Holiday Second Chance Romance (Clarice and Trevor) novel Chapter 11

11 Hard Talk

Nick POV

When we step into the diner, I notice everyone staring at Clarice. I can tell the stares are making her uncomfortable. “I know I’m hot but don’t be rude,” I say loudly to no one in particular. Half the people in the diner focus back on their food and the other half laugh. Carly an older woman who has owned the diner since she was in her twenties, steps out from around the counter. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I haven’t seen you in a long time, Claribelle,” she says.

Clarice smiles before she is pulled into a hug. I guess I know where her ne

name came from. Carly steps back and looks at me. “How on earth did you convince our sweet Clari to go on a date with your grumpy behind,” Carly asks. Before I can say it’s not a date, Clarice answers. “Chriss says the same thing about him, but I don’t see it. I’ve seen him smile and laugh more than I’ve seen him frown,” she says. “It must be the company,” Carly says, and I nod my agreement.

Carly tells us to follow her, and I’m grateful when she leads us to a booth in the corner away from prying eyes. The unfortunate part of living in a small town is everyone knows or wants to know

everyone else’s business. Carly takes our order before she heads back toward the kitchen. We sit

in comfortable silence for a minute before she giggles.

Her giggles morph into full–blown laughter and for a second I wonder if she’s lost it. “Are you

alright Clarice?” She stops laughing and wipes the tears from the corner of her eyes. Is she crying?

“I’m fine. I’m just thinking about you calling yourself hot and calling everyone around us rude to

take their attention off me. My husband never would have done that,” she says. Her smile fades and she quickly corrects herself.

“My soon–to–be ex–husband would have turned me around and walked us out of the diner if he felt! was being stared at because I did something to draw negative attention to myself. He would do it under the guise of protecting me, but it was about his reputation. I see that now,” she says.

“He sounds like an id**t. You are an amazing woman, and I’ve realized that after two days. You have been with him for years. If someone was making you uncomfortable, he should have made sure they knew where he stood, which was firmly on your side.”

“He really wasn’t always an id**t. We had a lot of good times in the ten years we were together,” she says. “I’m sure you did. You don’t strike me as the kind of woman that would stick around if you weren’t in love with your husband. If it was always sh**ty you wouldn’t have stayed.” Even saying it tastes awful on my tongue, but it’s true. Those feelings don’t just go away when you’re

hurt..

She goes to open her mouth but closes it just as quickly. After a few seconds, she looks into my

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eyes. “He cheated on me with my best friend. Not only did he cheat on me, but then he actually suggested we all be a couple. Could you imagine? He truly believed I would want to be with both of them. That I would be ecstatic that my husband was f**king my friend behind my back because he loved us both. Don’t worry though, because he loved me more than her or that’s what he said when I lost my sh*t over being betrayed by the two of them,” she says. I tighten my fists until my knuckles turn white, listening to what she has been through.

“I can’t completely blame him because she suggested it, but he didn’t have to go along with it. It makes me wonder how long it’s actually been going on. I know it’s been months, but we went to college together. So I’m questioning every moment I was with them. Every time they were in a room alone and I would walk in. She has been my best friend since we were in high school. I

considered her a sister and she betrayed me. So you’re right, there is still a part of me that loves

him and her, but it is a very small part,” she says.

With each word she says the anger grows inside me. How f**king dare he cheat on her with a woman she considered her sister. I’m glad neither of them are in front of me right now because I’d be going against my mother’s request and beating the absolute sh*t out of the pr*ck. I’d also convince Chrissy to kick the sh*t out of her so–called best friend. I’d take the year on the naughty list with a smile knowing the a**hole suffered a fraction of what she has. I don’t think I’ve ever been this angry. “You said the girl went to high school with you and Chrissy. What is her name,” I grit

out.

“Loretta Morris, her father, owns the pharmacy,” she says, “I know both her parents, but I don’t remember her. Then again, I was away a lot when you guys were in school. I may not know her, but it sounds like she is a jealous b**ch.” She looks at me like I have ten heads before she laughs. “She isn’t jealous of me. She is blonde and beautiful. She was the one that had all the boyfriends in school. Her parents love each other and their daughter desperately. She had nothing to be jealous about. Honestly, I thought she loved me as much as I loved her.”

“And yet she is jealous of you. Whatever she looks like on the outside, I guarantee it doesn’t change that she will never be the person that people can’t forget when she walks away, because true beauty isn’t in the wrapping paper. You’re gorgeous, smart, talented, and kind. I can’t tell you how many people in the short time you’ve been back have told me how special you are. You haven’t seen Carly in ten years, and she was warning me to make sure I knew how special you are. Your ex–best friend may love you in her own f**ked up way, but she wants to be you more.”

“I don’t know about any of that but what I do know is I’m done with both of them. No matter how much I loved them both they destroyed that the minute they betrayed me.” She doesn’t believe me, but I know I’m right. “Nothing I say is going to make what they did better, but I will say this. They are both the stupidest people to ever walk the earth. I don’t have to know either of them to know I’m right. I’ve been around you for two days and I already know you are the most amazing

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Her cheeks blush, but before she can say a word to refute me, Carly delivers our food. We both ordered the Salisbury steak dinner with mashed potatoes and carrots. I almost groan when she

leans in and moans after taking in the scent of the delicious food. I close my eyes trying to get myself under control. I will my c**k to realize now is not the time nor the place. After a few seconds, I open my eyes and smile when I see she has already dug into her food. We eat in comfortable silence with me stealing glances as she enjoys her food.

My mind is still reeling after everything she told me. I need to talk to Chrissy. Is this what she saw in her vision? Is this why she was so intent on getting Clarice here and helping her heal? I still feel a strong need to protect her, but maybe it’s because of all she has been through. L*ar, I*ar, my inner voice says, but I push it down. After we finish our meal, I stand intending to pay the bill, but Carly tells me it was already taken care of.

I head back to the table intending to give her hell. A gentleman doesn’t let a lady pay. I know that’s old–fashioned, but that’s how I was raised. My father would kick my a** if he knew she paid for dinner. My steps falter when I notice the smile from a few minutes ago is gone. Clarice is staring at her phone. Tears streak her cheeks and the anger I was feeling earlier is bubbling at the surface. I wonder if my father will still want me to take over for him if I kill the ba**ard that put that pained look on her face.

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