Page 49 of The Tryst

“No,” he replies firmly. “If Wade says anything rude to you, I might lose my shit. I’ll handle it. He’ll either accept us or he won’t, and if he doesn’t, then he can go to hell.”

I nod, understanding his need to confront Wade alone. “Okay. But if you need me, I’m here.”

Trey pulls me closer, his eyes intensely serious. “There’s something else I want to talk to you about.”

I tilt my head, curious. “What’s that?”

“I want to start looking for a place for you and me to live together. I know we haven’t talked about it, and I know you’re still trying to figure out what to do. I also understand you might need to go back to Zurich for a bit to wrap things up, but there’s no reason we can’t find a place right now.”

“Will Wade be mad you’re leaving him?” I ask tenuously.

“I truly don’t give a fuck right now, but once this gets resolved, I’m sure he’ll be okay. There’s no way in hell we’re living with Wade. We’re starting our life together now.”

The flush of warmth is a testament to the fact that I’ve bought into Trey and all the promises he’s making. I’ve truly let go of the hurt, the betrayed feelings and the mistrust. We’re in it now, together.

“I’m considering keeping the printshop,” I say, causing a tiny jolt within myself at saying it out loud. I’ve been pondering it but putting it out in the universe is suddenly very scary. “What do you think?”

Trey smiles and moves his hands to the sides of my neck as he peers down at me. “I think you’re amazing and you can do anything you put your mind to. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”

“My mom’s going to go apeshit if I do this. I’ll never hear the end of it because she truly thinks the shop should belong to her.”

“You’re not responsible for your mother,” he chides.

“I know, I know.” I reply. “It’s just… I’m tired of the conflict. I want to get on with my life and be happy.”

“That’s all in your hands, Holland. If she’s too toxic, you can cut her out. It’s not as if you two shared a close bond anyway.”

“That’s true,” I admit quietly. “I guess I kind of hoped with my dad’s influence gone, she might just want to be a mom, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Trey pulls me in for another hug. “I’m sorry, babe. But know you have a mom by the name of Fi Blackburn who loves you like her own.”

I smile against his chest. “I missed her so much these last several years. I’m not going to lie—it seemed almost easy to let you and the sibs go, because we were all so tightly interwoven. When I had to cut you out, I had to do the same to them. But it was your mom who I always regretted losing the most.”

“I know I should be offended by that,” Trey says with a chuckle. “But I totally get what you’re saying. My mom’s one of a kind.”

“That she is,” I murmur.

“Okay,” he says, breaking the embrace and taking my hand. “Close this place up and let’s grab dinner. Then I’m on a mission to get my brother’s head out of his ass.”

CHAPTER 17

Trey

Dinner with Hollandwas perfect. I took her to Rosie’s and we had burgers and hand-cut fries. We got some sidelong looks from a few patrons, people who know me, know Holland and now see us together. My hand on her leg didn’t go unnoticed and word will be around town by tomorrow that we’re dating.

Except we’re so much more than that.

We spent the meal not talking about her mom or my brother, but rather what we’d like in a house. Holland doesn’t want to live in town the way I do but wants to live closer to the farm. She’s even open to living in Kat’s apartment above the tack room since Kat is staying at Gabe’s place, but I want something more homelike. I want a yard, and a fence, and I want to get a dog too.

With our meal finished, it didn’t feel right parting ways. I drove her to her mom’s, but it wasn’t the way our evening was supposed to end. We should have been able to go to my house and hang out with Wade—and if Wade weren’t being a jackass, we could.

But instead, I walked her to her mom’s door, which opened as soon as I was giving her a good-night kiss. Holland hadn’t said anything to her mom about our relationship and she never knew about it back when we were teenagers. She never discussed those things with her mom.

Debbie’s jaw dropped and I nodded at her with a smile. I gave Holland another kiss and told her I’d see her tomorrow as we made plans to meet for breakfast before I have to head to work.

On the way to my house, I mull over the best way to approach Wade. I want to be respectful to him, but I won’t take a continual barrage of the same old bashing. I’ll let him get it out of his system, I’ll give him a heartfelt apology and even beg his forgiveness if I have to, then I want to fucking hug it out and be done with it.

I want my brother back. I want him to be happy for me the way the rest of the family is, and I want us all to be friends again. To achieve that, I know I’m going to have to swallow some pride, curb my anger and kiss his ass.

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