“It’s not a lie. I’m not that good of an actress. I swear.”
Miss Ruby gave her the stink eye and several of the younger generation took an automatic giant step back in fear. “I may be old, but I know what I saw on my gossip shows. And they show you all over Mason Hemming. Not that I blame you, but just don’t be fibbing about it or we’ll have a problem.”
“I swear I have never been with Mason. I think the movie studio leaked those photos to make it look like something was going on. It’s their oldest trick to drum up interest in a movie. If you could see the whole photo, you’d see it’s not what it looks like. There’s only been one man to have my attention and that’s Trent. Who hasn’t even texted me back after a night together. What kind of manners are those?”
Miss Winnie’s chicken wing of an arm shot out and smacked Trent on the back of his head. “That is no way to treat a lady!”
Okay, so she wanted to do this here. Fine, to hell with the nondisclosure agreement. He’d have it out once and for all in the middle of the diner with half the town watching. “You’re right, Miss Winnie. It was rude. Do you know what else was rude? Waking up after the best night of your life to find her manager standing at the bedroom door and telling me I was just one in a long line of blue-collar men Skye liked to play pretend with. He then shoved a nondisclosure agreement in front of me and threatened to take everything I ever worked for from me if I ever told anyone about our night together.” Trent stared down in helpless anger at Skye’s shocked, wide eyes. “There, are you happy? I broke the NDA so are you going to take my life’s work from me now?”
Skye’s head shook and the look of shock was very real. She reached out and touched his hand. Even as Trent wanted to be mad, he craved her touch. “Trent, I don’t know what to say. But I have never asked Lenny to do that. Not only that, but what he said just isn’t true.”
“Trent, she’s telling you the truth.” Karri added quietly.
“So, let us get this straight. You two had a moment that was then taken away from you by this Lenny guy?” Trent and Skye looked at each other and nodded before Miss Ruby continued. “Trent, being a stubborn man, refused to reach out so you finally came here to get answers?”
Trent saw the corner of Skye’s lip disappear as she bit down on it nervously. “Yes and no.”
“Child, you better be getting to the point,” Miss Ruby demanded.
“I’ve been trying to talk to Trent, and I did want to see him to get to the bottom of what happened.” Skye paused and then looked up at Trent. “I guess we just did that.”
“We did. Now I’m pissed at myself for not doing what Karri said and talking to you.” Trent took a deep breath and looked over at the people surrounding him. “Skye, these sweet ladies are Miss Ruby and Miss Winnie. Then that’s Mary Jane walking out to feed Bubba his chicken and waffles. This is my friend, Granger. He’s the sheriff here and my other friend, Kord. He’s the deputy. You met Skeeter and these two are Gage and Maggie Bell.”
“We’re brother and sister,” Maggie said, giving her a smile and answering the unasked question of their common last name.
“And this is my very good friend, Edie.”
“Don’t worry, the rest of the town will be here as soon as Bubba leaves,” Edie said as she looked up from her phone. “And I loved you in Love’s Dangerous Waters, although whoever was your history person didn’t know Anne Bonny very well. And, bless your heart, your Southern accent . . .,” Edie cringed.
Skye laughed and Trent saw her shoot a smile to Skeeter. “So I’ve been told.”
“Wait for us!”
Trent groaned and flipped Edie the bird. “You texted my family?”
Edie didn’t look upset. Instead she just smirked.
“Were we not supposed to do that?” Kord asked. “I did it when I was hanging on to Bubba’s tail.”
“Yeah, I texted them too,” Granger said with a shrug.
His family came pouring in from the diner’s back kitchen door instead of waiting for Bubba to move so they could enter through the front. It had been Tinsley who had called out, but Harper was leading the charge and she looked pissed.
Harper stopped directly next to Skye and forced Skye to turn to look up at her. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t kick your ass for the way you used my cousin.”
“I told you on the text chain about the NDA and how Skye didn’t know about it,” Edie told her and Trent was finally thankful to have her here. “However, we’re just about to learn the real reason she’s here.”
Harper crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Skye. Karri stepped up to her friend’s side and returned the stare impassively. Harper raised one eyebrow. “You want to join in? One or two asses to kick don’t matter much to me.”
“Harper,” Gavin said in that typical older brother warning voice. A voice Trent knew when Wade used it on him. It was why he and Harper were so close.
“I’m waiting for an explanation,” Harper said, ignoring her brother.
Skye took a deep breath and Trent saw her reach for Karri’s hand. Whatever it was, she needed the strength of a friend to tell it. “I’ve been getting these threats. No big deal normally, but then those images leaked of me nude, although those weren’t me! Well, not the first ones. The ones on your table,” she said to Trent. “Those were all fake. The next ones were through my bedroom window without my knowledge.”
Tinsley pushed past Harper and pulled Skye in for a hug. “How horrible. You must feel so violated.”
Skye nodded and swiped at the tears in her eyes. Trent’s heart broke right then and there while all his protective instincts roared to life. He wanted nothing but to hold her and dry her tears. “I’m sorry. I should have known. I know we were only together a short time, but I knew you’d never do something like that silly table dance. What’s being done to protect you? You’re not here with just Karri, are you?”
Skye took a deep breath and nodded. “Just Karri and me. No one, and I mean, no one knows we are here. Please tell me no one posted about me being here? I was planning on keeping a low profile until the gator thing happened.”
Everyone shook their heads letting Skye know nothing had been posted.
“You played Anne Bonny. That makes you part of Shadows Landing,” Skeeter said as everyone nodded in agreement.
Trent went to open his mouth but Skye stopped him. “There’s more.” She told them of the attack, of her staff wanting her to take the movie role and use the leaked photos for the movie, and about how she went against their wishes and contacted the FBI. “So, I guess I did leave something out. Agent Shaw knows I’m here and so does an Agent—”
“Castle,” Karri filled in for her.
“He’s good people,” Granger told her in full cop mode. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“You know him?” Karri asked with a little blush to her cheeks.
Skye looked from her friend to Trent and gave him a smile that said she noticed the blush too and they’d talk about it later. In that moment, Trent could breathe again. The connection that had been so strong between them was back. He hadn’t missed his chance and he was not going to waste this second chance.