I don’t know what to say. There’s so much that is fucked-up about this scenario, and I don’t know which part to avoid. I’m not wrong though. This isn’t seventeen years ago when I was a kid. We’re adults, we’ve taken our time, talked, worked through any past issues. This isn’t a fling. I love him.
“Yes. Really,” I say with care. “We’re not the same people, Angie.”
“No?” She laughs. “He’s not the same guy who left you when you needed him most? Or are you not the same girl who married my brother? Because that girl wouldn’t go back to him.”
I was trying to be careful, but she wants to bring Todd into this. I refuse to let her use him as a weapon. Her memory is a little off about who hurt me the most. “Your brother? You mean the one who saddled me with over two hundred thousand dollars of debt and then killed himself? The one who’s responsible for the reason I’m back in Bell Buckle? That one?” I ask her with disdain. “The one who left his twin boys without a father? His wife without her husband? Let’s not start going tit for tat.”
She huffs and swipes a tear. “I can’t believe this. I thought you were miserable here.” Angie starts to pace. “I thought my poor sister and nephews were stuck in Tennessee, hating life. I come here to find you making out with your ex. The guy who, according to you, fucked your entire life.”
“Stop it.”
Her whole body tenses. I can see the struggle inside of her. “I’m so upset, but it’s more that you lied to me, Presley. Me! Your best friend. The one who’s been there every step of the way. How could you?”
And here is where my own anguish lies. I hate that I didn’t give her the option to hear it from me. I was so afraid of what she would say. My heart couldn’t take her disapproval.
“I wanted to tell you, but I knew you’d react this way.” I step closer. “You’ve been my family for so long, and I didn’t want to listen to your opinion on this.”
“So you lie?”
“I didn’t lie.” I defend. “I didn’t tell you because it hasn’t really reached where we are now until after we spoke.” After the words are out, I instantly hate myself. “No.” I huff. “You know what, no.”
“No?” She looks at me with confusion.
“No!” I grow angry. “I’m not going to make this out to be something it’s not. I love him. I love him, Angie. If you love me, then you’ll understand that. Because I deserve to be loved again. I’m not supposed to live the rest of my life wishing for something that Todd took away.” I pace as tears begin to fall. “I’m not undeserving. And I’m damn sure not going to feel bad that Zach and I found something again.”
She snorts. “Did you even love him?”
I know who she means. I fight back the urge to slap her. “Don’t ever question my love for Todd.”
She’s hurting and upset, but I’m not wrong here. It took all of this to see that. I’m not cheating or dishonoring his memory. He chose death, and I choose life.
She grips her two ponytails as she screams. “Dammit, Pres! I was so happy to see you. I needed to hug you and make sure you were okay. I didn’t expect this! Had I known—”
“What?” I challenge her. “Had you known what, Angie?”
“I could’ve been prepared.”
“Do you want me miserable?” I ask with wariness.
“Yeah, I want you to be sobbing every damn day.” Angie rolls her eyes. “Of course I don’t want that. I wanted you to trust me.”
I wish she knew how much I wanted to tell her. “If I thought that you would’ve been the least bit happy for me, I would’ve. Don’t you see? Your opinion matters, and I knew that this wouldn’t go over well.”
She tilts her face toward that sky, takes a deep breath, and then faces me again. “I hate that I reacted this way. I wanted to make you smile. And I didn’t want it to be Zach.”
But Zach is who helped me. I was in agony until he showed me the way. Angie would’ve been my rock if I could’ve stayed in Pennsylvania. But my path didn’t go that way—it came back home.
“It’s not your choice.”
Her anger returns. “How could you forgive him when he left you pregnant?” she screams at me.
“Dammit, Angie.” I look around to make sure no one is around. “I never told him about the baby.”
“So he doesn’t know?” The judgment in her tone makes me cringe.
“No,” I huff. “I’m . . . I have every intention of telling him, but it never seems like the right time.”
She shakes her head. “You have a real issue with keeping secrets, Presley. They’re going to bite you in the ass.”
This isn’t a conversation to have outside of the bar. “Just stop.”
Angie turns, and I can sense her disappointment. I plan to tell Zach. I’ve said the words in my head a hundred times, but then I can’t say them aloud.
“I’m working on my issues. Little by little.” I feel like I’ve had a mountain of crap to deal with. I’m fully aware that I’m not handling things the right way. “I’m sorry.” I place my hand on her shoulder. I haven’t seen her in a long time. I’ve missed her. “I don’t want to fight. Please,” I beseech her.
“I don’t either.” Her heavy breath releases. “I should’ve known though. I was telling myself the whole time that this was going to happen. I should’ve known you’d find your way back to him.”
I bump her arm. “Did you want to be my savior?”
“I am your savior. I’m the best damn woman in the world.” Her smile cracks. “I hate you. I hate that even when I want to choke you, I still love you.”
“I hate you too.” I grab her arm, yanking her into a hug. “I missed you.”
“Seems it.”
I slap her shoulder. “You have to be a smart ass.”
Angie leans back with a sigh. “Do the boys know about you guys?”
“Not yet,” I admit. “It has all really only become serious the last few weeks. We were taking things insanely slow. I think Logan has an inkling though.”
