Page 5 of Unbroken (Poplar Springs #2)

From the way Charlotte frowned at that, I could tell she was remembering all she’d heard about the youngest Cafferty sister.

My friends had made enough jokes in Charlotte’s hearing about “the one that got away” for Charlotte to develop a chip on her shoulder about Fiona.

I could see her running calculations about the current status of our relationship, so I took a step away from Fiona .

“Speaking of pickups and drop offs, Colt and I were just saying that we’re looking forward to spending some time with Patrick the day after the wedding. We’re still on for that, right?”

Even though I’d moved past her betrayal, it still chafed at me that Colt spent time with Patrick.

But I couldn’t let it show. Charlotte, whatever her flaws, had been more than fair during the divorce settlement.

She’d admitted fault, had agreed to a fair split of our assets, and had let me claim nearly full custody, agreeing that staying where he was would be best for Patrick.

She only got the boy for a few weeks a year, so on the rare occasion when she visited town, it felt wrong to argue that she couldn’t spend a little extra time with our son in whatever way she saw fit. “Yup.”

“Okay, we can work out the details at the reception. I heard you’re going alone, so you’ll have plenty of time to talk, right?” I started to respond but she pressed on. “It’s such a shame you’re still single! Maybe you’ll meet a nice bridesmaid?”

I could almost feel Fiona twitching beside me, a white-hot something emanating from her.

I glanced at her and saw that she was staring at Charlotte with her mouth open and brow furrowed.

I’d seen that expression before, so I braced for impact knowing that the next words out of her mouth—whatever they might be—were going to shake everything up.

“Well, I sure hope he doesn’t meet a bridesmaid,” Fiona finally said in a saccharine voice that sounded nothing like her.

“Oh really? Why is that?” Charlotte asked, her drawn-on eyebrows rising to new heights.

I didn’t understand what was going on when Fiona closed the distance between us and threaded her hand into my crossed arms. I went along with it because pulling away would’ve looked strange.

“Because he’s my date! Or rather, I’m his,” she added with a laugh .

Fiona bumped her shoulder against my arm, then rested her head against me for a second, giving me a coquettish look from under fluttering lashes.

Wait … what?

Sure, I needed a lifeline, but not this , whatever the hell it was that Fiona was doing was not it.

I choked, then coughed quickly to cover it up.

“ What ?” Charlotte said, echoing my thoughts and drawing out the word as she gave us the world’s fakest smile. “Eli, why are you holding out on me? When did this happen?”

I opened my mouth to say that Fiona was playing some weird kind of prank and that I had no idea what she was talking about, but I didn’t get a chance.

“We haven’t been super open about it yet,” she said in a conspiratorial tone as she leaned closer to Charlotte.

“I had to make sure my big brother was okay with it, you know? We knew our relationship would be public once everyone saw us together at the wedding, but I guess now is as good a time as any to spread the good news. Right, hon?” She bumped against me again a little harder as if to kick-start my brain.

No, no, no ! It wasn’t right. It wasn’t close to being right.

I could barely stand the thought of working with the woman, and now she’d started a charade with Charlotte of all people.

I didn’t need this type of stress in my life.

I was prepared to say exactly that, but then I looked over and got a good look at Fiona’s face.

And … damn, I knew that expression. I hadn’t seen it since we were sixteen, but ten years weren’t nearly long enough to rid me of the dread I felt at the sight of it.

This was a Fiona Cafferty who had the bit between her teeth.

And. Would. Not. Back. Down. She’d nearly gotten suspended from school the last time—had nearly gotten me suspended along with her when all I’d been doing was trying to talk her out of her harebrained scheme—but she’d stuck to the course even when any person with sense would have let the whole thing go.

Fiona on the warpath didn’t have the sense of a lemming. She had seen a wrong in the world and she was going to fix it, come hell or high water. Woe betide anyone who got in her way.

I could try to explain to Charlotte that she was just joking.

I could deny that I was with Fiona. I could pretend I’d never even met her.

I could set the street on fire and attempt to escape in the chaos.

None of it would do any good. Fiona would still stand there, brushing bits of ash out of her hair, carrying on with this outlandish lie, undeterred.

So fine, this was what I’d have to deal with now.

But I sure as hell wasn’t going to compound it by participating in her made-up story.

If she wanted to sell us as a couple, she was on her own.

“Ugh, how adorable,” Charlotte said. “Well, we’re off. Let’s go, Colt.” She grabbed him by the hand so forcefully that he stumbled, then she pulled out her phone.

We watched them walk away and the second they were out of earshot, I turned to Fiona.

“Why the hell did you go and do that ?”