Chapter Twenty-Two
EFFA
The strawberry blonde waitress angles her whole body toward Mercs. Her lashes flutter, her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip, and her chest rises higher than necessary as her breath catches the moment she sees him.
I study her face. She’s a natural beauty, minimal makeup, but clearly one of those women who doesn’t need much to glow. Her little upturned nose makes me feel instantly insecure, and her dimples?
Goddess, I want to claw them right off her face.
But the real punch to the gut is the little gasp that left Mercs the second she spoke.
He knows her.
And the way she said, ‘I’m assumin’, you came back for me?’
That wasn’t casual.
That was damn well loaded.
My eyes flick to Mercs. He looks like he’s seen a ghost. His gaze bounces between her and me, frozen in the middle.
It’s Gran who finally breaks the silence. “Hi, Lilah, darling. It’s been a while. How’ve you been?”
Lilah turns to Gran with that dazzling smile, and then glances at me, assessing me with sparkling blue eyes.
She’s flawless. Ugh.
“Oh, Daphne, it sure is nice to see ya again. And Kiera, how ya holdin’ up, hon?” Her voice drips with sweet Southern-style charm. But it’s not the tone that throws me, it’s the fact that she knew Gran’s name. Daphne. Goddammit. I hadn’t even thought to ask.
“I’m okay,” Kiera replies gently. “Taking each day as it comes, I suppose, Lilah. Did you know Kaden’s touring with the band, Luminous? And this is Effa, their lead singer,” she adds, pulling me into the spotlight while Mercs remains frozen like a deer in headlights.
Lilah raises a perfectly arched brow, tilts her hip, and clicks her tongue in what I can only assume is fake approval. “Well, gooolly, a real-life rock star in sleepy little Ligonier? Who would’ve thought? Kaden, have you been holdin’ out on me?”
I narrow my eyes at Mercs, my stomach twisting.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Mercs clears his throat, flinching slightly as Lilah places a hand on his shoulder. His eyes dart to mine.
He looks pale.
Cornered.
I bite my lip to stop the question on the tip of my tongue that my gut’s screaming for answers.
“Lilah,” he finally says, his voice low and tense. “We stopped talking for a reason. Why would I tell you anything about me?”
Whoa! That edge in his voice?
It cuts.
Gran and Kiera silently shrink into their seats.
Lilah exhales, shoulders drooping as she turns to face him fully, blocking me from her view like I don’t exist anymore. “Kaden, that old thing with Shane… it was nothin’ more than a drunken mistake. A one-time error in judgment after our fight. I’ve never forgiven myself for it.”
Drunken mistake?
I grit my teeth at that phrase. Like that somehow makes it better. Like it excuses betrayal.
I drop my gaze to my lap, blood pounding so loudly in my ears I can barely think.
This is his ex.
The one I know nothing about.
And now she’s confessing her sins in front of me like I’m not even here.
My chest tightens.
My heart thunders.
I can’t breathe properly.
Slow down, Effa.
Breathe, don’t let it show.
Jesus!
“We don’t need to talk about this now or ever,” Mercs snaps. “I don’t do cheating, Lilah. You know that. This conversation’s over. Especially not here, and especially not in front of Gran, Kiera, and my girlfriend.”
Girlfriend.
My head jerks up. That’s the first time he’s said it like that, publicly, officially.
Now I understand the ‘no cheating’ boundary.
This woman is the reason.
Lilah blinks, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly agape as realization dawns. “You… oh, shit. Sorry, I-I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have s-said…” Her voice breaks, then she looks at the floor. “Enjoy your pie,” she whispers, turns, and disappears toward the counter.
I glance at Mercs. His jaw is tight, his shoulders rigid, his expression unreadable. It’s somewhere between guilt, rage, and heartbreak.
And then...
Silence.
Not around us because the diner is buzzing.
But at our table, no one breathes.
What the hell is with these people?
My muscles are frozen because I don’t know what to say or do, so I just sit here.
“Well… that was damn awkward,” Kiera mutters.
Gran reaches across, grabbing both my hand and Mercs’. “Are you both okay?”
I nod, but it’s unconvincing.
Mercs doesn’t answer. He suddenly shoves back his chair, it scrapes and then tumbles over, but he is already storming toward the exit.
Everyone in the diner watches.
Every step he takes further from me, the faster my pulse races.
“Mercs,” I call out, standing as he leaves.
