Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Wes
Don’t Hate the Player
If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that he couldn’t let Shelby go.
This woman had him wrapped around her little finger and he couldn’t figure out how.
It wasn’t just the amazing sex, he wanted to know what she was thinking, how she wrote such page-turning stories, why she left Sandy Point, where she saw herself in ten years, did she want kids, and if she wanted to know him more.
Was this what his brothers were talking about when they said ‘when you met the right person you just know’?
After they had sex against the wall in her new house, he convinced her to let him stay and make them grilled cheese sandwiches. Now she sat on the island with no pants on watching him flip their sandwiches.
“I wasn’t hungry until you mentioned food, and now I think you may need to make a third one.”
He placed both the sandwiches on the same plate and cut them in triangles then brought them over to her.
“I’ll make as many as you want, but you have to share.”
She picked up a triangle and waited for him to do the same then tapped hers against his. “Cheers,” he said. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were bright. The sadness that had enveloped her after her family left was gone.
She blew on her half before taking a big bite then moaned. “You are officially the best grilled-cheese maker I know.”
“I take a lot of pride in them. I’d say I perfected the recipe but that would be a lie.”
“Oh who taught the gorgeous Wesley Hart to make the perfect grilled cheese? I won’t even be mad at her.”
He smiled. It was his turn to feel a little sad. “My mom—she was an amazing cook and a patient teacher. I only picked up a few recipes, but my brother Levi is the true chef like her.”
She ran her hand up and down his bare arm. He was facing her and their faces were only about a foot apart. He knew she could see all the emotions he was feeling.
“You were lucky to have such an amazing mom, even if it wasn’t for forever.”
“I know, or I figured that out in time.” He kissed her before taking a bite too.
“I can’t recall a single time my mom ever cooked anything for me. I’m not sure she even knows how.”
He nodded. “Are you closer with her than your dad?”
“You noticed that huh?”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
“I didn’t even realize how differently he treated me until my ninth birthday.
All the kids in my class were having these big elaborate birthday parties.
But I just wanted to go horseback riding with a few friends, make smores.
Instead, my dad insisted on this absurd miniature pony themed birthday.
And I was pouting because they weren’t real horses.
I wouldn’t wear the fluffy party dress; I wanted to wear my riding outfit.
My dad yelled at me and said he would sell my horse if I didn’t put on the dress and smile.
I was going to be in trouble if I didn’t at least pretend to have fun in front of his friends. ”
“That’s terrible.” Wes rubbed her leg knowing his parents went out of their way to make every birthday special and would never have treated him or his brothers like props.
“So I put on my dress, and when no one was looking I let the ponies out of the pen they were in. There were fifteen wild mini ponies in our backyard, pooping all over, eating the cake—it was amazing.”
“Did you have fun?” Wes said with a big smile, like he was proud of her rebellion.
“Yes, but he sold my horse just as he promised. Cancelled my riding lessons.”
“Damn, I really didn’t like your dad before that story, but now…”
“Guess who bought my horse back?”
“Pops.”
Her eyes misted over but she smiled as she looked out the kitchen window as if she could see it all clearly like it was yesterday.
“He bought Tink back, and had a pen built for her, a barn, and several other horses here on his land so I could see them whenever I wanted. My dad didn’t even find out about it for years because he rarely saw Pops.”
“Pops was a great man, and I’m sorry about your dad.”
“I think my mom tried to stick up for me when I was little, but she gave up at some point. My dad always said he never wanted a girl, but to be fair he was never very interested in my brother either. We had nannies, staff, and were more like accessories for them. Not everyone is cut out to be parents, that’s for sure. ” She shrugged.
“Does that mean you don’t plan on having children?” He knew it was a big question to ask the woman he’d only met a week ago. But he had to know what she would say.
She set down the last bite of her sandwich and brushed her hands together to get rid of the crumbs.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t spent much time around any kids, but they seem like a lot of work. I definitely wouldn’t want to have them just to have staff to raise them.”
