Page 30 of Winter Memories

While I know I have no reason to be pissed, I’m fuming. The day was going so well too, but then I just had to run into the one person in Wintervale who has the special ability to get under my skin. She always could.

Back in the day the thing that pissed me off most about Brandy was how much she clearly wanted Fletcher. How desperate she was when throwing herself at him would have been laughable if I wasn’t in love with him. I hated the way she would fawn all over him. He never encouraged her and often snubbed her advances, but she never fucking let up.

It was clear Fletcher only had eyes for me, but it didn’t stop her. It was fucking sad to watch, but it always made me seethe.

Brandy hasn’t crossed my mind in years, but the moment I saw her today at the Winter Market, I recognized her instantly and my stomach dropped. All I wanted to do was get out of thehouse and check out what the town was offering. I wanted to show Macklin more of the town too since we’ve been spending so much time between my parents’ place and Limitless.

I want Wintervale to feel like home to him and one way to ensure that is to get him out and to show him how nice everyone can be.

After the date Fletcher took me on a few days ago, I felt more comfortable that people weren’t going to snub me because of everything that went down years ago. Even though Fletcher has never been one to broadcast the details of his life, the town is small. People will talk and draw their own conclusions.

I’m sure a lot of assumptions were made after I didn’t come home and then continued to stay away. When we went out to dinner, I was pleasantly surprised to find people were happy to see me. There wasn’t any judgement in their eyes, and they seemed even happier to see Fletcher and I together.

Until then I wasn’t even aware how worried I was about the whole thing. It became very clear that I had been hiding out and avoiding town. It wasn’t fair to Macklin, and I woke up this morning determined to change it up and show Macklin the best of his new home.

As we walked through the market there were some surprised faces, but everyone greeted me kindly and then introduced themselves to Macklin. My son was his normal charming and adorable self. He soaked up the attention from anyone willing to give it and was more than happy to tell everyone about how much time he’s been spending helping his Gran, Gramps, and the Burns brothers at Limitless.

I watched as person after person fell in love with my little boy. It was becoming very clear that they were welcoming him withopen arms and without even a hint of judgement. I’m sure they have questions—like where his father is—but no one asked.

Would I be the subject of gossip? I’m sure, but I wasn’t worried about it.

It was a revelation that had me feeling light and excited as we explored the market. The market showed me a town flourishing and highlighted some businesses which weren’t open when I was growing up. It made my heart so damn happy to see.

I heard Brandy before I saw her. I knew her high, nasally voice the moment I heard it. She was bragging about traveling all over the world and it took everything in me not to grab Macklin’s hand and run in the other direction. Just as I was considering my options, she turned toward me and spotted me.

Brandy sounded surprised as hell, “Eden?” Her voice went up an octave making it right under that of a dying cat, “Eden Wallace? Is that really you?”

I forced a smile on my face and had to practically drag Macklin a few steps closer. I glanced down at him, and he was watching Brandy with wary eyes. Yeah, when you want to know about the vibes a person puts off, just see how a kid reacts to them.

Brandy was giving off major fake vibes with a side of cruel ‘pick me’ girl energy. She always has and it was clear it hadn’t changed with time.

When she noticed Mack at my side her eyes widened, and I steeled myself because of the glint of cruelty in her eyes which she was quick to mask. I quickly pulled my phone out of my purse and pulled up a kid’s game I always keep installed, just in case. It’s given me a few minutes of peace when I’ve needed them the most.

Mack looked relieved when I handed him my phone and Brandy was looking down at me, the judgement coming off her in waves.

“Hi Brandy,” I chirped sounding fake as fuck, but not really caring.

“Wow,” her smile reminded me of a shark, “so you’ve finally come crawling back to Wintervale?”

I straightened my spine and glared at her. “I’ve moved home if that’s what you mean.”

She nodded, the movement condescending and accompanied by a cruel twist of her lips. The way she was looking at me was like she knew something I didn’t, and it had me on edge. “Tired of trying to convince yourself and everyone else you’re better than this little town?”

My eyebrows hit my hairline, and I swallowed hard. Not because she was right but because I try very hard not to curse in front of my son, and it was becoming a losing battle very fucking quickly. “Wasn’t it you I just heard squawking about traveling?”

She waved her hand dismissively, “That’s for work.” She gave me a look filled with ego and personal pride, “I’m a flight attendant.”

“Oh,” I held the word out, trying to buy myself time to come up with something. It didn’t work. “That’s an interesting choice for you.”

She reared back like I had slapped her and bit out, “What?”

I shook my head and with a small smile, clarified, “I just meant I can’t picture you in a service industry job.”

She huffed and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “It’s not like I’m flipping burgers somewhere. I fly all over the world and get paid to do it.”

“That sounds very exciting.”

I desperately wanted to ask her if she had complaints lodged about her. It was difficult to see her as anything more than a lazy opportunist since it’s all she was when we were growing up. In my experience, people don’t change their stripes very much.

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