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And freaking accomplished it by getting into our mutual friend’s Jeep with a wave goodbye and parting words.

“One day you’ll find someone who makes you happy. It just isn’t me.”

“And asshat makes you happy?” I pointed to Levi and shook my head, as his smug reflection in the mirror challenged me to fight.

“He does.” Maddy nodded. “He makes me… feel things.”

“Feel things?” I scoffed. “What the hell, Maddy? I think any guy with working parts can make you feel things.”

“Other things,” she added quickly. “Inside.”

“You aren’t making sense!”

“Look, he’s really deep. We connect on a more…” she looked away, “…spiritual level.”

“Bullshit! He thought church history was a class on fiction writing!”

“Hey!” Maddy shot me a defensive glare. “That wasn’t his fault.”

“Whatever.” I held up my hands. “This is what you want?” I pointed at the brand-new Jeep. “Then go. But I don’t want to ever see you again.”

“Fine!”

“And Maddy?” I yelled as she stomped off.

“What?” Tears poured down her face, though she tried to wipe them away as fast as possible with her hands.

“You’re dead to me.”

My heart was dead. She’d stomped all over it, all over us, without so much as a backward glance. I could still smell the fuel as he hit the accelerator. She’d never looked back even once.

“Better make it a triple.” Blanche licked her lips, her saucy grin making my stomach clench. “My boy’s had a rough night, and it’s about to get rougher.” Did she have to wink?

I fought back a gag as Maddy paled and left our table.

“What just happened?” I asked. “I think I blacked out for a minute.”

“I told that no-good tramp that you’d found greener pastures.”

“Let me guess.” I leaned forward and pointed at her. “Greener pastures?”

“Guilty.” Another wink.

“Blanche, no offense, but I’ve never seen your pastures, nor do I care to.”

“That’s too bad. Had myself three stallions on those pastures, not one complaint.”

“Were they blind? Deaf? Mute?”

“Ha!” Blanche rolled her eyes then did a little jig in her chair. “No, they were men when men were men, with callused hands and the ability to chop down any tree in the county.”

“Oh good, so they won prizes in your honor? How sweet. Tell me, did they eat all the dessert at the pie-eating contest… or was that the next county fair over where you were kicked out for roughhousing with the pigs?”

Blanche straightened in her chair. “My last husband was more reckless than the first two.”

“And number four? How’s he doing these days?”

She grinned. “He can still stir my pot, if you get my meaning.” Five more winks.