Page 29 of Meet Me in the Vines
And then it hits me. My eyes widen as I bring my hand to my chest, cradling the key to my heart.
“Wait, Gran’s cottage?”
He nods, a tear slipping from the corner of his eye. “She wanted you to have it. If you want, you can stay there while you’re here and make it your own. And if you ever decide to move back home, the cottage is all yours,” he says with a wink.
My heart is bursting at the seams. My own escape. Gran gifted me her most favorite place in the world. My eyes shimmer with wetness as I press the key to my chest, squeezing it tight.
“Thank you, Pop. This is the best gift. Thank you, Gran,” I say, looking up to the sky.
“You can drive up in your rental car. We added on a garage a couple years ago,” he says, planting a kiss on my forehead.
I’m so happy I could float. I’ve always loved Gran’s cottage. She used to take me there when I was sad and let me paint with her and bake cookies. God, I miss her.
Pop and I talk over a bottle of wine and sandwiches, losing track of time. We laugh and cry over stories about gran; it feels so good to be in his presence.
I can feel Gran here too, smiling down on us and watching over us. Pop tells me that Gran wanted her ashes spread at Beleza Point, an hour and a half north of the valley. She grew up camping there as a kid, he explains. I remember camping there too. It must’ve meant a lot to her, being able to share her favorite places with us.
“So we spread her ashes on Sunday?” I ask while tidying up the kitchen.
Pop answers with a simple hum as he corks the bottle of wine we didn’t finish. A small smile tugs at my lips, and I walk straight into his arms. I rest my head on his chest and close my eyes—I see my Gran.
He leans down and kisses the top of my head. “Night, kid. I’m so glad you’re home.”
I rise to my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “Me too, Pop.”
I grab the key from the counter, buzzing with excitement.Alright Gran, let’s see your place.A quick wave to Pop and I’m out the door with my suitcase in hand.
Back at the car, I toss my luggage into the trunk. I’m about to slip into the driver’s seat when I spy a note on the windshield. I grab it, unfolding it along the edge.
Mouse,
Here’s your napkin for your spilled coffee.
-D
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I whisper, shaking my head and laughing. I go to crumple the napkin and toss it in the backseat when my hands stop me. I stare at the words written, running my fingers across them. My gaze softens as I think about Donovan scribbling this note with a mischievous grin. Instead, I neatly fold the napkin and slip it into the pocket of my leggings.
My eyes trail to the now cold macchiato sitting in the cup holder. I bite my lip, thinking about the way Donovan stared at my tits where the spilled coffee dripped. He’s not so slick. I clocked him right away.
Oakwood Valley is a small town, and I’m here for five days. The chances of me avoiding Donovan are slim to none. For the last ten years, I’ve been building my wall brick by brick to shutout any residual feelings for the boy who broke my heart. But now here he is, effortlessly dismantling what I’ve worked so hard to build until I have nowhere left to hide.
I’m not sure how much longer I can hold up. One more look from those ocean blues and I am completelydone for.
Chapter Nine
DONOVAN
“Are you okay, bro?”
My little brother Wyatt gives me a concerned stare, no doubt wondering why I’m zoned out, staring into nothingness. His voice shakes me out of my funk. I blink my eyes hard, willing myself to refocus on my task. These cases won’t pack themselves with wine. T-minus eight hours until I see Audrey again at the happy hour tonight.
“Yeah, sorry, I was just zoning out.” He can tell I’m lying, and since he loves being all up in my business, he doesn’t stop probing.
“You’re such a liar. Audrey Winthrop comes into town and she has you so fucked up. What’s it been? Nine years since you’ve seen her?” he smirks.
“Ten,” I reply dryly.
All night, I thought about her green eyes. She kneed me in the balls, and weirdly enough, I liked it. Don’t get me wrong, it hurt like hell. But it showed me that the feisty, playful, free-spirited girl I knew was still in there. She can try to hide it with hair dye and heavy makeup. But I see her.
