“<span>We can go back,” Nick says for the third time as we walk toward Cozy Coffee.


    He senses my unease, but I continue to push forward. Being in public right now is my version of exposure therapy. I want to desensitize myself to the stares, and I’m done hiding.


    While it’s only ten in the morning, Main Street is bustling with Sunday funday energy. It’s thest weekend before Halloween, and spooky excitement floats through the air.


    Families head to the diner on the corner, and the line is wrapped around the block. Many tourists window-shop. Locals gather their groceries for the week because starting tomorrow, the sidewalks will be nearly impassable with people. Trust me, I once learned the hard way. So far, everything looks normal for this time of year.


    Behind me, Brody is watching, wearing a go to hell look that makes Nick’s seem soft.


    I keep my eyes forward, ignoring those who nce in my direction.


    “It’s not toote to turn around,” he offers in my ear with his arm wrapped around me.


    “I want avendertte,” I exin. “Time to rip off the bandage.”


    “Stubborn girl,” he says with a chuckle. “But I’m proud of you. The quicker you stop giving a fuck what other people think about you and us, the better. They’re going to talk anyway.”


    Brody chuckles behind us, and Nick mean-mugs him over his shoulder.


    “Shut the hell up.”


    “Asher was right. You’re whipped.”


    Nick’s re could cut ss, but I bite back a smile. If this is whipped, maybe I like him this way.


    “Just like you are with Harper,” Nick tells him.


    “Oh, I’m not denying that at all. I worship the ground Harp stands on,” Brody tells him as Nick opens the door for me.


    The bell rings, and as soon as I enter, everyone says, “Jules.”


    I feel special, like Norm on Cheers. Instead of beer, I’m here forvenderttes and to show the town I’m not backing down or hiding. I immediately grin.


    As we move toward the register, Nick’s grip is tighter than usual. I can feel the tension radiating from him. He’s been on edge since we left the condo, and he eyes every person we pass like he’s ready to kick their ass.


    “Breathe,” I whisper. “We’re just getting coffee.”


    The two of us find our way to the back of the line, and Brody stands behind us. I nce around, noticing how the decorations have doubled sincest week. I automatically know it’s ire’s doing. No way she’d let the fall decor sit in boxes through the season.


    We step up to the register, and ire nces between us, grinning. “Wow, you two. My Goddess. You’re in love, love.”


    I chuckle nervously. “What?”


    “The look on your faces. I haven’t seen you in days, and it’s just … lightning in a bottle.”


    Nick smirks. “Mmm. I think I’d like a pumpkin spicette.”


    I chuckle and chew on the corner of my lip. “And I’d like avendertte, extra sweet.”


    He nces at me while pulling his wallet out. I lift my brows and grin. Love talk made him ufortable.


    “Oh, and I’d like arge ck coffee and a chocte croissant,” Brody says behind us. “He’s paying for it.”


    ire tilts her body so she can look past me. “Oh, hey, Brody. I didn’t realize you were here. Is Harper with you?”


    “You two know each other?” I ask.


    “Yeah, we met at Autumn’s wedding. Oh, and then I chatted with him and Harper at Zane’s partyst month. Did you know he’s engaged to Harper? Zane’s little sister.”


    “Yes,” I tell her.


    Brody chuckles. “I’m great. Thanks. Have you been well?”


    “Fantastic! Still single. Living my best life.” ire leans forward, ncing between me and Nick. “Is everything okay? He’s a literal killer.”


    Nick chuckles. “He’s also very stubborn, and he does whatever he wants. I didn’t request his services.”


    “You know, I can hear you,” Brody says.


    ire clicks a few buttons, and when Nick tries to pay, she shakes her head. “You’reped.”


    “Oh,e on,” Nick says. “Please let me pay.”


    “No,” ire says.


    “Okay then. I’d like to pay for every single person in here to treat themselves,” Nick says, raising his voice.


    Thirty people p, and many line up behind us.


    “Give them whatever they want,” Nick tells her, handing over a thousand dors. “Keep the change.”


    She scoffs. “You’re not serious.”


    “I wanted to support my woman’s business,” he says with a wink. “This is even better.”


