The Favor

I lifted my shoulders. “Why would it?”

“Well, you guys were engaged at one time.”

“That was a long time ago. He and I have both moved on. I’m mean, I’m kind of married now,” I reminded her.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times. “I’m glad to hear it’s not a problem for you.”

Hmm, I doubted that. I turned to Melinda. “Thank you so much for this,” I said, tucking the box into my purse. “I absolutely love it.”

“What is it?” asked Heather, frowning.

“A bridal charm,” I replied, to which Heather made a weird face. Whatever.

Melinda quickly pulled me into a conversation about idle shit. Wyatt did the same with Heather and Owen in the living area, as if to keep me and the terrible twosome from engaging any further. That suited me just fine. Heather did still try to get my attention a time or two, but Wyatt distracted her fast.

Hearing my phone ring, I fished it out of my purse. Chris. He often called when he wanted to run something by me. As I didn’t wish to have a conversation about the details of the reception in front of Frick and Frack, I pushed out of my chair and told Melinda, “I’ve got to take this. I’ll just be a minute.”

I went into the kitchen as I answered, “Hello?”

“Darling, sorry to bother you, I just wanted to coordinate with you on a few points,” said Chris.

“No problem,” I told him.

Seeing Ranger scratching at the back door, I let him out and followed him into the yard as I talked with Chris. It was a few minutes before, satisfied with my responses, he rang off. I turned to head back inside the house and saw that Owen stood in the doorway.

His arms folded, he stepped onto the deck. “I always knew you had a good poker face, Vee, but I didn’t realize how good an actress you were until just now.”

I tipped my head to the side. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t even flinch when Heather told you about me and her. You took that news far too well.”

“How did you think I’d take it?”

He snapped his mouth shut, as if to bite back words. “You didn’t even look shocked.”

“Oh, it was a surprise, given that you always claimed you hated her, but it’s not a bad surprise. If you make each other happy, that can only be a good thing for both of you.”

“I’m not buying that you’re really so blasé about this. I’m not just some ex. We’ve known each other a long time. We were friends, lovers, engaged. We have a lot of history.”

“Yes, history. That’s all.” I narrowed my eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you wanted me to feel hurt. But that can’t be the case, can it? You wouldn’t really do that to someone with our ‘history,’ would you?”

His nostrils flared. “Why him, Vee? Why, of all the people in the fucking world, would you marry Davenport?”

I felt like groaning. “Owen, will you just let it go.”

His brows flew up. “Let it go?” he echoed, crossing to me and standing far too close. “I could have handled losing you to someone who’d be good to you; who’d love and adore you and give you all the things you need and want from life. I could have handled that, because I’d have known that you’d be happy. But Dane Davenport—”

“Is my husband. My husband. I love him. And I’m done listening to you badmouth him. You don’t have to like him. You don’t have to like that I married him. You just have to stop fucking whining about it. Butt out of my life and concentrate on this thing you have with Heather.”

“Fuck Heather.” He lunged and slammed his mouth down on mine.

Anger surged through me in a hot rush. I shoved him back and slapped him hard across the face. “You prick. Don’t you ever touch me again.”

“What the hell is going on here?”

At the sound of Wyatt’s voice, I looked to see him stood in the doorway, his face like thunder. Melinda stood slightly behind him, her mouth agape. Heather was beside her, smirking—not at me, though. No, the bitch was smirking at the person who stood at Wyatt’s side.

“Dane,” I said, my voice low.

He didn’t look at me. His unblinking gaze was locked on Owen, dark with fury. He slowly and fluidly stalked toward him like a panther—a predator closing in on its prey.

Glaring at him, Owen lifted his chin, belligerent. “If you think I’m going to apologize—”

Dane’s fist snapped out and connected with Owen’s jaw hard enough to make him stagger backwards. Damn, that was going to leave one hell of a bruise.

“Bastard,” spat Owen. He balled up his hand and took a clumsy swing at Dane, who easily dodged it and then punched him again. Before Owen could retaliate, Dane dealt him a hard blow to the temple that knocked the shithead right on his ass.