Reckless Love (Cowboys & Angels 7)

“I guess you don’t respect folks’ privacy?”

A part of me didn’t want to look to see who was standing there. I was positive I knew her. Even though I didn’t go to school here in Oak Springs, I grew up with most of the people who were still living in town.

“Can’t an old friend stop over to congratulate you both?”

A sickness rolled through my stomach.

Lacy Miller. The homecoming queen, the prom queen, the captain of the cheerleading team, and the girl I’d overheard more than once when I was home, bragging about sleeping with Trevor.

My eyes lifted. She wasn’t looking at me. She was smiling at Trevor. The look on her face clearly said she wanted him.

Somehow, I dug deep inside and pushed all the doubts and insecurities to the side and found strength. Honestly, my strength was sitting across from me, and he was still holding the hand he had just put an engagement ring on.

Trevor loved me. He’d only ever loved me and he had proved it time and time again. I could freak out, withdraw into myself and pout, but what good would it do? I was the woman this man loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. I was the woman carrying his baby.

Not Lacy Miller.

She could smile and bat her eyes at him all she wanted. I saw the way he looked at her. It was nothing like how he had been looking at me moments ago.

Clearing my throat, I said, “Lacy Miller, right? It was sure nice of you to come over and interrupt our Valentine’s dinner to give us both your well wishes.”

Lacy let her smile drop for a quick moment before plastering a fake one on. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember you. Did you go to school here in Oak Springs?”

I laughed. “Well, I guess it’s not unusual to forget your best friend from fifth grade, is it? Scarlett Littlefield. I went to a private high school in Boston.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “That’s right. You’re the one who set the trash can on fire outside the courthouse.”

I pointed to her. “That’s me! You probably didn’t recognize me when you came in to file for a divorce from your husband, Drake. I was the one who filed the paperwork for you.”

Her face turned white, then went red.

“I didn’t realize that was you.”

“Lacy, is there something you needed, other than to congratulate us?” Trevor asked, clearly frustrated.

She fiddled with a strand of hair as she focused on Trevor. Then she laughed. “I never pictured you as the settling down type of guy. You were always the settle-between-their-legs sort of fellow.”

My eyes widened in shock.

“I was waiting on the one woman who made me want to settle down. Whores are a dime a dozen, but a woman who captures your heart? Once in a lifetime.”

Lacy’s expression turned cold as stone. Then a sweet-as-pie smile moved across her face and she turned to face me directly.

“If you want to know the type of man you’re marrying and having a baby with, ask him about the time he fucked me and my best friend Kim. At the same time.”

An audible gasp slipped from between my lips as I watched Lacy spin around on her expensive high heels and saunter off. I could barely hear Trevor cursing; I was too focused on the woman. Knowing Trevor had been with her. Obviously more than once. And a threesome? Oh my God. That was more information than I needed. Or wanted. My stomach rolled and the lasagna I just ate was threatening to come back up.

“Scarlett. Scarlett!”

Trevor’s voice snapped me out of my daze, drawing my gaze back to him.

“Let’s go.”

I nodded as numbness washed across my body. As much as I was trying to ignore the woman’s hateful words, they kept replaying in my mind. Jealousy ran rampant throughout my body and there was nothing I could do to stop it, no matter how hard I tried.

Trevor tossed a few hundred dollar bills onto the table, took my hand and led me out of the restaurant. I forced myself to smile as I looked straight ahead, in case Lacy was watching us leave. I remained focused on the door that led me to fresh air. It was getting harder to breathe and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest.

“What’s happening to me?” I whispered, as Trevor glanced back and gave me a concerned look. Stopping, he cupped my face in his hands.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, worry etched in his beautiful blue eyes.

“Need fresh air. Now.”

It was all I could get out, and I felt bad because I saw not only worry in his eyes, but fear, too.

The moment the fresh air hit my face, I took a deep breath. Trevor walked us over to a bench, where I sat and closed my eyes. I focused solely on breathing, tuning everything else out except for my breath, heartbeat, and the feel of our baby moving inside of me.