    When our drinks are finished being made, Sierra hands them over to us. “I’ve missed you so much. You’re the best schedule maker in the world. Just know that I will neverin again once youe back.”


    Iugh, because of course that’s what I’m known for—not the scandal, not the photos, but the girl who makes sure nobody misses their life events. The reminder that my old life still exists is somewhat of a relief. I can’t let what Craig did define me.


    I give her a smile. “Just d you’re not going to take me for granted when I return.”


    She’s one of our youngest employees, and I try to give her every request she makes because I know what it was like to work away my youth. Shit, I’m still doing it.


    “I definitely won’t,” she says as the printer goes off with orders. Marianna, another one of our employees, works the other machine. “Anyway, I gotta get to it. Pleasee back soon. Tracy is a hard-ass!”


    “Don’t talk about your aunt that way,” I tell her. “I’ll be back soon.”


    Mrs. Patrick waves from her corner table, where she’s chatting with a few book club members. Tom Valley is in his usual chair, mustache waxed to perfection. Everything seems normal—maybe too normal.


    Once Brody grabs his coffee and croissant, I get ready to lead the way across the room toward an open table by the window. But as I open my mouth to chat with Nick, the door chimes.


    Craig.


    My mouth falls open.


    He’s unshaven and wearing wrinkled clothes. He’s lost weight since Ist saw him, and there’s something uneasy in his expression that makes my blood run as cold as the river in the winter. His eyes are bloodshot. When they lock on mine, it’s dangerous, like a rattler uncoiling.


    The hum of the espresso machines, chatter, and clinking cups all die at once. The silence is louder than the noise ever was.


    Before I say a word, Craig has spotted us. His face transforms with anger when he sees Nick turn and nce at him.


    “Julie.” He says my name like it’s a prayer and a curse.


    “You need to leave,” ire says from behind the counter. “Now.”


    “I just want to talk to her.” Craig takes a step toward us. “Five minutes. That’s all.”


    “You’re viting a restraining order,” Nick says, his phone already dialing the police station.


    “I don’t care!” Craig’s voice cracks. “I’ve lost everything because of her. My job, my home, my reputation.”


    The room tilts. Somehow, in his mind, I’m both the viin and the only thing that can save him.


    Anger overrides my fear. This is enough. “You’ve been stalking me since you got back in town. You broke into my house, stole my panties, and destroyed my pictures! Then you posted our private moments on the inte. What you’ve done is unforgivable.”


    “Because I love you!” He’s screaming. “Don’t you get it? We’re meant to be together. I wanted to marry you, have kids, and build a life?—”


    “You broke up with me! You left me! You aren’t going to twist this. I would’ve married you, Craig. You ruined it.” I’m surprised at how steady my voice is. “You led me on a year ago. I was your pathetic side piece, Craig. That’s who I used to be. But not anymore.”


    People gasp.


    “Then you proposed to someone else while you were still sleeping with me! Now I have self-respect, and you don’t know what to do about that. Your ego can’t handle it. It’s over. O-V-E-R! You have Sarah. She’s carrying your baby.”


    “No, she’s not! This is utter bullshit,” he shouts. I hear a coffee mug drop and shatter on the floor. “I never wanted her forever. She was just a distraction.”


    Gasps ripple through the shop. Sarah isn’t even here, and somehow, he’s humiliating her too.


    “For fuck’s sake,” Brody says from behind me.


    Craig’s eyes snap back to me. “You’re leaving with me. Right now.”


    His words make my stomach turn. My pulse spikes so hard that I feel it in my throat.


    “No, I’m not.”


    He lunges toward me, and everything happens too fast.


    The scrape of his shoes on the hardwood.


    The twisted snarl of his face.


    His hand stretched for me.


    Before I can move away, Nick is there. His arm ms into Craig’s chest, shoving him so hard that he stumbles back into a table. Craig topples to the ground with it, and I can tell he’s scared shitless.


    “Don’t you dare touch her.” Nick’s voice is both dangerous and calm, in a way that shakes my bones.


