Chapter Ten
Brady walks through the front door of my parents’ house armed with bags of groceries. Despite the danger of flying foodstuffs, I throw my arms around his neck and pull him down into a kiss.
“What have we here?” I eye the bags as we walk to the kitchen.
“I’m making my famous firehouse lasagna.” He sets the bags on the counter and brings me into a bear hug that makes me feel adored. “Are we alone?”
“Nope,” Mom calls from the back room. “I’m here.”
Brady’s cheeks go red.
“And we love lasagna,” Mom finishes.
We giggle like teenagers, and he goes back to say hi to Mom.
I get a front-row ticket to the Brady Wilkinson Cooking Show. He tells me about the different dishes he makes at the firehouse while he preps the meat and the noodles.
“You’re going to feed Mom and Dad for a week,” I say when he puts the enormous pan of lasagna in the oven.
“I only know the recipe for feeding the whole firehouse.” He shuts the oven. “Maybe Lara will make her famous garlic bread when she gets back, and we can have the leftovers.”
I feel myself breaking into a smile. “She’d love that.”
He sets his watch with the cooking time, and we summon the world’s naughtiest golden retrievers, Def Leppard and Motley Crüe, for an evening walk. We talk about my parents and their curling club, and I ask about his.
“They know what they like. They’re up early, hitting the golf course or the tennis courts.
Cocktail hour starts at five, and they’re asleep by nine.
” He picks up a stick and heaves it into the woods.
Only a baseball player could send a stick that far.
Delighted by the challenge, Def and Motley take off.
“I told Mom and Dad about you and Lara. They hate that you’re dealing with the fires at the retreat.”
“Oh.” I find myself uncomfortable that he told his parents about me, which is strange considering how much time he's spent with mine. Hell, he’s making dinner for them tonight.
But that’s circumstantial. My parents are part of my everyday life, even when I’m not living in their house. “Then they know we’re friends?”
“I told them we were seeing each other.” Def on one end of the stick and Motley on the other drop it at Brady’s feet. He throws again. This time I don't even hear it land in the woods. “Is that okay?”
“It’s okay that you told them. But don’t you think you gave them the wrong impression?” I ask quietly. “The school year just began. I can take Lara out more easily now than I can in a few months. If we’re moving back to California, it’s going to be soon.”
“You don’t think we can see each other long distance?”
I shake my head. “I’ve loved every minute with you this past week. I don’t think I could’ve made it through having Lara away and the arsons hanging over me without your friendship.”
“Sammy, this isn’t a friendship.”
I have to be blunt. I don’t want to lead him on, and I don’t want to fool myself. Brady is deep into his life in Whispering Pines, and if I start my retreat in California, I’m not coming back. “We’ve got a friendship with benefits situation. We’re physically involved, but friends.”
He puffs up his cheeks and exhales slowly. “If you stay in Whispering Pines, would you think about us becoming more than friends?”
“I haven’t really thought about it. But I guess I would, if that's what you want.”
“Good,” he says and lets out a long breath.
I’m surprised he’s that interested in me.
Our sex is good. It’s the best I’ve ever had.
But a good sex partner doesn’t make a good life partner.
I see him with someone younger, someone more na?ve and open.
Not someone worn out from years of navigating her husband’s betrayal while taking care of a toddler and running her own business.
If I stay, would I feel guilty being coupled with Brady when there was a better woman out there for him?
That’s not a today-problem.
The dogs drop the stick at my feet. “I think you wore them out.” I toss the stick about five feet.
“You want some throwing pointers?” he asks, the familiar tease back in his voice.
“From Whispering Pines’ star baseball player? You bet I—”
“Sammy.” My name rings out behind us. Cousin Tabitha runs down the road. “I saw you guys out with the dogs.”
“You have to see Brady throw.” I wrap my arm around Brady’s waist. “He’s got a baseball throw.” I nestle against his sturdy body and feel myself sink into a place of safety and adoration. God, am I making a huge mistake by setting boundaries between us?
“Ollie would love to see a baseball throw.” Tabitha gets a little color on her cheeks when she says her boyfriend’s name.
“How’s he doing?” Brady asks.
“He was back at work yesterday,” she says proudly, then frowns. “I was going to come by later to tell you.” She sighs like the bad news is coming. “I heard some things. Well, I heard from Misty who heard from her sister who’s best friends with Daphne….”
“Jake’s wife, Daphne?” Brady asks.
Tabitha nods. “That’s the one. Daphne says she’s heard other people saying you're the one responsible for the fires at the retreat. That you’re trying to get the insurance money so you can leave Whispering Pines again because you never liked it here in the first place.”
I stare at her in disbelief. Daphne, of all people, is gossiping about me?
Telling everyone I’m involved in insurance fraud because I want to get out of town again.
Even if she didn’t start the rumor, she’s repeating it.
She should’ve come straight to me and told me.
Instead, she’s talking about it so much that Tabitha heard though Misty and her sister.
Daphne likes me. She’s been the warmest to me since I returned.
What about the people who don't like me? What are they saying?
Whispering Pines will never get over my seventeen-year-old self telling everyone I hated it here and wanted to leave and never return. I don't get a pass for being young and semi-stupid.
I’m back because I appreciate a lot of what this town has to offer me and my daughter. I don’t think I’m “too good for Whispering Pines.”
But that’s what they’ve decided. Well, fuck them.
Tabitha’s eyes fill with tears. “I can’t believe she’d talk about you. You’re the best mom and the best cousin I know. Seriously, forget them.”
“Tabitha, it’s okay.” I give her a consoling hug, still incredulous this kind of gossip exists and Daphne was the one spreading it.
But that’s how small towns keep people in their place. Everyone gossips, and everyone eventually gets a taste of their own medicine.
Brady pulls out his phone. “Excuse me.”
He walks ahead with the phone pressed to his ear. The dogs follow with a stick between them. “What’s going on, Jake? I heard Daphne was saying things about Sammy.”
Tabitha and I stand, staring.
“He doesn’t have to….” My throat gets thick with emotion. “I can defend myself.”
“It’s sweet.” Tabitha has the gooiest expression on her face.
Brady turns back to us and tucks the phone in his pocket. “Jake’s going to have a word with Daphne. She’ll set the record straight.”
I bite my lip. There’s no point in snapping at him that I can take care of myself.
He’s being Brady, taking care of business and doing what he does best, being the hero. As long as I’m here, I’ll take it. The comfort, the sex, the laughs, and the lasagna.
I should take advantage while it’s available, because I can’t see staying in Whispering Pines.
They don’t want me.
I don’t want them.
I’ll go back to California and find a way to live with an overbearing, egomaniacal ex-husband and one less best friend who I’ll have to deal with anyway.
This fucking sucks.
For now, I’ve got Brady. “Thanks for calling Jake.”
“Anytime.” He holds out his hand. I weave my fingers through his, and we walk toward home. I half-listen to Brady and Tabitha joke about the insane amount of lasagna baking in the oven.
Lara will be home in less than forty-eight hours. Then I’ll start prepping her and Mom and Dad for our return to California. It was a mistake coming here, and it’s time to correct that mistake.