Page 97 of Bad For Me (Rock Canyon, Idaho 5)

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Ellie said.

“It’s fine,” Callie said.

“Everett’s a good guy,” Valerie said suddenly.

Every set of eyes, including Callie’s, looked at Valerie in confusion.

“Yeah, he is,” Callie said.

“No, he is the most selfless man I know, and he deserves someone who appreciates him.”

“I know,” Callie said. She was getting a little irritated with her stating the obvious.

Valerie stood up and leaned on the table. “Look, I like you, and you and my sister are friends. But if you hurt him, I will make your life a living hell.”

“Val!” Caroline glared at her sister. “Back the fuck off.”

“I thought you should know now, just in case you wanted to bail. Everett has been through enough without getting involved with someone who might fall off the wagon and decide her next drink is more important than a good man.”

Callie didn’t respond because everything she was thinking made her want to scream at a pregnant woman. This was exactly why she didn’t talk about her past, because people looked at her like she was a loose cannon, like any moment she was going to fall off the wagon and become this hideous monster.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she said, “I don’t have any intention of hurting Everett or anyone else. And to be quite honest, I’ve been sober for five years and was only off the rails for half that. I’d say, just going by the odds, I’ll be okay. What I don’t appreciate is someone threatening me because of my past instead of judging me on my present. I think that’s a little ignorant, don’t you?”

Val’s face flushed crimson, but before she could move, Ellie was jumping between them and pulling her sister toward the back door. “Let’s get some air, Val.”

Callie watched them leave, regret churning in the pit of her stomach. Why couldn’t she have just shut up instead of mouthing off?

You didn’t deserve her threats or her attitude, and someone needed to call her out on it.

“Whoa,” Caroline said next to her. “I can’t believe you just called my sister ignorant.”

“Sorry,” Callie muttered.

“No, she was out of line.” Caroline nudged Callie with her shoulder. “But take a little advice from me: if you ever go on a family vacation together, sleep with one eye open.”

WHILE THE GIRLS finished making dinner, Fred, Justin, and Everett sat in uncomfortable silence, watching football.

The only problem was, Everett couldn’t concentrate on the game with Justin radiating anger and those letters weighing on his mind.

Why did they bother him so much? Was it because they reminded him of the cards he’d send Cara, which always came back unopened? It did hurt that she’d never even bothered to read any of them, but he couldn’t project that onto Callie. Whatever had happened between her and this Tristan, it was her business.

But who was he? He had to have been someone close to her to write so much.

Well, he couldn’t do anything about the letters now, but he could deal with his brother’s pouting. Everett, sick of the tension, finally tried to make amends. “Look, Justin—”

“Do you mind? I’m watching the game, man.”

Everett sighed and grabbed the satellite remote, pausing it.

“What the fuck?” Justin snapped, reaching for the remote.

“I am trying to apologize to you!”

They grabbled and struggled on the couch, until Justin threw his hands in the air.

“Fine, you’re sorry. I forgive you. Happy?”

“Yeah. I’m fucking ecstatic.”