Page 32 of As It Was (Strawberry Springs #1)

MOLLIE

Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch

Kerry Winsor

Look at my little Brussels sprouts! I need Strawberry Springs to have a fair so I can enter them!

Comments:

Atticus Thompson : Nice.

Kerry Winsor : Nice?! Do you know how much work I put into these? They’re more than nice!

Kerry Winsor : @everyone HELLO? LOOK AT MY HARD WORK!

I wasn’t surprised when I woke up alone. Cain was always up way before me, and though this was still early by my standards, I was sure he was already halfway through his morning routine.

I got out of bed slowly, feeling the pleasurable ache from everything that had happened the night before. I couldn’t wait to see him after Eric went to school, when we could talk about everything that we could be. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to date, but I was willing to consider it if he offered.

We meshed well, and when we didn’t, I stood up to him. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was nothing like what I’d had with Trevor.

Throwing clothes on, I went downstairs to start coffee. I was expecting to be alone, but I wasn’t.

The second I was by the coffee pot, papers were slapped onto the counter. I jumped and turned, only to see Cain glowering at me like he had been when I had talked to Lucas. His arms were crossed, and underneath his hat, his eyes were sharp.

No, this was worse .

“You okay?” I asked slowly. Did I piss him off in my sleep? Did he regret sleeping with me?

Neither of those were good options.

“Your final offer for the farm came in. Hand delivered by whoever the fuck you were talking to.” He shook his head. “And to think, I almost didn’t hate you.”

He stormed away before I could say anything, slamming the door behind him. My jaw was on the floor.

What the hell? An offer for the farm? I looked at the papers he’d left behind.

I saw a number way too high for the value of the land, written on the header of Trevor’s parents’ company. They’d listed it as the final offer based on my demands—like I’d fucking had any.

I flipped through, horror only growing as I saw their list of plans. Houses, houses, and more houses. I hadn’t even seen it in person, and I knew it was wrong.

And on the last page, I saw a note. One that made it all so much worse.

You know the right choice, Mollie. This is more than enough money. Say yes .

Had Trevor been the one to deliver these? Had he come here ?

My stomach roiled. I didn’t think he cared enough, but then again, his emails had become increasingly insistent.

I darted out the door after Cain. He was halfway across the field by the time I followed him.

“Cain!” I yelled, pushing my legs as fast as they would go. “Wait!”

I didn’t know if he would even bother. I wouldn’t if I were in his position.

But he stopped, and a minute later, I caught up.

“I don’t wanna hear your apologies,” he said slowly.

“I-it’s not that.” I struggled to catch my breath while he fully turned to me.

“What else could you possibly say? You looked me in the eye and pretended to care about this place while you were trying to sell it. I don’t even wanna look at you.”

“I wasn’t trying to?—”

“I saw the paperwork. It mentioned offers . It mentioned that you had demands . And I guess they met them.”

He turned to walk away. “Hey!” I grabbed his arm and dragged him back.

“Let me go.” His voice was barely controlled.

“No!” I snapped. “You need to at least hear my side of it before you make your call. Admittedly, I should have told you that I’d gotten emails about offers, but I thought ignoring them was enough!”

“According to the paperwork, you had demands.”

“It’s how Trevor negotiates,” I said. “He takes silence and makes it into something it isn’t. Cain, I’m not selling the land. He just wants me to.”

“Why?”

“I—” My mouth closed. I knew why. He wanted me to sever ties with this part of myself, to completely be what he wanted me to be. But try as I might, I couldn’t say it. “It was just a money thing.”

Cain let out a humorless laugh. “Somehow, I doubt that. I know how much this land is worth. That was double it.”

“He was trying to get a rise out of me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Sure. Whatever you say.” He turned to walk away again, but I heard him mutter, “This is why I don’t fucking do this.”

I grabbed his arm again. “Do what? Sleep with people?”

“No! This. ” He gestured between me and him. “Us. Getting close to people never fucking goes well for me.”

“It’s not going that poorly.”

“Really? I told you about my past last night, which involves one of the biggest screwups in my life. But you won’t do the same.”

“It’s not ... You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he replied, pulling his arm out of my grip. “At the end of the day, I care about you more than you do me. It’s why I told you what I did. One day I thought I’d get used to that sort of shit. Whether it be with Jackie or with Er—” He stopped himself. “But it never gets easier.”

“I ... care about you,” I managed to say.

