CHAPTER FOURTEEN
W hitney slept like the dead. With a full belly and a giddy heart, she expected to spend the night tossing and turning, but that was until Trevor texted. Chatting with him had been the cherry on the fabulous sundae that was the day, and her cheeks hurt from how much that man made her smile.
Yet as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light and counting sheep. Well, they weren’t sheep so much as dalmatians jumping over a fire truck. She was no dream expert, but she knew Trevor was to blame.
After waking up, she took a little extra time in the bathroom, fluffing her curls and putting on a full face of makeup. She had work in two hours, but, more importantly, she had breakfast with Trevor and Daisy. Their little morning routine was quickly becoming her favorite part of the day. Except for hungry kisses after dinner and sweet text messages ...
Inspecting herself in the mirror, she was pleasantly surprised at her reflection. The dark circles around her eyes were gone, replaced with a glint that made her look youthful and happy ... a far cry from the puffy face of earlier that month.
Whitney smeared on some foundation and blended it while she planned for her day. Work was exciting, as today she and Kim were shifting around the racks to make room for their new inventory. Kim had given her carte blanche on setting up the store, so long as the favorites of her regulars weren’t buried in the back of the shop.
Adding a swipe of blush, Whitney’s cheeks flushed even deeper as her thoughts strayed back to Trevor. He was the polar opposite of Baxter in every way, and she couldn’t keep him from her thoughts for long. Yes, he was attractive. It was hard not to be intrigued by his biceps and the little cleft in his chin. And don’t get her started on his mouth ... Lordy.
“Whitney?” Daisy called from outside the bathroom door. “You ready for coffee? I was going to start a pot.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be out in two shakes.”
“Make it three,” Daisy said with a chuckle. “I haven’t found the coffee filters yet.”
The other thing that Trevor had that Baxter and her previous exes didn’t was a welcoming inner circle. Daisy had quite literally opened her home to Whitney, but also was becoming a friend she couldn’t live without. Whitney had a good enough relationship with her own mother, but Daisy was different. Of course she gave motherly advice, but she was also welcoming beyond what was expected. And it was clear Trevor was devoted to Daisy, so much so she worried how he’d handle the Paul news.
Deciding it was better to caffeinate than ruminate, she pushed open the door and strode into the kitchen.
“Morning, sugar. I finally found the filters, coffee’s brewing, and I’ve got biscuits and gravy going.”
“So early?” Whitney marveled, helping herself to a mug and pouring two cups. She added the spoonful of sugar that Daisy liked before sliding her mug over to the stove. “What can I help with?”
Daisy shook her head, her hair already pinned back for the day. “Nothing at all. I pulled some biscuits from the freezer, and this gravy isn’t that complicated.” She sprinkled some flour into the frying pan, whisking until it melted into the waiting puddle of butter.
The smell brought Whitney right back to her childhood and making breakfast with Winnie and their Nana. The girls got more flour on the floor than into the pan, but the memories were cherished. Sitting here now, with a comforting cup of coffee and the company of a sweet-hearted woman, Whitney settled into that same feeling of contentment ... of being where she belonged.
“So, how was your night last night?” Daisy asked over her shoulder, pouring milk into the pan.
“You stole my question. When Trevor dropped me off, the house was quiet. I hadn’t realized you and Paul had a date.”
“I didn’t realize you had a date with Paul either, Momma,” Trevor said from the doorway, his jaw slack and eyes pinched. He wasn’t dressed for work, instead clad in shorts and a T-shirt featuring the logo of Pinegrove’s Fourth of July festivities.
“Trevor, I ...” Whitney said, covering her mouth as her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “Daisy and I were ...” She stammered, her tongue as heavy and dry as a cinder block.
Daisy slowly dusted her hands off on a towel before hanging it on a drawer handle. Her hands shook slightly, her lips pursed together. “Have a seat, son,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Whitney took a step back, eager to leave the fray. “I can ...” she started as Trevor said, “I’ll stand, Momma. I have a feeling this won’t take long.”
Daisy sighed, striding to the table where she plopped down and sipped her coffee. “Y’all better sit, because I’m only doing this once.”
Whitney covered her heart with her hand. “I really don’t need to intrude on a family discussion.”
Trevor stood ramrod straight, his shoulders bunched up at his ears. “I don’t know, darlin’. Looks like you’re already in the know. Might as well join the fun.” He kicked a chair out with his foot before sitting across from his mother.
