“Go, Jake!” I cheered, bouncing on my spot on the bleachers I watched him complete his laps. I knew he’d scold me later for embarrassing him, especially at a practice, but he was so close to meeting his personal best time I couldn’t restrain myself. That boy took to water like a fish, he would spend every second in it if he could.

“You know he hates that,” Jenna drawled. She was still in her neon pink bikini, having taken advantage of the other available pool while the swim team did their laps. Brooke had dance team today, and Cal was with his friends from karate so I could give Jake my full attention. Jenna had agreed to meet me here to catch up, though I was partially sure that was due to the presence of the swimming pool and her plans to already take advantage of it on the blistering hot day.

“He’s beating his record by almost five seconds. He deserves it.” I glanced at her bikini, shaking my head when I noted the attention she was receiving. “Didn’t feel like getting dressed again?”

“Why should I?” She shrugged an elegant shoulder. “No one’s complaining. I’m still in the swim complex, and I plan to dive back in again later. You should try it yourself.”

I snorted. “Yeah, right. I’m as uncoordinated in water as I am out of it. You know I sink like a rock.”

“Physics wise, it really shouldn’t be possible,” she murmured. “I don’t think your men would object to seeing you in a suit, though.” I hissed, glancing around the bleachers. They were far from packed, but she hadn’t exactly been quiet.

“Will you watch what you say? We aren’t exactly announcing things, you know.”

“No reason not to. Especially with the way they look at you.” She sent a pointed look across the pool, and I realized Troy was there, speaking to one of the lifeguards, his eyes continually straying over to me. His lips twitched up in a smile when he caught my gaze, though he didn’t wave. As he finished the conversation he left, but his eyes strayed back to mine for a moment.

“Besides, they’ll think you’re just another weird DeWitt girl. You think I don’t get shit over my relationships?” She gave me a pointed look. “I’ve stayed in this tiny town my whole life. Everyone here knows my business. I stopped letting them calling me a whore matter.”

“They called you a what!” I was exasperated and furious.

“Not all of them,” she admitted, stretching her back and causing a few of the men who’d been checking her out to stumble over their own feet. I rolled my eyes, though privately I was both amused and envious of that amount of power. “Women can be catty though. Some people didn’t like that I’m bisexual, claiming I’m just being selfish or looking for attention. Others didn’t like the thought of sharing. Some were simply bitches. Men can be cruel as well, as you know. I wouldn't date them, though I’d date a man and a woman at the same time, so it was much easier to call me a whore rather than admit they’re just an ass who I have no interest in. It’s why I rarely date in town. It’s not worth the drama; I learned that years ago.”

“No, you just dated most of the ones in town you were interested in,” I wryly reminded her.

“That too.” She smirked. “I don’t think women should be punished for enjoying sex, with either gender. I don’t have much of an attention span. It’s why working at my inn and having rental properties works so well for me. There’s always a high turnover of people, so I’m always dealing with new people and new problems.”

“You make everything sound so easy,” I muttered, jealous and mildly irritated. What must it be like not caring what other people thought of you, knowing exactly what you wanted, even if what you wanted was for things to constantly change?

“For the moment it is. Wait until I’m in a crisis point of my own. Then nothing’s simple. Unlike you, I get bitchy as hell.” She grinned, tipping her shades down to wink at me. “You remember that, I’m sure. I think we’ve embarrassed Jake quite enough for the moment and they’re wrapping up, so I’m going to go take another dip before I head home. Let me know if you want me to watch the kids over the next few days so you can get another date in.” She ambled off towards the exit for the outdoor pool and I rolled my eyes.

Jake was chattering happily with some of his teammates, and I was glad he seemed to be making friends among them. I headed down towards the pool as he disappeared into the locker room. A quick glance at my watch showed me I had almost thirty minutes before I had to go pick up Cal from his friend’s place so I could get home in time to start dinner. I debated heading towards the locker room door and yelling in, but decided that may be just a bit more humiliation than Jake could take. I blew out a huff of breath, resigned to pacing by the pool as I waited.

“You’re Abby, right?” The cool, sly voice had me gritting my teeth as I turned to face Libby. She carried a tennis racket, her tiny white tennis dress accenting her golden skin, her dark hair up in a perfect ponytail. I wondered what she was doing in the pool area if she was here for the tennis courts.

“Emily, actually. Did you need something?” I glanced back toward the locker rooms.

“I saw you with Troy a few weeks ago at dinner, and I know he was in here earlier.” She spun her racket, letting it dance between her fingertips. “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t getting any ideas in that direction. I mean, just look at you.” I bit my tongue before I could unleash the flurry of words that were on the tip of it. “You two are from completely different classes, you have to admit.”

