Page 37 of As It Was (Strawberry Springs #1)

“Yeah. I just have a lot to think about.” I could tell she wanted to know more, but I walked to their expansive dining room, where everyone had gathered.

Dad and Trevor had the cake, and they called for her to join.

As everyone sang happy birthday, I considered my options.

I watched everyone Mom knew. I watched the way Trevor acted so nicely to her by clapping and hugging her after.

And I realized I didn’t like most of these people.

I was going to leave at the end of the night. And go home. To the farm. To Cain.

I grabbed one slice of cake and nibbled at it in the corner. As time went on, the decision only felt more right.

As the first guests left for the night, I figured it was my turn. I’d brought my laptop, so I grabbed it out of my car, taking it to my dad’s office. After leaving it on the desk, I walked back outside.

“Mollie!” a voice called after me. “Did your dad not talk to you?”

I paused and turned toward Trevor.

“He did. I’ve made my choice.”

“You’re throwing it all away,” he said incredulously. “Everything you have here.”

“I have things back in Strawberry Springs.”

“What, like that guy you live with? You’re a fool.”

The words hit me hard. I did feel like a fool.

But only when I thought about how much time I’d wasted with him.

“Or maybe I’m taking control of my life. Which obviously pisses you off.”

“Only because you don’t know what to do with your life.”

“And you do?”

“Yes. I do.” He took a step closer, and I took one back. “I saw the finances for that farm. You’ll barely have enough to live off of. You’ll be in the middle of nowhere, and I’m not gonna come back for you. ”

“I’m fine with all of that. In case I haven’t made it clear, I don’t want you in any capacity.”

“Fine,” he said. “But you’re also leaving your parents behind. They’ve been a mess without you. I’ve been picking up the pieces.”

My heart ached, and he knew it.

“I sincerely doubt they’ll talk to you after this,” he said as he stepped far too close. “You don’t know the things they’ve confided in me, the worry they have that you’re destroying your life. And you’re proving them right.”

This was the real ultimatum, and I knew it. The job wasn’t enough, so he was bringing my parents into this.

“Walk away, and you’ll lose everything,” he warned.

“I lose everything if I stay,” I replied.

“Not from my perspective.”

I gritted my teeth. That wasn’t the answer I needed, but I’d never once had a conversation with Trevor where he hadn’t told me he was right.

“Then I’ll do what feels right,” I said. “I’m going home .”

“I’ll make sure they never talk to you again, Mollie! Do you understand me?” He was screaming at me, which was my cue to leave.

I blinked back tears as I stormed to my car and drove away. I didn’t know if he really could convince my parents not to talk to me or if he was talking out of his ass.

My hands shook as I drove; I was in no place to deal with the traffic of Nashville. I needed to leave, but I also needed to calm down.

The second the car was in park, the tears started. Trevor had shaken me in ways I hadn’t known he could. What Dad had given me felt heavy in my pocket. I fished out Trevor’s stupid ring and regretted that I hadn’t shoved it up his ass where it belonged .

Then again, he had been too busy threatening me. I bet he wouldn’t have even taken it back.

What if Trevor did have the kind of power to make my parents leave me?

Should I go back? Did I want to lose my parents over my happiness?

I was torn. So torn that I didn’t know what to do.

Then my phone rang.

It wasn’t Mom or Dad. It was Cain.

I answered the second I saw his name.

“Mollie.” His deep voice interrupted the second ring, and I let out a breath, snapped out of my contemplation. I threw the ring in my glove compartment, unable to look at it anymore. “Where are you right now?”

“A gas station in Nashville.”

“Are you okay?”

“No,” I muttered. “Not really.”

“I just saw your text. Trevor was there.”

“Y-yeah. And it was bad.”

“Which gas station?”

“Does it matter?”

“Princess.” His voice was firm. “Please tell me which gas station.”

I read off the name and what street I was on, confused, but needing to hear his voice.

“Thank you,” he said. He took a second before he spoke again. “What happened?”

“It started out fine. Well, mostly fine. Trevor was an ass from the second I arrived, but then when I saw Mom, she was so happy to see me.”

“But it got worse?”

“Dad made me choose. I either stay in Nashville or go back to Strawberry Springs and lose my job. ”

“ What? ”

“He said Trevor convinced him I needed an ultimatum. I thought I was free of him, but now he’s going after my parents . And Dad believes him.” My voice went high as emotions hit me again. I leaned against my steering wheel, hoping no one pulled in next to me to witness my meltdown.

He was quiet for a second, but then finally spoke. “Do they know?”

“No,” I managed to get out. “B-because I still can’t fucking talk about it. What if they don’t believe me, Cain?”

“Baby, they will.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then you’ll have me. You’ll always have me.”

