“Oh my God,” Whitney said, “I can’t believe you’re going through with that stupid pet fashion show. You have no class and I’m sick of you and Jane and those other women acting like you run this town.”
“We don’t run this town. We just organize the festivals. We enjoy doing it. And look around. Everyone’s having a good time. Do you really have a problem with that?”
“I have a problem with your existence.”
I shrugged. What could I say? That was pretty much the story of my life since high school when it came to dealing with Whitney. “Gotta go. See you around.”
“No!” She grabbed my arm.
Tiger hissed and I held the cat tighter.
“I—I know the mayor,” Whitney said, eyeing Tiger cautiously. “He’ll let me take over the Festival Committee and I’ll kick you out.”
“But why?”
“Because y-you suck!”
“That’s mature,” I drawled. “Look, I know you’ve had a hard time lately, so I’ll let that one slide.” I moved closer and got right in her face. “But I know the mayor, too, and he’s been pretty happy with the festivals lately. And let’s face it. You wouldn’t know the first thing about organizing a festival. And you’d hate it. But hey, you take your best shot.”
“Best shot at what?” Tommy said jovially as he walked up sipping a beer. He wrapped his arm around Whitney’s shoulders and nuzzled her neck. “Hey, gorgeous, what were you two ladies talking about?”
I gave him a bright smile. “Whitney was just telling me she wants to run the Festival Committee from now on.”
“Aw, baby,” he crooned, chucking her chin. “Are you still going on about that?”
My ears perked up. So Tommy had heard her grousing about the committee, too? I thought she was usually more discreet about her hatred of me when Tommy was around.
“She thinks she can do a better job than me and Jane,” I added helpfully.
“Aw, honey, let it go,” he murmured, and kissed her cheek. “You know Shannon and Jane are just better at things like this than you are.”
Her eyes darkened and a small line of tension popped up between her perfectly plucked eyebrows. Suddenly I was worried for Tommy’s safety.
“And just what do you think I’m good at?” she demanded.
He smiled that adorable smile of his and said, “You’re good at being beautiful and sexy and you’re a wonderful mother and wife and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
Whitney stared at him for a long moment and then slowly flashed me the most superior look of cold satisfaction I’d ever seen in my life. “He’s mine.”
I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t dare. Tommy had managed to shut her up in his own inimitable, sweet way and I couldn’t have been happier to witness it. Except the part where Whitney still made me sick.
“Enjoy your little committee,” she said in her most condescending tone, then flipped her hair and flounced off, clutching Tommy’s arm possessively.
“Good girl,” I murmured to Tiger as I stroked her soft fur. “We don’t like her, do we?”
Tiger purred louder and I knew she agreed.
Jane joined me. She stooped to pet Robbie and we both watched Whitney and Tommy cross the park toward the food court.
“Trouble?” she asked.
“Not anymore,” I said. “I don’t think she’ll be coming to any more committee meetings from now on.”
“Don’t toy with me,” she warned as she stood up. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my God, that’s great!” She clapped her hands and then grabbed me and Tiger in a hug. “Whatever you had to do to accomplish that, it was worth it.”
“I agree.” Even if I included the countless times I’d been tormented and dissed by Whitney over the past fifteen years, it was worth it to have her off the committee and out of our hair.
I smiled as I straightened Tiger’s collar and clutched Robbie’s leash. “And now we’ve got a fashion show to win.”
Jane and I were sharing announcing duties at the fashion show, so we walked together to the stage.
“Oh, look who’s in the audience,” I murmured from the stage stairway.
Jane glanced around until she saw the person I was talking about. “Oh yeah. Stephen’s a Lighthouse Cove regular these days.”
“He moved out of your place, right?”
“Yes, finally. He found a cute duplex on the other side of the square.”
“That’s not the only cute thing he found,” I said, watching in shock as he kissed the woman standing next to him. “Is that Luisa Capello?”
“Yes,” Jane said, smiling.
I frowned. “He’s awfully fickle, isn’t he? The last I saw, he was madly in love with you. He was like a little puppy following you around.”
“I know. Lucky for me, he walked into Capello’s Pizza last week and fell in love with their food and their daughter.”
“Well, they do make a great pizza, and Luisa is darling.” I cast another dark glance toward Stephen. “But he’s still on my list.”