The next morning, I still haven't been able to eat, which upset Loretta in the worst way possible. She practically tried to shove a piece of toast down my throat as I was walking out the door, but how could I eat at a time like this? The whole town despises me, even the people I was once the closest to, and that leaves my stomach feeling empty and raw.

Three hours into my shift during the lunch rush, not eating for almost two days is getting to me. Every so often, the whole world spins and I find myself clutching onto the nearest object in order not to fall over.

I ask the bartender for a glass of water during my break and chug the whole thing down. It doesn't stop how hot it is today though, which only adds onto my dizziness.

"Ya look like shit," Ronny, one of the construction guys who's working with Wyatt scans me from head to toe, tilting his head to one of the stools. "Sit down."

I'm too sick to even tell him no. My body is lacking energy, but somehow I'm able to slide into the stool and put my forehead on the counter. I close my eyes and inhale deeply before Ronny returns with a wet rag and places it in my hand. "I was just kiddin' about the shit thing," he says with a crooked smile. "Yer' prolly the prettiest girl Darlington's ever seen."

"Ronny!" Wyatt barks from across the patio. He's holding a piece of wood, the knuckles of his skin white as he sends him a death glare. "Get back to work."

"Macey's about to pass out," he replies. "Gimme a sec."

My vision is blurry, but I can still see the glimmer of concern flash across Wyatt's eyes. It just barely peaks through the facade of stone. I can see him contemplate what to do, but he eventually lets out an angry sigh and sets down the piece of wood just as Loretta walks briskly to my side. "What the hell did I say about not eatin?" She sneers, making a tsk tsk sound. "Foolish, foolish girl. Wyatt, take her inside where it's cool."

I'm waiting for him to object, to give her an excuse as to why he can't, but surprisingly he takes three long strides and swoops me into his arms. I'm pressed against the side of his chest, his large, muscular hands wrapped under my legs. He smells like he always used to, a mixture of pinewood and mint, and it brings me back to happier times. Times when he didn't hate me and we'd curl up in the bed of his truck, my face nuzzled into the nape of his neck.

He sets me down into a chair so quickly, like my body is on fire and can't be held for too long. I'm given a sandwich and another glass of water by Loretta, who threatens me with her life that I won't be working until the sandwich is gone. She scurries off back to the kitchen, leaving Wyatt and I alone, surrounded by the shattered pieces of a place that used to be beautiful.

How fitting.

"Why aren't you eating?" He asks.

I narrow my eyes. "Oh, you're speaking to me now?"

His jaw clenches and unclenches, avoiding eye contact with me at all cost. Even angry, he still looks like a work of art. His chest is bare, sweat dripping down it from working outside in the heat all day. I want to know what favor he owes Loretta, but if I ask him, then I'll have to tell him mine, and I'm too embarrassed to do that now.

"Only because you aren't eating. I didn't take you to be that dense."

His words are like a crushing blow to my chest. "Guess I get stupider with time, then, huh?"

"Eat." He pushes the plate closer towards me, and when I still don't budge, he crosses his large arms across his chest, letting me know he's not planning on moving until I do so.

He should know that I've never been one to listen. I send him a smug grin and lean back into the chair, pushing his buttons. I'd never tell Wyatt that I couldn't eat because of our altercations that we keep having. I'm not trying to guilt him into coming back to me. He needs to heal at his own pace, and I'm willing to wait, I just didn't think he'd be this difficult to deal with.

"Fucking eat, Macey," he warns.

"I thought you didn't cuss?" I tilt my head to the side, watching as he grows tense. "You've cussed each time we've spoken since I've come back, so I'm assuming you outgrew that?"

I haven't seen this side of him since that night I broke his heart. The very last time I saw him before I left and thought I'd never return.

He leans forward and places both palms flat on the table, getting directly in my face. He's so close that I can feel his breath as he leans into my ear and says, "I don't. You just seem to be the only person who makes me angry enough to do it."

I pull back to glance up at him, fury and distaste radiating from his eyes, and yet his mouth only seems to be drawing closer. That familiar pull, that connection I couldn't forget even if I tried pulls us together like two magnets, and when his lips are hovering directly above mine, he cusses again under his breath and takes a large step away from me. "Dammit, Macey, you don't get to do this."

"Do what?"

"Come back into town and pretend like nothin' happened. You can't waltz back here like you didn't disappear for eight years of my life." He runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "I've been doin just fine without you, and I refuse to let you suck me back in only to chew me up and spit me out again."

Tears well in my eyes and the room spins, but I regain focus. "You think that's what I'm doing? I came back for Loretta because I owed her a favor. I'm not out to get you. I wasn't back then, and I'm not now. What happened was a mistake, Wyatt, whether you'd like to believe it or not."

Regardless of how badly his words hurt, I can't let him know that because I deserve this reaction. Every word of hate he wants to lew my way is justified, so I can't get angry. I have to take it.

"I just want to be amicable. That's it. I'm not asking to be friends, or anything more, I just want to co-exist without feeling you giving me dirty looks around every corner, and if that's too much for you then I'll figure out a way to get out of this favor with Loretta. You have the right to send me away, and as much as it'll hurt, I'll understand."

"You think I can be amicable with you, Macey? The minute we're nice to each other we'll-"

The door to the restaurant swings open and a woman walks through the door that I don't recognize. She's beautiful in that underrated kind of way. Her brown hair is in one long french braid down her back, a prairie denim dress that buttons down the front. She's carrying a picnic basket that's draped over her arm, her cheeks rosy from the sun, a natural southern belle who doesn't need makeup. "Baby, you comin'?"

I look behind me to see who the hell she's talking to, but then she skips right to Wyatt's side and links her arm through his, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He continues to avoid eye contact with me, turning to give the woman a wide smile. "Sorry, I got sidetracked."

Sidetracked.

That's all I am?

A distraction?

I didn't even think of the possibility that Wyatt found someone else. The love we had just seemed too strong, and anyone I dated after him felt lifeless. It was always lacking something, and each and every reason always led back to Wyatt. I guess a part of me thought he felt the same way, but after I did what I did, I can't blame him for moving on. All I can do is try to swallow the huge lump that's in my throat.

The woman's eyes linger on mine before they soften over the expression on my face. "Are you okay, darlin'?"

Wyatt and I both wince from the nickname, and now all I can think about is whether or not he calls her that, too, or if it was truly a special name just for me, just like he always said. I'm still not able to respond as she reaches into her picnic basket and grabs an orange, placing it next to the sandwich. A diamond ring glistens in the light, my eyes practically jumping out of my head.

Wyatt is more than in a relationship.

He's engaged.

Or even worse... Is he married?

"Thank you," I say in a choked whisper, but the world is spinning again, and this time it isn't stopping. I clutch onto the table in front of me so tightly that I swear I hear the wood splitting.

"Did she eat that damn sandwich yet?" Loretta asks as she walks back into the room, freezing when she sees the woman standing beside my ex. She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. "We had a deal, Wyatt."

"And I didn't break it. I told Caroline to wait in the truck when she got here."

"What deal?" Caroline and I both ask in unison.

The walls of the restaurant are closing in around me, and then I feel nauseous, like I'll throw up at any given moment. This has to be some sort of nightmare.

"Aw hell, she looks pale," Loretta says as she quickly rushes to my side, but before she can, all I see is darkness.

A/N:

Ohhhhhh the tension!!!!!

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