It’s a death match for who can be louder and more outrageous. At least that’s how it was when we were growing up, and most of the aforementioned have yet to become adults.

“How’s Zach handling everything with Rhett?” I ask as we sip our coffee.

“You know Zach.” Presley purses her lips as she leans her head back against the couch tilting it in my direction. “He’s close with his dad and this is killin’ him. I think he feels responsible in some way. As if he should’ve known. How’s Trent handling it?” She gives a sly grin. “I saw you two at the hospital.”

I shake my head and let my smile stretch over my lips. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

“Of course.”

“Do you ever wish things had turned out differently?” I’ve wondered how she truly felt after her life settled. She always knew Zach was the one for her, but that dream wasn’t set in Bell Buckle. She spent our childhood talking about seeing the world and with Zach playing baseball, it meant a life outside of here.

Presley looks out at the water. “I think life works in mysterious ways. I believe I was meant to leave here, find Todd, have the boys, and then come back. It sounds nuts, but I truly believe my life is exactly how it should be. The boys love it here, I’m with the man I love, and I’m happy. Do I wish the boys had their father? Absolutely.” She gives a small, sad smile. “Todd loved them, but now they get to know a different kind of dad. Zach is active and crazy. Todd was structured and academic.” She shrugs. “But back to your question. No, I don’t ever wish things had turned out differently.”

I don’t know why, but I feel like crying. She gives me hope that I can have it all. I look away and fight back the tears.

I love that Presley’s happy. She’s been through hell and then found her heaven.

“Grace? Are you okay, honey?”

“Sorry.” I laugh and sniffle. “I’m just bein’ a girl.”

“Why don’t you tell me about what happened.” Presley leans over and takes my hand.

“I . . .” I don’t know what to tell her. “It’s . . .”

Presley’s eyes are filled with concern. “Cooper and I talked. I told him I thought he should step back and let you find your way back to Trent,” she admits. “I don’t know if he told you, but I think we both know what it’s like to love a Hennington. It doesn’t go away. It doesn’t ebb. It takes over your entire heart and soul. Trent is your forever love, honey. Even if you and Cooper were to have really given it a go, I’m talkin’ full out dates, doin’ the things I won’t say, and all that . . . can you imagine what it would’ve been like to see Trent?”

I shake my head and clutch my throat.

“Your heart hurts just thinking about it. Am I right?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, that’ll never go away. Believe me, I know.”

My chest tightens, and then I feel a sense of relief. I was so worried I’d lose Presley in some way. She was in a no-win situation with Cooper being her brother and Trent being her brother-in-law. And even though I didn’t actually date Cooper, it was hard not talking to Presley about what was going on in my life.

I nod. “I love his stupid ass.”

“And he loves you.” She squeezes my hand. “Trent was over here the day before your date with Coop. In all my time around him, I’ve never seen him cry. Not one time, and when he realized you were seriously movin’ on, he lost it. He tried to hide it, but I saw his tears.”

I shake my head and look away. “Why did it take for me to think about dating another man for him to see me?”

“Oh, honey. Because all men, especially Hennington men, are idiots.” We both laugh a little. “Look, I love my brother, but I never saw you guys as a real match. I hoped I was wrong, but I don’t know,” she rubs her hand against her arm. “Maybe because Cooper hasn’t had a serious relationship since high school, but he wasn’t going to be the one. He works too much, he’s stubborn as all hell, and I think after a few months, you guys would’ve killed one another.”

“He is sweet, though,” I defend him a little.

“Of course he is. He’s Cooper. But he’s also . . . Cooper.” She squishes her face, and we both laugh, and I know exactly what she means.

“Since I’m pryin’ into your life and all . . . I wonder because we’re the same age, do you think you’ll have another kid?” I ask.

“Hell no!” Presley almost chokes on her coffee. “Dear Lord, I think my uterus just died a little.”

“Why not?”

She puts her cup down. “I’m not saying that if it happened I wouldn’t be happy, but Zach and I have talked about it at great length. We’ve only been married a few months, we spent seventeen years apart, and we don’t want to add more into the mix. To him, Logan and Cayden are his sons. He doesn’t see them as just mine. He jokes that he’s glad he missed the diaper stage, but we’re content with it being just the four of us.”

“I can understand that. We’re not all that young, either.” I grab my coffee and try to chase away the thought with caffeine, but it is useless. I’m close to forty, and with as much as I want a baby, I’m not sure if Trent even wants kids. Sometimes I hate that I let him drag me around this long and I might have missed my chance.

“You’re only thirty-six, Grace. Plus, Angie’s doin’ it.”

“And look how miserable she is,” I retort.

She shrugs. “Her first pregnancy was nothing like this one. It depends. But it’s not too late for you to have a baby if you want one. Look at where you are right now. You always have the ability to change. I think that’s the best part of life, you can make somethin’ happen if you want it bad enough. Trent thought all hope was lost, and look where you two are.”

“I hope so, Pres. I don’t want to lose him.”

She shifts forward and takes my hand in hers. “Then don’t let him go.”

I smile and nod. That’s exactly what I intend to solidify tonight.

Chapter 15

“Gracie?” Trent calls out from the living room.

“In here,” I yell to him.

After my talk with Presley, I had a good idea of what I needed to do. The first is to set some ground rules for this to work. I plan to be clear about what will fly this time around. I think with his very logical mind, this will be the best approach. I just have to resist his attempts at seduction. I’ve never thought about how much he uses sex against me. But when I sat back and looked at it with a bit of perspective, it was all there.

I’m unable to resist him. He knows how to please me, and he uses that to get out of these conversations.

Not this time.

Trent walks into the kitchen where I’m sitting at the table with my hands in front of me.

“Sorry that took longer than I expected. I thought you’d be in the bedroom,” he says with a grin as he strips out of his shirt.

“Sit,” I command. The smile he had fades. “Please.”

“Did something change while I was gone?”

“Not like that.” I try to be reassuring. “If this is going to work this time around, we have to talk first.”

“We can talk in the bedroom.” He raises a brow.

And here’s the flirting I’m susceptible to. I squash the tingling in my belly and focus on my task. Trent will not get me naked in his bed before we finish this talk. That is my goal. I must resist the five o’clock shadow, the way his blond hair is falling in his eyes, and the blue smoldering look he’s giving. I need to stop focusing on his arms and how the muscles are much bigger than I remember. I can’t think about that.

I have to stay on task.

“No bedroom, honey. We’ll talk right here.” I attempt to maintain my composure. But then he removes his undershirt and walks around to the seat next to me.

“Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“Us.”

“What about us?” Trent’s voice drops. “Because I’d like to do a lot more than talk, sweetheart. I went far too long without touching your skin when we were apart. And I’d like to fulfill the promise I made. I’m going to enjoy hearing you scream my name.”

I melt. My entire body becomes liquid, and I can’t help the shudder that wracks through me. Damn him and his mouth. That mouth that I know can do some pretty incredible things.

No, shut it down, Grace. Stay strong.

“Trent.” I shift in my seat. “We had sex the other day, and it led to a lot of issues. I’d like to avoid that this time, so no sex or anything close until we talk.”

“We’ll see.” There’s no mistaking the challenge we’ve both made. He’s going to make this talk incredibly difficult, and I’m going to end up naked on the table.

“I want us to move in together by the end of the month.”

“Done.”

He doesn’t blink. He just agreed? Is this a joke?

“I’m sorry,” I say in disbelief. “Are you agreeing?”

“Yes, we’ll move in together by the end of the month. What’s next?”