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)
I bolt forward, putting myself in between them. “Stop it, both of you!” I shout, my voice breaking. “This isn’t helping.”
Wade’s eyes bore into mine, filled with a mix of betrayal and pain. “So noble, Holland. Being the hero now while playing me for a fool.”
“No, Wade,” I say, my voice trembling.
“That’s enough,” Trey roars, pulling me out from between them. “You’re being a douche and you know it.”
The room is filled with a heavy silence, the weight of our words hanging in the air. Wade shakes his head, his expression hardening. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
He turns on his heel and storms out of the house, the door slamming behind him. I start to go after him, but Trey grabs me around the waist, holding me back. “Let him go. He needs to cool off.”
“Will he?” I ask, tears in my eyes.
Trey pulls me into his chest, wraps me in his arms. “Of course he will. This is Wade we’re talking about. He never stays angry for long.”
I try to wiggle out of his embrace and he loosens just enough to look down at me.
“This was a bad idea,” I say abruptly. “I shouldn’t stay. I should go back to Zurich. I can’t—”
“You better stop that shit right now, Holland,” Trey snaps. His hands come to my face and he peers down at me with resolute eyes. “This is going to work between us. Wade will have to get over it.”
I shake my head, doubt gnawing at my heart. “What are we going to do?”
Trey pauses, his gaze steady and determined. “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. We’re going to get in my truck and head to the farm. We’re going to call a family meeting and we will fill everyone in on the truth of what happened all those years ago. I will beg their forgiveness because they’re going to be super pissed at me. Then we’re going to wait Wade out because eventually, he will get over this. Then you and I are going to have our happily ever after.”
Trey stares at me, and I stare back at him, a small kernel of hope flaring in my chest.
“Okay?” he prods. “Sound good?”
I nod mutely.
Trey gives me a hard, swift kiss before taking my hand and leading me toward the door. “Let’s go. We’re doing this now.” I follow along and then Trey stops in his tracks, causing me to run into his back. He turns to me. “I love you. Got it?”
“Got it,” I whisper. “I love you too.”
Trey smiles and it’s mostly relieved but still a little stressed. “I won’t let anything come between us again.”
I nod, trusting in him.
Fully trusting in what he says.
♦
Walking into the Blackburn family home feels like stepping into a lion’s den, and I hate my insecurities. My hand is clasped tightly in Trey’s, and my heart races as we approach the kitchen where the family is gathered. Trey’s text had summoned everyone except Wade, and doom washes over me.
As we enter, all eyes turn to us—Fi, Tommy, Ethan and Kat—their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. Their stares become almost unbearable, and I instinctively try to pull away from Trey, but he holds on tight, grounding me with his strength.
Kat is the first to break the silence, her tone laced with curiosity and a hint of suspicion as her eyes land on our clasped hands. “Something you want to tell us?”
Trey nods, releasing me to put an arm around my waist. “Yes, something we need to tell you.”
“I think we can guess some of it,” Kat says with a smirk.
A little of the anxiety lessens as she regards us with amusement.
“Let’s sit at the table,” Fi says, her voice gentle but authoritative. She motions for us to join them, and we comply, taking seats at the long, rustic table that has hosted countless family meals and discussions.
Tommy glances around the room and then at Trey. “Wade wasn’t on the text. Why isn’t he here?”
Trey takes a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine briefly before he turns to address his family. “This is about Wade, and he won’t be joining us tonight. This is sort of a long story so just let me get it out.”
Tommy nods and Fi reaches over to pat Trey’s hand in silent support.
Launching into the story, his voice steady and resolute, Trey lays it all out. “Eleven years ago, the summer Holland turned eighteen, we fell in love.” Fi gasps and Kat nearly chokes, her jaw dropping open. Trey ignores them. “We kept it a secret because we just wanted some time to ourselves and we knew it would be a little weird, but we were going to tell everyone before Holland left for college. The day before she left though, Wade confessed to me that he had strong feelings for her. So I decided to step aside for Wade’s sake.”