Chapter 14
Making the first move. Andie had heard the term often enough in life, but never had sheeverconsidered applying it to her own life. As in, actually being the first-move maker.
Yet as she looked into the pale blue sky overhead, listened to the birds chirping happily nearby, that very idea was going through her mind. A full week had passed since she and Trenton had attended The Homestead’s Friday night event. Now here they were, spending their seventh official date together. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Except for one tiny problem—Trenton still hadn’t kissed her yet.
What hehaddone is get to know her. A whole lot better than she ever imagined a man could, considering the circumstances. Even if she set the relocation issue aside, Andie hadn’t imagined letting someone into her heart and mind in such a way. Yet somehow Trenton had discovered parts of her she hadn’t really known herself.
In truth, it had been a gift. In her move to Haven Hills, Andie was certain she was losing herself forever. That she’d be forced to become someone new. But Trenton, without even knowing it, had prevented that. He’d helped her keep the parts that mattered most. Things that went beyond where she lived and who she’d dated. Beyond, even, the name she’d been called her whole life long.
But it was time to get things going in another direction.
A flock of birds burst into flight from a nearby tree. Andie felt those flapping wings in her chest. Or perhaps it was lower down, in her tummy. Yes. Because she was about to do what she’d been daring herself to do for days now: make the first move.
She shrugged onto her side where Trenton lay on the quilt, a hand tucked beneath his head. His eyes were closed, she realized, which made her wonder if he’d drifted to sleep. It was often they sat gazing up at the sky in quiet lulls between conversation, but neither of them had fallen asleep before.
“You awake?” she asked in a whisper.
“I sure am.” He reached his hand out to prove it, slipping his fingers through hers and switching to tuck his other arm beneath him. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
Did he really want to know? What if he was friend-zoning her? The thought was a gut-punch. One that nearly knocked the air right out of her lungs. But then, all of their playful, flirtatious moments flittered into her mind. The way he’d kissed her cheek when saying goodbye yesterday, his lips lingering very close to the corner of her lip.
“Andie?” he came again, lifting his head to eye her.
“I’m thinking about how incredible the last few days have been,” she admitted.
Trenton gulped. “Me too.”
A wave of relief poured in, giving her a fresh boost of encouragement. “I love the way we talk about…everything,” she added. And she’d meant it. They talked about everything that mattered, anyway.
Suddenly, Trenton sat straight up, the startled expression on his face making her heart skip. “Is this about your brothers?”
She tipped her head. “My brothers?”
“Emmitt and Richard confronted me.”
What?“Confronted you?”
“They warned me, in a sense, that if my intentions with you were anything but pure, that I should back off and let you be.”
Andie could barely get herself to breathe. It took a level of intention to suck air into her lungs as she considered that. “I can’t even imagine them doing that. I didn’t even think the two of themtalkedto one another, let alone…conspire to give my…”
“Your…what?”he said playfully.
“The guy I’m dating,” she decided, “some kind of weird warning. I’m embarrassed that they did that. And angry too. Why would they think that was necessary?”
Trenton cradled her hand and brought it to his lips. “What do you meanwhy?Because they care about you. And they want to protect you. If I had a sister, I’d do the same thing.”
“So,” she ventured, “what did you say?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to know. Would this be the moment he told her that he only wanted to be friends? The very thought—with Trenton sitting right in front of her—was razor sharp against her far too vulnerable heart.
Trenton’s posture went tense. She could feel it in his tightening grip on her hand. See it in the rigid set of his shoulders, and the gulp that slunk down his throat. “I said that I’d never want to hurt you, of course. And that I wanted to get to know you better.”
Those weren’t exactly romantic sentiments. Her pulse spiked as she considered asking him once and for all. She swallowed hard, wishing her mouth hadn’t gone so dry suddenly. “Like…” she dared herself to say, “…in afriendsort of way?”
Saying it felt like a full-on heart stab. Her lip even threatened to quiver, which was ridiculous. She hadn’t known Trenton for very long. But in the time she’d shared with him, Andie had really given herself to him. Really invested with the hopes of maybe gaining what that small family had with the baby and the toddler and the love floating around them like a magic spell.
Trenton’s eyes went wide for a blink, understanding seeming to wash through him. They narrowed then, his brow furrowing as a world of words swam in their depths.
She suddenly recalled the time Maverick split his head open, leaving a big open gash across his eyebrow. The nurse taped it together, a temporary fix before the stiches came.