We both walk over to the bench that sits against the wall. I see her mind is wrestling with this, and to be honest, so is mine. It’s all become very real in a matter of a few hours. Zach and I have been trying to maintain a slow pace, and it just got railroaded. She takes my hand in both of hers, and I’m brought back to the last time we saw each other.
“Your hair still looks like shit,” I say offhandedly.
“You’re too skinny.”
“You really should stop being so pretty.”
Angie grins. “I get it from my sister.”
I rest my head on her shoulder and fight back the urge to cry. “I’m truly sorry.”
“Me too.”
“We should get back in before Zach and Grace come out with a search party. You know how the South feels about you Yankees.”
She gives me a dirty look. “I swear. It’s an alternate universe down here. Did you know there are no Starbucks anywhere around here?”
“Yeah, I’m aware.”
She would die down here. Her city life is all she knows and loves. Angie almost lost it in Maine for four years. But we had a lot of bars. She found a way to swap her coffee for beer. “I think I should say hello to him,” she says as her head rests on mine.
“It would mean a lot to me if you and he could be civil. For the boys too. They really like him.”
“He got them fucking horses!” She laughs. “I would like him too if he got me a damn horse.”
I shake my head. “Let’s go.”
We both get up, but when we turn, Zach is heading toward us. My stomach clenches, and I pray this is easy. Angie huffs from behind. We’re off to a good start.
“Hello, Zachary,” Angie almost croons.
“Angelina,” he says her full name with a smile. “It’s been a long time.”
“Has it?” Her sarcasm is thick. “I guess it has been. I’m sure you’ve missed me.”
“Okay,” I say loudly, trying to diffuse what’s building. I kno
w Angie, and I also know Zach will step to her challenge.
“You okay?” he asks while rubbing my arm.
I grab his hand and move toward him. “I’m fine. Angie didn’t know . . .”
I haven’t told anyone until tonight, but I see the flash of disappointment in his eyes. He knows that Angie is truly a sister to me. They always got along until he left me. Then she loathed him.
“I’m so sorry about your brother.” Zach steps forward and her head falls. “I remember that you were close when we were younger.”
“Thank you,” she says sincerely.
Angie may be a lot of things, but cruel isn’t one. She’s been through hell as well. She’s not an unkind person, just a little feisty. One thing I always could count on was her being by my side. Her loyalty and friendship are unwavering.
“Let’s go get a drink,” I suggest.
We all head inside, and I introduce Angie to everyone. She and Grace have their love of painting in common. Angie tells her all about the museums and galleries in Philadelphia and New York. Trent and Angie also seem to instantly hit it off. He flashes his badge, and she tells him how unimpressed she is. It’s hysterical to watch, and Grace loves that a woman is putting him in his place. I wish she’d try a little to talk to Zach, but stubborn is one thing Angie most definitely is.
As the night wears on, we all have a few drinks and are enjoying each other’s company. Zach sits next to me with his hand on my neck, absently running his fingers up and down. My hands are on his thigh and every now and then we lean into each other.
“So, Angie,” Zach says, bringing her attention to him. “How long are you stayin’ in town?”
She leans back in her chair and crosses her arms. “Trying to get rid of me already, Hennington?”
“Ang,” I warn. “I don’t think . . .”
“I’ll be here for the boys’ birthdays.” She stares at him with a look that makes me want to slap her. As if she’s challenging him. “My brother took them to a hockey game every year for their birthday. I figured we’d drive to Nashville and see the Predators.”
Todd made it a huge event for them. The older they got the more elaborate the day became. It was something special for the three of them. Back then, Angie and I would go to the spa, it worked really well for me.
“I’m sure they’ll love that,” I say with a smile. “They weren’t impressed when I offered.”
“I’m the cool aunt.”
“Yeah.” I laugh. “I know.”
“Anyway, now that I’m here, don’t be sad when the horse lessons go on the back burner.” She smirks.
Zach doesn’t miss a beat. “We’ll see.”
She has no idea how obsessed they are with their horses. Or Zach. Each day Logan warms to him more and more. Cayden already thinks he’s the “coolest” of all the Henningtons. Logan still thinks that Trent is the best. For the life of me, I don’t know why. I think it’s the badge. Wyatt has become a brother to them. They see him as an equal, probably because he acts like it.
Angie turns back to Grace as she rolls her eyes. We’re going to have a long talk.
“Cowgirl,” Wyatt says, returning from wherever he and his hussy were. “Whatcha got here?”
“This is my sister, Angelina.”
Angie glares at me for using her full name before looking at Wyatt. Her entire body freezes as she catches her first glimpse. Oh, shit. I think my sister is enjoying the view of another Hennington. They’re like honey to flies.
“Hello, Angel.” Wyatt’s charm is thick, and she’s done. I’ve seen that look before. He’s getting ready to make her his next target.
“Angie,” she corrects him.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Trent chokes on his beer and Zach bursts out laughing. “Smooth, brother,” Zach says. “Real smooth.”
“Like a baby’s ass.” Trent joins in on the ribbing of Wyatt.
