“Where’s your little boy toy?” Lauren mocks Will. “Out sucking more high school dick?”
Will strides forward angrily before stepping in between us. “You are one seriously perverted family if that’s what you talk about around the dinner table.”
He’s obviously referring to Ryan, so I just keep my mouth shut. Whatever it is, it involves Ben. And I don’t like it.
“Oh, I know everything that goes on in this town. Everything,” Lauren emphasizes, getting right in Will’s face. “But it’s my version of events that filters down to the masses.”
“It must be nice to have the power to spin the truth into lies,” Will fires back. “But one of these days, the truth is going to catch up to you. It always does.”
“I don’t think your boyfriend would share that sentiment,” Lauren chuckles. “I don’t think he’d be so fond of the truth getting out.”
“So what’s your secret, Lauren?” Will responds, turning the tables. “According to you, everyone has something to hide. What are you so desperate to cover up that you’d go to such extraordinary lengths to distract everyone from what’s really going on?”
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Carter,” she seethes. He must have hit a nerve. “You think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you?”
Will doesn’t retreat as she jabs a finger into his chest. He stands his ground, taking her on. I don’t know who this new Will is, but I like him. It’s as if he’s turned over a new leaf, ready to fight for the people he cares about. Brave enough to face the wrath of Lauren Price.
What’s even more striking is that Will was out of all this. She wasn’t targeting him anymore. He could’ve gone back to L.A. and made a fresh start. Sure, she took the rights to his screenplay, but it could’ve been a lot worse. She didn’t reveal his sexuality to the world. He didn’t have a bull’s-eye taped to his back. She was willing to let him slip away relatively unharmed—but not now. From this moment on, all of her firepower is going to be aimed directly at him.
And I know without a doubt that he’s doing it for love. There’s no other explanation for why he’s throwing himself in harm’s way. He cares about Ben. He doesn’t want to see his future destroyed. He’s willing to take the bullet and deflect the heat onto him. And if I’m being completely honest, he’s doing it for me as well. I have seen how being there on the two occasions I nearly miscarried has changed him. He’s not the same Will he was before.
“Can I help you folks with anything?” the store manager asks, interrupting us as he shoves a stray greeting card into one of the slots.
“That won’t be necessary,” Lauren responds, clearly still simmering beneath the surface. “This young man was kind enough to steer me in the right direction. I know exactly where I need to go from here.”
“All righty then,” the manager says, only partially listening as he’s besieged by a woman insisting that she shouldn’t have to buy chicken gravy just because they’re out of turkey gravy.
Lauren waits until they’re out of earshot before delivering her parting shot. “Ivy, you’ll be hearing from my lawyer. See you in court. That is if you’re not homeless and on the street by then.”
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Will calls out sarcastically as she starts to walk away.
“It will be now,” Lauren says smugly over her shoulder. “The two of you just gave me so much more to be thankful for.”
“Shit, Will,” I sigh, watching her depart. “What did you do that for?”
“The same reason you did.” He glowers next to me, his eyes following her every move. “Because it’s about time we all banded together and stood up to her. Give her a taste of her own medicine. She’s hiding something, and I’m going to find out what it is.”
“And you couldn’t wait until after the baby was born?” I ask, nervously running my hands over my stomach.
“I was only following your lead,” he says, giving me a sidelong glance. “You were doing just fine on your own before I barged onto the scene.”
“I couldn’t resist. I’m just so sick of her bullying us all into submission. Something just snapped in me. I couldn’t take it anymore. It was probably a stupid move, but I couldn’t stand there and listen to any more of her lies,” I admit, throwing up my hands.
“And you won’t have to,” Will says encouragingly, giving my shoulders a quick squeeze. “Because that bitch is going down.”