Always Mine (Coming Home To The Grove 1)

I talked to my parents last night when they called to tell me they had made it onto the ship and were heading out to sea. They seemed so happy. And of course, I didn’t tell them anything about all the problems that arose throughout the day. I want them to be able to rest and relax. I don’t want them to worry about a thing. They deserve it.

It’s midafternoon when Trent shows up. Hearing the knock on the door, I know it’s him before I even answer it. I stop at the mirror in the hallway and check my face and for stray hairs that may have gotten loose from my ponytail. But I quickly shake my head, disgusted with myself. What am I thinking? I don’t need to try and impress Trent. Dropping my hands to my side, I walk over to the door and open it. Sure enough, Trent is standing on the other side.

“Hey!” I say, making sure my gaze stays trained on his face instead of checking him out in his button-down shirt and jeans.

“Hey, I wanted to check on the floor upstairs and pick up the fans if that’s okay,” he says, searching my face.

Everything was left up in the air yesterday. I know that he thinks I’m mad, and he’s wondering if I’ve cooled off any. He helped out a lot yesterday. I don’t know what I would have done without him, actually. I really want to try and be friends with him, even though I know it’s going to be hard.

“Sure.” I stand back and let him in. I thank him again for all the help he’s given and how he’s been there for me since I returned. “It was crazy yesterday, wasn’t it?”

We commit to small talk. I am friendly but have pulled back considerably. I’m trying to pull away from the closeness we’ve begun to redevelop.

“You don’t have to thank me, Lacy. That’s what friends are for.”

“Yes, I do.”

“If you really want to thank me, then you won’t go on that date tonight with Bradley.”

I instantly get mad. “Trent, you have no right to tell me who I can or can’t date. I’m going out with Bradley tonight, and that’s it. You need to keep your nose out of my business. You can’t be a friend and tell me who to date.”

I start to walk off and grab the fan from the kitchen before turning back and placing it between the two of us. “Here’s your fan. The other is upstairs if you want to grab it.”

“I wouldn’t have to tell you who to date if you didn’t have the worst possible taste in men,” he says back to me.

We stand, staring at one another, both of us mad, breathing hard and hands on our hips. I straighten my shoulders. “You’re right about that. I do have horrible taste in men.” I raise my eyebrows, gesturing to him.

I excuse myself to go and check in a new guest. “You can see yourself out, Trent. You need to get a grip on reality.”TrentLater on, I stop at the hardware store to give back a tool the owner allowed me to borrow, and Bradley is there.

I try to ignore him because I know I’m not in any mood to mess with him right now. I am mad and want to rage at something, and Bradley would be the easiest target.

After talking to Ralph and thanking him for the tool, I walk back out the door I just came in.

But I don’t get far before hearing the bell of the door and know someone followed me. It seems that Bradley has sought me out.

“I heard you used to date Lacy,” he states as I stand on the sidewalk, my hands in my pockets.

I don’t answer him. I just ignore him, even though I do notice that Bradley has on khaki pants and a button-down shirt with his hair slicked back. He’s about to go pick up Lacy! My fists clench at my side.

Bradley starts to walk to his truck but turns around as he gets to the door. “It must be eating you up that she’s going out with me now.”

I start walking toward him, knowing I should ignore the other man, but I can’t. Not when it comes to Lacy. “Lacy is going to see through this nice guy act and recognize you for the total woman-hating scumbag that you are.”

Bradley waits until he’s in his truck with the window only cracked. “Oh, don’t you worry, Trent Keller. I’m going to make sure Lacy gets to know me real well. I’m planning on Lacy getting a real good look at my equipment.”

And then the coward pulls out of the lot, squealing his tires.

I get in my truck and drive toward the B&B thinking that the guy needs to be told what will happen to him if he hurts Lacy. I pull onto the road just in time to see Bradley racing up to the front door like he’s trying to tattle on me.