Chapter Eleven #3
She was still staring at the door Autry and Charlie had left through when Trey stepped up beside her and made a sound that sounded remarkably like a horse snorting.
“Don’t get any ideas about that guy,” he said in a warning tone. “He’s a world class player.”
Callie raised her brows. “That’s funny, because that’s what I figured about you.”
At that, he laughed. “Me? Why would you think that? Up until a few years ago I was a faithfully married man.”
She noticed he didn’t say he’d been a happily married man.
His ex must have really done a number on him.
They had that in common at least. “I saw the way women looked at you during our little tour of town yesterday. And you weren’t exactly discouraging them.
You had something charming to say to all of them. ”
He turned to her with a speculative gleam in his eyes, and Callie felt her heart speed up. “You think I’m charming, huh?”
With effort, Callie reminded herself that that this man wanted her gone.
He might have done the right thing by calling the police about the ghost pranks, but that didn’t alter the fact that he was hoping she’d run back to Cincinnati and let him buy the library from her.
He wasn’t her friend. And he certainly wasn’t boyfriend material.
“What I said,” she articulated in her best dealing-with-troublesome-patrons voice, “is that you had something charming to say to them. Which is not the same thing as saying you yourself are charming.”
“Semantics,” he said with a disappointed shake of his head. “I guess I should have expected something like that from a book nerd.”
“I never said I was anything else.”
Callie was determined to make herself clear before there was any misunderstanding between them.
“Look, Trey, you’re angry with me because your aunt left this place to me instead of you.
And I understand that. But you need to understand one thing about me.
I’m not a quitter. And I didn’t come down here just so I could turn around and run back home.
Somebody wants both of us gone and I’d like for us to work together to make sure they don’t get away with it. ”
As she spoke, he straightened his spine and she thought she noticed a glint of respect in his eyes.
But as fast as it appeared it was gone. Even so, he gave her an approving nod.
“I understand that now. And I am sorry about wanting you gone. I mean, would I be glad if you woke up tomorrow and told me you were ready to sell this place to me and go back to Ohio? Sure, I still love this place. But if you’re willing to let me stay and finish the renovations I’ve put a whole year of my life into, I’d appreciate it.
Though I would also appreciate it if you would pay me for them when I’m done. ”
Callie felt her body relax a bit at his words.
She’d been hoping for some kind of peace between them.
And she was sure he didn’t want to be at constant odds any more than she did.
“Good. And, of course, I’m willing to pay you for the work you’ve done here.
As long as you’re willing to take some suggestions from me about how we go about finishing the rest.”
At her words, he looked surprised, but not upset that she’d dare to make changes to Khaki’s library, for which she was relieved. “It’s yours now,” he said with a crooked smile that made him look even more appealing than usual. “You call the shots.”
“Thank you,” she said with a smile. Then, feeling as if they needed to start over, she offered him her hand. “Truce?”
He looked at her hand for a split second before extending his own, and once again she felt that jolt of attraction as his warm, callused hand engulfed her own long-fingered one.
“Truce.” His voice sounded deeper somehow, but he didn’t comment on whatever it was that ran between them. He just squeezed her hand a little before letting it go.
Their eyes met but just as quickly darted away when the sound of a text alert on Callie’s phone broke the spell.
She looked down at the screen and smiled.
“My storage container should be here in a couple of hours. Are you still sure you want to help me move my stuff in here? It’s not a lot but it’s at least enough to fill a one-bedroom apartment. That’s not insignificant.”
But Trey shook his head. “I don’t mind. And I’ll let Bobby and Charlie know. They’ll be glad to do it for beer and a couple of Cokes.”
“Oh, no, I’ll pay you,” Callie said with a frown. “I would have had to pay movers if you hadn’t offered.”
“Callie, I don’t know what you’re used to up in Cincinnati, but around here, we take care of our friends.” And the reassuring smile on Trey’s face seemed genuine.
She had to admit she hadn’t felt this kind of support for a long time. At least not since her college years, when it had been easier to make friends and to feel like part of a community.
“All right then,” she said, matching his grin with one of her own. “Thank you. I’ll just go make sure I’ve figured out where I want everything to go.”
And feeling much more optimistic about her sojourn on the island, she picked up Stella and headed for her room.