Page 26 of Curve Balls and Second Chances (Pickwick Pirate Queens #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

R ose woke with a clarity she hadn’t felt in years.

For so long, her pain had been something private. She’d lived with it hidden under layers of baked goods, hometown obligations, stubborn pride, and the rhythm of ordinary days. It was safer that way. Pickwick Bend was a town where nothing stayed quiet for long.

But now, her secret wasn’t buried anymore—not completely. Acen knew. Something he’d had every right to know all those years ago, but she’d been too young and scared to tell him.

The fear of what Briana might do. What she had already started doing.

That burned hotter than the shame itself.

Rose had kept her silence for so long, but she wasn’t na?ve.

Briana wasn’t bluffing. She was a woman who thrived on attention, on twisting stories into something sharp enough to cut.

And if Briana decided to make Rose’s secret public?

The whole town would know before sundown, whispered between church pews and repeated at the Piggly Wiggly checkout line.

Rose was done hiding. But being done hiding and being ready to face Briana’s brand of cruelty weren’t the same thing. The whole town didn’t need to know that part of her story.

She dressed quickly, needing movement, needing distraction.

The coffee shop gave her both. By the time the sun lifted over the horizon, she was unlocking the back door, setting out muffins, and forcing herself into the comfort of routine.

The bell above the front door chimed often—farmers in for their morning caffeine, teachers with lesson plans tucked under their arms, retirees who lingered just to talk.

It was almost enough to keep her mind busy. Almost .

The bell rang again, and this time it wasn’t a customer.

Riley stepped inside, not even bothering with hello. His expression was a mixture of weariness and protectiveness, like a man bracing for a blow.

“You told him,” he said flatly.

Rose froze, her hand halfway to the stack of cups. “ I did.”

He crossed his arms, every inch of him the older brother—even if they were twins. “ I figured, when he texted me at midnight asking if I ever knew… anything.”

Her heart stumbled. “ And what did you say?”

“I said it wasn’t my story to tell.” Riley’s gaze softened, his posture easing. “ But I also told him I’d sure as hell stand beside it. Beside you.”

The relief hit her like a wave, leaving her shoulders sagging. “ Thank you.”

“You okay?” he asked.

“No,” she admitted. “ But I’m getting there.”

Riley studied her, chewing on the inside of his cheek like he always did when he wanted to push harder but knew better. Finally , he nodded. “ Good . You always get there eventually. Stubborn as hell, just like Dad .”

That made her smile faintly, despite everything. “ Mom used to say we came out fighting.”

“You did,” Riley said, snagging a muffin from the counter. “ And now you’ve got Acen in your corner again.”

Rose’s hand faltered over the chip bags. “ I don’t know what that means yet.”

Riley raised an eyebrow, giving her a look that said he’d been seeing through her since they were kids. “ Come on. You’re not fooling anyone. Least of all me.”

She swallowed. “ I’m not trying to fool anyone. But you know me. I can’t just sit still and wait for Briana’s next move. I need to do something. I need to take control before she twists this into something uglier than it already is.”

Riley tore off a piece of muffin, his jaw hard. “ Then start with the truth. Your truth. Don’t let her weaponize it.”

His words hung in the air long after he left.

As she straightened the pen holder next to the cash register, she noticed an envelope tucked under it. Curious , she pulled it out. No writing on the front, so she slit the seal to figure out what it could be.

Her blood froze when she read the words in bold black print on a half sheet of white paper.

People put you on a pedestal, Rose , but if the truth about your past came out, they’d think twice. A girl who hides something that big doesn’t deserve their trust.

Carefully, face strategically blank, she pushed the paper back into the envelope. A quick glance around the coffee shop showed no one looking her way.

When had Briana hidden the letter? Rose had no doubt about the author.

Time to call in reinforcements.

War was coming.

Later that day, Rose sat on Tasha’s back porch with Acen . Riley and Tasha , the three of them gathered around an old wooden table scarred from years of backyard barbecues and impromptu card games. The summer afternoon smelled faintly of honeysuckle and charcoal from a neighbor’s grill.

Rose dropped the anonymous letter onto the table like it was poison. “ Tash , I’m in trouble, and I need your help.”

Tasha read the note, frowning at the typewritten words. " Briana ?”

Rose nodded. “ Right the first time.”

Tasha frowned. “ This is bold. Is she planning on sending this kind of thing around town? That’s not just stirring the pot—that’s trying to burn the whole kitchen down.”

“And she’s playing Declan ,” Rose added, her throat tight. “ I don’t know how far she’s gone with him, but she’s doing it to get under my skin. He doesn’t even know he’s a pawn.”

“Declan’s sharp,” Acen said. “ He’ll figure it out. He’s already wary of her.”

Rose shook her head. “ Not if she twists the story before I get a chance to stop her. You both know how quick folks around here are to believe the worst. If she paints me as weak, reckless, manipulative…” Her voice cracked. “ That’s the version of me people will remember.”

Anger burned in Riley’s eyes. “ Why are you even trying to be reasonable about this. She’s out for blood and it’s yours she’s after. You have to take her down regardless of anything else. She’s trying to ruin you.”

Her twin was ready to take Briana down and damn the consequences to anyone else

Acen opened his mouth, but Rose stopped whatever he’d been about to say by placing her hand on Riley’s arm.

" Don't , Riley . Don’t be like her. Don’t ruin everything for the sake of being the one that wins at any cost. I’m not that kind of person.

Never have been and don’t intend to let Briana be the one that makes me become that kind of person.

But I also don’t intend to let her ruin everything I’ve built for myself here. ”

Tasha leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. “ So what’s the plan? You going to out her? Call her out at church or the softball field and make a scene?”

“No,” Rose said firmly. “ That’s exactly what she wants—more drama. Another story to spin.”

“Then what?” Tasha pressed.

Rose exhaled, her hands tightening around her coffee mug. “ I don’t know yet. We need to find some way to prove she’s been lying, scheming, manipulating. She’s smart, but she’s also cocky. Eventually , she’ll trip. And when she does, we’ll be ready.”

Acen leaned forward, steady and solid beside her. “ She’s counting on your silence, Rosie . But she doesn’t get to use your past like a hammer. Not if we stand together.”

For a moment, Rose just looked at him. Years of grief and anger swirled inside her, but beneath it all, there was something steadier. Resolve . She wasn’t carrying this weight alone.

And that was the difference.