I'm Still Here

Small Town Talk

Susanna's POV

"You have lost your damn mind if you think I am going in there this morning!" I hissed throwing my sunglasses onto the dash of the truck. The blinding sunlight didn't hurt as much as the glare from the man in the truck with me. Arguing had been a mild term for what we did last night. Part of me felt shame. I had been drunk this weekend. Made a fool out of myself along with him. Sadly, in this town that meant something. Part of the roles we played in the community whether we wanted to or not. Our arguments now were worse than they were when we were dating. Seeing the crowd filing into church, I let out a distressed whimper. My hair flying as I whipped my aching head back and forth. "Please B! Please don't make me go in there. They all will be staring!"

"I know," Brantley said so coldly I swore icicles where about to appear. He climbed out walking around to open my door. The rigid set to his shoulders portraying how angry he still was. I had woken up alone in his bed pulling the sheets up trying to cover up as I had started to cry. Found him downstairs in the music room laying on the couch staring at the ceiling. Had been a floor and a half between us not just another room. Hurt more knowing that he was lying beside me when I'd succumbed to sleep then gone when I woke up.

He banded an arm around my waist yanking me out. Long fingers tangled with mine in a death grip. Rings digging into my knuckles, but I didn't dare say anything about it. There would be no fighting him to get free. The low-heeled boots I'd slipped on with my black sweater dress scraping on the concrete when I dug my heels in. A low growl made goosebumps dance over my skin and not the good kind. Seeing us walk up together eyes widened. Ever since Mama's death there was constant speculation on if we were back together. In truth, we weren't at all.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Elmer Johnson grin holding out a hand to his poker buddies from the Moose Lodge. I knew that he had won some sort of bet. Kept my eye roll to myself as we passed. The knitting circle ceased their gossiping to blatantly stare. Brantley nodded his head giving them a charming smile. "Good morning ladies."

Granny Hale and Nana Gilbert stopped hugging us both. I saw the scrutiny in both women's eyes noticing my hangover. Like I said, small town life at it's finest. Brantley pulled me into the pew beside Mama Becky. Her eyes studied me in concern as she slid down making it where I was at least sandwiched between her and Brantley. Felt shielded from prying eyes some. At least until the preacher's wife stopped at the end of the pew. I wanted to crawl in a hole due to the death glare she shot me before asking Mama Becky a question.

B wrapped an idle arm around my shoulders brushing the hair away from my neck putting the teeth marks there on full display. The ass painted on a charming grin as the preacher's wife gasped. I wanted to die from mortification along with making a mental note to tell Steph we would need extra cinnamon rolls tomorrow. I foresaw the entire town stopping by just to catch up on the latest gossip about me. And Brantley was making it worse by how he was acting. Like a possessive asshole trying to prove a point. Wanted to kick him and stick my tongue out like I was two saying we weren't dating anymore.

"Good morning Mrs. Miller," Brantley drawled in a voice known to make fan girls toss their panties on stage. "That green really makes your eyes pop."

Sandy Miller gave him an incredulous look before turning away headed to her customary seat on the front pew. He turned back to me glancing down at my neck with a smirk. I tried to wiggle away from him only to have the iron band around my shoulders tightening making a gasp bubble out. Lips brushed my ear making me tremble. Made the raging headache I had worse. Especially when Katie Benson strolled by giving me a smirk that had me wanting to jump up putting my fist in her face. Be a way to work off some of the guilty anger I'd had simmering for months off.