Page 8 of Call It Love (Sterling Mill #5)

Anna

“At least let me get the keys for you,” Chase said.

I shook my head in Chase’s truck, where we sat outside of Head to Tow Garage and Salon.

I knew he wanted to shield me from any conflict with Bristol, to stand between me and any resentment she still held.

It was tempting. But if I was going to stand on my own two feet, I needed to practice fighting my own battles.

I knew his sister wasn’t cruel. We’d been close once.

Hopefully, there was still some part of her that didn’t hate me.

“I’ll be fine. What’s she going to do, hold my car for ransom?” I tried to joke, forcing a smile I knew didn’t reach my eyes.

Chase didn’t laugh. Instead, he pursed his lips like he thought that was an actual possibility. “You’re sure you don’t want to come back to Silver Creek?”

It might have been my imagination, but I thought I might hear a bit of hope woven into his words.

It twisted something deep inside my chest. Something I had no right to explore.

That door had closed a long time ago. We weren’t the same people anymore.

And I’d caused enough pain. I wouldn’t add to it.

Chase had been more than generous, and I didn’t want to take advantage of his kindness. I mustered a smile bigger than how I felt and nodded. “Yes, worrywart. You have a business to run. You’ve taken enough time out of your morning to bring me to town.”

He still looked worried as he drummed his fingers across the steering wheel, but he gave me a slow nod. “You’ll let me know you’re okay?”

I could read between the lines. Are you going to disappear again?

I waved my phone, which now included his number. “I promise.”

He gave a slight nod. “Anna, if you need anything…”

“I know,” I answered simply. I hopped out of his truck, releasing a breath I hadn’t known I was holding.

“I wondered how long you were going to sit there,” a familiar voice called.

I looked up to see Bristol leaning casually against the entrance of one of the bay doors, arms crossed over her chest. Somehow, she made a pair of blue dungarees look almost sexy, the way the material nipped in at her trim waistline.

I studied her for a few seconds, trying to get a read on her expression. This was as good a time as any to stand my ground.

“Your brother seemed to think I might need protecting from you.” I arched my eyebrow, refusing to back down beneath her steady gaze. “I told him he was wrong.”

She let out a little huff, but pushed off the building and dropped her arms. “I’m more worried he’s the one who needs someone to look out for him.

” Her sharp eyes locked onto mine. “You broke his heart, you know. Breaking up with him, then running off with someone else as soon as his back was turned.”

Wow. I guess we weren’t holding back. Her words landed like a sucker punch.

But it wasn’t as clear-cut as she made it sound. Chase had never even bothered to come home on his break, confirming it had been the right thing to let him go while he was away at school. If you love something, set it free. If it comes back…

Only Chase hadn’t returned to me. Proof I’d been right to let him go.

“I never intended to hurt him. We were on different paths. It seemed for the best. I didn’t think you’d care.”

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”

I stared at the ground. I’d honestly thought no one cared that Chase and I weren’t together anymore.

I’d assumed that when Chase and I were over, they would consider me good riddance.

Cameron had left for school at the same time Chase had, and Bristol spent all her free time helping her dad with his racing plans or spending time in her grandfather’s garage.

It felt like I was easily replaced with other interests.

“Why are you back?” she questioned, the lilt of a challenge in her tone.

That wasn’t a story I was willing to share with her, especially not while it felt we were opponents instead of old friends.

“Why did you come back?” I dared to ask.

“Touché.” Her head tilted to one side as she studied me with shrewd eyes. My meaning landed where I wanted it to. “ I’m not asking you to tell me what changed, but I am warning you not to break his heart. Again.”

My eyes burned. Now her words landed with the barb she intended. This was the kind of family I’d always wanted. The kind that looked out for each other. But I was tired of always being the one who people thought had an ulterior motive.

“I don’t know what my future is. All I can say is I’m not here to hurt him. Or any of you.”

“Intentional or not, he’s vulnerable when it comes to you. Even if he can’t see it, I can.”

This conversation didn’t feel much different from the sensation of my tires spinning out of control last night.

“Chase said my car is ready?”

