When I first stormed out of town, I wasn’t thinking about anything.

I just went. It was like I was suffocating. I had to get away.

It wasn’t until later that I realized I didn’t have my phone. I knew I should have checked in with someone, but I couldn’t bring myself to make any calls. I needed to get my head right.

Meadow woke something inside me, something I thought was dead, and I had to figure out where my life was going.

Sandra was right, it was selfish of me not to let anyone know where I was, but this was something I had to do. I can’t explain the freedom that came from not being reachable. Every part of my head, heart and soul needed that break.

Maybe I was taking my friendships for granted, but I knew they’d forgive me. Even though Sandra’s eyes were trying to stay mad, it was impossible to ignore the smile on her face as she told me everything I’d missed during my absence.

And Paul was back to his old self almost immediately. It seemed he was almost more happy I’d quit drinking than I was. And I can’t say how relieved I was to hear he hadn’t made a move on Meadow while I was away, even though he didn’t know I was with her.

“There he is again,” Sandra said, drawing my attention back to the present.

“Who?” Paul said, looking in the direction she was looking.

“Today at the café, that guy came in looking for Meadow. She wasn’t here. I sent her home early because she was feeling sick. Once he found out she wasn’t there, he left.”

“Which guy?” I said.

“That one in the blazer,” Sandra said.

I checked him out without being too obvious about it.

“Anyway, I called Meadow and it turns out he’s some guy she met at the pub a few weeks ago. He tried to make a move on her and she shot him down.”

“Sounds like Meadow,” I said.

“In fact, if I remember correctly, he tried to kiss her and she kneed him in the nuts,” Sandra said, grinning.

“Now that really sounds like Meadow,” I said, laughing.

I was glad she’d shot him down, but I still wouldn’t have minded punching the guy’s lights out for making a move on my girl. I mean, he didn’t know she was my girl, and she didn’t even know it, but I still wanted to floor him.

“You should have come to Big Sur,” Paul said. “Me and Jason had the time of our lives.”

I felt bad just bailing on them, and hated missing out, but I knew there’d be other trips.

“I’m really sorry about that.”

Paul nodded and carried on, telling me about this one amazing wave. I half listened, turning to see if I could check out Meadow’s admirer. He was still there, scrolling on his phone. There was something familiar about him.

He started to look in my direction so I turned away. When I looked back, I realized where I recognized him from.

“I know that guy,” I said.

“You do?” Sandra said. “I swear I’ve never seen him around.”

“It’s Matt.”

“Matt who?”

“Matt. Meadow’s piece of shit, cheating, ex-husband,” I said, standing up.

“Kane,” Paul said, cautioning me not to start a scene.

Sandra looked at me. “How do you know what her ex looks like?”

“Meadow showed me a video. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that he’s here, and he’s not welcome.”

I started walking toward him.

“Kane, what are you doing? Don’t start anything, dude.”

“You know me,” I said. “I wouldn’t cause a scene.”

“Kane,” Sandra said. “Don’t.”

“This guy is not fucking welcome around here, and he needs to know,” I said.

Just looking at the guy made me sick. He was a complete scum bag. I couldn’t believe Meadow had ever been married to him. She was so high-class. This guy was the complete opposite. I had zero respect for cheaters. They’re not men at all. They’re worms.

He looked like he had some intentions here in town and I didn’t have to think too hard to figure they involved Meadow.

I walked up to his table.

“Hey, buddy. Mind taking a step outside?”

He looked up at me then looked back down at his phone.

“Who are you?”

“I’m the guy who’s taking you the fuck out of here,” I said.

That got his attention. He looked around to see if I had any backup. When he saw I was alone, he said, “Fuck you.”

It took every ounce of my self-control not to lose it on him right there.

“Come on, fucker,” I said, walking away from his table and toward the back door. “Unless you’re afraid of me, we’ve got some business to discuss outside.”

I didn’t look back to see if he was following. I just walked all the way to the door. When I opened it I realized he was behind me. I gestured for him to go out first and he did.

I followed him out to the parking lot.

He turned and was pretty pissed off.

“What the fuck do you want, punk?” he said.

“I want to know what you’re doing here in town.”

“I’m here to take back what’s mine, that’s what. My property is here and I’m going to take it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re property?”

“What’s it to you, pal?”

I couldn’t believe what this asshole was saying. His property? Was he serious?

In a single motion, he grabbed an iron pole that was propped up against a dumpster and swung it at me. I ducked, just narrowly dodging it as it flew through the air. If he’d made contact with my skull I’d have been done for.

I lunged forward and grabbed him around the waist. He stumbled back into the dumpster and dropped the pole. I punched him once, hard in the gut, and he doubled over in pain. I was about to really lay into him when he raised his hands pleading.

“Please, please, I don’t want to fight.”

I let out a laugh. He’d been plenty willing to fight when he’d had that iron pole.

“Just get the fuck out of town, buddy. You didn’t deserve Meadow and you lost her.”

I turned to leave him there, thinking he got the message, but a moment later I felt a terrible pain across the back of my legs. I fell to the ground and rolled over, just in time to see Matt swinging that damn iron pole right for me. I rolled to my left, just barely dodging it, and when it struck the ground I grabbed it and pulled him forward. As he fell toward me, I met his jaw with my fist.

I leapt to my feet and brought my knee to his gut. He fell forward and I landed a quick uppercut to his jaw. He stumbled back and I grabbed him by the blazer.

“Matt. That’s your name, right?”

He nodded, blood dripping from his mouth. He made a pathetic sight.

“You had her, and you cheated on her. She hasn’t been yours since the moment you were unfaithful, you understand that?”

He nodded again.

“Everyone around her knows who you are, buddy. We know what you did. And we don’t like worms like you stinking up the joint.”

He let out a sob and wiped the blood from his mouth. God, I wished he’d just pull himself together.

“We all know Meadow too. This is her town now. This is her home. And we’re her new neighbors. Her new family. Anyone catches you skulking around this town again, they’ll do the exact same thing to you I just did.”

“But she’s mine,” he sobbed.

“Not anymore.”

“You can’t trust her,” he said. “She’ll just be after your money. Believe me. I know her. She’s a slut and she’s after your money. That’s her only interest in men.”

That did it. I drew back my fist and then landed it right on his nose. He flew back against the dumpster and I caught him before he fell to the ground. With a solid motion, I lifted him right off his feet and flung him over the side of the dumpster. He fell into it, getting covered with old food and other garbage from the brewery.

I looked over the edge and saw ketchup and french fries all over his fancy outfit.

“She’ll never survive without me,” he cried.

I looked down at him and laughed.

“Dude, she’s got her own job, her own apartment. She’s built a life from scratch. You’ve got ketchup and fries on your face.”

It was then that Paul and Jason showed up, hurrying through the door to see what trouble I’d caused.

“Where is he?” Paul said.

I indicated the dumpster and saw them both hold back laughs.

“Meadow’s ex?”

I nodded.

They looked into the dumpster and got a good look at him.

“See,” I said to Matt. “Every guy in this town knows exactly what you pulled with Meadow, and if we see you around here again, you’ll get a lot worse than a bath in a dumpster.”

“Fine, she’s your problem now,” Matt cried as we walked back into the brewery. “Let’s see how long you last before you get sick of her.”

“Hang on a second,” I said to Paul and Jason.

I strode back to the dumpster and grabbed the lid, slamming it down and shutting Matt inside. It wasn’t locked, but it was heavy and it would take quite a bit of effort to get it open again.

“See you around, asshole.”