CHAPTER TWELVE
A s soon as Whitney stepped out into the warm June air, her nose was greeted to the smells of garlic, creole seasoning, and seafood. Her mouth watered as Trevor led the way to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant guaranteed to be heavenly. Fishing nets and twinkle lights hung over the entrance to Cajun Carl’s.
“You all right getting a small boil to share?” Trevor asked when they reached the counter. An old sandwich board menu swung overhead, but there were only a few things listed ...
Low Country Boil, small or embarrassingly large
Coke or Sweet Tea
“Yes, with a Coke, please.” She pulled her wallet out. This may be a date, but she wasn’t a charity case.
Trevor rested his hand over her wallet. “I asked you out, darlin’. It’s on me.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head. “Whitney, you’re killing my manhood in front of Cajun Carl himself.” He teased as a man who was nearly as wide as he was tall, clad in denim overalls closed the distance.
“Trevor, it’s good to see you, son.” The older man shuffled to the register and slid two glass bottles of Coke across the counter. “And who do we have here?” He held out a meaty hand for Whitney to shake.
Trevor rested his hand on the small of Whitney’s back, damn near singeing the fabric with his touch. “This, here, is Whitney Kerr from Savannah. She’s staying with Momma for a little while and helping out Miss Kim at the shop.”
Carl’s grin grew exponentially. “Well, any friend of Daisy and Trevor’s is a friend of mine.” He pumped her hand twice before letting go. “Y’all have a seat on the patio, and we’ll bring this right out.”
“Thank you. It’s nice meeting you.” Whitney continued to be charmed by Pinegrove and its quirky cast of characters. Trevor led the way to a corner table on the patio with a view of a small creek. The sun wasn’t quite done with the day, and she needed her sunglasses.
“I hope this is okay. Carl is a family friend, and the food is amazing. Truthfully, I haven’t been out here as much as I’d like these last few years.”
Whitney took a handful of napkins from the dispenser and handed a stack to Trevor. “How come? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Trevor tucked a few napkins into his collar and shrugged. “Honestly? Virginia hates food you have to work for.” He waggled his fingers in demonstration. “We came once—she complained there weren’t any salads. She whined that her manicure was ruined and she smelled like Old Bay. Then I lost patience and stopped coming.”
Striving to hide her dislike for Virginia, Whitney plastered on a smile. “Well, you’re in luck. Not only do I detest salads, unless they’re made with pasta or potatoes, but I love a good boil, and I plan on eating my share.” She shook her hands in front of her and giggled. “And I haven’t had a professional manicure since high school prom.”
“Good, I like a woman with an appetite.” Trevor’s statement was banal enough, but Whitney bristled. Her weight had always been a sore spot, and she didn’t want Trevor to think the way to her heart was food. Technically, it was, but she didn’t want him to see her as another chubby girl.
Her answering tightlipped smile knocked Trevor back in his seat. “Whitney, please don’t misunderstand what I mean. You’re gorgeous, and I’m simply happy to share a moment with you. I don’t care if you eat one potato or the whole damned boil, just be you.”
“Just be me?” She was incredulous. No man was this nice, not even those raised by her new favorite person, Daisy Mays. “If only it were that simple,” she mused, staring off into the setting sun. Sunglasses no longer needed, she shoved them up her head and sighed. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to project my body issues onto you.”
Trevor rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I won’t pretend to understand what it’s like being a woman in today’s society.” Clearing his throat, he pressed, “And I sure as shoot will not mansplain body image to you, rest assured. But I have a mom and sister, and I’ve seen my share of magazines and influencers spouting nonsense. I want you to have fun with me, whether you eat a lot or a little. I’m not judging, okay?”
Whitney didn’t want to bring up the past today, on their first official date, but it seemed unavoidable now that she opened Pandora’s Box. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Here’s the thing. We’re both coming into whatever this is with baggage, right?” Trevor nodded, but didn’t interrupt. “Baxter wasn’t always kind about my weight, to put it mildly. He’d take me to new fitness centers in town, hired a chef to make only these teeny tiny meals, and even bought me clothes two sizes too small for ‘something to work for,’” she said the last line with air quotes.
The vein in Trevor’s temple popped the more she described her ex. “I don’t mean to stop your story, but if I ever meet Baxter, I will beat him to a pulp for making you feel that way. What a complete asshole.”
