Page 47 of The Spite Date (Small Town Sisterhood #1)

So lightly, it’s barely a brush.

“Are you trying to kiss up to him or drive him away so that I’ll get back together with Jake?” she asks Lucinda.

Thirteen lifts his nose out of Bea’s pussy of his own accord to look at Lucinda Camille as though he, too, is interested in the answer to this question.

Lucinda ignores her. “Now, Simon, I can forgive this transgression against my son if you would just?—”

“Madame,” I interrupt, smiling as only a man who learned to smile in the face of so disappointed in you all throughout his childhood can, “I barely have any inkling who you truly are beyond your name and a few anecdotes that have been shared with me—many unflattering, I’m afraid—so I have no idea why you would think your opinion of my life matters to me. ”

Bea makes a strangled noise.

Whispers and murmurs float through the crowd of yoga-goers.

Thirteen bleats his goat bleat as though he cannot believe his ears either.

“Holy shit,” Hudson mutters.

I appreciate the reverence in his voice.

Of all the people in this town, I do wish to curry favor with Bea’s brothers.

While we may be temporary lovers by choice, I’d like to remain friends with her when the summer ends.

Whenever I return to Athena’s Rest, which will be often, as I don’t intend to miss any more of my boys’ childhood than is necessary to keep a foot in the door for my career while finally also providing for them as Lana has most of their lives.

Although considering the dagger-eyes Lucinda is aiming at me now, possibly the next town over would be close enough.

“If you’ve heard anything about me,” she says in a tone ominous enough to bring Butch back to my side, “then you know you do not cross me.”

“I really wanted to like you, mate,” Jake says. “But you don’t cross my mom. Especially over the woman who will come back to me when she realizes you’re…a fake.”

I ignore him as I stare back at Lucinda.

Still smiling.

Naturally.

I immensely enjoy battling my nemeses while smiling. “Your previous flattery means far less now as I’m realizing you clearly don’t know very much about me either.”

“I know you’re burning through your money faster than it’s coming in now.”

I smile broader. I have heard those rumors as well. “I fought bullies and tormentors long before I had money to my name. And I enjoyed it. And I always won.”

“How dare you.”

Jake growls from behind me. “My mother is not a bully, you dickhead.”

Thirteen bleats loudly.

Butch grabs me by the shoulders and physically moves me all the way to Hudson’s other side.

And Thirteen—the goat who could not get his nose out of Bea’s pussy a moment ago—charges at Lucinda Camille.

“Leaving. Now,” Butch orders me.

Lucinda screams and takes off running around the nearest tree.

“Mom!” Jake gasps, and he chases after his mother.

Presumably to catch the goat.

“But I’m rather enjoying this,” I tell Butch.

The chipper instructor appears at my side too.

“I’m so sorry to have to ask you this, Mr. Luckwood, but I think you’re going to be a distraction, and as you can see”—she gestures to the tree that Lucinda is circling while the goat continues chasing her, and while Jake chases them both, and Ryker merely watches from a distance—“distractions are a little dangerous. I’d be happy to give you a private class, no charge, with whoever you want but no goats later. ”

“Molly’s right.” Hudson’s chest is puffed out broader than a peacock’s. “It’s not personal, Simon. It’s just—the goats, and Bea, and you—not your fault.”

“We’re leaving,” Butch tells Molly.

“I’m staying,” Hudson says. “Best behavior. And I’m moving so I’m not next to my sister’s ex. Promise.”

“Jake won’t stay,” Bea says. “He’ll have to take his mom home so they can plot who they’re suing over this.”

I gulp. “Sincerely?”

She winces. “Maybe.”

Molly shakes her head. “They signed the contract releasing the yoga studio and the farm of any liability that comes with taking a risk while being in an enclosed space with animals.”

Hudson’s chest puffs even higher.

It’s rather adorable, though I won’t tell him that.

“The contract is super ironclad since Damon Camille sued the yoga studio once before over this,” he says mostly to me, but he keeps looking at Molly too.

“They’ll still try,” someone mutters.

“But we have crowd-funding to fight back now,” someone else says.

“And Daphne,” a third person adds. “She still hasn’t gotten to use any of her connections in the city since she moved here.”

Ryker whistles, and every goat in the park—including Thirteen—immediately turns toward him and runs.

“I’ll have your farm for this!” Lucinda yells.

Her hair has fallen out of its bun, and her white vest top is stained with mud or dirt.

She must’ve fallen when I wasn’t looking.

How unfortunate.

Bea slips her hand into mine as Molly heads toward Lucinda. “Wanna get out of here?”

“Less want , more necessity.”

Butch has gathered our yoga mats.

“Though I will definitely be booking a private class,” I add. “I remain fascinated by how this works.”

Bea squints at me as she falls into line with Butch and me.

“Oh, dear. Have I breakfast left over on my face?”

“No, it’s just—you really like to learn about things.”

“Keeps life interesting. And I have a whole list of potential careers to try instead if I ever find myself in a position of needing to wait tables between gigs.”

She’s still watching me as we slip out of the gate, making sure to not let any goats out with us. “Can I see it sometime?”

“The list?”

“Yes.”

“Certainly.”

“It’s just—I don’t know if I’m doing what I really love, but I also don’t know what I want to do, and having to come home and take care of my brothers when everyone else my age was getting jobs or going to college and figuring out what they wanted to do with their lives—I still sometimes feel lost. Especially now that Hudson’s in college and basically running his own life.

So I don’t know if my burger bus is forever, but I also don’t know what I want to do, and I don’t even know what’s available.

” She freezes and looks at me. “And you didn’t ask any of that. ”

I slip an arm about her waist. “Yet I enjoyed listening to every word. Have you had tea at this tea shop? I’ve only purchased loose-leaf to go for home. But I suddenly have an extra hour on my hands, and I believe you do too.”

That smile.

I would do nearly anything to have that smile aimed at me regularly.

“I love the tea shop.”

“Excellent. Then let us have tea.”

And stolen kisses.

And a hurried tryst in the loo.

Though when I say it in my head like that, it sounds far less romantic and sexy than I believe it would be.

“You’re thinking about being naughty again, aren’t you?” she whispers.

“I simply cannot help myself.”

“Good. I don’t think I can help myself either. You look good in yoga pants.”

Butch sighs.

Bea pinches her lips together, but her dimples are still popping as she gives me a conspiratorial glance.

I’ve never believed the perfect woman existed.

But if she did, I do believe she’d be on her way to have tea with me right now.