by C. A. Harms
And speaking of Trinity, she was the best damn part of my days. Her smile could warm any heart. And I could see a difference in her, too. She appeared so much happier, not so withdrawn.
She still stumbled about her words more often than not, but that was a cute tic I loved to witness.
Everything finally felt as if it had fallen into place.
I drove back to Nan’s with a smile on my face and I bounced my head to the beat of the sound playing loud throughout the cab of my truck. I couldn’t even tell anyone the name of the song, but it didn’t matter. At this point I was sure any song would be a happy tune right now.
I slowed down at the end of the drive and turned in between the tall trees that fenced the front of Nan’s property. When the house came into view, I was surprised to find a silver Challenger sitting in the drive where I usually parked.
Not many people visited us here unless invited, and I knew I hadn’t expected any company.
I pulled into the space just beside the sporty car and as I was climbing out of the cab, I practically fell flat on my face. Danielle, the ex I left behind in Texas, rushed down the steps toward me with my best friend Beau only a few feet behind.
Beau was less of a shock, considering the last time Dani and I talked it was more of a screaming match. I was leaving, she didn’t want me to, and I left anyway.
It ended with her shoe hitting the tailgate of my truck as I drove off.
So finding her smiling and happy as she practically dove into my arms was a shock.
“Hey handsome,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck. Beau smirked as I stood there with my hands out to the sides wondering what in the hell was going on. “Are you surprised to see us?”
She stepped back, only her hand continued to rest against my forearm.
“You could say that,” I said, once again looking back to Beau. “You didn’t say anything about coming for a visit.”
“Wasn’t my idea,” he said, pointing toward Danielle. “Dani thought we’d surprise ya.”
Like I said, shoe hitting tailgate, which was our final goodbye over a year and a half ago. Now she wanted to visit me.
“Actually I thought it was necessary,” she corrected as she smiled back over her shoulder at Beau. And it was the way she smiled at him that made it all make sense. “I thought it was the right thing to do.”
Beau still held the same expression, one of seriousness. Dani, on the other hand, had shifted from happiness to a nervous manner.
“It’s just that the way we left things and all, I thought it’d be best if we talked to you face to face about something, versus over the phone.” I was thankful she finally stepped back and created some space between us.
“You two traveled all this way to tell me that you’re dating?” Beau didn’t show any signs of surprise at my comment, but of course Dani looked up at me guiltily.
She and I had been together for almost a year before I left. We were close, but in no way were there any wedding bells in our future. She was too dramatic. Everything, and I do mean everything, was made to be a big show. She wanted everyone to notice her at all times and if she wasn’t the center of the event, she pouted.
What surprised me about it was that Beau was willing to put up with all that. He and I had talked about her attitude on more than one occasion, and apparently he was now willing to look past it.
“Are you mad?” Danielle’s question didn’t surprise me. Obviously she was hoping for some type of reaction out of me, a reaction she wasn’t gonna get. I never loved Dani, cared about her yes, but it was never anything more than that.
“No,” I replied. “I don’t have a reason to be mad.”
“Oh.” Dani sounded disappointed. “I just thought that maybe with our past and…” Her voice faded off.
“Dani, you and I are over; we have been for a long time.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You and Beau dating is completely up to the two of you.”
Beau knew me better than most people. He’d known already this would not affect me, but obviously he was attempting to pacify his new girlfriend.
Actually the only thing I truly wanted to offer him was a psych exam, because the dumbass already knew what he was getting himself into but chose to do it any way.
So instead I offered them both a cool drink.
Chapter Fifteen
Trinity
“You got a hot date?” A deep voice startled me as I spun around, holding a box of Amber’s yummy caramel brownies, fresh from the oven.
I caught her ten minutes before she planned to leave, and she insisted on making something instead of allowing me to take leftovers from her day.
Ryan stood only a few feet away, leaning one shoulder against the wall, with a questioning look on his face.
“Um, just thought I’d pick up some goodies before heading home,” I said with a shrug.
“You do know your forehead scrunches up when you lie.” Amber snickered as she continued to clean up the kitchen while Ryan continued to analyze my reactions.
“Not lying,” I simply said, as I shifted the weight of my body from one foot to the next.
“Being evasive is the same as lying in my book,” Ryan added, still giving me that damn stern fatherly look of his.
Why in the hell did I feel so small when it came to the Sawyer boys? They were just so damn intimidating.
“Oh, you wrote a book?” I looked toward the floor as I attempted to move past him.
Amber laughed, followed by an unladylike snort.
“Quit avoiding the question,” Ryan said, stepping away from the wall to block my path.
“Quit being pig headed, stubborn, and an ass,” I shot back. I stared at him, narrowing my eyes and hoping like hell he’d back down.
And of course he didn’t.
I huffed out in defeat and rolled my eyes.
“Yes, Dad,” I said sarcastically. “I have a date.”