Whitney gasped, unsure she even wanted to stay in this house another moment, let alone this room. This wasn’t the Trevor from last night. Gone were the easy grins and dimple popping in his chin. In its place was a sour expression and a glare that sliced through her faster than a warm knife through butter.
“Trevor Nicholas Mays,” Daisy spat, slapping her hand on the tabletop. “You use your manners, or you don’t get an explanation.”
“Sorry, Whitney,” he said, finally meeting her gaze. “I guess I expected biscuits and was served a dose of bull—”
“And minding your manners means watching your mouth,” Daisy added for good measure, raising an eyebrow at her son. “Whitney, will you join us, please?”
Whitney pulled out the furthest chair and lowered herself down, knees shaking at the effort of keeping her cool. This should be a private conversation between Daisy and Trevor, but she wasn’t about to cause more of a stir by leaving.
“So, you are dating Chief Warren,” Trevor stated, hands curled into fists on the table.
Daisy tucked a lock of hair into place before answering. “Yes. I’ve been seeing Paul for several weeks.” Trevor opened his mouth, but she held up a hand. “To be fair, Paul wanted to tell you right away, but I wasn’t ready. I felt like I needed to figure a few things out for myself before I spoke with you and Jessie.”
Trevor gestured to Whitney, who was slumped in her seat like she awaited execution. “But Whitney got the full story before I did. A stranger knew before your own son.” It was a statement, not a question. His choice of words hit their target, causing Whitney to flinch as Daisy rolled her eyes.
“Now, what did I just say about manners? Whitney is hardly a stranger, and she only knows because she was here when Paul arrived for dinner the other night. There was no use lying to her when I knew I would tell you.” She reached out for Trevor’s hands, but he pulled them back and rested his clenched fists on his lap.
Ignoring his mother’s explanation, Trevor went for blood. “And you thought dating Daddy’s best friend and my boss was a good idea?” The vein in his temple pulsed with the ticking clock on the wall, worrying Whitney as his complexion turned beet red.
“Young man, who I see socially is none of your concern.” Daisy was defiant, sipping from her coffee without shaking. “And I remind you, please show respect in my house.”
Trevor shoved a hand through his hair, pulling on the roots before exhaling. “I’m trying to understand how you could keep this secret from me. Why did you keep me in the dark? And how could you do this to Daddy’s memory?”
Daisy’s cool exterior melted as fast as an ice cream cone on an August afternoon. “Trevor, this is ridiculous. I loved your father more than anyone else God saw fit to give life, and I’ll be damned if my only son acts a fool in my kitchen.” She pushed back her chair and reached out for Whitney’s hand, pulling her to her feet as well. “I suggest you take your day off to cool down, and we can discuss this like adults when you’re ready.” Turning to Whitney, she ordered, “C’mon sugar. I’ll take you to Kim’s myself today.”
“You’re making a huge mistake, Momma. What do you even know about Chief Warren anymore? This isn’t high school.”
Daisy cocked her head. “Are you sure? Because I feel like I’m in the middle of a teenage meltdown.”
And with that, Daisy marched right outside with Whitney’s hand in her grasp. “I’m sorry to barge out, but I’m mad as a hatter,” she spat as she unlocked the passenger’s seat for Whitney.
Whitney, having left her purse inside, wasn’t sure if Daisy driving was a good idea or not. “Daisy, maybe I should drive?”
“Sugar, I’m not about to drive into traffic. Now, let’s roll.”
Whitney slid into the passenger’s seat and stared out the window at the house. Trevor stood in the doorway, hands shoved in his pockets. He looked simultaneously defeated and blameless. He didn’t look like her Trevor at all. Suddenly, Whitney feared she’d put more of her heart on the line than she realized. What was she thinking falling for a man she’d known less than the lifespan of a gallon of milk?
Ten minutes later, Daisy pulled up in front of Kim’s shop and killed the engine. “How about we walk up to the corner for some donuts and coffee? I cut our breakfast short.”
Whitney wasn’t really hungry anymore, so she shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but I might as well get inside and use the time to move some displays,” Whitney said, leaving out all the questions swirling around her brain.
Is this my fault?
What does this mean for Trevor and me?
Do I want this to mean anything?
Why don’t I just go back to Savannah?”
“It’s the least I can do,” Daisy replied on a sigh. “My son was a first-class moron this morning, and I didn’t mean to drag you away.”