    Craig hops to his feet, and Brody moves beside Nick. The two of them are a wall of muscle, stopping any path Craig has to me.


    ire watches in horror as I back toward the coffee bar. If I need to, I will run to the emergency exit at the back and not stop until I reach the police station. The look in Craig’s eyes is what nightmares are made of.


    But before I have to do that, customers rise to their feet. Tom Valley, who usually polishes his mustache and keeps to himself, stands from his chair, with his fists balled like he’s ready to fight. Mrs. Patrick nts herself beside him, wearing a re sharper than any knife. Behind her are the other Fairy Godmothers, each with their pepper spray activated. One by one, customers fill the space, acting as human shields.


    “I’ll take you away from here, Julie! You’ll never see any of them again!” Craig threatens, jerking free.


    He’s determined to get to me, but before he can, Brody grabs him by the cor. In one terrifyingly easy motion, he lifts Craig clean off his feet and hurls him across the room. Gasps ripple through the shop as Craig crashes into a chair, scrambling on the floor like a cornered rat. For the first time, I see fear in his eyes.


    After a few seconds, he gets up and tries lunging toward me again, but some customers catch him by the arms and wrestle him to the ground. The sound is chaos, and sirens follow it. They wail down Main Street and grow closer until it’s ring.


    The bell above the door ngs as two uniformed officers rush in. Relief floods me so fast that my knees nearly buckle. They detain Craig, my customers practically handing him over. He starts to fight, but they have him cuffed too quickly.


    “You’ll never be enough, Julie! He’ll never love you!” he screams as they pull him through the shop. “Never!”


    His words fall t. For once, I’m not the one breaking. He is.


    The officers drag him through the shop, past ire’s narrowed eyes, past the book club women, who talk shit under their breath like they’re casting spells. Every eye in the shop is on Craig, and not one of them is sympathetic.


    The door ms shut behind them. Craig resists as they drag him across the parking lot.


    For a heartbeat, everything is silent except the hiss of the espresso machine and the pounding of my pulse in my ears.


    Nick turns to me, his hands cupping my face. His eyes search mine like he’s cataloging every inch of me. “Are you okay?”


    I let out a shaky breath. I can’t believe Craig tried to pull that in my family’s business. “I am now.”


    Apuse starts from the back, hesitant at first, then louder. ire bangs a spoon against a mug like a victory bell. Someone cheers, and another person whistles. The sound crashes over me, drowning out Craig’s threats in my head. They’re celebrating.


    Nick pulls me into his chest. “It’s over,” he says.


    “Thank you. Thank you all so much,” I say to the room of customers staring at me.


    “We should get out of here,” Brody tells Nick.


    “You’re right,” Nick mutters, escorting me through the room, leading me outside.


    The cool October breeze and sunshine feel nice on my cheeks. Police cars are parked in the middle of Main Street, causing a traffic jam, and the sidewalks are full of people watching what’s going on. I’m utterly embarrassed as Craig screams from inside the car.


    I see shes of cameras and notice cell phones are being held up, but I ignore them. We rush down the sidewalk and disappear into the sea of tourists. The cheers still echo in my ears as we walk toward my condo. My legs wobble, and Nick immediately steadies me.


    “You okay?” he asks quietly in my ear.


    I nod, dazed. “I will be.”


    “You stood up to him,” Nick says.


    “I thought I’d feel relief,” I whisper. “But I feel hollow. Like I’ve been holding my breath for months, and my lungs still don’t know how to let go.”


    Nick threads his fingers through mine. “That’s normal. It’s a trauma response after being vited. Know your feelings are valid, even if you don’t feel anything right now.” He lifts my hand, brushing his lips over my knuckles. “But it’s over, Jules. I’m hiring the best attorney in the country for you. He can’t and won’t hurt you anymore. I’ll make sure of it.”


    I let his words sink in as he watches me. When I meet his eyes, his expression is raw, like he’s holding me together with his gaze alone.


    “Let’s take this conversation inside,” I say, unlocking the door.


    I nce behind us and notice Brody is nowhere around. He’s like a ghost.


    Nick grins. “Shall we celebrate?”


    “What do you have in mind?” I ask, twisting the doorknob.


    Nick grins, eyes swirling with something that makes my stomach flip. “You’ll see.”