Emily rolls her eyes. “We come from a small ass town. There aren’t many men floatin’ around Bell Buckle. He has to expect this, and if he doesn’t, that sucks for him. As for your other lame bullshit about hurting Cooper? He’s a grown ass man and fully capable of decidin’ for himself if he can handle it. A very fine grown man, I might add. I guess it’s really a matter of if you’re willin’ to take a chance.”

* * *

“G race ! Your phone is ringing!” Mama calls from the kitchen where my purse is sitting.

She dragged me shopping all over Tennessee for the day. Now, I’m carrying in all the bags and antiques she found. I don’t mind doing things like this with my parents. They’re both getting older and if my helping with shopping and driving makes her life a little easier, I’ll do it.

Plus, I know the more I’m around, the happier she is. My mother having to bury her baby was the hardest thing she ever did. Scarlett’s death broke my parents’ hearts. I want to help mend them a little. Scarlett was who wanted to own the store in town. I think it’s why my mother refuses to part with it.

“Grace!” she calls again.

“I’m bringing the bags in! Give me a second, Mama!”

“Trent was over by Macie’s when I was visiting with her yesterday,” she informs me as I set the last bag on the counter.

“Okay.” I’m not sure where this is going. She practically shoved me over to the Townsend’s house a few weeks ago. Now she wants to talk about the Henningtons?”

“I’m just sayin’ is all. Trent was there.”

“I’m not with Trent, so what he does is really none of my business.”

I should’ve known that her not mentioning this wasn’t going to last long. She removes a few things from the bags as she smiles. “I know, sugar. Cooper and his mama talked when we got back from Mexico. He said you two were going out.”

And there it is. The reason there’s no such thing as a secret in this town. Cooper told his mother, who told my mother, who told Macie, who probably told Trent, and we go down the list. I’m pretty sure the mayor two towns over knows.

“As friends,” I inform her.

“I always thought Cooper grew into a fine man. I didn’t know you two had feelings for each other.”

My mother and her crew are brilliant at finding out what they want. They’re able to twist you up so you say whatever you didn’t realize you were holding in. I’ve learned, as have all the children of their group, to offer nothing. I don’t know what Cooper and I are, which is technically nothing since I haven’t even been on a date with him yet. The only thing I know is that if I do tell her, we’ll be talking for eight hours and I’ll never be ready for tomorrow.

“It’s new, Mama.”

She looks at me with a grin. “Vivienne said he’s had thoughts about you for a while now but didn’t want to cause a stir.”

“Mrs. Townsend said that?” I ask.

“She sure did.”

Great. My mother and Presley’s mother are thick as thieves. If these two are scheming, I’m in so much trouble. It’s not like I haven’t fallen victim to my mother and her posse before. Plenty of times, Presley or I would get caught in the middle. I hoped to avoid it, but it seems clear the town busy bodies are going to be in the epicenter of my relationship. I need to move the topic along.

“Mama?” I draw her attention. “Why do you think Trent and I couldn’t ever make it work?” Macie Hennington tells my mother everything. If there is something, maybe she will finally tell me. “Because I want to not love him anymore. I want to find a way through all this hurt and be happy. I’m not sayin’ it’s with Cooper.” I look her in the eyes. “I thought I’d be settled by now. I’m tired of the back and forth with Trent. So, if you know something . . .” I pause and drop my gaze to the counter. “I’m beggin’ you to tell me.”

She walks around the counter and touches my cheek. “There are some things love can’t fix. Trent is a good man. He has a good heart and a kind soul. You know I think nothing but the best of him.”

I nod. “I do.”

“I also think it’s time you let him go, baby. I think you’ve loved him for a long time, and if he loves you like I think he does . . .”

“You think he loves me?” I ask with a twinge of unwelcome hope.

Her hand drops from my face and her fingers twine with mine. “I think you know he does, which is what keeps you hangin’ on. I also think you know that he ain’t ever going to change his ways. You have options, sugar. Choose wisely.”

Chapter 4

Trent

“T he fuck she is !” I scream at my brother.

“Relax!” Zach pushes against my chest as I try to get out the door. “You need to calm the hell down.”

“Relax?” I huff and move his hand. “You’re telling me to relax? I didn’t see you calming the hell down when Presley returned to town. I don’t think you’d be sayin’ anything close to that if she were dating someone else!”

It’s only been a few weeks, and she’s already going out with another guy? I just saw her in the damn store, and she failed to mention it. Bullshit. It’s total fucking bullshit.

On top of that, it’s not just any guy. No, it has to be someone I grew up with. One of my friends. Unreal. And what the fuck is Cooper thinking? He knows my and Grace’s history. He knows that Grace is mine. “I’m going to kick his fucking ass!”

This is how it’s always been with us. We break up because I’m being an idiot and then I win her back. Never has she dated someone else. And neither have I. There is no way I’m going to stand idly by and allow this shit to happen.

“Trent.” Zach tries again to break through my internal rage. “You can’t expect her to wait around for you. You fucked this up too many times. We all tried to tell you to get your head out of your ass. She has a right to be happy.”

“Are you tryin’ to help me or piss me off?”

“Neither. I’m being honest.” He grabs his beer and takes a swig. I hope he chokes on it.