“Trevor will come around,” Whitney urged, hoping her words rang true. She didn’t know enough about Trevor to know if that was accurate or not, but she saw the bond he shared with his mother, and it took more than one episode of immaturity to ruin that.
Daisy opened her door and reached out, taking hold of Whitney’s left hand. “He will. I want to apologize for dragging you into the middle of Mays family drama. I guess I should be lucky Jessie isn’t here now, as she’d likely team up with her brother on me.”
“You really don’t think she’d be happy for you?” Whitney asked, incredulous.
“What in the world are you two doing out here?” Kim interrupted the moment, sticking her head through the opening in Daisy’s door. Her glasses were blue today, making her eyes pop like a pair of sapphires.
Whitney got out of the car and walked around the hood. By the time she’d joined the other women, Daisy was hugging Kim. “Trevor found out about Paul, and he didn’t take it well.”
“It’s my fault!” Whitney blurted. “I should have kept my fat mouth shut.”
Kim raised her hand to interject. “First of all, you’re not fat. How many times do I need to repeat myself, young lady?”
“And second,” Daisy said, narrowing her eyes, “this is my fault for not being honest with my son. You have done nothing wrong, and I hope Trevor gets his fool head out of his ass and apologizes to you.”
“Me? Daisy, he should apologize to you,” Whitney insisted, shoulders slumped in defeat.
Kim craned her neck around them, taking in the growing crowd of Pinegrove’s lookie-loos. “Why don’t we continue our gripe session inside? The store is closed, and unless you want the whole free world hearing your issues, we better skedaddle.”
“Good Lord, that’s all I need.” Daisy huffed and led the way inside the shop.
A few folks looked familiar to Whitney, but she didn’t have the brain power to put faces with names.
Once they crossed the threshold, Kim flipped the lock and strode toward the office in the back. “Coffee’s on, and I need the full story.”
Daisy and Whitney took seats by the fitting rooms, flanked by a pair of naked mannequins. “Start at the beginning, and don’t leave anything out. My life is about as exciting as a box of hair these days.” Kim blew on her coffee mug, easing down onto a bench that split the fitting area into two halves.
Daisy nodded, taking her drink. “I’ll give you the abridged version, since you’re about to open and I need to pee.” Kim snorted at that, but didn’t interrupt.
After ten minutes of talking, Kim more or less had the full story. Whitney slurped from her mug, trying to keep her own warring emotions at bay.
“When did you know men to make any wise decisions?” Kim chastised, draining the last of her coffee before dropping her mug onto the floor with a thud.
“Never?” Whitney supplied, gathering the empty mugs and taking them to the kitchenette to rinse out.
Kim punched the air and sighed. “Exactly. I say you give that meathead son of yours a day to cool off, but then he needs to come correct.” Pointing to Whitney, she added, “To both of you. I heard about your low country boil date, and it sounds like our boy is smitten with you.”
Whitney’s cheeks flamed as she stumbled over her reply. “No, what? We’re ... we’re friends.”
Kim laughed. “Friends who suck face at restaurants.”
Daisy’s head whipped to Whitney, her jaw on the floor.
“I can explain,” Whitney spluttered.
“You don’t need to explain anything, sugar.” Daisy stood, closing the distance between them before wrapping her in a warm hug. “I knew you’d be special,” she whispered into Whitney’s ear. “Give him time. I won’t let Trevor muck this up because of my love life.”
But Daisy’s promise was a cold comfort. A tiny seed of doubt was planted in Whitney’s gut that morning, and she feared it would take more than platitudes to squash her fears. She knew Trevor wasn’t Baxter, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been hurt by his words, by his willingness to push her aside like a stranger.
There was also the sad reality that there really wasn’t anything permanent here for Whitney. Trevor could just be a summer fling, and would she really move away from her sister for a retail job? She could practically hear Winnie in her head screaming Your life is in Savannah.
“I better get ready to open,” she said, her eyes downcast. What she needed now was a distraction, any distraction.
The rest of her shift flew by in a blur of clearance tags and customer interactions. Whitney tried not to let it bother her that Trevor kept his distance all day. When Daisy’s truck pulled up to take her home after work, she hid her disappointment behind a smile. As she got ready for bed, with Daisy sitting beside her in the living room reading a romance book, she tried not to compare the fictional man in the story to the real flesh-and-blood man across town who was ghosting her.