She stared at me, her eyes never wavering. “It’s over there. Keys are in the ignition. I had to replace a wheel that was bent to hell. There are a few scratches on the front fender, but nothing worth replacing, and no damage to the engine.

“I appreciate it. What do I owe you?”

“Nothing.”

“But there has to be a towing charge, at least.”

“Chase already took care of everything.”

My mouth dropped at those words. No wonder she was worried about my intentions. “Then I’ll settle up with him.”

“That’s between you and him.”

I nodded and turned toward my car.

“Anna?”

I slowed my steps and glanced over my shoulder at the shrewd eyes of the woman I once called a close friend.

“I don’t understand why you’re here,” she said, more softly, “but I am sorry if you’ve been hurt.”

It was a peace offering I hadn’t expected.

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry, we don’t have anything available but check back sometime. You never know if something will come up,” the woman, whose name tag identified her as Beth, said. At least her voice was a little more sympathetic than some of the shop owners I’d approached.

I’d spent much of yesterday and this morning walking up and down the streets of downtown Sterling Mill, stopping in at each shop, asking the same question and receiving the same answer—no job available.

One by one, I’d been turned away, sometimes with a sympathetic smile, other times with barely concealed glee.

For the latter group, I knew it was a case of how the mighty have fallen .

But I’d hoped for more from the town I’d once called home, a place that took pride in rallying around its own. Apparently, that loyalty had limits.

Once again, Mason was proving to be my downfall. I knew he wasn’t liked, but I hadn’t expected the depth of their ill feelings to be directed at me. If only they realized they only knew the surface of who he really was. That there was something much darker to him than they could ever imagine.

Frustrated, I turned down Main Street to head back to The Dogtrot.

So far, that was the only thing to go right.

When I’d shown up after getting my car back, I could see the young girl behind the desk was going to turn me away because of Jack.

But fate smiled upon me, and Emalee walked in at the moment.

She offered me the first genuine smile I’d seen in days.

Dismissing the employee to go run an errand for her, she said that she had a room, but only for three nights before her charming bed-and-breakfast was fully booked.

By then, I knew I’d either have a new plan or I’d be on the road again. To where remained to be seen.

She said she was happy to let Jack stay in one of the kennels they had in a large shed in their backyard.

She assured me she was already working on making it part of an add-on to their business, especially since her husband was the town vet, and Jack would be a good way to test it out.

She said Jack could even play with their dog Milo for some exercise if they got along.

Deep down, I had a feeling she was making up the story as she went along, but my pride could wait as long as Jack was in a safe place.

He wasn’t thrilled with the arrangement, but I took him for long walks in the evening to make it up to him.

I had one more night to figure out what our next step would be. Lost in thought, a voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Well, well. Look what the storm blew in—Annamal, back home to her humble beginnings. Guess the city couldn’t stand you either.”

My skin prickled as if every one of her words were bugs that flew from her mouth and landed on me. I hadn’t heard it in years, but there was no forgetting Trinity’s sneer or the nickname she’d saddled me with in high school, as if growing up off-grid made me some kind of wild animal.

Despite wanting to ignore her, I knew how she operated. She’d feed on any discomfort I showed. Pasting on a polite smile, I turned cool eyes on her. “Trinity.”

Standing beside another girl I didn’t recognize, Trinity’s calculating eyes raked over me.

“Heard you’re looking for work. Guess your gravy train derailed when your husband died.

” She tilted her head. “Odd, though. Usually, a widow gets her husband’s money.

Guess yours didn’t leave you anything if you’re looking for a job.

Maybe he didn’t think you were worth it. ”

Her words delivered the slap she intended, closer to the truth than she’d ever know. But I tried not to give her an ounce of satisfaction. Shrugging, I said, “Unlike some people, the rest of us like to earn our way no matter what’s in the bank account.”

Unless she had changed drastically, Trinity had always been a spoiled girl who thought the world should fall at her feet.

She would have been a perfect match for Mason.

Her eyes flared briefly before she masked it with a scoff. “You have a lot of nerve…” Then suddenly, she shifted, and her scowl was replaced with a blinding smile. “Chase. How are you?” Her voice was warm and sweet. “I was just telling Sophie how much fun we had the last time we were at Ferg’s.”