The Best of Me: a Hope Valley novel

by Prince, Jessica

  “You say that all the time,” Blythe added.

  I looked to my girl, feeling that same piercing sensation. “Yeah, well, there’s a whole lot you guys will appreciate me for when you’re older, and I’ll be expecting you to show that appreciation in the form of gifts when that time comes.”

  Tris laughed and Blythe rolled her eyes while trying to fight back a smile as she muttered, “God, Mom, you’re such a dork.”

  “A cool dork,” I reminded them. “And don’t you forget it.”

  Blythe took off to her room, hopefully to do her homework but more than likely to text her friends, and Tristan moved to the fridge and pulled out a soda.

  “How was your day, honey? Anything exciting happen?”

  “Oh yeah! Something totally awesome happened.”

  I gave my exuberant boy a soft look. “Yeah? Well don’t leave me in suspense, kid. What happened?”

  “Shawn’s dad is rentin’ Miss Eden’s house, so now he’s gonna be livin’ right across the street! How awesome is that?”

  Every muscle in my body clenched tight, and the piping bag I’d just picked up to add one last daisy to my chocolatey masterpiece clattered back to the counter. “What?”

  “I mean, yeah, it sucks it’s only gonna be every other week,” he carried on, oblivious to his mom’s burgeoning meltdown, “but it’ll still be sweet to have my bud right across the street from me so when he is there, we can hang like all the time.”

  Trick was moving in across the street?

  Shit! Trick was moving in across the street!

  I should have seen that coming. After all, I’d heard word through the grapevine that Trick was currently holed up in a shitty little apartment that was so shitty, they only did month-to-month leases because they knew trying to get anyone in there longer was impossible. The bungalow across from me was a terrific little house that I knew would rent out fast. It had been where my best friend in the whole wide world lived until recently. Eden had fallen for the unbelievably hot macho man a couple doors down, and after a few minor bumps along the road to their happily ever after, they got their stuff together and now they were living in a huge, beautiful, rustic cabin in the mountains just outside of town. Eden’s dream cabin that Lincoln had built just for her.

  I missed having my bestie right across the street, but if there was anyone who deserved having a man who treated her like a goddess, it was Eden. And Lincoln most definitely did that, so I was unbelievably happy for her.

  “Hello? Earth to Mom. You okay?”

  Tristan’s voice jolted me back into reality, and I jerked my head around in his direction. I hadn’t realized he’d been talking at hyper speed the whole time I was zoned out until that very moment. “Huh?”

  “I asked if I could play video games for a little while before dinner.”

  Bracing my hands on the island, I scrunched my lips to the side and scowled with that don’t kid a kidder, boy look I’d perfected when Blythe was about four. “Did you magically get all your homework done while you were standin’ here and I didn’t see it?”

  “Ugh!” He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and let out an exaggerated groan.

  “Video games after homework. Now get.”

  He moved out of the kitchen, grumbling about how unfair life was, and I went through the motions of starting dinner to feed my family, all the while fretting about my soon-to-be new neighbor, and wondering if I already had all the ingredients I’d need to make a chocolate cheesecake.

  * * *

  The three pieces of chocolate cake from the night before were still sitting in my stomach like a rock by the time my alarm went off the following morning. Dragging myself out of bed to get ready to face the day was way harder than usual, but I powered through, getting the kids up and out the door to school before hopping in the shower and getting myself ready.

  One of the reasons I opened my own salon was because I wanted to have say over my own hours. Being a mom came first for me, and having the time to make my kids a big breakfast to start the day was more important than highlights or a wash and set, so I never booked myself before ten o’clock. It also helped that I could usually laze around after they were gone, fuel up on coffee, and take the time on my hair and makeup before heading out. I might have done the bare minimum on weekends, but when it came to work, I always gussied up. After all, no woman wanted to get her hair done by someone who looked like they’d just rolled out of bed.

