Page 1 of Naughty & Nice

CHAPTER1

Trevor

“Areyou sure you have to go, Son?”

“Yeah, Mom. It’s the best thing. I need a fresh start.” Walking over to my favorite woman on the planet, I bend and give her a tight squeeze. I hate leaving her, but the last few months have been a wake-up call. This little lady right here is the only female I can trust. “It’s not that far. I’ll come back home to visit. And you need to come to Sycamore Mountain and check out the town. I bet you’ll love it so much you’ll want to stay.”

“Oh, I’ve lived in Hanover my whole life. This is no time for someone my age to be starting over. But I understand, Trev. I know how much she hurt you. Maybe you can find a nice girl there.”

“Yeah. That’s not happening.” I thought I could trust Ashley, and look where that got me. I’ll have my hands full with the new job and getting to know the guys at the station. A quick lay is all I want. “There won’t be any women in my life for a while.”

“Trevor Joseph Laurence. Do not let one heartless girl steal your future.”

“Mom, it’s okay. My future’s solid. I have the fire department and my IT graduate studies on the side. Plus, it will be an adjustment moving to such a rural town after living in this bustling city my whole life.” Hanover may be small compared to Richmond or Washington D.C., but compared to where I’m going, it’s a thriving metropolis. “Hell, there might not be any girls my age in Sycamore Mountain. Just blue-haired knitting circles and a couple of old coots sitting in rocking chairs.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. I’m sure there are plenty of nice girls there. And once they get a look at you…” My mother grabs my cheeks, squeezing them as if I was still five. “Well, they’re going to be drawn to you like a moth to a flame.”Remind me to buy a fly swatter.

“On that note, I need to head out. It’s about a four-hour drive, but I need to be there in time to collect the keys from the rental office before they close. I want to get moving in case there’s traffic on the way.”

“Be safe, Trevor. Give me a call as soon as you get there, so I don’t worry.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I give her another hug, lifting her five-foot-three frame from the floor. Normally, this would elicit her familiar warm laugh, but I know my leaving’s going to be tough.

Hanover’s been where I’ve called home my whole life. Before entering the fire academy, I even attended college at a local university, obtaining my undergraduate degree in homeland security and emergency medical services. I’ve returned to school to get my master’s in information technology. Working as a firefighter allows for a lot of downtime. We typically work about ten twenty-four-hour shifts per month on a permanent rotation. This allows for me to have a second career on the side. I’ve always enjoyed computers. They offer the technical challenge I crave to balance out the physical demands of my full-time job. “Focus on those grandbabies. You’ll have plenty to keep you busy while I’m gone. And I’ll be back for a visit before you know it.”

“Did you get a chance to say goodbye to Noah, Becca, and the kids?”

“Yeah. Saw them yesterday. I’m going to miss those rugrats. I love ’em. But spending more than an hour with them is the best birth control on the planet. Those boys are crazy.”

“Hush your mouth, Trevor. Those sweet babies are no trouble at all.”

“I’m just playing, Ma. They’re fine. I’m just at a different place in my life. I wouldn’t know what to do if I had kids right now.”

“Well, I’m sure glad it didn’t happen with Ashley,” I hear her mutter under her breath. As I make my way for the door, she interjects, “Oh, hold on for a second.” Whirling toward the kitchen, she’s running as if dispatched on a five-alarm blaze. She’s so predictable.

“Mom, I’m twenty-eight. I’m not leaving for summer camp. You didn’t need to make all of this.”

“You’ll take this cooler of food and like it, young man. You’re just moving in and won’t have time to make yourself anything. You probably won’t even get groceries until tomorrow.”

It dawns on me that this town may not have large grocery stores open into the evening. It’s probably a good thing Mom packed a little something. “Umph. What have you got in here? Thanksgiving dinner?”

“It’s not that much.”

I cock a brow at her in response.

“This will only hold you for a few days. And hopefully, you’ll think of me when you’re eating those macadamia nut cookies you like so much and feel guilty enough about leaving me behind to give your poor mother a call.”

“Mom,” I huff, exasperated.

“Okay, out you go. Wear your seatbelt-”

“Mother. I’ll brush my teeth and eat my vegetables. Just because it’s the first time I’m moving out of town doesn’t mean I haven’t been able to take care of myself for the last ten years.” I need to get going, or this conversation will last all day. After placing the overpacked cooler into my silver Suburban, I blow her a kiss and start the ignition.

Sure, there’s some melancholy at leaving her behind. Yet, I need this. It’s a new beginning after the torturous last few months of heartache. I’d received word from a brother firefighter that he’d heard of an opening in North Carolina, and I jumped at the chance before I even knew much about the town. I just wanted to get the hell away from here and all the reminders of what I’d lost. Somewhere I wasn’t reminded daily of Ashley’s betrayal.

My ex-girlfriend was a beauty. We’d met a few years ago at a Richmond International Raceway event where my station provided a stand-by in case an accident occurred during the Nascar race. Ashley was working with one of the race’s sponsors, taking pictures with fans before the green flag waved, signaling the race had begun. She had my full attention from the very start. She’s a striking blonde with big blue eyes whose star has continued to rise in the modeling world since I met her.

Our relationship progressed quickly. But I fell hard and fast, and she seemed to feel the same. When I asked her if she’d consider moving in one morning, her bags were packed that afternoon. It felt like love at first sight. Yet, now I wonder if my place was just a free place to stay.

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