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“Oh, sorry,” Reese said with an apologetic smile. “I kind of got distracted for a second.”
“No apologies necessary,” Sierra said with a wave of her hand. “And the mural is gorgeous, by the way. It’s full of so much heart, and you’re really capturing the beauty of the island. Of course, for island girls like us, that would probably be hard not to do, right?”
“It sure would,” Reese agreed.
She’d been doing a lot of thinking about what her mother had told her. If Trent needed to go to the city to take care of his practice, could she handle it this time? She’d traveled to the city a few times over the years to meet with gallery owners, and she’d learned to not only manage her fears, but to actually enjoy the noise and the chaos. It wasn’t where she’d want to settle full-time, but the nonstop excitement of the city might be a nice contrast from the slow-paced island life every now and then.
Maybe it wasn’t just their marriage that had needed more wiggle room, but Reese needing to give herself permission to be herself, even if that woman wasn’t always the same exact person from day to day. Sometimes she would want peace and quiet. Sometimes she would want noisy excitement.
And she was starting to see that, most of all, she wanted Trent.
“My mom and I are getting the final head count together for Shelley’s grand opening,” Sierra said. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And, Sierra, I want to thank you and your family for awarding me this project. It’s been such a thrill.”
Sierra pressed her lips together, like she was trying to keep from saying something, then blurted out, “Were you nervous when you found out Trent was managing the project?”
“Nervous doesn’t even being to touch the emotions I experienced,” Reese admitted. “But I’m so glad he was. We’ve been given a second chance, and even though I don’t know for sure what will happen in the long run, I do know we’re both trying a lot harder this time to make it work.”
“Well, that’s a heck of a lot better than what you’ve both been doing for the past ten years,” Sierra said in her no-nonsense way. “And I know it’s probably scary for you to think about the long run a second time around, but I have one hundred percent faith that you two can make it work. Because if you could see the way you two look at each other...” She sighed. “Now if we could only find a wonderful man for me before my brothers find him first and scare him away. Maybe you should keep Trent too busy with all those kisses for him to hover over me like a protective warrior chief.”
Reese laughed and said, “Consider it done.”
Because there was nothing she’d rather do than keep Trent busy with sweet and sexy island kisses...
Chapter Twenty-Two
“I’M STILL IN love with your daughter.”
Reese’s parents, Judith and David, were sitting close together on the couch beneath a big picture window that overlooked their backyard. As soon as they’d sat down, they’d reached for each other’s hands at the same time, and Trent appreciated seeing Reese’s parents comfort each other and present a united front. They were incredible role models for a marriage done right. If only he’d learned more from them ten years ago.
He remembered how easily they’d welcomed him into their lives when he and Reese had first met. Her parents had been as warm and loving as his own family had been toward Reese. Sitting here with them now, all these years later, in the house that still smelled as if the walls themselves were freshly baked from sugar and spice, he hoped they’d see that his intentions toward Reese were spoken from his heart.
As Trent waited for them to respond, he realized he’d never been so nervous in all his life. He knew how important Reese’s parents were to her, and the truth was that their approval meant a great deal not just to Reese, but to Trent, too.
“We’ve actually been expecting something like this for a very long time, Trent,” David finally said.
Behind his wire frames, his brown eyes were full of concern, but thankfully, he wasn’t automatically shutting Trent down. Instead, he was kind enough to say, “Judith and I would like to hear what you have to say.”
Trent had always liked and respected David. He was a smart, stable man who put family first, a loving, supportive father to Reese, and was well liked by everyone around town.
“I know ten years is a long time, and I wish I’d been able to see things clearly far earlier than this.” Trent shook his head. “No, what I really wish is that I’d never hurt Reese in the first place. That I’d done everything right instead of doing it all wrong. But I swear to you, I’m going to get it right this time. Coming back together with Reese isn’t a whirlwind decision for me, even though I’m sure it appears that way. For ten years I debated coming back to the island, but I wasn’t ready. But I do know that Reese belongs here. She’s the most loving, passionate woman and you two, this island, her friends, her gallery… Without all those things in her life, she’s not whole. And I truly believe that I’m part of what makes her whole, too. Just the way I know she’s the other half of me.”