He leaned against the kitchen counter next to her. “How did you start writing books for middle-grade kids?”
Now a big smile lit up her face. “I learned the love of reading that summer Pops got all the horses. I would ride my bike here after school, help with the horses, then have lunch with Pops and we would sit in his library together. He’d tell me stories about his adventures as a young boy on his first boat.
Then how he started his boating business.
He invested everything he had into one beautiful sailboat and started with charters and expanded from there. ”
“So the main character in your series, that’s Pops?”
She smiled. “Basically, with some creative liberties.”
“You’re lucky you found your calling at such a young age.”
“I guess I am, although I didn’t know it at the time. When I left home for college, I had to waitress for years, because I didn’t want to accept a dime of my father’s money. I had the student loans to prove it.”
“And then your books struck gold for you?”
“Yep, I always knew I could ask Pops for help if I needed it. But I was pretty stubborn about it. I think that might be why he left me everything. He knew I spent time with him because I loved him, I wanted to learn from him.” Her voice pitched as a rush of emotion caught up to her. “I needed to make my own way.”
Wes moved to stand between her knees and pulled her in for a big hug.
“He respected your independence. I’m sorry he’s gone.”
She nodded and buried her face in his neck, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I can’t stay here, in Sandy Point, in Pops’s house.”
His stomach clenched. “Because of your family?”
“In Atlanta there’s no family feud. I’m not the outcast, or the black sheep, or unwanted. There’s no hostility or town gossip about the girl whose family can’t stand her. I’m just me; I blend in. You know?”
“Or do you mean you can hide?”
She reared back.
“In a big city you’re just one of the many. But here you’re a Shepherd, you’re Pops’s granddaughter, and people recognize your family name. But you’ve never been Shelby the author, or my girlfriend. Maybe you could be a different version of yourself now. The real you.”
“Girlfriend?”
He slowly cupped her jaw in one hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip.
“I’ve agreed to sneak around and keep it quiet because you wanted me to, but I would much rather just claim you. Who cares what your family thinks? They have no hold on you.”
“But they’ll lump you in with me and go against you for sheriff.”
“So let them—they already don’t support me for sheriff. But honestly I’m not sure I want to be sheriff. I fell into this job after my folks died.”
“What else would you do?”
“I’m not sure.”
“So we’re both at a crossroads, not exactly the best time to start a relationship.”
He laughed. “No we didn’t start off on the best foot, did we? But there is something between us—you have to admit you feel it.”
She nodded. “Of course I feel it. I’m still processing the fact that my high school crush is half naked in my grandparents’ house, and I think he just said he has feelings for me.”
“I do have feelings for you.”
She didn’t meet his eyes. “I’m not staying, Wes. I can’t.”
“Okay.”
He decided he didn’t want to risk pushing her away or lose this moment, so instead he kissed her.
And they ended up exploring each other’s bodies, in the kitchen, the shower, and finally her bed.
When Wes woke up at dawn the bed was empty.
After he got dressed he found her sitting in Pops’s library typing away on her laptop and couldn’t help but smile.
She must have found her muse again if she was up early writing.
He snuck by and made a half pot of coffee, then brought her a mugful.
“I’m sorry to interrupt all that ferocious typing, but I have to go to work.”
She pushed her glasses up on her head and accepted the coffee.
“I had this vivid dream last night and had to get it all out.”
“You found your next book?”
“I think so.” She took a big sip of the coffee but couldn’t hide her smile.
“Good, I’ll see you this evening. Make sure you eat before then.”
“No promises,” she said, then stood and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss, and he smiled into her lips.
“Thank you for staying with me last night.”
“Thank you for letting me.”
He kissed again before she returned to her chair at the desk that sat in a window facing the yard and the water in the distance.
As he walked out to his truck, he knew he was in big trouble, because he wanted Shelby more than he’d ever wanted anyone. He needed to figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life, or he wouldn’t have anything to offer her.