Whitney flushed at his words and offered a sad smile. “Hopefully neither one of us will have to see him again, but thank you for the offer.”
Trevor sipped from his Coke. “I’m sensing there’s something else bothering you, but I don’t want to pry.”
Toying with the hem of her dress, Whitney’s eyes stayed locked on the fabric while she shared her final insecurity. “I’ve met Virginia.”
Trevor swallowed. “Did she say something unkind?” He leaned forward, fists flexing on the tabletop, ready for a fight.
“No, nothing like that. But I’ve seen her, Trevor. She’s lovely, a size 2, with glossy hair and perky breasts. If you loved her, then I wonder why you like me. I’m an hourglass shape with an extra forty-five minutes of sand.”
Trevor stood, walking around the table until he was at her side. Lowering to his knees, he pinched her chin until they were finally locking eyes. “I’m only going to say this once, and then we’re going to forget about Virginia and Baxter for this evening.” Whitney’s eyes shone, sensing this was going to be a moment. “Virginia might look fit for the cover of a magazine, but she’s not a lovely person. She cares about money more than people, and she treated me poorly and broke my trust. I know we’re only on our first official date, but, Whitney, trust me when I say you’re special. You’ve shown more kindness and compassion in the last week with the people I care about than Virginia did for nearly two years of dating. And in case you couldn’t tell from my ogling your chest, but your breasts are amazing, and that needs to be on public record. I happen to like your extra forty-five minutes.”
Whitney coughed and covered her face from embarrassment. “Trevor,” she admonished.
“Now, I know that’s a lot. I can sit here and flatter you all evening, but if you want to head out and try this again another time, that’s fine. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“You didn’t upset me,” Whitney said, her voice barely a whisper.
Trevor’s lips quirked up. He pulled a napkin from his collar and dabbed at her cheeks. “I’m sorry people can be cruel, especially the ones that should love us the most, but I promise I will never do anything to make you uncomfortable.” Shaking his head, he amended, “Well knowing me, I’ll muck up that promise. Tell you what, when I inevitably say something stupid, tell me. Breaking your heart will not sit right with me, darlin’.”
Taking the damp napkins from Trevor’s hand, she placed them on the table before cupping his handsome face in her hands. She didn’t know how he did it, but he’d managed to put her at ease and make her feel seen in a matter of days. No man before Trevor Mays made her feel this worthy of love, worthy of attention.
“I’m about to break one of my rules,” she said.
Trevor raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”
“I’m going to kiss you before the end of the night.”
Trevor met her in the middle, lips warm and inviting. She kept hold of his face as she melted into the kiss. He steadied her with his hands on her hips, fingers softly digging into her skin. Normally, the feel of someone touching her abundant hips brought her discomfort, but she trusted this man. She trusted her body with Trevor, and that thought pushed her forward into the unknown.
Their kiss was sweet, two souls testing the waters with someone new, but Whitney needed more. She angled her head so he deepened the kiss, and she moaned as his tongue slipped between her lips. He tasted like cinnamon gum and sin.
The sounds of a young family entering the patio jolted them back to the moment. “Mommy, can I sit on the blue chair?” A young boy asked, unknowingly popping their lust balloon.
Trevor pulled himself back to standing, running a hand down his face. “To be continued,” he warned as he leaned down and pecked her cheek. “As soon as we’re remotely alone.” His promise made her shiver, and Whitney thought she could die in this moment without regrets.
Carl approached with a bucket that smelled like Southern summers. “Here we are, folks,” he announced as he tipped the bucket onto the tabletop. “Eat hearty.” He nodded and left to take more orders.
Trevor picked up a plump shrimp, and Whitney picked up a chunk of andouille sausage. They smooshed them together and laughed. “Cheers,” Trevor said before ripping the shell off and eating the shrimp whole. Whitney plopped the sausage in her mouth and hummed in delight, ignoring the trail of juice that dribbled down her chin.
“I can see why you like to take dates here,” she mused, wiping her fingers after a particularly unruly piece of corn. “It’s very glamorous.” She framed her face to highlight her smeared makeup and buttery lip gloss. Unlike with the wings, she wore her dinner with pride.
Trevor’s smile fell as he swallowed. “I’ve never seen anything lovelier.” He reached out, swiping a spot of seasoning from the corner of her lips. Without breaking eye contact, he brought his thumb to his mouth and sucked it clean.
