The Road to Rose Bend Naima Simone (ebook pdf reader for pc .txt) đ
- Author: Naima Simone
Book online «The Road to Rose Bend Naima Simone (ebook pdf reader for pc .txt) đ». Author Naima Simone
Later, she reminded herself. Lick your wounds later.
Tilting her head to the side, Sydney arched an eyebrow and smiled, knowing it would piss off Jenna even more. And it provided the side benefit of covering up the throbbing holes where those well-aimed verbal punches had landed.
âThatâs the second time youâve mentioned Cole,â she murmured. âNow weâre getting down to the truth of it. Thatâs what this little ambush is aboutâCole. Hell, Jenna. Why didnât you just come right out and say that instead of pussyfooting around with the âbaby mamaâ shaming?â
Even in the dark, Sydney could easily spot the red that flooded the other womanâs face. Her lips thinned as her slender shoulders straightened and she peered down her nose at Sydney. No denying Jennaâs beauty. Too bad it was spoiled by her snotty, condescending, mean spirit.
The memory of that stark, dejected âsomethingâ sheâd seen flash in Jennaâs eyes moments ago whispered that maybe all wasnât as it seemed. But in the next instant, Jenna opened her mouth and banished any hint of sympathy Sydney mightâve harbored.
âHe might not be able to see through you, but I can. Itâs really sad, Sydney. Your husbandâif you really had one, that isâdidnât want you, so youâre trying to latch onto Cole, for what? Respectability? Love?â She chuckled, and the sharp edges of it scraped over Sydneyâs skin. âAs if he could truly want you. Heâs a respectable attorney, a good family man, the mayor, for Godâs sake. What could he possibly see in you? And if you werenât so selfish, you would see that youâre harming him. People are talking about how youâre playing him for a fool by trying to make him a substitute father to your baby. Did you actually think your little stunt at the council meeting would give you an in with him? Make everyone else forget your sad little existence? Not going to workââ
âSydney. Everything okay?â Cole appeared at her side, his voice reaching her from a distant, hollow tunnel.
She couldnât breathe. Couldnât drag in air past the pulsing agony that radiated from every pore, every organ in her body. Once more, each word dug deep, unearthing every one of her doubts, secret fears and insecurities.
A big palm settled on the small of her back, and she flinched, the touch like liquid fire through her clothes and against her skin. It possessed too much concern...too much pity, just as Jenna had so cruelly, accurately pointed out.
âSydney,â he murmured.
âWeâre fine, Cole,â Jenna assured him in a sugary-sweet voice. Yes, that was her. Saccharin and strychnine. âI was just making sure Sydney made it to the bathroom okay. You canât be too careful. Especially in her condition.â
If Sydney wasnât numb from the neck down, she would be in dire trouble of hurling.
âSydney,â he repeated her name, and his voice vibrated through her. Sending fissures and cracks through the shield of ice that coated her. She suspected she would always respond to him. Like her own personal curse. âYou good?â he asked again.
âFine. Iâm fine,â she replied, even tried to rummage up a smile, but failed. She barely managed to speak past her pain, her fury, her guilt. Smiling...well, that was beyond her. âIf youâll excuse me.â
She didnât wait for either him or Jenna to respond, not that Jenna would try to stop her escape. Not when it left her alone with Cole.
Jealousy. It slithered through the toxic maelstrom of emotions that whirled inside her. Ridiculous. He wasnât hers. Would never be hers. She had as much claim as Jenna. But on paper, Jenna made more sense than Sydney...
She glanced over her shoulder. Spied Coleâs tall frame dwarfing Jennaâs. Witnessed the spiteful redhead rest a hand on his chest, right over his heart. And the food Sydney had happily downed all day churned in her stomach, threatening to spike toward her throat.
Swallowing convulsively, she jerked her head back around and weaved a path through the crowd, laughter and chatter bouncing off her. Whereas only minutes ago, sheâd felt a part of this gathering, this town and its people, now she was a stranger, wading through their midst, untouched. Unseen.
Unwanted.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, striding to the edge of the field and heading toward the parking lot. Logically, she understood Jenna didnât speak for everyone in Rose Bend. The fact that sheâd just spent all day with two wonderful women belied Jennaâs claim. But deep beneath bone and muscle, where her most secret vulnerabilities lurkedâwhere the rejected and lonely little girl still existedâshe believed it.
It didnât matter if people were talking about her and Cole or notâthat didnât negate the truth. The upstanding, admired mayor didnât belong with the black sheep, the woman who returned home pregnant, single and with her tail tucked between her legs. Didnât matter if those were Sydneyâs choices and she had her reasons for them. For the people here, it was all about perception. And the princess, the former mayorâs precious daughter, made for a glossier, prettier picture. No matter how much of a bitch she might be.
Stupid of Sydney to think she could start over. That people would let the past go.
That she could hope for more...for different.
âSydney.â A firm hand cuffed her wrist, drawing her to a halt.
She didnât need to look over her shoulder to see who had a hold of her. If that low, midnight-and-sex voice didnât identify him, the sizzle and snap of her neurons and the heat pouring through her veins certainly did.
âWhat?â she asked, hating the waspish tone. Hating that she let any emotion filter through. She tugged at his grasp, and he released
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