  After filling up a travel mug and heading for my car, I discovered that it was a damn good thing I fought back the laziness and went full out this morning. Because as soon as I pulled the front door open, I was greeted with the sexy sight of Trick Wanderly.

  The dark-washed bootcut jeans I chose hugged my behind and thighs just enough to accentuate my curves without looking painted on, and my top had a thick, tight band around my hips and belly, but loosened around my chest and shoulders, giving me a dramatic hourglass shape. It was a beautiful deep turquoise that I thought looked great against my pale skin. I wore a long, thin gold necklace that hung past my breasts, with a couple gold bangles at my wrists over the long sleeves of the blouse. The shoes I picked were killer platform cork wedges with a ton of gold-studded turquoise straps along the top. They’d been an impulse purchase, but added an extra five inches to my height and made my ass look great. I’d done my makeup in a soft, dewy look, and my red hair was shiny and full of big fat curls.

  I watched in a daze as Trick lifted a huge box from the back of his truck, causing all those delectable muscles in his back and arms to bulge and stretch the material of his tee in a way I could appreciate even from all the way across the street, and I sucked in a gasp as a sudden wave of lust slammed right into me, causing the area between my thighs to pulse. I’d been so lost in my gawking that I hadn’t been paying attention and accidentally slammed my front door loud enough that it drew his attention across the expanse of concrete that separated us.

  His head shot my way, and a smile stretched across his face as he lowered the box to the ground and started toward me.

  That startled me into action. Turning back to the door, My hands shook uncontrollably as I used the seconds it took to slide the key into the deadbolt and lock it as a chance to calm my rapidly beating heart.

  After much thought and a ton of sugar the night before, I’d finally made a decision where Trick was concerned. And until this very moment, I’d been feeling rather good about it.

  I was a grown woman. What happened was over and done with, and it was time to move on. As long as that line wasn’t crossed again—and there was no way in hell I was ever crossing that line again—there was no reason why we couldn’t get back to where we’d been before we slept together.

  I was taking the high road, being an adult, and I’d been pretty freaking proud of myself when I’d gone through the whole pep-talk in my mirror before bed the night before. But now that I was actually living my decision, I wasn’t feeling nearly as strong as I had been

  Clearing my throat, I pasted a smile on my lips and turned back just as Trick hit my front walk. “Hey,” I greeted cheerfully.

  “Mornin’, beautiful.”

  That endearment drew me up short. I felt that in my belly—as well as a few other sensitive places in my body—but I somehow managed to push away the sorrowful pang it caused and keep a brave face. Looking to the loaded-up truck sitting in his new driveway then back to him, I said, “Tris told me you were gonna be our neighbor.”

  “Yeah.” He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, settling in for a conversation. “Saw the sign when I dropped Tristan off last weekend. Just signed the lease agreement yesterday.”

  “Wow. You’re not wasting any time, huh?” I asked on a laugh.

  His teeth flashed with a grin that made my belly flip. “Yeah, well, I’ve got the kids this week, and I can’t stand the idea of them sleepin’ in that godforsaken apartment for one more night.”

  Man, he was such an incredible father. That w
as just one of the many reasons I fell for him as hard and as quickly as I did.

  I knew Chris loved our kids, but love wasn’t all there was to being a parent. He would rather be Tristan and Blythe’s best friend, the one they could have a good time with, than hand out discipline when needed. He only cared about being the cool parent, and that left me holding the bag on all the things that really counted. I knew this for certain because he lived in a shithole apartment himself that made Trick’s place look like a five star resort, and didn’t seem to care about the fact that our fourteen-year-old daughter had to share a room with her little brother when they stayed with him.

  Where Trick made sure he got his kids every other week in their custody agreement, Chris had accepted visitation every other weekend without batting an eye. He claimed it was because he didn’t want to take them from the home they’d grown up in for too long. But I knew him better than he thought I did, and I knew the reason for the limited visits was because he didn’t want to face the responsibility of actually having to care for two other human beings all on his own. He’d left the lion’s share to me while we’d been married, so it wasn’t a stretch to think he’d still shirk the responsibility now.