And it was officially a million degrees outside. Whitney’s cheeks flamed as a bead of sweat rolled down her neck. That was the single most erotic thing a man had done, and Trevor made it seem like no big deal. Yeah, she needed to kiss him again .
“Oh,” was all she mustered as he peeled another shrimp and popped it in his mouth.
“Oh indeed.” He smirked, taking a sip from his Coke. She watched his throat in fascination while he drank, her own mouth suddenly parched. Despite the mess of food they were eating, the cleft in his chin remained free of debris. She wanted to dive in head first and live there for a year or two.
They ate in companionable silence, occasionally commenting on the food and the weather. As far as dates went, it was already the best she’d ever experienced. Even if Trevor wasn’t a complete sweetheart, the food was tremendous and the mood was light. She trusted him, and she knew that was scary, but she didn’t care right now.
When the table was littered with shrimp shells and corn husks, Trevor leaned back in his seat and rubbed his belly. “That was amazing. I hope you enjoyed it.” The smile he gave her suggested he was talking about more than shrimp and potatoes.
“I did, Mr. Mays. Best date ever.”
Trevor pulled back his chair and rose, holding out a hand for Whitney. “Care for a quick little walk before I take you home? The paths around this place are gorgeous this time of year.”
Carl chose that moment to arrive with a sheet of paper. “I forgot to ask you, folks—did you want to hear our desserts of the day?”
Whitney shook her head, eager for something sweeter than banana pudding.
Trevor snatched her hand and pulled her to his side before draping his arm over her shoulder. “No, thanks, Carl.”
The older man winked and headed to another table. As they strolled through the patio and the parking lot, Trevor rested his head against hers. “I meant to ask, how was your first day on the job? Was Kim good to you?”
Whitney watched the sky overhead turn from deep blue to purple, listened as the insects came alive and sang their evening songs. “It was a great first day. Kim has things covered, but she needs more hands, you know? I’m lucky she’s giving me a chance, especially since I’m really liking my time in Pinegrove.”
“I hope that means you’re planning on sticking around,” he asked, nuzzling her neck as he peppered her with Cajun-scented kisses.
“You’re certainly presenting a good case for staying.” She hummed as her head fell back, exposing more of her neck for him to devour.
After the day she’d had, the thought of returning to Savannah was ridiculous, but there was still a part of Whitney that wondered if Pinegrove was too good to be true. A fun job with a nice boss who gave her permission to try new things felt like a pipe dream. Throw in this sexy fireman currently feasting on her, and Whitney didn’t know if she ever wanted to return to reality.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Trevor nibbled a path from her neck to her ear lobe. Suddenly her previous life was the last thing on her mind.
“Whitney,” Trevor gasped her name. “You’re going to need to set the pace, darlin’. Otherwise, my brothers in blue will arrest me for public indecency.”
Despite the warm air, goosebumps erupted all over her body the more Trevor touched her. Her skin tingled with want, and her belly coiled with desire. She had never felt this way with a man before, and it emboldened her.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Whitney gasped in between kisses. She pulled Trevor closer by his collar, savoring the feel of the starched fabric of his uniform in her grasp. Apparently, she was really into firefighter getups.
Trevor cupped the back of her neck to deepen the kiss. “I think you’re doing fine.” He sighed as he pulled back for air. “Lordy, Whitney. I’ve never behaved this way in public.” Resting his head on her forehead, his shoulders heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. “I’m manhandling you like a horny frat boy.”
The air between them was thick with expectation, but also the humidity of summer in Georgia. Whitney’s dress clung to her skin, but she wasn’t concerned with appearances at this moment. Under the twinkling lights and wrapped in Trevor’s arms, she felt simultaneously protected and on display.
“Does that mean we’re done kissing?” she teased, trailing a finger along his jaw and down his neck. Her finger paused, dipping into the cleft before disappearing beneath his collar. He shuddered and slammed their lips together, tasting her like she was his last meal. Guess not .
The same young family that shared the patio headed to their SUV across the lot, and the pair finally came up for air. “I won’t scar those children for life tonight,” Trevor wheezed. “Plus, I know their daddy, and he’d happily clean my clock if we carried on again in front of his kiddos.”
Whitney straightened her dress and nodded, even though she wanted more of her fireman. “That’s a situation I’m keen to avoid.”
