Page 26 of Rival Hearts

Maggie’s attention ping-ponged between me and Trent until Trent tore his gaze from her to take me in. A deep frown replaced his open tenderness. His brown hair was close-cropped, and his tank top made it look like he’d been hitting the gym harder thannormal. When we were younger, Trent had told people he didn’t work out. I knew better.

The tattoos littering Trent’s arms were new. For the first one, we’d used our uncle’s homemade tattoo gun one night in high school after a few too many beers. Matching tattoos—brothers first—in crooked cursive. At one time, we’d kept each other’s secrets. Now, we kept secrets from each other. Scanning his arms, I was sure Trent had covered over our high school folly. The crevice between us widened before me.

“Grady.” Trent tipped his chin.

“It’s been a while, brother. How ya been?” I rotated so I could see Trent and Maggie—one on either side of me. I was the monkey in the middle.

“I didn’t realize you’d be here.” Trent shoved his hands in his jean pockets, his brown gaze flicking to Maggie.

My chest tightened at the awkwardness between us. Somewhere along the line, I’d fucked up royally. I wished I didn’t know when it had happened or why. For the longest time, I would have given anything to turn the clock back, to have been sober that night, to have made better, more loyal choices.

“Mom said you bought the train station.”

At the slip in front of Maggie, I tensed. I didn’t need her knowing anything more than necessary. Her focus shifted from Trent to me.

“The train station?” she asked.

“Gotta put down roots sometime.” I shrugged as if the purchase wasn’t the most important thing I’d ever done.

“We weren’t enough to keep him here.” Trent’s voice was tinged with bitterness. “I doubt some old building will ground him any better.”

I felt like the outsider in the room, the one who didn’t belong. Maggie should be the one out of step, not me. That’s how it used to be.

“Were you leaving?” Trent asked. “I need to talk to Maggie about something.”

I hesitated for a beat before slipping past Trent toward the pharmacy door. “I’ll see you around, Trent.”

“Doubtful. I’m headed back to Utica after I talk to Maggie.”

The clipped tone of his voice grated as I opened the pharmacy door. When I looked over my shoulder, Maggie was stepping around the desk to embrace Trent.

“It’s good to see you, Mags,” Trent said.

Worse than how Trent spoke to me was the full history apparent between him and Maggie. A dull ache spread across my chest at the realization little had changed. From the minute Maggie had shown up at the first Sunday dinner, a crack had zigzagged between us brothers, and now we were two tectonic plates, broken apart, never to re-form one landmass.

My focus lingered on Trent’s back for another moment before I turned on my heel and walked away.

Chapter Eleven

Maggie

Ipulled back from Trent and examined his face. His dark-brown eyes were different from Grady’s, a shade lighter. They’d never sucked me in the same way, even though I’d tried once or twice to drown.

“You need my help?”

“More like I want to offer my help.” A small smile played at the edges of his lips. “This used to be my town too.”

I nodded in agreement, but my attention strayed from Trent to Grady’s back as he wandered down the street in the direction of Sabrina’s nail salon. A gaggle of women approached him with clipboards andTaste the Newbadges proudly displayed. I pursed my lips and tried to push down the annoyance threatening to rise.

“We’ve got the GoFundMe going already.” I was only half following the conversation.

“Yeah.” Trent turned and tracked my gaze. “Did I interrupt something between you and my brother? It seemed kinda tense.”

“No.” I stiffened. “Well, yes. It was tense. Grady was being Grady.”

Trent scratched the back of his neck. “Anyway, I saw the GoFundMe, but I also drove around town. Place is a mess.”

I forced myself to stay present with Trent. Before Grady had returned, I never had a problem focusing on a conversation. Lately, it felt like my attention was constantly divided. “I’m sure Grady is looking for a way to make a difference too.” Trent gave me a blank look. “Since he’s also running for mayor.”

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