Headlights pulled up next to me and I tensed. The last thing I needed was a random person asking if I was okay. I didn’t want anyone to see me.

I wished I was home in the fields. Those were far more private.

A shadow approached the car, and I knew I had to tell them I was fine and to leave me alone. However, when I turned to do just that, I didn’t see a stranger.

I saw Cain.

He had his ball cap on. His phone to his ear. He slowly pulled it down and ended the call.

My jaw fell open and I rolled the window down. “What the?—”

“Hey, princess.” He leaned forward on the side of the car.

“You’re . . . you came . . . here?”

“You might have needed me. So here I am.”

“But Nashville is three hours away.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I asked Jackie to watch Eric the second you left. You seemed really torn up about this ex. If you didn’t need me, then it would have just been a drive to clear my head. But if you did ... I’d be here.”

I could only stare at him.

Tears gathered in my eyes again.

“That bad, huh?”

“No. I mean, yes. God, you ... thank you .”

“I’ve seen what happens when someone faces a man like Trevor alone. Never again will I let that happen.”

“So I do have you,” I said, leaning out of the window to bury my face in the crook of his neck. Even with all the chaos of the city, being near him still made me feel safe. Cain’s hand curled around the side of my head, fingers running through my hair.

“Always,” he replied.

I sniffed as I pulled away. My life was a mess, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t mess his up either.

“It’s getting late,” I said. “I imagine you wanna head back.”

“I’m actually under strict orders from Jackie to at least take you out to dinner. The punishment is pretty severe.”

“That’s sweet, but you can’t want to stay in Nashville longer than you have to.”

“I may not like the city, but we’re here. You have to know somewhere good to eat, and I have a feeling you’re hungry. Unless the shit birthday party fed you.”

“All I’ve had is cake.”

“That’s not dinner. Tell me where you wanna go.”

“I want a burger,” I said. “And I have the perfect place.”

He looked down at his flannel. “Will I be underdressed?”

I laughed. “No. Not at all. This is not a fancy place.”

Cain met me at Riverside Burger Shack, a tiny hole-in-the-wall joint with only outdoor seating .

“You chose an outdoor eatery in late fall?”

I shrugged. “I’ll live.”

He rolled his eyes, but peeled off his flannel and placed it on my shoulders. “It’ll be even better now.”

How much could he do for me in one night? My tears had dried, but they were already threatening to fall again.

We walked up to the counter and ordered before grabbing one of the wooden picnic tables.

“Not too bad of a place,” he said. “I expected something more ... uppity.”

“There’s a time and a place for that. And after the night I’ve had, I’d rather eat a burger on the side of the road.”

“Fair enough. Now, about this ex ...”

“I can give you the address to find him, but it’s a shitty high-rise apartment.”

“I’m tempted, but no.”

“You’re gonna tell me I need to talk to my parents, aren’t you?”

“In a perfect world, you should.” He sighed. “But the reality is that he did a number on you. Jackie still can’t talk about what happened.”

“Hers was worse.”

“It doesn’t matter whose is worse. It matters that it happened.”

“It feels like my family is falling apart all because I came to Strawberry Springs. They hate that I’m there. They don’t understand it, and I don’t know if they ever will.”

“A family shouldn’t fall apart because you’re making one choice they don’t understand.

Jackie makes a lot of choices I don’t get, but I still care about her.

And it doesn’t help that they have a shithead in their ear telling them lies.

” He paused and then winced. “Sorry, I’m trying to be mature here.

I just ... hate it when someone I care about gets hurt, but the last time I did anything about it, it didn’t go well. ”

“Trevor isn’t even worth your time,” I said. “But it’s nice to know someone cares.”

Our order number was called and he grabbed our plates. I watched as he took a bite of the greasy burger and considered it.

“What do you think?”

“It’s good but ... have you been to Center Point for lunch yet?”

“I’ve only gotten breakfast food.”

“Theirs is a little better,” he admitted.

I gasped. “Cain, are you admitting you like something in town?”

He chuckled. “I’ll happily admit that I like things in town. It’s the people who don’t like me .”

“I’m sure if they knew the whole story they would.”

Cain shrugged. “It’s not my secret to tell. It’s Jackie’s.”

“Would she ever?—”

“No,” he cut me off. “Unfortunately, everything you felt is multiplied with her. And it doesn’t help that once it’s out, everyone would know.”

“They would tell everyone?”

“Some people have no decorum. I’ve made my peace with it. Mostly. I just have to get people to like me in spite of it.”

“We could have another meal at the diner. I can be your full-time helper now.”

“Maybe we should,” he replied. “Because you need to try one of their burgers.”

Plans were laid, and though the food was great, I couldn’t wait to get back home. I had no idea what was going to happen with Trevor and my parents, but when Cain was in front of me, everything felt okay.

And that meant more than I could say.