Tangle (Dogwood Lane 2)

“Hey,” he says, stopping me.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let him get to you.”

“Penn? Or Trevor?” I ask.

He grins. “Both?”

“Penn is just a fool. I shrug him off.”

“But Trevor?” he pokes.

I think about his handsome face. Strong body. Gentle touch. Hard kisses. Sweet words.

“He’s harder to shrug off,” I admit. “But maybe we’ll figure it out long distance. Or maybe it’ll be over when he leaves. Time will tell.”

“You know what I think?” Dane asks.

“No.”

“I think two things. First of all, you seem a lot more composed about this guy. Watching you with Trevor isn’t like watching you with the hippie.”

I sigh. “We’re back to the hippie again?”

“He’s the baseline. Or he was,” Dane says. “I think Trevor is now.”

“Dane . . .” I groan. “This isn’t helping.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “I know it doesn’t feel like it is, but it is.”

“How? It just feels like you’re sprinkling some salt in my wound.”

“Do you remember how I let Neely go?” He drops his hand.

“Yeah. Twice,” I point out.

“Yes. Twice. Thanks for reminding me.” He grimaces. “Anyway, if I would’ve admitted to myself that I loved her a hell of a lot earlier, then maybe I could’ve gotten off my ass and fixed our shit before I did.”

“Trevor and I don’t have shit to fix. He doesn’t want to be tied down, and he lives in Nashville. It’s ethos and logistics. And there really is no love involved, Dane. We’ve spent five minutes together and barely know each other. I’m probably a fun time to him, and I have to be okay with that. I am okay with that, because he’s been fun too. So take your ‘first of all’ out of our equation. Please.”

“But I had a ‘second of all.’” Dane starts walking back to the kitchen.

“Dane, come on. There isn’t—”

“I think I found a reason for Trevor to stay,” he says.

“What?” I ask, my breath catching in my throat.

“You. Maybe you’re the reason he’ll stay.”

He disappears around the corner before I can say what’s really in my heart. That Trevor Kelly made himself clear. Yes, he suggested Liz saw more in his expression than she’d seen from him, but that doesn’t change a man. And I need to be content to accept that.

Sorry, Dane. I doubt I’ll be any man’s reason to stay. Even if I am awesome.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

HALEY

I glance at my phone and giggle.

A shirtless selfie of Trevor sits in my text messages, the result of losing a bet last night. He’s making a duck face, standing in front of a mirror, and showing off his delicious six-pack just for me.

I don’t know what the bet was about, but Jake shot me a message and told me an incoming text was imminent and I could thank him for it later. I also don’t know how Jake got my number, and I didn’t ask when Trevor came over last night for a quick make-out session.

Our rules are gone. Broken. Never to return. Even if I wanted to reintroduce them, it wouldn’t work. I don’t want to, anyway.

The chimes on the front door of Buds and Branches ring. Aerial, the woman who owns the gym Neely runs, comes in with a bright smile.

“Haley,” she says. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

“It’s my first day. What can I help you with?”

“My niece is having her tonsils taken out, and I wanted to send her some balloons and a couple of flowers. Nothing fancy, just something a twelve-year-old would like.”

“How’s that age?” I ask. “Mia will be there soon, and every day I feel like she’s growing up on us. Wanting to be with her friends and not hanging out at home with her ex-nanny. Pushing her daddy’s buttons. Seeing how far she can push Neely.”

“Twelve isn’t bad. I remember with my girls that fifteen was a doozy. You have a few years yet.”

“Thank God.” I venture over to the cooler. “So I love lilies, but they’re pretty fragrant. That might not be good if she’s having her tonsils out. Your throat is hooked to your nose.” I make a face. “What about sunflowers? The yellow is cheery, and they don’t really smell like anything.”

Aerial grins. “Sounds great.”

“We have a cute unicorn vase in the back. Want to use something like that or just a clear one?”

“Unicorn. Definitely.”

“Just a sec.”

I head to the back and grab the unicorn vase and arrange the sunflowers until they’re a burst of pure happiness. I’m just placing the last flower when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out.

Trevor: Good morning, Ohio. Thinking about you this morning. A lot. And last weekend. Even more.

Me: Good morning, Thief. Thinking about last weekend. A lot. And what tonight could bring. Even more.

Trevor: I like the way you think.

Me: Ha.

Trevor: I’m in town. If you aren’t busy, I’ll stop by? I can even buy a flower if I need to.