dismissively, “That’s for work.” She gave me a look filled with ego and personal pride, “I’m a flight attendant.”
“Oh,” I held the word out, trying to buy myself time to come up with something. It didn’t work. “That’s an interesting choice for you.”
She reared back like I had slapped her and bit out, “What?”
I shook my head and with a small smile, clarified, “I just meant I can’t picture you in a service industry job.”
She huffed and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “It’s not like I’m flipping burgers somewhere. I fly all over the world and get paid to do it.”
“That sounds very exciting.”
I desperately wanted to ask her if she had complaints lodged about her. It was difficult to see her as anything more than a lazy opportunist since it’s all she was when we were growing up. In my experience, people don’t change their stripes very much.
She narrowed her eyes, and the cruel glint was back. “Have you seen Fletcher?” As much as I wanted to slap her and tell her to never say his name, I only gave a noncommittal shrug in response; it wasn’t easy to keep myself in check. “He was never quite the same after you broke his heart,” she pouted and gave me sad eyes as if she actually believed the words coming out of her mouth. “It did give him the opportunity to finally act on his attraction for me, though, since he was no longer being burdened by you. It was quite romantic and torrid. The only problem was the amount of traveling I did. We decided being best friends was better for us.”
I stilled, my heart pounding in my chest. It was impossible to keep a neutral expression on my face even though I should have seen her words coming from a mile away. The way she grinned at me told me that she saw she hit her mark.
“And now,” she leaned into me and lowered her voice, “you come back with some bastard kid?” She made a tsking sound and my hand itched with the need to slap her. “I’m sure he finally sees you for what you are. I’m sure he’ll be calling me any day now.”
Something snapped inside of me. Her words about him calling her were eclipsed by the love I knew Fletcher has for Mack and the way he’s treated me since the first day we saw each other again. I’m sure she thought I was going to tell her off or do something overly dramatic. But I didn’t.
I threw my head back and laughed.
The more I laughed, the redder she got. When Macklin started giggling right along with me, she stomped her foot like a toddler.
“Come on, Macklin,” I held my hand out for my son, “I think it’s time to get home. We have plans tonight.”
“Oh,” he squealed, “I can’t wait to see Fletcher and my uncles.”
I shot Brandy a smile filled with condescension and victory. She looked like she was about to faint or explode, but I wasn’t going to wait around and find out which.
While I know she was off base about how Fletcher feels about Macklin, I wasn’t sure if there was some truth to her words. The thought of Fletcher ever seeking comfort with Brandy, of all fucking people, has been a thorn in my side all day.
The knock on the door tells me Fletcher is here, and I don’t make it halfway to the door before Mack is throwing it open and launching himself at the man. Fletcher catches him easily, already anticipating my son’s actions. My feelings soften as I watch them together, but I’m unable to push aside Brandy’s words entirely.
As Macklin runs toward his room to grab his backpack, since I packed one special for him because it was always the plan to spend the night at Limitless, Fletcher pulls me into his arms. For the first time since we found each other again and got on the same page, I feel stiff and awkward. Part of me wants to push him away, but I know I don’t really have the right to be angry.
Fletcher kisses my forehead and when I don’t melt into him, like I normally would, he studies me with narrowed eyes. “What’s wrong, Shooting Star?”
“Nothing,” I try and keep my voice soft and even, but I can hear the edge in it.
He hums in response and then the next thing I know it feels like I’m floating as he bends me back over his arm and kisses me. My brain short circuits and I forget all about being angry and hurt. I kiss him back with everything in me. It’s only when fast, little steps are coming back toward us that Fletcher rights me and pulls back.
“Keep your secrets, for now, Eden, but you’ll be telling me later.”
I blink at him a few times as I shake my head and try to clear the lust fog that he’s trapped me in. How the hell does this man do this to me all the time? It’s disarming and I’m not sure I like it. Or maybe I love it?
I’m in a daze the rest of the night, but I try to be as present as possible, especially when it comes to Mack. I love the way my son shines under Fletcher’s attention. It’s beautiful to watch and it feels so fucking right.
I try and keep up with the conversation, but my mood is complete shit. No matter how many times I try and tell myself to get over it and not ruin the night, the memory of Brandy’s smug as fuck face has my mood in the fucking toilet. She was never a nice person.
The fact that Fletcher would ever be with someone like her hurts me. It’s not like I’m not aware he tried to move on, he was upfront about it, and I have a son by someone who isn’t him. I hate feeling like a hypocrite. Anyone else I could handle, probably. But Brandy?
It makes my stomach clench, and I almost excuse myself to go vomit more than once. How I manage to choke down dinner, I’ll never know. It’s delicious, as it always is.
The care, time, and effort Fletcher put in has my heart singing. But then Brandy’s little confession runs through my mind.
I’m a fucking mess.
After dinner, Fletcher leans back in his chair with a nervous look on his face. He clears his throat and shoots me a questioning look. I plaster a smile on my face because I’m the one who needs to get over it. He doesn’t owe me an explanation or an apology or anything.
“I have a little surprise,” his voice wavers and I can hear the nerves in it.
It’s kind of fucking adorable.
“A surprise?” Macklin starts bouncing in his chair for a moment before his face falls and he grumbles, “It’s probably a surprise for Mama. You’re always doing nice things for her.”
Fletcher grins from ear to ear, his nervousness evaporating. He shoots me a look I can’t quite read. “Actually, bud,” his voice is gentle, and I can see the excitement grow on Macklin’s face, “this surprise is for you.”
He gasps, “For me?”
“Mm-hmm,” Fletcher confirms and stands up from the table.
He holds out his hand for Macklin who takes it readily. As they head away from the table, I don’t have a choice but to follow.
I’m more than a little curious about what Fletcher has up his sleeve. There’s only one way to find out. With every step I know I’d follow these guys, my guys, anywhere.