If I wasn’t mistaken, Aiden didn’t mind driving this. He probably wanted to hit the pastures like his brothers had. I’d heard them talk about whipping through the mud with it. How would it do in the snow?

He gripped my hand and led me inside the small grocery store that was one block off Main Street. Inside, we made sure to grab the butter first so we didn’t buy fifty bucks’ worth of groceries and forget what we’d come here for. Christmas music poured through the overhead speakers and the end of every aisle offered something green and red, whether it was chocolates or stocking stuffers.

Aiden and I had decided not to exchange presents this year. Still, he’d gotten me those books and all the laughs that had come with unpacking them.

I passed the muffins and sheer curiosity had me guessing the flavors. My attention was jerked away when a woman said my husband’s name.

He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, Poppy.”

I glanced over and the good day I was having took a downturn. I recognized the woman. She was the same one that had dominated Aiden’s attention with inane chatter about high school and compliments about his job during Beck and Eva’s engagement party. I’d sat on the other side of Aiden like one of those fish that suction to a bigger fish and just kind of watch the world go by while the predator fish ignores it.

“You’re in town for Christmas?” Her grin could be on a toothpaste ad. I had worked hard at reining in my jealousy. I might not say “fuck them” like Mom, but I reminded myself I wasn’t better or worse than someone like Poppy.

It was the lack of respect. Ultimately, how my husband treated me was between us. But Poppy didn’t respect me. Years later, she pretended I didn’t exist again.

Poppy didn’t wait for him to answer. “Ohmigosh, it’s so good to see you again. I was thinking about you the other day. Remember when it used to be Drive Your Tractor to School Day and you and your brothers all brought a different tractor? It was hilarious, but you guys were always so funny. I was just talking to the old wrestling coach the other day and your name came up.”

Aiden pulled me close to him.

Did I ditch Aiden and go pay for our things? I couldn’t tolerate Poppy any longer. Aiden wasn’t ignoring me, but I didn’t have to withstand these situations. The kind that wouldn’t be helped by a snarky comment, or being a straight-up bitch. I’d look bad and I’d feel bad.

She took a step closer. “I think it’s so—”