“Right, he does football and I do swim.” The snark fell from my lips before I could stop them and she huffed.

“Very mature. Troy and I are on a break at the moment, but it’s temporary. I know he’ll have his flings before we settle down, but I didn’t want you thinking things were more than what they are. Troy likes attention, that’s all.”

My blood was boiling and I tried to breathe deeply to see beyond the red haze filling my vision. “From what I understand, you have no claim over Troy, and you never have.”

Libby laughed, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. “I know it seems odd, that I’d settle for a school teacher, but there’s so much more that Troy can do with his life. He got a very comfortable inheritance from his grandmother, you know, and he’s got far more people interested in his career than simply a small-time high school.” Her smile was smug.

“You need to leave all three of them alone.” I couldn’t help the bite in my tone.

“Oh, honey, did you think you had something going with all of them?” Her voice dripped condescension. “It’s just a little game they play, see what kind of whore they can get to sleep with the three of them. I’m sure that’s why you even came onto their radar, another DeWitt girl after all.”

“You don’t talk about my sister.” I could barely see straight, my hands curling into fists.

She smirked, rocking back on her heels as she continued to twirl the racket I was rapidly considering pulling from her grasp and beating her over the head with. “Besides, I see you have kids.”

“How the hell do you know I have kids?” Burning rage was overshadowed for a moment by the icy grip of fear. After what Alex had told me, this woman was the last person I wanted near my children.

“It’s not hard to get information in a small town, or did you forget that? Everyone’s talking about the little DeWitt sister who got knocked up in high school, suddenly running back home after her husband left her. You’re hot news around here. Not to mention the things that Troy has shared with me. You don’t think our short chat the other night was our only conversation, did you? Aw, you did? That’s so pathetically sweet.”

“Just crawl back under whatever rock you came out from under.” I scowled at her, glancing back again toward the locker rooms. I didn’t want Jake coming out while this poisonous viper was wagging her tongue.

“I can’t believe you didn’t even do your research. What kind of mother are you, even? Sleeping with a man who had his own child taken away from him?” She shook her head, pretending pity and scorn. “You can’t simply think with your sex drive you know. Motherhood is a commitment. Not that he would have admitted any of this to you, of course, but everyone in town knows about it.”

“You vicious bitch.” The words came out in shock as I stared at this insane and bitter woman. Did she simply believe that her physical beauty was enough? That she could get anything she wanted through sex? “I don’t know why you’re still so obsessed with Troy and Alex. I assume your focus is on Max as well. Whether it’s your desire to inflict as much damage as you possibly can, or you’re just that terrible of a human being, I can’t really tell. Either way, it doesn’t matter. You need to stay away from me, my children, and my sister. You need to stop messing with Troy, Alex, and Max. They don’t want you. They have absolutely no interest in you. They may be too polite to tell you what an awful person you are, but I’m definitely not.”

“What exactly makes you think I’ll do what you say? You’re a no one. A fat loser who tries and fails to make herself famous. Oh yes, I know all about your books. Max and Troy told me everything. How you have an ex-husband who left you for a guy, children you can’t handle so they got shipped to their queer of a father for the summer, a so-called career under a pseudonym since you have no actual education or job skills.”

I had never in my life wanted to punch anyone as much as I wanted to slap that smirk off of this selfish woman’s face. “I may be a no one to you, and I honestly don’t care that I am. I have three children who adore me. I know very well that that’s not your history. I’m sure a woman like you has had all kinds of events in her past that she wouldn’t like brought into the limelight. No one moves to Oakview, Pennsylvania without a reason, Libby. I doubt yours has ever been what you’ve said.”

I turned to stride away, surprised when I felt fingernails scrape down the back of my arm. I slid on the damp tile, leaning to the side to catch my balance. A shrill scream was followed rapidly by a loud splash, and I couldn’t hold back the wicked grin that spread across my face as I stared at a now sodden Libby treading water in the pool, her racket sunk to the bottom, her perfectly styled hair clinging limply to her head, and her makeup streaked and smeared across her face. “Next time wear waterproof, hun,” I offered with a small finger wave. Ignoring her shrill shrieks I strode over to the locker room, knocking until Jake answered.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his curiosity at the screaming, swearing woman trying to make her way out of the pool overshadowing his irritation that his mother had invaded his locker room.

“Apparently someone trying to learn water tennis,” I muttered darkly as I led him out the side exit. I was merely grateful that Jenna hadn’t hung around, although I wondered if Libby may have been smart enough to wait to approach me for just such a reason. Jenna wasn’t someone you messed with. Libby was going to learn that I wasn’t either. My threat had been far from idle. It was time to put those author research skills to use.