Twenty-five
Trinity
M y tires crunch on the gravel as I pull up to Tarryn’s cottage. The car door shuts with a heavy thud, and Tarryn waves from the porch, her smile at odds with the storm brewing inside me.
“You’re back.” She holds up a cup of coffee. “You just missed Elise. She’s already out in the vines.”
I nod, my throat tight with words I can’t yet unleash about some woman calling herself Greyson’s fiancée.
She looks at me a moment, perhaps waiting for an explanation, but then she smiles brightly. “Come in! Let’s get you some coffee.” She ushers me into the warmth of her home.
She’s soon rambling about a new blend she’s trying as she scoops grounds into the coffeemaker, but my mind remains elsewhere, snagged on the image of Anita in Greyson’s kitchen. My curiosity, a gnawing creature in my belly, keeps me rooted here when every instinct screams at me to flee.
“Smells good,” I manage to say as the coffeemaker starts.
“Wait till you taste it!” Tarryn replies.
We wait in awkward silence until finally she hands me a mug, the steam curling up like a gentle question. Stay or go?
We carry our coffee over to the living room, where overstuffed couches and an array of colorful pillows beckon. This room definitely has a woman’s touch, the opposite of the stark, modern lines that men seem to be drawn to.
Tarryn again seems to be waiting politely for me to offer some reason for being here, but again, I dodge the direct approach. “Did you redecorate after Kingston moved out?” I ask, tracing the pattern on a throw pillow with my finger.
Tarryn laughs. “Oh, I did. Can you believe he had everything in leather, black, and ivory? Very contemporary, but not cozy at all. I prefer the lived-in look.”
I smile, despite the ache in my heart. “I do too.”
As I settle back into the soft cushions, the warmth from the coffee cup seeps into my palms. Maybe staying for a little while won’t be so bad. After all, there are questions that need answers, and for now, Tarryn seems like the only link to understanding what’s happening with Greyson—and with me.
Tarryn’s suggestion that Greyson would finance a redecoration at his place snaps my attention back to her. “Anita probably has other ideas,” I mutter.
“Anita?” Tarryn’s voice cracks like thin ice underfoot. “Is she coming back to town?”
I nod. “She showed up this morning. In his condo.” Bitterness coats my words. “She kicked me out.”
“She kicked you out?” Tarryn leans forward, her eyes wide, reflecting shock and something akin to fear.
“Yep.”
“Damn her,” Tarryn hisses, the curse sounding foreign on her usually cheerful lips. She shakes her head. “I can’t believe she had the nerve to come back. The whole family despises Anita Lowe. Not one of us could see what Greyson saw in her.” Her gaze sharpens, fixing on me. “He’s over her. I’m sure of it. What did he say when she appeared?”
“Nothing. He didn’t say much of anything. He told her it wasn’t a good time, but I didn’t stick around after that.” My voice is hollow, echoing the emptiness spreading through my chest.
“Greyson cares about you, Trinity. You know that, don’t you?” Tarryn’s conviction is palpable. “He was worried sick about leaving you alone last night when he had to work late after the boating accident. That’s why he wanted you with me. He wouldn’t have done that if you didn’t mean something to him.”
Her words are meant to comfort, but Greyson’s concern for me now feels like salt rubbed into the rawness left by Anita’s unexpected appearance. What’s worse, I can’t shake off the image of hurt in his eyes as I walked out, the same ones that had gazed at me with such warmth not long ago.
“Tarryn…” I start, my throat tight, but I trail off. If I want to know the backstory here, I need to ask Greyson, and I’m not ready to do that.
I stand, my limbs stiff. My heart aches, but I have to focus on what’s ahead. “Tarryn, I need to get back to Vancouver.” My voice trembles despite my efforts.
“Vancouver? Now? I thought you weren’t leaving until next week.” Tarryn’s brows knit together.
“Yeah.” I avoid her gaze, looking instead at the worn comfort of the overstuffed couches around us. “It’ll be a few weeks before Mom’s next appointment with the neurologist, and my boss is… Well, he’s not thrilled about how long I’ve been gone.”
“Can’t it wait?” Tarryn pleads, reaching out as if she could physically anchor me to Paradise. “Stay a little longer, please. Don’t leave with things like this.”
I shake my head. “The last part of my project at work is about to be deployed, and I need to be there for it.” I force a smile. “I’ll call you when I’m back in town to visit Mom, okay? ”
“Trinity…” Tarryn stands, closing the distance between us. “Don’t leave because of Anita. Stay in Paradise.”
“I wish I could,” I whisper, feeling the lie settle on my lips. The truth is, I need to escape. Paradise feels suffocating. Every corner reminds me of Greyson—his touch, his voice, the way he looked at me like I mattered. Leaving isn’t just about Anita. She’s just a wake-up call. I have to protect what’s left of me before I lose myself completely.
“Promise me you’ll call?”
“I promise,” I tell her.
Tarryn wraps her arms around me. “Trinity, listen to me,” she says, pulling back to meet my eyes. “You and Greyson…you’re meant to be together. We all see it. You’re good for each other.”
“Tarryn—” I protest, but she cuts me off.
“I mean it. Greyson loves you, which makes us sisters.”
Tears leak from my eyes as I shake my head. “I’ve always said it wouldn’t last forever. Anita is just a reminder that I’ve been here too long and it’s time to go.”
“Anita’s nothing but a ghost from his past,” she counters. “Don’t let her haunt your future with Greyson.”
Her words stir something within me, a flicker of warmth amid the chill of doubt. Even so, I know the road back to Vancouver is calling. After a quick stop to check on Mom, I need to be on my way.