Whitney had been ghosted already this summer, and she decided that it had been enough for her. If she didn’t see Trevor again, maybe it wasn’t meant to be.
After all, looking for love so soon after Baxter was a fool’s errand. Whitney needed to stick to what she knew was important, like her sister and her new friendships. Men were a dime a dozen, but women like Daisy and Kim were priceless. And no one could put a price on her sister.
Now, if only her heart could get the memo...
*
T his was not how his day was supposed to go. Trevor muttered a slew of obscenities as his car crested over the hill leaving Pinegrove. He’d planned to take Whitney out for lunch and help his mother with the loose floorboards on the deck, but instead he’d yelled at both women like a first-class tool.
The only problem? He was still mad as a hornet.
His boss and his mother. His mother was dating someone new ... and Whitney had known before him.
Had she known when they had their date at Carl’s?
Was she keeping secrets this whole time?
Was he destined to be with women who kept him in the dark?
Countless images of Virginia’s secrets flashed through his mind the longer he fumed in his car. Driving around the backroads usually lowered his blood pressure and put him at ease. Yet today, every mile he drove taunted him.
You chose the wrong girl, again.
Your momma has more of a love life than you do.
Chief Warren is dating Momma, and he wants you out of the station ...
Finally realizing he was emptying his gas tank for no good reason, he turned and went back home, eager to drown his sorrows in beer and whatever game was on TV. Yet as soon as he parked in the driveway, he saw two familiar faces that promised anything but a relaxing evening.
“Who pissed in your corn flakes?” Javi asked, pushing himself off the hood of his car. He was dressed in civilian clothes, his black hair swept back with too much hair product.
Smithy shrugged apologetically, but followed Javi and Trevor to the door. “Sorry to show up, but we wanted to check on you.”
Javi held up a hand. “Which is a good thing, since you look like shit. Spill it, man, what’s going on?” He gave Trevor a long scan, furrowing his brow.
Trevor debated how much honesty he wanted in this current situation. On one hand, it was no one’s business what was going on with his family. Yet the chief was involved, and that only muddied the emotional waters.
“Nothing I want to discuss with you two goobers,” Trevor spat, pushing past to get to his front door. When it was clear the two men weren’t going away, he sighed and held the door open.
“Such manners and class, man.” Javi scoffed as he strode to the couch and fell onto the cushions.
Trevor went to the fridge in search of liquid courage. He handed Javi a beer, even though that only encouraged them to stay. Javi cracked it open and downed half its contents in one pull. He let out a belch that peeled the paint off the walls, and asked, “So did Whitney dump you?”
“What?” Trevor asked, jaw on the floor. “What are you talking about?”
“This.” Javi swirled his finger around his own face and frowned. “You look terrible, and that usually only happens when you get dumped.”
“Or lose a promotion,” Smithy helpfully supplied from across the room. He was lucky Trevor was too wrung out to fight, because suddenly the lieutenant had a very punchable face.
Javi barked out a laugh. “Considering there aren’t any promotions to lose right now, I’m sticking with my Whitney theory.” He cocked his head and tapped his chin. “I also heard from a little birdie,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “That Ms. Daisy and Whitney looked upset this morning.”
Trevor was incredulous. “A little birdie?”
Smithy covered his smirk with his hand. “It’s Julia. They’re seeing each other, again.” Under his breath, he muttered, “Since you keep turning her down.”
Javi shoved Smithy playfully on the shoulder. “Fine, okay. I’m seeing Julia, kind of. But the point is, she was out getting donuts and walked past Kim’s Creations. She saw the ladies gabbing, and everyone looked upset.” He took another swig of his beer and pointed at Trevor. “My money is on you, since you’re pissed off and alone.”
Trevor ran a hand down his face. “Thanks for the reminder.” Right now he actually wanted to be alone, but judging from Smithy and Javi’s current state of comfort in his home, he was out of luck. Tossing his head back, he stared at the ceiling for inspiration. Finding nothing but cobwebs, he sighed. “I had a fight with Whitney and Momma, but I’m not going to talk about it with you.”
Smithy opened his mouth to respond, but Javi flapped a hand to stop him. “Is this about Chief and your mother dating?”
Trevor was incredulous. “No shit, man. I didn’t realize how serious it was until this morning.” He shot a look to Smithy, who looked like he wanted to crawl under the coffee table. “Did you know about it?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he grimaced. “Kind of? I mean, Chief talks about Ms. Daisy all the time, and I saw them at the ice cream shop last month. I kind of assumed you knew it was serious.”
