Always Mine (Coming Home To The Grove 1)

My family needed me to take over the family ranch, and I’d known myself well enough to know I wouldn’t fit anywhere else in the world. Sure, I’d talked about leaving and moving to the big city. But when my parents died, it changed everything for me. I wanted to stay in Forest Grove. I wanted to make something of the ranch my parents had built, loved, and cared for all their lives. The ranch and Forest Grove took on a whole new meaning after that. This is where I’ve always belonged. I know that.

I look into her eyes as she’s smiling up at me, laughing at something silly we did while passing out the flyers. My hand is halfway to reaching her smooth cheek to frame her face, but that old crone who was here the night before to stop Lacy from allowing Bradley to kiss her is staring at me from the front window. I can’t really begrudge the woman though. She did sort of help me out last night.

I don’t want to cause Lacy any problems with her clients. The last thing she needs is poor reviews from her first B&B tenants. Especially only so shortly after taking over for her parents.

I blow out a breath trying to rein in my thoughts. Lacy’s chin is turned up, almost like she’s wanting me to kiss her. She’s laughing, her face carefree and happy. I haven’t seen happy on her in a while, and I don’t want to screw it up now. So no matter what I want right now, I’m going to make myself take a step back and slow it down. The woman in the window saved me from screwing things up, and I’m going to do this right this time. Even if it kills me.

Instead of reaching for her, I fist my hands and let them thump against my thigh. “It was a lot of fun getting to spend the evening with you.”

“Yeah, it was fun. Thanks for your help,” Lacy says.

Is that disappointment in her eyes? Was she hoping I would kiss her? Did I just blow it?

“Lacy?”

“Goodnight, Trent,” she says softly before walking into the B&B and shutting the door behind her.

I’m pretty sure I just blew it again.13LacyI’m too worked up from all the feelings that Trent has stirred up in me, and I go to my office. I knew he was going to kiss me, and I wanted him to. He backed off at the last minute, and I was a little stunned by it. Even though it was the right thing to do. It was close. Too close.

Checking my emails and reservations, I find that I have a cancelation, but it’s a late cancelation, which means the guests will give up their reservation fee, which is half the cost of their stay.

My other guests are checking out in the morning, so I’ll actually have an evening to myself.

I make a plan to fill in the free time with interviewing applicants to the job offer, or I’ll see what I can do to spruce up the roses. Anything but spend time with Trent. It’s too dangerous.

I laugh angrily at myself for the tears that spring to my eyes when I think about how much I ached for him to kiss me. He didn’t, and I knew he was about to. Had I not learned anything from the past?

He didn’t want me then, and he doesn’t want me now. The truth of that hits me in the gut and makes my stomach queasy just thinking about it.

More tears spring to my eyes, so I decide to take a shower and go to bed.

But even going to sleep is going to be hard for me. My thoughts go to the day I had with Trent. It was perfect. Well, until it wasn’t.

It seems like I barely fall asleep before I’m up making breakfast for the couple that is leaving today.

As soon as they get out of the driveway, I leave right on their tail so I won’t be caught at the house by Trent. The last thing I need is Trent showing up to apologize if he gave me the wrong idea or sent confusing signals.

I run into Bradley at the grocery store. He doesn’t have a buggy or look as if he’s really there to buy anything, so I wonder if he saw my car in the parking lot and came in to see me.

“Hey, you!” he says from the other end of the aisle.

“Hey, Bradley,” I say, walking toward him.

“So how about dinner tonight?”

I’m surprised and tell him so. “Are you sure you want to go out again? I know I wasn’t much fun on the first go-around.”

“Well, I’m sure you can stay awake tonight.” He winks at me. “I’ll make sure of it.”