With a frown I stand, uneasy by how aggressive their stances are. It’s as if they’re trying to intimidate him.

Before I can figure out what’s going on, Jack walks out of the kitchen and over to them, his expression somber. “I’m afraid you’re gonna have to leave, Fletch,” he says calmly, but there’s an underlying hostility in his tone.

“Leave? But why?” he asks, sounding as confused as I feel.

Jack’s eyes briefly find mine before darting back to Fletcher’s. “You know why.”

“I’m not sure I do. I’ve been comin’ in here for almost twenty years and it’s never been a problem before.”

“Well, it’s a problem now,” Mr. Mayson says. “Your kind ain’t welcome here anymore.”

I gasp.

Did he really just say that?

Grayson stands. “Watch it, Derek. You’re out of line. Same with you, Jack. Fletcher has every right to be here.”

“No one asked you, Taylor.” My glare moves to Clint as he stands up too, putting his two cents in where it doesn’t belong. “This is what Jack wants, and the old man needs to respect it.”

“Stop it, Clint, you’re making it worse!” I snap, before turning my gaze back to the scene at hand. “Jack, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Surely this can’t be what it looks like.

“It’s all right, Miss Olivia,” Fletcher says calmly, a hell of a lot calmer than I feel. “I should have known better with what’s been going on, but I thought Jack would be different. Guess I was wrong.” He nods at me. “I’m glad you’re lookin’ well, darlin’. I’ll see ya around.” Turning, he walks back out of the diner without a second look, his shoulders slumped.

I gape at everyone around me, not believing what just happened. “How dare you. All of you,” I shout, my entire body tense with resentment. “Did you really just kick a man out of here because of the color of his skin?”

“It’s out of respect for you, Olivia,” Gwen says quietly, looking as ashamed as she should.

“For me?” I screech incredulously. “There is nothing respectful about what y’all just did. Absolutely nothing!” At the sting of angry tears, I rush out of the diner, pushing past the people in my way. As soon as I make it outside I take in several breaths of much needed air, trying to breathe past the searing pain in my heart at the sight of Fletcher walking out alone…shunned.

I look up and down the street for him but he’s nowhere in sight.

“Liv!” Grayson comes running out and pulls me into his arms. “I’m sorry, I should have told you.”

“Tell me what, Grayson? What the hell just happened in there?” I ask, stepping away from him, trying to understand why they would hurt Fletcher like that.

Before he can explain Clint comes running out, making my hot blood boil even more. Shaking my head, I turn to get in Grayson’s truck. The last thing I want to do is speak to him.

“Liv, wait!” He grabs my arm to stop me, but just as he spins me around Grayson grabs his wrist, forcing him to instantly release my arm.

“Keep your fucking hands off of her, Larson,” he warns, stepping in front of me, effectively blocking me from his view.

I peek around his shoulder and see Clint take a step toward him. “You stay the fuck out of this. This is none of your business.”

“Wrong, asshole, she’s my business and—”

“Stop it, both of you, right now!” I take notice of everyone watching inside the diner. I step out from behind Grayson to stand next to him. “Say whatever it is you need to say, Clint.”

“I want to talk to you alone,” he says, glaring at Grayson.

“Not gonna happen.”

I put my hand on Grayson’s arm, silently requesting him to calm down. I don’t want this to get worse. “Whatever you have to say you can say in front of Grayson.”

Clint’s jaw flexes so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t break. “Why won’t you see me? I’ve tried to visit you twice since I heard what happened and Walter sent me away.”

I release a tired breath. “You know why. The last time we spoke it didn’t end well, and I don’t have the energy to fight with you.”

“Listen, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

Damn right he shouldn’t have. Just remembering the racist things he said about Jamal has my heart beating faster.

“I wasn’t there to fight. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I’ve been going fucking crazy worrying about you. What happened…what they did—”

I hold my hand up to ward off anything else he’s about to say. “I appreciate your concern, but as you can see I’m fine. At least I’m going to be. As for what just happened in there,” I gesture to the diner, “you were out of line, you all were.”

He shakes his head, disagreeing. “Why can’t you see that was all done for you? How can you choose their side after everything that’s happened?”

“Why does there have to be sides? Why does it have to be about color? Why can’t it be about right and wrong?”

“Because that’s not the fucking world we live in.”

“Well then, I choose peace.” My breath hitches as I try to hold back my tears. “I choose love, not hate.”

“You need to wake up, Liv. That’s not the real world and it isn’t ever going to be,” he fires back harshly.

“Watch your fucking tone when you’re talking to her,” Grayson snaps, moving into Clint’s personal space.

I place a hand on his chest and shake my head before looking back at Clint. “I don’t have the energy to argue with you. Go back to your lunch date, Clint, this discussion is over.”

“She doesn’t mean anything. She’s just a friend.”

His words shred any measure of control I had left. “I don’t care.” I shriek, throwing my hands in the air at his audacity. “I don’t care who she is to you. I don’t know why you would think otherwise.”

I’ve had enough of the exhausting conversation so I turn to get in the truck.

“Goddammit, Olivia, will you wait!”

Grayson steps in front of me again, and this time I don’t stop him. “Back off. She said she’s done talking to you. Walk away.”

Rage and defiance burn in Clint’s eyes, but thankfully he’s smart enough to take Grayson’s warning. “This isn’t over,” he seethes, before turning around and storming off. I’m not sure if the statement is directed toward Grayson or me. I’m assuming both.

Expelling a tired breath, I get in the truck then sit back with my eyes closed, trying to wrap my head around everything that just happened. The image of Fletcher walking out of the diner with his shoulders slumped, stabs me in the heart.

Shunned, all because of the color of his skin.

“God, what the hell is happening to this town?” I whisper, dropping my face in my hands.

A warm touch grazes my upper thigh. I look over to see Grayson in the driver’s seat, his expression somber. “Let’s get out of here, and I’ll tell you everything.”

I nod, not having energy for words at the moment.

He ends up parking at Clover Hill, a stretch of land overlooking some of Harmony Falls’s most beautiful landscape, full of wildflowers and clover. We both get out of the truck and he drops the tailgate for us to sit on. I lean back, bracing my arms on the bed of the pickup, trying to hop up without hurting myself. Grayson stands in front of me, his strong hands gripping my hips as he lifts me easily.

“Thank you,” I whisper, my throat a little dry from the warmth of his touch.

With a nod he hops up next to me and we be both stare out at our town before us. “A lot has changed around here, hasn’t it?” he muses quietly, his gaze remaining in front of us.

“I don’t understand,” I whisper. “Where did everything go wrong? All of this because Pap did what he thought he had to do to protect us—to protect me.”

“I’m not so sure about that.” He breathes out roughly, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “I think it started before then. The fires began a while back and had everyone shaken up because that’s what this town thrives on. Farmers can’t survive without their crops. Then the accusations against the department with Daryl Baker didn’t help matters. Things definitely got worse after Jamal, but after you…” He pauses and shakes his head. “Everything has just fucking spiraled out of control.”