All around me, murmurs swirl like wildfire. People are gossiping, laughing, whispering about him and her and whatever the hell I have found myself in.
“I’ll go,” Gran offers.
I sink back into my chair, overwhelmed, watching Gran follow after Mercs.
Kiera’s eyes meet mine. They’re soft, understanding, and kind.
I glance at the counter.
Lilah’s gone.
Of course she is.
“So… Lilah?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“I was wondering when you’d ask,” Kiera says, sipping her soda.
“She’s Kaden’s ex. They were childhood sweethearts until she got caught in the backseat of Kaden’s car one night with his best friend, Shane…
doing the dirty. It was the biggest scandal to hit town in a decade.
He was humiliated. And judging by the whispers, they’re still the talk of the town. ”
My chest aches.
He didn’t just lose a girlfriend.
He lost everything—his best friend, his reputation, his dignity.
And it’s still following him.
“When did this happen?” I ask.
She slurps on her straw, then leans in. “About two years ago. Kades had just started touring. He came home during a break to surprise her…” She pauses and looks at me meaningfully. “With a ring.”
I gasp quietly.
He was going to propose?
My stomach sinks.
My chest feels hollow as I slump into my seat.
“You didn’t know, did you?” Kiera asks gently.
I shake my head, stunned. “Nope, not a clue.”
She moves into Mercs’ empty seat beside me and takes my hand. “If he brought you here, Effa, you matter to him. Like, really matter. Kaden doesn’t let people in, not after that. He swore off relationships, off vulnerability, off being the center of anyone’s attention.”
She pauses, searching my face. “And after everything that’s happened… me, Lilah, this town… he’s trying. But he’s scared. He thinks he has to be the strong one, that he’s not allowed to fall apart. But Effa, when I’m gone, he’s going to need someone to help hold him up.”
My breath hitches.
She said it so casually, so certain, like it’s already written in stone.
I clear my throat, barely holding it together. “Kiera, please don’t tell me you’ve given up. Mercs said there’s a procedure.”
She shrugs. “There is. But getting it all lined up in time is the hard part. I’ve made peace with whatever happens. Gran has too. We’ve got things in place. But Kaden? He’s not ready.” She squeezes my hand. “Promise me you’ll be there for him when I’m not.”
Tears sting my eyes. I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I p-promise.”
She hugs me tight, and I hold her just as fiercely.
I don’t know how long we stay like that before Mercs and Gran walk back in.
Quickly, I wipe my face, but Mercs sees, and he walks over, his eyes narrowed, jaw tight, and sits back beside me.
He sees the tear tracks, reaches out, and brushes my cheek. “I made you cry, baby.” He frowns. “I’m sorry.”
Kiera stiffens, probably worried I’ll say too much, but I won’t. That was her truth to share.
“I just wish you had told me about Lilah, that’s all,” I say honestly. “I don’t like surprises. And that one felt pretty big.”
“I know,” he says softly. “I honestly didn’t expect her to be working here. She must have just started. I didn’t bring it up because she doesn’t matter anymore. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“Upset me?”
He shrugs. “I didn’t want you thinking I came home to… bump into her. I knew she might be around, but I was hoping we wouldn’t cross paths.”
“You’re a dick,” I mutter.
Kiera giggles into her straw.
“What? Why?” he asks.
“Because if you’d just told me, I wouldn’t have been blindsided. I wouldn’t have sat here like a clueless idiot while everyone else in the diner knew your history but me.”
He grimaces. “You’re right. I… I hate being the talk of this place. I was hoping to avoid the drama.”
“Well, now you’re dating a rock star. So maybe we start a new town scandal.”
He chuckles, relief softening his face when he takes my hand. “And this is why I never want to let you go.”
I glance at Kiera, who’s smiling brightly again. She looks better, stronger, and that makes me feel better too.
“Well,” I say. “How about we eat some of this damn pie before it gets cold?”
“Yes, please.” Kiera groans, already digging in.
Mercs’ hand slides under the table and rests on my knee while he eats with his other hand. I grab my fork and finally taste the pie that Gran hyped up.
It’s amazing.
Across the diner, I catch movement. Lilah’s behind the counter again, serving customers, but watching us, and she looks frazzled.
Worse, she looks unfinished.
And even though Mercs says he wants nothing to do with her.
I can’t help but wonder…
What happens if she asks him that one question every ex eventually does?
Will you take me back?