Chapter 2: Betrayal in Maple Heights

Half a month later.

News of my family setting me up with the Carter family’s golden boy, Carter Hayes, spread throughout Maple Heights.

In our town, news travels faster than a summer storm. Maple Heights has always been a place where everybody knows your business before you do. Whispers in the church pews, long glances at the Piggly Wiggly, and by the time the story reached the bakery, everyone had already picked sides.

Evan’s buddy, who was in on the act, anxiously came to question me:

“Evan just died, and you’re already moving on? Seriously?”

He sounded more nervous than accusatory, wringing his hands like he was afraid I might actually bite back. I looked at him, the weight of too many sleepless nights in my gaze—a flash of lying awake, clutching Evan’s pillow, playing his last voicemail on repeat.

“He’s already dead. Am I supposed to be a widow for him my whole life?”

My voice came out colder than I intended, but I let it stand. There’s only so much politeness you can squeeze out after your heart’s been stomped on.