“Yeah, and we all know what they say about assuming.”
“Why does it bother you so much anyway?” Javi asked, and the question knocked the wind from Trevor’s lungs.
“Um, it’s ...” but the words wouldn’t come. The yawning pit in his stomach proved Trevor had issues with this, but he’d also tried so hard to be on board with the changes. If his mother was happy, he needed to be as well.
Smithy cleared his throat, earning both men’s attention. “I know I don’t understand what it’s like to lose a parent yet, but you know Chief isn’t going to replace Nick. Your dad was amazing, and if your mom can find happiness again, what’s so bad about that?”
Trevor reached up and cupped his face, tugging on his ears to center himself. He had been a complete idiot, and his mother deserved better from her only son. “What do I do?” Always a man of action, Trevor struggled not to have a plan.
Javi drained his beer and went in search of another. Being a smart man, he returned with the rest of the six-pack. “You gotta fix it, Trev. Not just for your momma, but because girls like Whitney don’t come around often.”
Smithy looked down at his empty bottle and sighed. The somber expression was new for his buddy, who usually laughed at all of Javi’s jokes and took pride in his positive attitude. “You have to be careful, man. She could leave Pinegrove. Then you’re the loser waiting around with a broken heart.”
Javi nudged Smithy. “We’ll figure out your broken heart later, man. One crisis at a time.”
Smithy dipped his head, and mumbled, “Fine.”
Trevor knew he was in a state, because Smithy’s mention of Jessie breaking his heart barely registered. He was too focused on losing his girl. “Leave Pinegrove? Whitney isn’t leaving. She just got a job.”
Javi waffled his hand back and forth. “I mean, yeah. But, c’mon, she’s been here like a minute, and homegirl isn’t going to stay in your momma’s house if you burned your bridges.”
Trevor swallowed down the bile rising up his throat. Whitney couldn’t leave, she just couldn’t. He knew he’d mucked things up with his mother, but that could be fixed. He hadn’t known Whitney long enough to judge her reaction to his horrid behavior. After everything Baxter had done, would she be quick to forgive?
“I kind of feel bad coming over here and drinking your beer and making you sad,” Smithy lamented, opening the last beer and sliding it across the coffee table to Trevor. “Can we at least order a pizza?”
“And some chips or something.” Javi snapped his fingers and cheered. “Julia said that The Pecan Pit does DoorDash now.” He pulled his phone out and had greasy takeout delivered within the hour.
Even after watching the Braves game and eating their weight in pizza and French fries, Trevor didn’t feel better. His whole world had collapsed since Virginia left and the promotion fell through. The first time he’d felt like himself, like a better version of himself, was with Whitney. And what did he do? Treated her horribly and acted like a baby to his mother.
Javi popped the last fry in his mouth and crumpled up the bag, tossing it in the general direction of the trashcan. It landed three feet short, and Trevor had to stop himself from bolting up and putting it away. If there was ever a reboot of The Odd Couple , he and Javi would star in it.
“Yeah, I think I’m ready for our male bonding to end for the day.” Trevor stumbled to his feet.
Smithy, bless him, gathered the rest of their empty to-go boxes and tossed them on his way to the door. “C’mon, Javi. I’ll drive.” He clapped Trevor on the back, and said, “I hope this helped, but I’m sorry if all we did was give you indigestion.”
“It helped,” Trevor reluctantly agreed. It was nice of his buddies to check on him, even if it resulted in higher cholesterol and more concerns than solutions.
“Cheer up, Trev. If you botched it with Whitney, maybe I’ll finally get a chance.”
Trevor put Javi in a headlock until Smithy pulled the two men apart. “Javi, man. You just told us you’re seeing Julia.”
Javi smoothed his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair. “Pfft, casually. You know I don’t get serious.” Trevor shot him a murderous glare, which Javi took as his cue to exit. “We’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.”
And just like that, Trevor was alone with all his warring thoughts.
He debated calling Whitney right now, but he didn’t know the right thing to say. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he pulled out his cell phone and discovered that no one had bothered reaching out to him. He’d truly have to make the first move, with both of the women in his life. And for someone like Trevor, who used to be the king of confidence, he felt as inspired as a used tissue.
Sighing, he turned up the volume on the game and settled in for a night of baseball and self-loathing. Trevor needed to figure out his life, and fast.