Page 109 of The Write Track
“If we don’t end this tonight, he’ll just keep coming back over and over again,” I complained. “I want him gone now.”
“So we’ll get rid of him now.” Mom was matter-of-fact. “I booked a hotel room—I knew better than trying to stay here with the two of you—but I need a place to keep my bag until we’re done with the little puke.”
I laughed at her delivery. “You can put it in our cabin. We should have our talk in there anyway.”
Mom’s smile was sunny. “Lead the way.”
We took off in the direction of the cabin, and I looked over my shoulder once to search for Preston. There was no sign of him. I couldn’t decide whether that was a good or bad thing. I wished for the former and braced myself for the latter.
Preston’s time was up, and I was looking forward to it.
HOURS LATER, DINNER AND DUSKWEREapproaching, I was prepared. I felt as if I were in aMission Impossiblemovie, which Nathan laughed about when I told him.
I wanted to spend the afternoon in the cabin alone together but with my mother there, that was impossible. She had something up her sleeve, but when I asked her about it, she just smiled and changed the subject. I was suspicious, but she’d gone out of her way to drop everything in her life and get to me even though I was an adult and should be able to handle my own problems. I had to let her do things her own way. I owed her that.
We didn’t know Preston’s exact plan or whether it would happen tonight or over the weekend. He was clearly going to do something, but thewhatremained elusive.
So we isolated ourselves for the afternoon and only left the cabins when it was time for dinner. We weren’t going to make it easy for Preston to launch his plan. He would have to work for it.
The look on his face—he stood next to Heather between picnic tables, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world—when we headed toward our normal area for dinner was annoying. He smiled smugly at Nathan and waved a hand as if they were old buddies. Nathan didn’t play along. That would have been a dead giveaway we were up to something ourselves. When Preston saw my mother, however, his smile slipped.
“Taffy,” he said dumbly, seemingly confused by her presence. “I… wasn’t expecting you.”
“Preston.” Mom’s smile was as warm as fresh-baked cookies and just as sweet. “What a surprise. I had no idea you were here.” She lied much more smoothly than I’d expected. She was a straightforward person and never lied. Apparently she could, she just didn’t want to.
“You didn’t know I was here?” Preston’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “I would have thought Bella told you.”
“Why would she?” Mom adopted a puzzled expression. “She hasn’t mentioned you in a good, oh, two years I would say.”
From all outward appearances, she was guileless. I knew better. She wanted to destroy Preston as much as we did.
“It was an accident that we crossed paths again,” Preston lied. He was nowhere as smooth as Mom. “It feels sort of fated to be, if you know what I mean.”
Mom’s eyebrows moved toward one another. “I’m not sure I understand. How would it be fated if Bella and Nathan are engaged? It seems far more likely their romance is the one that’s fated.”
Preston’s eyes flashed dark but he kept smiling. “I’m sure things will work out how they’re supposed to work out.”
“I’m sure they will too,” Mom agreed. “Now, where’s the delicious dinner I’ve been promised? Bella said the food was to die for.”
“Oh, it is,” Nathan agreed. “Just make sure you pile about four or five servings on your plate so you get enough.”
Preston glowered at him. “The servings are perfectly adequate. You shouldn’t eat so much that people mistake you for a glutton. You’ll live to regret that when you get older and your metabolism slows.”
Nathan’s smile was blinding. “Oh, I’m not worried about that. I’ve been burning a lot of calories of late.” His arm came around me and he anchored me to his side. “I expect that to continue.”
“Yes, well, we should all get settled for dinner.” Preston turned on his heel and stalked back toward Heather. Whatever he said to her under his breath was harsh. She merely nodded in understanding.
It was going to happen tonight, most definitely.
DINNER CONSISTED OF CHICKEN,ROASTED RED-SKINNEDpotatoes, asparagus, and cake for dessert. I hadn’t thought I was hungry—the anticipation had been too much—but I ate everything on my plate.
Once dinner was over, Preston suggested a walk around the lake, but only for the women. Bree darted a look toward me, correctly reading the situation. This was it.
“Maybe we should all go,” Brody suggested. He was much more nervous about what was to come than Nathan, who had prepared himself for an obnoxious evening.
“Oh, I think it would be nicer to have an event just for the women,” Preston countered. “All the men can stay here and do… manly things.”
“So shave and fart?” Nathan guessed.
