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I looked at her from the corner of my eye. “Thanks.” I wasn’t ready to admit to anyone how much my heart hurt whenever I saw her. How I wanted to take her in my arms and kiss her or just simply talk to her and be at ease with her like I used to, in a way I took for granted for so many years.
“Of course. And I’m not going to butt in, I promise.”
I scoffed. “I’m not counting on that.”
“No, I mean, I’m not going to try and set you two up or meddle in your business, nothing like that. I will, however, always get nosy and ask you stuff. I can’t, like, completely change my personality. But no games. I swear.”
“Now, that feels more realistic.”
“See? Growth and change. Sitting with your feelings, talking things through, all that stuff is smart. You should do it with this situation. I do it all the time now and I feel like a total adult. Trevor and I are kicking so much marriage ass.”
“I’m happy for you two, and I’ll try it.” I already felt myself pushing half of her good advice to the back of my mind and even though I knew it was a bad idea to deny what I was feeling for Charlotte, I was doing it anyway.
Clearing her throat to interrupt us, Mom came up behind the couch and shot a pointed look at my sister. “We talked about this, Rose.” Rose raised her hands in silent defense and my mother turned to me. “I’m here to rescue you, Cade. Go in the dining room with your brothers.”
“She’s fine, Mom.” Her eyebrows raised in disbelief, and I laughed. “She’s offering quality life advice now, so no worries. Thank you, Rose.”
Rose laughed then stuck her tongue out. “See, Mother? I know how to keep a promise.”
“Then I apologize, sweetheart. Go on up and get your sisters for dinner.”
I followed Mom through the arched entrance to the dining room while Rose went upstairs. “Go on and sit down.” She waved me toward the table before bustling back to the kitchen.
I took the seat between Levi and Jude—fraternal twins, the babies of the family, and always first to the table. In fact, they crashed in their old rooms pretty often. Neither one of them were fond of cooking and my mother still loved to baby them.
“How’s Charlotte doing?” Levi asked and I groaned.
“Not you too. Enough.”
“Ooh, touchy.” Jude chuckled. “Must be serious.”
“Zip it or I’ll ask you about Harper when the girls get down here.” Harper was his best friend since childhood and eventually they would be more. Everyone knew it but the two of them.
“Fine.” He sipped his drink. “Consider it zipped. That’s a can of worms I don’t want opened in front of them.”
Levi laughed and took a swig of his beer.
I shot him a glare. “I don’t know why you think this is funny.”
Jude smirked then cleared his throat, but it sounded more like the name “Becca” than an actual cough.
“Fine, Cade, I have your back too. No Charlotte talk tonight as long as you don’t bringherup again.” Becca was the living embodiment of the wordregretfor Levi and had been for years. He had messed up his relationship with her almost every way a man could screw up with a woman aside from cheating. The only thing he had left going for him was his loyalty. I had my doubts about the two of them ever working it out. But, on the other hand, I never imagined Charlotte would ever come back to Sweetbriar, yet here I sat with hope forming in my heart and dinner plans with her tomorrow confirmed.
Trevor entered the room, carrying a beer. “I need to talk to you.” I gestured for him to follow me out to the patio.
“What’s up?”
“Have you found out anything more about Charlotte’s accident? I’m beginning to think she might be telling the truth about not being followed.”
“Nothing.” He shook his head and sipped his beer. “If she suspected someone aside from Bethany was following her, she’s keeping that secret close to the vest. There is no other way to know where to start looking since I couldn’t find anyone who saw anything out of the ordinary that day to give me something to go on.”
“I couldn’t either. And the parking lot photographer was a no-go as well. He checks out. I took a deeper look and found nothing hidden. He’s not even from New York.”
“Maybe drop it for now? And keep our eyes and ears open for anything that might come up.”
“Yeah, I—”
“Want to get to know her again? Be part of her life again? Get in her pants again? Maybe marry her again someday?” He laughed. “I know, Rose has mentioned it once or twice.” His smile was knowing, but unlike almost everyone else in my family, he wouldn’t pry or tease, and meddling was the last thing he would ever do.