Zach nudges Trent. “He’s an ass all right.”
“Knock it off, you two,” I reprimand under my breath. “Angie, this is Wyatt.”
“Oh, my God!” She stands and pulls him close. “Thank you! I’ve heard about you forever, and Presley says you’re me—with a dick.”
Seriously. “Angie!”
“What?” She looks over and shakes her head. “Oh, do we not curse here? I don’t know what’s acceptable down here.”
“Angel,” Wyatt drawls the new nickname, “you can say whatever you want round here. The dirtier the better.”
“I like him.” Her lips curl into a smirk as she looks between me and Wyatt.
“I bet you do.” We’re in so much trouble.
“Two out of three ain’t bad.” She tacks on while looking at Zach.
He laughs. I do not. Instead, I stand ready to drag her ass into the bathroom and stop this shit. Her anger is completely unjustified. If she wants to be mad at someone, it should be me.
Wyatt steps between us quickly. “How ’bout a dance?” he asks Angie with his hand extended.
I swear he had a date when he came in. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left her ass somewhere. That man. He’s out of his league with Angie. She will eat him for breakfast. Although, it might be fun to watch.
“Sounds great.” She stands and shrugs.
Maybe she’ll come back with a better attitude. Wyatt might help dissipate the tension.
They head off with a reluctant Trent and Grace. I turn into Zach. “Sorry about before.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. Angie loves you and is looking out for you and the boys.”
“She does. And I was married to Todd for a long time. I don’t think she’s ever envisioned me with anyone else, let alone you—no offense.”
He sniggers. “None taken.”
“I feel better, though.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, now we don’t have to hide really. We can be Zach and Presley. We don’t have to pretend once we talk to the kids.”
Which is going to have to happen. Especially since their loudmouthed aunt returned. She’ll never be able to keep this to herself. And now that Zach and I have taken the next steps, admitted we love each other, I feel like the time is right.
“Presley,” he says with affection.
“Yeah?”
“I love you. I mean it. No matter what happens when we talk to Cayden and Logan. No matter if Angie or the rest of the world don’t like us together, I’m in. I’m committed to making this work.”
He has no idea what he does to my heart. Each time he speaks, I fall harder. I lean forward and press my hand to his heart. “I love you, Zachary Hennington. From the first kiss we shared, I have been head over heels in love with you.”
Our lips touch, and I hear a bunch of idiots yelling. “Kiss her like you mean it, Zach!”
I go to turn my head, but he grips my face. His lips press hard against mine, and he tilts my head. I feel his tongue glide across my lips, and I sigh into the kiss. He holds me and dominates every move. I’m trapped, lost, completely captivated by him. My heart pounds as he continues to kiss me with so much passion it takes my breath away. No woman should go through life without feeling this.
“You two about done?” Wyatt says and we break apart.
My lips burn, and I cover my mouth. “Sorry,” I say, ducking my face while slapping his chest.
Zach grunts and adjusts himself. “It’s your fault.”
“Don’t blame me, Zachary,” I joke.
“So, Zach,” Angie says from behind. “I feel like we need to talk.”
“Ang,” I warn.
“You know, bury the hatchet since you’re fucking my sister again.”
“Oh, God. Please stop.”
Angie continues to ignore me. “It’s been a lot of years between us.”
I turn and look at her. “Between you and him?”
She shrugs. “I mean, I was there for her while you were off being Joe Baseball, making sure that she didn’t end up in the looney bin since you left her for
your glowing career.” The floor drops from beneath me. I look at her, begging with my eyes to stop from saying anything more. “Have you finally seen the error of your ways by leaving our girl?”
“We’ve worked through it all,” he says holding on to me.
“Yes, Angie.” I give her a look. “We’re over it. You know.” I decide to stop this now. “It’s late. I haven’t seen you in so long. Let’s head back to the house and get some girl time.”
“I can take her home,” Wyatt offers.
“Didn’t you have someone with you?” I ask.
Wyatt shrugs. “I like this one better.”
Angie looks up with a laugh. “You really are me. But I’m pretty sure my dick is bigger.”
“Wanna compare, Angel?”
“Angie.”
Wyatt shrugs. “Semantics.”
“All right, you two.” The mother in me comes out. “I’ll ride with Angie since she drove.”
Zach’s tugs me against his chest. “See you tonight?” he whispers in my ear. “I can’t sleep without you.”
I stare into those blue eyes I love so much. “You bet.”
Second chances don’t always happen, but I think Zach and I were destined to find our way back. If he had stayed, we’d never know what life without each other was. I’m grateful that with all the pain I’ve been through, I’ve been able to find my salvation.
“O KAY, SO YOU SNEAK OUT every night?” Angie says snuggled in my bed. She’s decided we need to have a sleepover like we did before we grew up.
“It’s not really sneaking out.”
“Do you go out the front door?”
I huff. “No.”
“Does anyone know?”
“Well, they know, but it’s not common knowledge.”
“Do you climb out the window?” she asks.
“No.” I laugh. “I go out when the boys are asleep and come back before they wake. It’s dating only at night.”
She sits back with her arms crossed. “Are you going tonight?”
Say You'll Stay Page 23
