Page 67 of If You Loved Me

I hugged her. “I don’t know when things shifted. When you became the one to give your big brother advice. But I’m thankful for it.” She leaned into the side hug, careful not to drop the crate of beets.

“I’ve always been pretty awesome.” Her voice was lighter, laced with humor. I bopped her nose with my finger. She tried to swat my hand away with the crate of beets and failed.

We started walking again as she said, “I was serious though. About thinking Sarah is good for you. I was worried when you first told me you were dating a blue blood, but she’s different from what I thought.”

Her acceptance of Sarah meant more to me than I could express. It wouldn’t matter how deeply I felt for someone. If they weren’t a good fit for my family, it wouldn’t work. “I have to admit that she’s different from what I thought too. I guess that’s our own prejudice at work. Making assumptions about people just at first glance without really getting to know them.”

“Yeah,” she responded.

“I’m really glad that you like her though. It certainly makes my life a lot easier.”

She smirked. “That’s me. The best sister in the world, making dreams come true.”

I flicked her on the nose. “Hey!” she shrieked, wringing a laugh from me.

It didn’t take us long to set up the booth. We worked in tandem, organizing all the vegetables for patrons to easily access them. She set up her iPad in the center of the foldable table so she could take payments. We settled into the chairs I’d brought from my truck as the townsfolk started filing into the park.

I’d planned to help my sister for most of the morning before heading to the opposite side of the park where Sarah’s booth was set up. Just as I was about to text her to see how things were going at her booth, two men strolled up to my sister’s tent.

Blood roiled through my veins at the sight of LeRoy Cummings. The fucking bastard who had sued me for assaulting him after he’d ganged up on a college freshman with two other douchebags. His dark eyes landed on me, recognition gleaming.

“Look who we have here.” He smacked his friend’s chest with the back of his hand to get his attention.

Callie Rose went still beside me. I didn’t have to look at her to know that hatred thrummed in her veins as much as it did in mine. He’d stolen ten years from us. From my fucking family. From mylife.

Now, he was right in front of me. Smirking just like he’d been that day in the courtroom when the judge announced my sentencing. Ten years of my life had been stolen away while this jackass had walked free because the kid he’d beaten to a bloody pulp didn’t have the courage to press charges. Not that I blamed him. They’d beaten him so badlyhe probably just wanted to get as far away from them as possible.

There were times, when I was inside, that I regretted my actions. But seeing LeRoy’s eyes pinned on me like he’d won…no. There was no more regret. He deserved every fucking punch to his ugly ass face. Something in me savored the view of his once perfect nose and how it was slightly bulging in the middle from my fist breaking the bone.

His friend shifted toward Callie Rose and me, watching us with a bored look on his face.

“This is the dirtbag who thought he could get away with punching me.” LeRoy ran a hand through his jet-black hair. “Little did he know I let him get the hits in so I could send him away for ten years.”

“Oh shit,” his friend laughed. The sound was chalky, it grated my nerves making my anger rise higher. “I’m surprised they let him out. By the looks of him, they should have kept him in that cage.”

I bristled at the wordcage. Flashes of my nightmares brimming the surface. I shoved them down. There wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let these assholes affect me.

I went to step toward them, red lining my vision. It felt like I was in a damn tunnel and the only thing I could see was a flashback of my fist beating LeRoy’s face that night.

He wasn’t supposed to be here. Back in my hometown. He was supposed to be somewhere far far away where I’d never have to see his fucking face again. But that was the thing about small towns. Everyone usually made their way back home.

Something pulled at my arm before I could take another step forward. No. It wasn’t something. It wassomeone. Looking over my shoulder at my little sister, I swore her face looked different. Younger. Just like she’d been when I went away. And like a flash, my vision cleared and I could see how age had shifted her into a woman.

No words left her mouth, but I noticed the subtle shake of her head. The plea in her eyes as her grip on my forearm tightened. The rage in my veins stuttered when I saw the worry shining in her irises. If I did this…if I let my anger over these two assholes win then I would lose everything.

Our surroundings came back into focus. There were so many people and there was no way in hell I’d get away with pummeling his face again. Just like I hadn’t when they’d somehow managed to pull a video recording from the store that monitored their alleyway.

Darkness shrouded my vision as I closed my eyes. With a few deep breaths, I steadied myself. My thundering heartbeat slowed and the anger I felt toward LeRoy and everything he’d taken from me settled.

Maybe I’d get my revenge one day. But not now. Not in front of my sister. And certainly not when anyone could fucking see me.

When I opened my eyes, Callie Rose knew I was safe. I could see the light coming back into her face. At that moment I felt proud that I’d made the better decision.

Without another look at LeRoy or his friend, I went back to organizing the empty crates and boxes at the back of my sister’s tent.

I heard one of them say, “Fucking hick” under their breath. The other one snickered before the sounds of their feet hitting the sidewalk told me they’d grown bored and walked away.

Callie Rose loosed a long exhale. Heat crawled over my skin. I might have made the right choice of not engaging with them, but fuck if it didn’t feel hard.

---