“I’m guessing you talked to Mom,” Aaron said.
She had no problem unleashing her wrath on Aaron, however. “I don’t know why you thought going to Mom was going to help this situation. You don’t get to tell me who to forgive or when to forgive them. If I want to stay mad at you-know-who for the rest of my life, that’s my choice.”
He noticed she had lowered her voice and made sure not to use Bonnie’s name. “And that’s why Mr. Windsor keeps praying for you. For someone who cares so much about being pretty, you should remember what he said about hatefulness.”
She glared at him. “I don’t need anyone’s thoughts and prayers. And my hate is justified, so it doesn’t hurt me at all.”
“Did it feel good to see Bonnie or her dad? Because I’m going to bet it didn’t. What has to happen to convince you that Bonnie didn’t do anything to you? When does she get the benefit of the doubt? Because it’s wrong to hold this against her forever when you have no proof she did anything in the first place.”
“Wrong. I have plenty of proof. My real friends have told me about several times they saw her and Mitch talking a little too close, times she was being a little too friendly.”
“Ooh, Bonnie was friendly? How strange! I mean, she’s not friendly to anyone else. That’s so out of character for her.” Aaron’s sarcasm was biting. Was she really going to buy in to these ridiculous accusations? “Come on, Lauren. Don’t tell me your proof is exaggerated gossip.”
“I know you think she’s so innocent, but you’re wrong.”
“Because Theresa Gilmore told you she saw her talking to Mitch one night? Or because Wendy Hillbrand said she saw them standing next to each other at the engagement party? Bonnie is here. Mitch is in France. They haven’t spoken. They aren’t having some torrid affair behind your back.”
Lauren jutted her chin out. “How could you possibly know they haven’t spoken? Do you monitor all her calls, day and night?”
“I know because I talked to Mitch the other day.” Mitch had called to get Bonnie’s phone number, which Aaron refused to give him, but he wasn’t about to mention that part to his sister. Unfortunately, being away had not lessened Mitch’s feelings for Bonnie. His infatuation was something they would have to deal with eventually. All Aaron could do was hope Mitch stayed away long enough to fall for some French beauty and forget all about Bonnie. “He doesn’t even have her number. How could they be carrying on a relationship before the wedding if he doesn’t even have her phone number?”
He watched as she mulled that over. That little nugget was difficult to dispute. There was no way that fit into her Bonnie-is-evil theory.
Sasha appeared, carrying the toilet that needed to be thrown away in the dumpster outside. “Do you want to salvage any of the shelving in the master closet?”
Lauren’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped at the sight of him.
“No, I’m going to put in a whole new closet system, so all that can be trashed.”
“Did you hire another person to add to our humble crew?” Sasha asked, nodding at Lauren and giving her a big ol’ grin. “Is she better with a sledgehammer than our little Bonnie was?”
“Sasha, this is my sister. Lauren, this is Sasha. He’s helping us out, since everyone else who works the trades in this town is suddenly unavailable.”
“Lauren.” Sasha got a perplexed look on his face. “Where have I heard that name before?”
Aaron realized Sasha had no idea that Lauren was the Lauren who was causing Bonnie all her trouble. “We’ll get out of your way so you can throw that out. It looks heavy,” he said, trying to move Sasha along.
“It’s not that heavy,” he said, shifting it into the crook of one arm. “See? Oh, I remember now. There’s a Lauren in town trying to take down my girl Bonnie. Can you believe anyone would have beef with someone like Bonnie? Blows my mind. That woman is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Bad Lauren better hope we never cross paths, but it was nice to meet you, Aaron’s sister Lauren.” He walked out the front door with the toilet.
Lauren paled and looked like she needed to throw up.
“He didn’t really mean anything by that,” Aaron said, trying reassure his sister. “He wouldn’t actually do anything if he knew who you were.”
Her fear was evident on her face. He wouldn’t doubt she had the sudden urge to flee.
“I know he looks scary, but he’s actually a really nice guy. He was at the coffee shop the other day when your so-called friends attacked Bonnie while she was out buying me and her dad some coffee.”
Lauren hugged herself tightly and closed the front door. Again, lowering her voice, she said, “So because other people were mean to her, I’m the bad guy? Does he even know what Bonnie did to me?”
“How many times do I have to remind you that she didn’t do anything?” His sister was exasperating. “She didn’t even give Mitch her phone number!”
“Help!” David called out from the living room.
Aaron didn’t hesitate. He raced into the living room. He had promised Bonnie there would be no accidents involving her father, and he’d meant it.
David was on a ladder in the center of the room, holding a piece of the ceiling that was falling down while the ceiling fan he’d apparently decided to take down by himself dangled by its wires. He had leaned forward to keep the ceiling from crashing down on top of him, and