“Then let’s take a little stroll to the creek.” He hitched his thumb over his shoulder.
Whitney wiggled a foot in the air. “As long as we’re not craw dadding.” She raised an eyebrow and Trevor laughed.
“No, darlin’. It’s just over there, and it’s so peaceful this time of day.” He gently pinched her elbow and steered Whitney a few hundred paces under a grove of trees. In the distance, she heard the din of the restaurant, but they were alone. “Here,” Trevor said, gesturing to a bench under a cluster of pine trees.
She gasped, covering her mouth as she eased down on the wooden seat. The creek bubbled and flowed in front of them, fireflies flickering around them. “This is like a scene from a Hallmark movie,” she mused, loving the feel of Trevor’s closeness as he settled in beside her.
“I like coming here sometimes. It’s a good place to think.”
“I bet it’s also a good place for dates.” She winked to soften the dig. “Not that I’m judging, because clearly we both have pasts.”
Trevor tapped his chin, his finger landing right on the divot. “I won’t lie, darlin’, I did take a girl or two here in high school, but I swear it was to enjoy nature.”
“Is that what the kids call it?” She turned to meet his gaze, the color of his eyes muted in the night sky.
“I can promise you, you’re the only woman I’ve brought here since then.” He held up a hand and made the Boy Scout salute.
Another piece of Whitney’s armor chipped away at his admission, because she believed him. She sensed Trevor was very intentional about what he did and didn’t do with people. It made her like him more. He kept giving her reasons to stay, to let him in.
“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s very special.” She closed the distance, pecking his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder.
They sat like that, listening to the bugs and the water until her eyes grew heavy. A tiny yawn escaped, a sign of her long—yet delightful—day.
Trevor smoothed back her hair, letting his fingers trail back down her neck. “You must be exhausted. I’ll take you home.”
Home. It had only been a matter of days, but Pinegrove felt like home to Whitney. Thinking back to Savannah, she couldn’t reflect on anything she missed—beyond her romance book collection. There were no close friends, no job that fulfilled her, not even untainted memories from before Baxter. The only thing waiting for her was Winnie, but that wasn’t entirely true. Winnie was traveling. Winnie had a career. Winnie had a life. Maybe it was time for Whitney to follow her lead?
Reaching out, she held Trevor’s hand, including on their whole drive back to Daisy’s house. He pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. The lights were off inside and the house was quiet, save for Gus’s barking. He knew they were outside and apparently natured called.
“I guess we should let Gus out,” Trevor said, unbuckling his seatbelt.
Whitney pulled out her phone and chuckled. “Your momma texted. Apparently, she heard we were out on a date and thought she’d give us some space.”
“Real subtle, Momma. Like I’m going to have my way with you in my childhood home.” His eyes darkened as he pinned her against the front door. “Unless you want me to.” He winked and pulled back before they started something.
Gus pushed through the gap in the door and promptly relieved himself on the lawn. Done with his business, he flopped onto his back and presented his belly for rubs. “Oh, poor Gussy, have I been ignoring you?” Whitney cooed as she tickled the hound dog.
“I’m getting a little jealous here,” Trevor teased, holding the door open for the three of them to escape the humidity.
Whitney walked into the living room, but Trevor didn’t follow. “You’re not coming inside?”
He rubbed his eyes and muttered something to himself before striding over and pulling her into an embrace. He kissed her temple before stepping back. “Not tonight. You had a big day and deserve a moment’s peace before Momma’s back and peppering you with questions.” He exhaled. “But please don’t think it means I don’t want to stay. You’re like one of the prized caramel apples at the fireworks festival, Whitney.”
She wrinkled her nose in confusion. “I am?”
“Yes, darlin’. You’re best savored and appreciated in time.” He kissed her chastely before rubbing Gus’s head and stepping out into the night. “I’ll swing by for breakfast on my way to work.”
Whitney nodded. “I’d like that. Thanks for tonight, Trevor. It was really nice.”
“It was amazing,” he agreed, walking backward to his car. “Sleep tight.”
She watched him pull away and disappear down the street. Closing the door, she plopped onto the couch and draped her arm over her eyes. Gus sauntered over and climbed up into her lap, barking once until she gave him her attention. “It’s bad, Gussy boy,” she mused, rubbing the soft spot behind his ears. “That Trevor might steal my heart if I let him.”
She knew that wasn’t true though, because he already had.