The nasty look on her face morphs into a smirk.
“Caroline!”
We both look over at the barked voice and see Judge making his way toward us. The look in his eyes as he pins them on the woman is dark and intimidating. Glancing behind him, I spot Jamie hurriedly walking our way too. Her gaze seems troubled as she looks between Caroline and me.
Judge’s eyes swivel to mine when he stops close to the bitch named Caroline. “Is there a problem here, Remi?”
Yes, there is, I want to say, but decide against it. Judge is already leery enough toward me and Caroline is a part of the town. Judge would take her word over mine, and besides, I would rather not cause any problems.
I plaster a smile on my face that I don’t feel. “Everything’s fine. Caroline was just introducing herself.”
I face Caroline and see her own bogus smile. She shifts on her fancy sandals, cocking out a hip. “That’s right. I was welcoming Remi to town and asking if she wanted me to show her around some time.”
A snicker comes from Jamie, but she tries to play it off as a cough. Caroline’s eyes shoot to her and some of her smile slips.
From the look on Judge’s face, he’s not buying the lie. The man for sure isn’t stupid.
“I think it’s best you leave,” he tells her, his tone hard. “And keep away from Remi.”
Her lips twist into a sneer before she spins and flounces off.
“Bitch,” Jamie mutters. Judge casts a glance her way and she just shrugs. “What? Are you going to deny she is one?”
His answer is a grunt before he flicks his gaze my way. It takes all my strength to hold his stare. Judge is scary. In more ways than one. He has a very domineering and predominant presence, and I get the sense that not many people would be brave enough to go against him. And those who do, regret it.
“What did she say to you?”
He definitely didn’t buy our lies. I debate on telling him about her cryptic words, but choose to keep it to myself. I’m sure she only said them to try to scare me off.
“Nothing.”
His brow arches, silently calling me out on another lie, but he keeps quiet.
Jamie grabs my hand, pulling my attention away from him. “Don’t let her bother you. She’s just a jealous floozy who hates it when Trouble shows attention to another woman.”
“Umm… what?” I ask, a bit dumbfounded. Pain starts ricocheting around the walls in my chest. “Is she his girlfriend?”
Please say no. Please say no. It’s stupid to hold that hope, given that I won’t be here much longer, but it’s still there. I hate the idea of Trouble with another woman, especially because of the kisses we’ve shared.
“She wishes,” she scoffs. “They had an arrangement a while back, but it ended about a year ago. The crazy woman thinks she has a hold over him and can push away anyone he may be interested in.”
“Jamie,” Judge’s gravelly voice snaps. “Leave it. It’s not your business.”
“When a friend is being harassed, it turns into my business. Trouble is a friend and so is Remi.” Her expression is stubborn as she glares at Judge.
His jaw flexes as he regards Jamie. “I said leave it.”
“Whatever,” she mumbles with an eye-roll. Lacing her arm through mine, she turns us toward the sidewalk. “Are you headed home?” At my nod, we start walking. I feel Judge at our back.
“Anyway. What plans do you have for the evening? The girls and I wanted to have a barbeque. I was going to call you in a bit to see if you wanted to come.”
“Oh, well—” My eyes drift over my shoulder to Judge. His head is bent as he looks at his phone. I lower my voice. “—I’m going to Trouble’s place for dinner.”
Jamie’s grin is wide, and a dimple appears on her cheek. “That’s wonderful news!”
I’m not really sure what she’s so excited about, but I can’t help my own smile from forming.
“Seems like you and Trouble are getting close,” she remarks, leaning her head closer to mine, I assume so Judge doesn’t hear.