Page 10 of Don't Go Faking My Heart

And I rush Teddy.

Fortunately for him, Tripp gets there first, so all I can do is line up behind my six-foot-five beast of a best friend.

I am boiling.

"You should stop talking 'bout my wife." Tripp towers over Teddy. I don't think he'd ever get violent, but he doesn't mind standing and letting his size intimidate him a bit. Teddy rears back in his seat, even though Tripp is five feet away.

"Rude," Lou says under her breath. "He was obviously talking about me."

Parker and Ash both snort, but I don't. My neck is so hot, steam is coming off my head.

Teddy isn't worth it, I tell myself.

He insulted Ash, I argue with myself.

He's a small, scared fool whose only power comes from making other people feel small.

My breath is choppy as I squeeze my fists to the breaking point. I want to move Tripp aside and turn his threats into a reality on Teddy's face.

Not her. He doesn't get to do that to her.

Ash is too fixated on Tripp and Teddy to notice me, and for once, I'm glad she's oblivious to how I feel. I don't want her to see me like this. This Jekyll and Hyde version of me where it takes every ounce of focus and control not to explode.

I haven't felt this kind of anger in so long, I almost let myself forget that it exists. I focus on my breathing, trying to turn down the heat searing my veins.

I can't let her see me this angry.

I can't let her think I'm a bad person.

Lou keeps cracking jokes until Tripp chuckles and returns to his seat.

Ash looks over at me with wide eyes that scream, did that just happen?

I wish I could give her a smile or a joke, but I'm still simmering. When Bill starts talking, I use the rest of my self-control to cool down.

"It's certainly clear how Tripp feels about people commenting on his wife," Bill says with a laugh that few people match. "But it's also clear that if Sugar Maple is going to become a popular tourist destination, this … bumbling B Team effort won't cut it."

And I'm back to full boil. "They all consulted on this, you small-minded, sexist idiot. Why don't you go back to Charleston and the little knock-off Margaritaville man-cave you crawled out of and leave the decisions to people who aren't threatened by intelligent women? You're embarrassing yourself."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ash's mouth open. I also see Lou hold her hand above her head, and Parker high-fives it without looking.

I shouldn't have said it. I shouldn't have let Bill get under my skin.

But no one makes Ash feel small around me.

No one.

Bill grumbles, red-faced with embarrassment while Teddy brings the room back to order. People are laughing behind Bill's back—literally, because he's at the front of the room—but they're laughing at him because of me. Bile slicks the back of my throat. I should have said it differently. Only a bad person drags other people down for their own gratification.

I'm no better than Teddy or Bill.

I'm no better than?—

I can't think about it. Can't think about him.

Chick Hanks grumbles. "There's a lot on the agenda today. Can we take a vote and move along, already?"

Teddy nods. "That's a great idea, Chick. Thank you. Does anyone have anything else to add about revitalizing Maple Street? Anyone at all?"

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