Page 4 of Read With Your Heart

“Soon-to-be ex-wife,” she quickly clarifies.

Okay, I’m out. I step to her side, ready to scoot around her when her hand comes to my wrist, curling long fingers around my warm skin. Her soon-to-be ex-husband does not miss the move, and he steps closer.

“I don’t want any trouble,” I say, holding his glare. I lift a hand again, hoping to display my innocence. Only the woman isn’t releasing me.

Suddenly, the exit door pops open again, and a blond-haired man with a ponytail and bandana circling his forehead steps out. He looks like my kind of people, only I’m hoping he isn’t a third party to this awkward situation.

“Tricia, you all right?” he asks, looking around Trent to the woman. Something passes between her and Ponytail Guy, and he circles Trent.

“You left your date,” Ponytail Guy says to Trent, flanking the girl on the other side of her body. He crosses his arms and stares at the dude who’s apparently cheating on his wife—soon-to-be ex-wife—rather publicly if he brought his side gig to the bar.

“I don’t need any trouble, Jess,” Trent states. His narrowed gaze slips between the other man and Tricia. “Just wanted to talk to my wife.”

“Seems kind of awkward then that you brought a date to the Tavern.” The sarcasm and accompanying sardonic chuckle tell me Jess is familiar with this situation. I’d like to step away, but I can’t. Tricia’s grip has turned claw-like, her nails digging into my wrist.

“Ex-wife,” Tricia clarifies again. Jess doesn’t seem a bit surprised by this announcement.

“Not yet,” Trent repeats.

“Oh, I’d say close enough,” Jess replies, and Trent looks at him again. “Go back to your date.”

Trent takes a moment. His nostrils flare, and his chest heaves like a bull ready to rush. I don’t want to get in a fight. As I’ve said, I don’t want any more trouble in my life. This moment has trouble written all over it, but I won’t let him throw a punch without getting in the mix if I need to.

“I’ll see you soon,” Trent states. No, warns. He takes the hint to walk away but not before pointing a finger at her as he speaks. He turns back for the alley door.

“Not if I can help it,” Tricia whispers. As soon as he disappears, Jess wraps an arm around her and tugs her to his chest. Her fingers slowly loosen on my wrist and slip away. For a second, I want to reach for her, to pull those long fingers back to me, but I don’t.

“Sorry about that, man,” Jess mutters over the shoulder of the woman pressed to him.

“No problem,” I mutter.

“Jess Carter,” he says, holding out a hand with Tricia still tucked against his middle.

“Leon,” I state. His brow lifts, wanting more, but that’s all I’m giving him.

“Well, thank you, Leon.”

Tricia doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t look up from this new man’s chest, and he tugs her with him, leading her down the alley away from me. Their absence causes the past few minutes to catch up to me, and I bend at the waist, hands coming to my knees.

Holy shit.

I don’t want any trouble, I think for the millionth time since arriving in this town, but as I gaze down the alley and see Tricia wrapped under Jess Carter’s arm, I know she has trouble written all over her.

Lesson 3

Spying leads to misperceptions

[Tricia]

Still tucked into Jess’s chest, I glance over my shoulder to find my savior is no longer present in the alley.

“Have you ever seen him before?” I ask my older brother, surprised by his display of affection but not by his irritation. Jess irritates easily.

“Nope, but I’m grateful he was in that alley. What were you thinking rushing out here alone?”

I wasn’t thinking. When Trent entered the bar with his hand on some woman’s lower back, I’d stood and left, no longer able to enjoy my home-renting celebration. It isn’t that I care he’s dating someone. She’ll learn soon enough that he’s a worthless man, but I’m upset he’s flaunting her before we’ve signed on the dotted line. A small part of me worries about her, woman to woman, but I can’t think about her safety. My only concern is me.

The risk I took going into that alley, knowing in my gut Trent might follow, slowly catches up to me. He’s going to know soon enough I’m no longer living with my mother, but I don’t need him to know where before I move in.