Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Trey laughs, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well, you always did have a way with animals.”
Warmth spreads through me, not just from his compliment but from the genuine joy in his laughter. It feels so right, being here with him. As I place the plate in the cupboard, I turn to face him, leaning against the counter. “You know, Trey, I think the best part about yesterday was just… being with you.”
His hands pause in the soapy water, and he looks at me, his expression softening. “Yeah? Same here. It felt like old times, but better.”
I nod, my heart starting to race. “Better because we’re not hiding anymore. Because you’ve made a choice and put me first.”
Trey nods solemnly, his eyes locking with mine. “And I’ll keep making that choice, Holland. Every day.”
The sincerity in his voice brings a lump to my throat. I swallow hard, trying to push past it. “I… I need to tell you something.”
He dries his hands on a towel, stepping closer to me. “What is it?”
The words come out before I can stop them, a revelation not just for him but for myself. “I love you.”
I get stunned silence. The world seems to halt, waiting for his reaction. Then his face lights up with pure elation. He steps forward, sweeping me off my feet and spinning me around in a joyous hug. I laugh, clinging to him as he sets me down and kisses me so deeply I see stars.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that,” he murmurs against my lips, his voice thick with emotion.
“I haven’t got it all figured out yet,” I admit, my heart pounding, feeling utter relief now that my feelings are out there and I’ve committed to them. “I’ll need to go back to Zurich to wrap things up with my job.”
“Wrap things up?” he exclaims, eyes wide. “That means…”
“It means I want to come back to Shelbyville. Permanently.” He stares at me stupidly, so I clarify, “To be with you. To pick up where we left off.”
“Thank fuck,” he mutters and pulls me into him hard. His lips on mine are warm and insistent. “That’s all I needed to hear,” he whispers against my mouth.
We’re so wrapped up in each other that we don’t hear the front door open. It’s only when an angry voice cuts through the air that we pull apart abruptly.
“What the fuck?” Wade demands, his eyes blazing with indignation.
My grip on Trey loosens, but he takes my hand, holding it protectively. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in West Virginia.”
“The hitch on the trailer broke,” Wade snaps, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Had to abandon it and turn back. You’d know that if you bothered to look at your phone. I’d sure like to know what in the fuck is going on?”
Trey’s jaw clenches, and he inhales deeply. “I’m sorry you walked in on that. We obviously need to talk about this—”
“Talk about what?” Wade interrupts, his fists clenched at his sides. “About how you just told me Holland was like a sister to us, and all this time you’ve been screwing around behind my back?”
“It’s not like that,” I start, but Wade cuts me off, his eyes flashing with hurt and betrayal.
“Shut up, Holland!” he yells.
Trey pushes me behind him, chest bowed out. “Better watch how you talk to her,” he warns his brother. “I get that you’re upset and we’ll gladly sit down and talk, but you better fucking talk to her with respect.”
Wade ignores Trey’s rebuke. “I trusted you. I confided in you, Trey. Bet you both had a good laugh at my expense.”
“No,” I exclaim, trying to step around Trey but he gently pushes me back. I can feel him vibrating with tension. “That’s not what we did.”
“Oh, I guess I didn’t just see his tongue down your throat, did I?” Wade snarls.
Trey steps forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture. “You need to calm down. It’s not what you think.”
The tension in the room is palpable, and dread knots my stomach. Trey and Wade stand toe to toe, their chests rising hard and fast. I see the pain in Wade’s eyes, and it twists my heart.
“You lied to me,” Wade says, his voice shaking. “You told me she was off-limits, like a sister, and all this time you were with her.”
“We weren’t trying to hurt you,” Trey says, his voice steady but filled with regret. “We wanted to tell you the truth. We just needed the right time.”
Wade’s face contorts with anger. “You’re full of shit,” he growls and to my shock, shoves Trey hard in the chest. He stumbles back two steps and I move out of the way, then Trey is barreling into his brother. He shoves Wade back, harder, and he flies into the counter.