We continued with some type of weird stare down and I refused to look away. It would have been like basically handing him the winning trophy. This was not a game he’d win.
Did I mention how controlling the Sawyer men could be?
“Is he treating you right?” His question had not been what I expected and I may have faltered just a bit.
“It’s still new, Ryan; we’re still getting to know one another.” Completely true. Chase and I were in the flirty new stages. I knew as well as anyone else that things would shift and change. We’d grow into a comfortable setting where things could and would change. That would be the test to know if we were truly compatible. “Besides I know as well as you that if he wasn’t treating me right, I wouldn’t be sticking around.” I’d learned my lesson in that category long ago.
“Ryan, I thought you were gonna take me to dinner?” Amber said, breaking the seriousness of the moment.
It was like the flip of a switch. That hardness in his features softened and he smiled over at her like she was an angel.
To be loved like that. It made a girl all mushy inside.
“I am, sweetheart,” he said in return. “You about ready?”
I wanted to hug her and tell her thanks for rescuing me from the big bad wolf once again, but instead I offered her a wink. She returned the gesture just before moving past me into the arms of her waiting husband, and just one of the three control freaks in my life.
I had always wished for an older brother; never had I expected to end up having three of the most protective ones around.
They were all so impossible.
***
I rushed through my shower, blow-dried my hair, and dug through my closet to find the perfect outfit. Settling on my jean miniskirt and the cutest off-the-shoulder light pink shirt, I dressed in a hurry.
I was so anxious for Chase to arrive that I kept myself busy with meaningless tasks throughout the apartment to keep from looking out the window every few minutes. It had only been a few hours since I’d last seen him, but honestly it felt more like days
.
When 6:00 rolled around and Chase wasn’t beating on my door, I found myself looking at my phone over and over, wondering if I should worry.
He was the kind of guy that gave you a time and was there fifteen minutes before. He was never late.
When 6:15 rolled around, I sent a quick text asking him if I’d misunderstood and was supposed to come to his place instead.
At 6:30 there was still no response from him and my stomach felt a little uneasy. By the time 7:00 rolled around I was beyond concerned.
I grabbed my purse and keys from the kitchen table and rushed from my apartment, locking the door securely behind me.
The entire drive over I battled with being the overreacting girlfriend, dating buddy, whatever the hell I was to being the nagging girl who had to be thinking we were much more than we actually were.
I slowed at the end of the drive, creeping toward the old crooked mailbox at the edge of the gravel announcing I’d arrived at the Willard farmhouse. For a few seconds I contemplated just driving by and going back to town, but turned quickly to the left before I could convince myself that was the best option.
When I rounded the corner I found not only Chase’s truck sitting in the drive, but a silver car too. I hit the brake a little harder than I intended to and jerked forward abruptly.
Suddenly I felt as if the option to drive on by should have been the one I chose.
The view of the front porch was clear and Chase was not alone. A brunette sat in the chair next to him and a guy with shaggy brown hair sat across from them.
Just as I was about to put my truck in reverse, Chase stood and waved me forward, by lifting his arm up high in the air. The opportunity for escape had just passed.
Chapter Sixteen
Chase
“Who’s that?” Beau asked as I walked to the railing that outlined the front porch of the house.
For the last couple of hours I got lost in the old times. Beau and I laughed over the shit we did when we were kids and I’d lost track of how many beers we’d shared between the two of us.
I watched as Trinity pressed on the gas and her small truck began to move forward toward the house once again.
I could feel my body sway a little as the alcohol interfered with my balance.
When her truck slowed to a stop just behind mine, she still hesitated and before I could think twice I was moving toward the stairs.
“That your girl?” Beau hollered out from behind me and I realized I had never answered him the first time he asked.
“Yeah,” I said with pride. Because in my eyes, Trinity was mine.
The closer I got, the more anxious I became. Yet she still remained in the cab of her truck looking out through the open window.
I didn’t much care for the timid look on her face. It was as if she regretted coming here.
I placed my hand against the roof as I leaned in toward her. “Hey sweetheart,” I said, and she flinched just a little. “What’s wrong?”
She was silent for a moment as she looked from me to the porch and back again. “I was just a little worried when you didn’t show up.”
It took me a moment to catch on, but when I did my stomach tightened with irritation. “Shit,” I mumbled as I hung my head and let out a frustrated breath. “Baby, I’m sorry.”
I felt like a complete ass.
“Beau showed up and I just lost track of time.” I began to backtrack, trying my best to make standing her up okay. Only it wasn’t; with each excuse I made, I only felt worse.
“It’s okay,” she insisted, but I could tell her smile was forced. It wasn’t the same genuine sweet smile I had grown reliant on. The smile I’d grown to love over the last month.
“No, it’s not okay,” I leaned in just a little closer and weaved my hand around the back of her neck, her hair getting slightly tangled in my fingers. “I messed up.”