  “They’re gonna love it, Trick. And they’ll appreciate what you did to give them better.”

  He looked away, his face a mask of uncertainty as he muttered, “I hope so.”

  I couldn’t stand the self-doubt radiating off him. All I could think was that I needed to do whatever I could to make him feel better. It was instinctual to reach out and wrap my fingers around his forearm as I said, “They will. Kids are smart, Trick. They see things we don’t expect them to see. Hell, they even see things we try to protect them from. They’re also resilient. Even if you think what you’re doin’ might break them, it won’t. Nobody’s perfect. All we can do is try our very best, and if we do that, they’ll turn out okay.”

  He pulled his hand from his pocket and grabbed mine before I could drop my arm back to my side, enveloping my hand in his big, strong palm. “Thank you, sweetheart. That makes me feel a little better.”

  “Well,” I said with a shrug, “it should. I am awesome, and everything I say should be taken as gospel. Just ask my kids.”

  He let out a rich laugh that was better than any chocolate cake I could ever make. “I believe it.”

  That tension I’d been feeling in my chest finally began to loosen its grip. “It’ll be good to have a fancy detective on the block. We’ll have to have you and your kids over to dinner one night to officially welcome you to the hood.”

  Those gray eyes sparkled brilliantly. “I’d like that.”

  With that, the tension melted away completely. This was nice and easy, just like we used to be. I felt like, for the first time in more than a month, things were finally starting to get back to normal.

  Then it all went straight to hell.

  Chapter Four

  Trick

  Jesus, Nona took my breath away.

  Dressed down like she’d been at the soccer game or done up like she was now, the woman was a hardcore knockout. I was starting to think she could be in a pair of tattered, stained sweats and I’d still find her irresistible.

  I’d almost dropped the box I’d been carrying, nearly shattering the very few dishes I owned, when I looked across the street a couple minutes ago and got my first glimpse of her. And as I got closer, the whole package only got better.

  Her normally beautiful blue eyes were the color of her top, a bright, stunning turquoise that any man would happily be consumed by.

  And I’d been doing just that, breathing freely for the first time in weeks now that we seemed to be back on track when a piercing, high-pitched whine shattered the peacefulness of the cozy street and the moment we’d been having.

  Nona and I turned toward the noise, and I noticed her entire body lock tight as a piece-of-shit truck came barreling up the lane.

  From the sounds it was making, the thing was in serious need of a new belt, and that was probably the least of the repairs it needed.

  “Jesus. Who the hell’s stupid enough to drive a death trap like that?”

  “My ex,” Nona replied flatly, then it was my body that locked tight. “Shit,” she hissed when he pulled to a stop at the curb right in front of her house.

  My jaw ticked as I turned toward her stiffly. “I’m takin’ that curse to mean you didn’t know he was comin’.”

  “And you’d be correct,” she grumbled unhappily. “He’s not supposed to just show like this without a heads-up first.”

  “You got that in writing?”

  “Yeah. After his last pop-in ended in a shouting match where he called me a stupid bitch, along with a few other colorful names, all in front of our kids, I contacted my lawyer and had the divorce decree amended.”

  That tick grew more pronounced, and my words came out in a growl as I asked, “He called you a bitch? In front of your kids?” Christ, I knew the man was a piece of shit, but I hadn’t realized he was a complete and total piece of shit.

  Nona shrugged as Christian Fanning exited the truck and started our way. “I wouldn’t take him back. He didn’t like that very much.”

  The fucker was only about ten feet away when I moved, stepping in front of Nona and blocking him from getting to her. “That’s close enough,” I said in a hard, commanding voice to Nona’s ex. He drew to a quick stop. “You need to turn around, get back in your truck, and leave.”