“Sure. But this isn’t how it should work.

I might be shit at relationships, but I do know that it’s a two-way street.

You have a whole life you lived in Nashville that you’re telling me nothing about.

” He sighed. “And that’s your choice to make.

But if you’re asking me to trust you, to know you, then it’s gonna take a little more than promises. ”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t say it. Why I couldn’t tell him about Trevor. About the way I’d folded myself into him until I had been nothing. It wasn’t like I didn’t trust Cain .

But I couldn’t say it.

“All right,” he said. “I get it.”

“You have to know that I won’t betray you by selling the farm ... Right?” My words came out hoarse, nearly blocked by what I should have been saying.

“Yeah. I get it. You’re saying you won’t betray me.”

I wanted to feel relieved, but I knew this had fundamentally blown up whatever we’d had. “I won’t .”

“You want me to trust you. Sure. Just let me know when you’re ready to trust me .”

Cain walked away then, leaving me standing in a field to gape after him, regret burning my insides.

And then I thought about Trevor, and the regret turned to rage.

I walked back to the house and threw the offer in the garbage, right where it belonged. I had thought I was safe from him all the way out here in Strawberry Springs.

Apparently not.

I pulled out my phone and typed out a message.

Got your offer. The answer is no. Do not come here again.

Trevor

I drove three hours to deliver that to you, and you didn’t even consider it?

The only thing I considered is burning it. My answer is and always will be NO.

He said something else, but I blocked his number. I’d have to deal with him at work, but I was done dealing with him now.

I only got a moment to pour coffee before my phone rang. At first, I thought Trevor had somehow gotten through. Instead, it was Mom .

We hadn’t talked all that much, but I’d thought about her as I fell asleep. Usually we spoke every day, and this was the longest we’d gone without regular communication.

I was still mad, but maybe I could get some answers from her.

“Mom,” I said when I answered. “Were you a part of Trevor’s plan to offer way too much for the farmland?”

“Hello to you too,” she said. “And I knew he was offering more, but not the details.”

“He came here today to hand deliver it.”

“Aw!” she said. “That’s so romantic.”

I almost screamed. “He handed it to Cain . It caused a major issue.”

“Who cares? You won’t see him again after you sell it.”

“This is his job !”

“He could always find something else.”

“Mom, no . I’m not selling the farm. No matter how much money is offered.”

“He’s working so hard on this,” Mom defended. “He came all that way just to try and work with you. Doesn’t that make you feel something?”

I gritted my teeth. It made me want to shove him in a trash can. To hide him from Cain and everyone here. I didn’t want them to know what kind of man I’d almost married. I didn’t want them to know anything about me other than who I really was.

And then it hit me. I was embarrassed of him. Of Trevor.

“Hello? Are you there?”

“I don’t want Trevor coming here with any more offers. Actually, I don’t want any talk of selling the farm, or of me getting back together with him. It’s not happening. Ever.”

There was silence on the line. I’d never been this firm with Mom before, but it felt right .

“I don’t understand,” she said. “And I’m so worried about you, out there all alone.”

“I’m not alone.”

“You’re not with us. I haven’t seen you in weeks! I was just hoping you would be back in time for my birthday, and now you seem to be staying.”

Her birthday? I checked my calendar and cursed. That was in days , and I’d totally forgotten.

“I might not be back in town, but I can come visit.”

“But that’s a three-hour drive.”

“I can make it work,” I told her. “I can come for your party if you want me to.”

“Yes, please . It’s been too long. I need to see my baby girl. I need to see that you’re okay.”

My heart warmed. Despite being upset, it was nice to be reminded that she wanted time with me.

“Tell me all about the party,” I said. “I’ll be there.”

She told me every detail, down to what color scheme she was using. I listened intently, happy to hear her voice, happy to talk about anything other than Trevor or land selling.

“Now, what if you came a day early?” she asked, her voice hopeful. “We could see each other even more!”

“I have to work, unfortunately.”

“You could go to the office. Your dad would love that.”

I sure wouldn’t. “It’s fine,” I said. “I ... sometimes have to help with the animals, so I can’t leave for too long.”

“Help with the animals?” She scoffed. “Then why do you even have a farm manager?”

“It’s ... a deal we made. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be there for the party.”

She let out a long sigh. “I just wish?—”

“Mom,” I said gently. “I’ll be there. Can’t we just be excited for that? ”

“Yes, sorry. I can’t wait.”