“Honestly, it’s all right.” She tilted her head slightly, leaning into my touch. It eased just a small amount of the tension I felt within my chest. “Why don’t I get going and we can just reschedule for another night?” And just like that, the tension returned, only this time it felt multiplied.
“No,” I said hurriedly. “Why don’t you stay?”
Once again she looked up toward the porch and I could see that she already had every intention of refusing my invite.
“Please,” I added, regaining her attention. “I want you to,” I assured her.
“I don’t wanna impose. I tried to text and then call you earlier when you didn’t show up at my place, but they both went unanswered. I was just worried is all.” I only felt worse now that I hadn’t noticed she was trying to reach me.
“You’re not imposing. I want you here.” It was then that I took the opportunity to move in closer and press my lips to hers.
I had gotten so caught up in the memories of my past that I’d forgotten all about this sweet girl waiting on me.
“Please stay,” I whispered against her lips before kissing her softly once more.
When I pulled back and she nodded her head, I let out a relieved sigh. Things with us were still too new for me to already be screwing shit up. Not to mention I had three men constantly breathing down my neck about not doing that very thing.
Once she was out of the truck I wasted no time linking my hand with hers, and pulling her in close to my side. It had not escaped my attention the way she was watching Dani as I led her up onto the front porch.
“This is Danielle and Beau,” I said.
Trinity offered a sweet smile and a soft “Nice to meet you both.”
“They’re friends from Texas,” I added as I unlinked our fingers and wrapped my hand around her waist.
I did my best to make her feel comfortable in the presence of strangers. I sensed that familiar withdrawn demeanor Trinity often used when she was unsure of something.
“This is Trinity,” I paused looking directly at her before I continued, “my girlfriend.”
She smiled, but just enough to notice before she quickly pressed her lips tight together in an attempt to hide the happiness that very word gave her.
“How long have the two of you been dating?” Dani was the first to speak, breaking the little bubble Trinity and I were lost in. I thought it was a simple enough question and appeared to be completely harmless.
“About a month,” Trinity replied. “Maybe a little longer.”
“It seems like a lifetime ago that he and I dated.” And there went that completely innocent harmless feeling I had only moments ago. Was that comment really fucking needed?
“Oh,” Trinity said in a whisper. “The two of you were together?”
Maybe asking her to stay was a mistake. I should have just climbed into the passenger seat of her truck and insisted she take me home with her since I’d had too much to drink to drive.
“We fought more than anything, and like she said, that was a long time ago,” I clarified, leaning in as close as our current position would allow. “Beau and Danielle are actually a thing now.” I felt the dire need to throw that out there.
Dani chose to stop with the unnecessary information. She hated competition. She hated feeling like there was someone else more important than her.
She was so over the top.
I think Beau sensed the discomfort because he took the initiative to start back in on the crazy stories of our adolescence. I made a mental note to thank him later.
Dani pouted, as she watched Trinity closely. But Trin was so focused on the stories being told that she didn’t appear as if she noticed being analyzed.
“Well if it isn’t the girl who sneaks in and out of my grandson’s bedroom.” We all instantly looked toward the door, finding Nan standing just on the other side of the screen door with a big smile on her face.
I tried to refrain from laughing, but it was impossible when I looked around at the stunned group. Danielle had her nose wrinkled in a displeased manner and Beau was grinning widely with a smirk. But
it was the horrified look on Trinity’s face that threw me over the edge.
And when I laughed, she narrowed her eyes at me, as if the threat of her sassiness would stop me.
Only it didn’t.
She said she would never live down the fact that Nan caught her sneaking out the other morning and she was right. There was no way Nan wouldn’t use it at any opportunity to embarrass Trinity, over and over. She was like a pig in mud when it came to shit like that.
She loved to torment.
“I gotta hear this story,” Beau said loudly as he slid forward on the chair and placed his elbows on his knees.
Trinity’s head hung low as she turned toward me and buried her face against my chest.
“What’s wrong, darlin’?” Beau teased. “It’s gotta be a good one if she’s so embarrassed she can’t even face us.”
A loud sigh escaped her and I chuckled. “It was a good one all right.” Had I not been half drunk I most likely wouldn’t have fed into the tormenting Trinity banter, but I went right along with them. “It was real damn good.”
“Oh my god,” Trinity whispered. Due to the fact she was still pressed tightly against me, I knew I was the only one who heard her words.
I tilted my neck down and placed my lips close to her ear. “I’m pretty sure you thanked God a few times that night.”
Her head shot upward and she looked at me with her mouth hanging open in surprise.
“You did not just say that,” she insisted as she looked back toward the other three.
“Oh, he said it loud and clear,” Beau said with a chuckle.
Apparently being drunk also made it impossible to whisper.
“If I was a regular church goer, I may have grown offended by your use of the Lord’s name in vain that night,” Nan added, and within seconds Trinity buried her face once again.
The laughter of Nan, Beau, and I echoed through the night and I chose to ignore the sour look on Dani’s face.