  “’Scuse me?”

  The moment Chris’s eyes darted to Nona, I crossed my arms over my chest and planted my feet wider, blocking as much of her as I could from his sight. “You heard me.”

  “Listen, asshole,” he started belligerently, “I don’t know who you think you are, but how about you move along, huh? I need to talk to my wife.”

  “Ex-wife,” I stressed, feeling an irrational sense of anger at hearing him lay any type of claim on Nona. “And seein’ as your divorce decree states all visits from you must be approved by her in advance, whatever you have to say to her can wait until you get in your truck, drive away, and call her to set up a time to speak in person... at her convenience.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Chris’s eyes went to Nona once more. “Who the fuck is this guy, No?”

  It was taking everything I had not to put my fist through this prick’s face. “Who I am is none of your business.”

  I could feel the situation deteriorating quickly, but no way in hell was I letting this guy anywhere near Nona. Not when he had no right to be standing where he was at that exact moment. Not when he’d already made her life miserable. If I had it in me to prevent any more of that shit happening, I’d break my back to do so.

  * * *

  Nona

  Things were spiraling out of control.

  Reaching up, I placed my hand on his arm. “Trick,” I said softly, drawing his attention to me. “It’s fine. I got this.”

  “Yeah, dickhead. She’s got this, so why don’t you back the fuck off and let me speak privately with my wife?”

  There was no stopping my immediate eye roll. The ink on our divorce had long since dried, and this jerk was still referring to me as his wife to anyone who listened. And now he was doing it just to screw with Trick.

  “Not gonna remind you again what she is to you, man.”

  The acid in Trick’s voice shocked me, and I had to lean around his massive frame just to see Chris’s reaction to it. I had five extra inches, thanks to my amazing wedges, and the big man still towered over me. His size and strength were one of the reasons our night together had been so magnificent.

  Chris wasn’t a shrimp, but standing at five feet, ten inches, he’d hated it when I wore heels because it put us at eye level. And seeing as he spent his off hours camped out in front of the TV while sucking down beer, he didn’t have anywhere near the strength to haul me around the bed, moving me into new positions that would take sex from incredible to stratospheric. Something Trick had excelled at doing.
/>
  I’d never been with a man with that kind of power. I’d only had one other partner before Chris, and since we were both still in high school at the time, neither of us had a clue what we were doing. And Chris was the type of lover that, as long as he got his, he was good. He couldn’t give a single shit whether I got off or not. Once he finished, he was finished.

  That was another reason why Trick giving me that kind of beauty, only to take it away hours later, was so damn cruel. But I didn’t have the luxury of reminiscing about that at present, seeing as I had a bigger, more annoying situation on my hands.

  “Why don’t you eat me, huh?”

  That was when I officially waded into the fold in the hopes of preventing possible bloodshed. I paid my lawn guy a pretty penny to make my yard beautiful, and I didn’t want anything messing that up. “For cryin’ out loud, Chris,” I snapped, stepping around Trick. “Stop being a jackass.”

  He turned toward me and pointed at Trick. “Seriously, No. Who the fuck is this guy, your new guard dog?”

  It wasn’t a surprise that he had no clue who Trick was. The only time Chris ever went out was to work—infrequently—and hit up the bars—way frequently. And during those times, he was too busy trolling for other women to cheat on me with, so the men in Hope Valley never hit his radar.

  “He’s my neighbor,” I clipped, planting my hands on my hips. “He’s a friend, and most importantly, he was here first, so why don’t you cut the shit and tell me why you’re here so you can leave.”

  He looked back at Trick with a menacing glare that looked more ridiculous than anything else before returning his eyes to me. “Can we maybe not do this with an audience?”

  “Not a fuckin’ chance,” Trick stated with a look about a million times more menacing than Chris’s. “If anyone’s leavin’ it’s you. And you don’t say what you need to say, I’m gonna remove you myself.”