His rage began to bubble beneath the surface, and soon it would be boiling over. They were in a public place, though. He couldn’t hurt her here.

She pressed forward with her arguments, willing him to understand and give up of his own volition before things escalated further. “I’m not entirely sure we were ever happy to begin with. I’ve made up my mind and I’d thank you to stop pestering me. I’m not going back, and I don’t want to be with you.”

He shook his head and looked down at his hands, still splayed on top of the table as if he were bracing himself for something. “You’re so different now. This isn’t my Harmony.”

“Correct, I’m not your anything. I’m my own person and I get to make my own choices. I’m choosing not to be with you. I don’t want to be your wife, your girlfriend, your anything. In fact, I never want to see you again.”

And suddenly, he became kind and placating again. “C’mon, don’t be like that. I’ve given you time to come to your senses, and now it’s time to come home.” He reached up and tried to take her hand, but she yanked it away before he could make contact.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said, loud enough that some of the other customers had started to sneak glances their way. She caught Jolene’s eye, and she nodded and walked calmly to the back of the house.

“I’ve come all this way to get you back. Not just today, but I’ve been trying on every day I’ve had off from work. Do you know how much driving that is just to be turned down?” His hands began to shake. His skin became ruddy.

“I’m sorry you wasted your time, but we’re over. You made sure of that the last time I saw you.” She shuddered at the memory of his crazed declaration that she was already his wife, that they should…

Never again. She’d ignored too many warning signs, been such a fool.

“I said I was sorry,” Alan told her, his brows knitting together in frustration. And then he began to rise to his feet.

“And she said you need to leave. Now I’m saying it, too. Get yourself out of here, or I’ll do it for you.” Nolan appeared at her side, a towering presence that comforted her but should have terrified Alan.

If Alan was afraid, though, he didn’t show it. Instead, he pulled himself the rest of the way to his feet and stared Nolan down. “You think I don’t know who you are? You think you can just swoop in and steal my girl right out from under me?”

That was when the first punch connected straight with Nolan’s nose. A terrifying thwack reverberated throughout the restaurant.

Jolene grabbed Harmony by the waist and pushed with all her might until they were both safely hidden in the kitchen…

Leaving Nolan to take care of Alan on his own.