I settled Brendan in his highchair and tossed a handful of cheerios on his tray while the rest of the Williams family slowly took their seats. The food was already on the table as Miranda brought a basket of freshly baked rolls out from the kitchen.
Being there almost every night for dinner, surrounded by a family who accepted me as their own, was something I looked forward to. Miranda and George had been like a second set of parents to me, stepping in to let me live with them during my senior year of high school and then again after I gave birth to Brendan.
A sudden jolt of awareness washed over me and settled in my gut.
Will this ever go away? How do I still sense him the minute he enters my space?
I glanced over my shoulder at him. His strides were long and quick, like he couldn’t get to me fast enough, but I knew better than that.
“Hey, Bella,” Rhett muttered, and for a brief second, his intense blue gaze landed on my lips before abruptly darting to Brendan. “Dude, did you grow overnight?” he teased while tickling Brendan’s belly.
My eyes drifted closed as I thought back to the summer after my junior year in high school. The day my dad told me he wanted to move us closer to Asheville, and even though the city was a short hour’s drive, it felt like my world was caving in. I sought Rhett for comfort that day. The memory of his hand cupping my face and his lips inches from mine was still strong in my mind.
The pain of what could have been stabbed at my heart.
Do not go there, Bella. Not now, not ever.
The weight of Rhett’s gaze pressed on me before I even opened my eyes. The intensity of his stare as he sat across from me caused me to look away. It was as if he knew what I was thinking.
Miranda broke the moment as she took her seat between us at the head of the table.
“How was your day, Rhett?” she asked with a chuckle. “I heard there was an entertaining incident on the dock today.” We all passed the dishes around to fill our plates as we talked.
Kyle, the oldest of the Williams siblings, spoke before Rhett could answer. “Oh, I’ve got to hear this one. Please, do tell.”
Kyle was attractive like the rest of his siblings, but a stark contrast to Rhett. Where Rhett had golden skin and dark hair from his dad, Kyle got his lighter skin and fair hair from his mother. None of the siblings seemed to share the same eye color, though. They all had different shades of blue, gray, or green.
Rhett rolled his eyes in frustration before answering. “I’m starting to wonder if I need to post a sign that saysdo not wear high heels on the docks.”
I laughed, picturing the woman getting her shoe caught between the boards. “Was this after my shift today?”
I waitressed part-time at The Dock, Rhett’s family’s restaurant, and I had seen tourists do some crazy things.
“Not long after you left,” Rhett’s youngest sister, Savannah, chimed in. Her short blond hair with the ends dyed purple stood out from where she sat at the other end of the table next to their father. “Thankfully, her husband caught her before she fell off the dock.” I bit back a chuckle when she rolled her eyes. “I had the pleasure of serving the high-heeled tourist and listening to her complain about how ‘rustic’ our establishment was,” Savannah continued, using air quotes.
“Mama, fuck!” Brendan squealed loudly while holding up his toy.
“TRR-uck.” I smiled at Brendan. Then turned to glare at Ashley, who was laughing hysterically becausemytwo-year-old son had unintentionally said the F-word. I gave her my bestbehave yourselfmom look. “Cut it out,” I hissed.
“Sorry.” She shrugged as her aquamarine eyes twinkled with mischief. “It’s the funniest thing I’ve gotten to witness all day.”
“Where’s Hattie?” I asked, ignoring Ashley. Noticing for the first time that Hattie, another one of Rhett’s sisters, wasn’t sitting in her usual spot at the table.
“Working on payroll.” Rhett’s hand cupped his chin, covering the dusting of stubble on his jaw. “But I think she mentioned having plans… maybe a date?” Something indiscernible flashed across his face.
“You didn’t get clarification or ask for details?” Kyle’s eyebrows arched in question.
“No, I was distracted,” he confessed and avoided meeting my eyes.
Hmm, I wonder what that’s about?
Savannah coughed into her fist and shot Rhett a mischievous look. “Yeah, screwing Sarah in your office must have been highly distracting.”
I felt like I barely knew him anymore, because the Rhett I knew wouldneverdo that. He was always the rule follower. I couldn’t see him acting so unprofessional. A stab of jealousy took me by surprise. It had been almost three years since we broke up, but I still couldn’t stand the thought of him with someone else.
“Damn you, Savannah.” His voice had a bit of an edge as he clenched his jaw, obviously trying to keep his composure. “We were just talking.”
“Enough, you two.” Their dad, George, slapped the table.