Page 37 of Small Town Sash

Hadley groaned. "I can't believe you."

"Not helpful," Braden retorted with an eye roll. He still had no idea what he'd done wrong.

"Why did you go behind my back and interfere like that?" she accused, jabbing a finger at him.

Ah, now things started to make sense. "I didn't confront them," he corrected her. "I simply found out the truth so I could bring that information to you."

Hadley looked ready to explode or implode, depending on which was messier. Most probably both simultaneously.

"And who asked you to do that?" she demanded.

"No one. But sometimes people have to intervene when they see a train wreck coming," Braden replied calmly.

Hadley huffed. Dash whimpered.

"I asked you to stay out of it," she murmured, her voice deflating as she sank into the couch next to Dash and began patting his head.

"Don't you want to know what I found out?" he questioned with a wag of his eyebrows.

"Turns out Mrs. Shomacker and her mini-me are in cahoots with Tina Jones and her mom," Braden announced with a frown. "They're working together to undermine you and try to get you kicked out of the pageant by spreading their false rumors."

"Seriously?" Hadley bolted straight up, her expression darkening.

"Seriously. Which means we need a plan to counteract their plan."

"Tina? I can't believe she would do this to me. We've shared secrets, hair spray...mascara."

"Looks like they were sharing more than beauty tips," Braden said, shaking his head with frustration.

"Maybe I should just drop out of the pageant," Hadley replied in a defeated tone. "That's what they want, so maybe I should just give it to them."

"No, that is not an option. You don't let bullies get their way, or they never stop. And after you, they will just move on to someone else."

"I get your point, but I'm scared of what they might do to me if I stand up to them. Everyone's got an angle, huh?" her voice broke slightly.

"Hey, not everyone." Braden reached out, but Hadley sidestepped, hugging herself tightly.

Her blue eyes searched his face. "Can I even trust you? We haven't known each other for that long. Maybe you're in on this with them, and they sent you here to trick me."

"Come on, Hadley. You know me better than that." Braden said, his voice firm. He tried to hide the hurt her accusation caused, knowing she was only saying it because she was upset.

"Knowing people doesn't seem to be my strong suit right now," she muttered, swiping a stray hair out of her face.

"Look, all this—me being here—it's because I care about you." Braden's voice was earnest, but he could see her walls going up brick by brick.

"Maybe you care too much. People talk, Braden." She sighed, a weary smile failing to hide her frustration. "If we're seen together, it'll just fuel Mrs. Shomacker's fire."

"Let them talk. It's just noise."

"Noise that can cost me the crown." She met his gaze squarely. "I need to win this. For my mom. She's sacrificed everything for me, and I owe her."

"All right, if space is what you need..." His words trailed off, and he stood up from the chair, feeling like he'd just been handed marching orders.

"Thank you," she whispered with a small smile. "Maybe when all of this is over, things will be different."

Braden's hands balled into fists at his sides; the skin stretched taut over his knuckles. He looked at Hadley, her eyes soft but resolute. "Okay, then," he managed to say, though each word felt like it was being dragged from him.

"Braden, I'm sorry..."

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