“Peggy Gilbert!”
Brendan came striding over just then, his expression sour.
His eyes locked on the cigarette in my hand, his brows knotting together.
“Since when do you smoke?”
I looked at his face, and for a moment everything blurred.
He actually didn't know.
Every time he stood me up for his precious buddy Victoria, I'd reached for a cigarette.
“A long time now.”
“How did I not know that?”
Brendan drew in a deep breath. He shot a wary glance at Spencer and tugged me a little closer to his side.
Then he lowered his voice, coaxing.
“Peggy, I know you're upset about the ticket thing yesterday, but can you not be like this?”
“You came all this way. Can't we just enjoy ourselves? I'll take you to Lovers' Cliff tomorrow. Haven't you always wanted to go?”
I looked him in the eye and gave a mocking smile.
“Lovers' Cliff? Isn't that the place you and Victoria planned to go?”
I pointed to the post Victoria had just put up on her social media feed.
Brendan's face darkened. He pushed through the explanation anyway.
“Victoria hardly ever gets to Bali. She just wanted to hit all the spots. She got a little carried away. Don't hold it against her.”
“Relax. She and I are rock-solid buddies. There's nothing else going on.”
“And those wedding photos just now? I was only there as a prop.”
Brendan delivered every word with a straight face, as if the two of them were truly innocent.
But it only made me want to laugh.
Who would believe that?
Moments ago the two of them had been shooting bridal photos with all the heat in the world.
Even the photographer had taken them for a couple about to walk down the aisle.
Even if it had all been a misunderstanding, posing the way they did, the staged near-kiss,
he'd shown not the slightest urge to set the record straight.
That moment would never be worth forgiving.
“Like I said, whatever you do is none of my business. I won't get in your way.”
I stubbed out the cigarette and dropped the butt into an empty soda can beside me.
“I came here for a vacation. Not to join yours.”
“You……”
“Brendan, let it go, let it go.”
Victoria quickly grabbed his arm. “Peggy's obviously still fuming. Don't fight with her. Let her cool off on her own. It's better that way.”
She pulled Brendan back the way they'd come, then took two steps and glanced back at me, smug.
“Peggy, the hotels around here are tough to book in peak season. We barely snagged ours two weeks out. If you couldn't get a room, why not squeeze in with us? The tent isn't big, but three people could probably make it work……”
“The nerve on you. Squeeze in with a married couple? I'm honestly curious how you worked up the gall to say something that shameless.”
Before I could even open my mouth, Spencer folded his arms and fired it right back.
“Who are you?” Victoria's face went white. “Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to insult me?”
“I'm insulting exactly what you are. A man-stealing little mistress.”
Spencer didn't mince words, and watching him shut her down felt downright satisfying. I couldn't help the corner of my mouth lifting.
“Let's go.”
