Page 15 of Make Me Trust Again (Bluebonnet Creek #3)

CHAPTER NINE

ROSE

“Here you go. One hazelnut latte with an extra shot of espresso.” I smile at the woman as I place her drink on the counter.

“Thank you so much.”

“Of course. Have a good one.”

She takes her drink, going for the door.

The bell chimes softly as she slips out.

I scan the space, but the few patrons sitting in the café seem happy.

There is the older Mr. Harris sitting in the corner, reading his newspaper, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose every so often, a couple of students are typing away at their computers, and two young women are scanning the shelves, quietly discussing the book they are looking at.

Late afternoons are usually pretty slow, except two times a week when Savannah has the reading group for the kids. Maybe I should tell Mom to bring Kyle. He loves books, and it would save me some time from stopping at their place to pick him up after work.

“All the orders have been placed,” Becky says as she comes out of her office, the last of her words swallowed by a cough.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She waves me off. “Just allergies. Everything good around here?”

I eye her carefully. She doesn’t really seem okay. Her nose and cheeks are red, but her skin is pale, and there are dark circles under her eyes. Not to mention, that cough seems pretty rough. She goes to the coffee machine and grabs a cup, glancing over her shoulder, she raises her brow.

“Yes. The calm before the storm.”

Becky chuckles softly. “That’s how it usually feels when all the kids come around. How are you doing?”

“Good.” I tuck a runaway strand behind my ear. “No complaints on my coffee so far, so I’ll take it as a good sign.”

Just then, the doorbell rings again, drawing our attention.

“Be careful,” Savannah warns as she holds the door open so Levi can push the stroller into the café.

“I’ve got it, Mom.”

There is a look of pure concentration on his face as he maneuvers the stroller, making sure he doesn’t hit anything.

“Look at you go.” Becky smiles at Levi as they come to the counter. “Wanna come and take care of Jackson for me as well?”

“No, I have to take care of Pop-Tart.” Levi giggles, his glance darting to me. “Is Kyle here?”

“Not this time.”

“Bummer, I guess it’s just Poppy and me.”

“She’s one lucky girl to have such a good big brother.” Becky winks at him.

Levi’s chest puffs out with pride. Savannah stops behind him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. “The best big brother.”

The smile on that boy’s face is so big, it’s almost blinding. Savannah ruffles his hair playfully, and he leans his head back. “I’ll tell Daniel you said so. He thinks Poppy likes him the best, but he’s wrong.”

“Poppy loves you both very much.”

“But I’m the best .”

He slips from her embrace and plops down on his knees so he’s at the same level as his sister, taking her hands in his. “Right, Pop-Tart? Wanna go and read books with me?”

The little girl grins at him and smacks her hands and feet against the stroller, making babbling noises. Levi leans closer and kisses her on the cheek before unbuckling her from the stroller and picking her up into his arms. “I’ve gotcha, Pop-Tart. Let’s go pick out the book we’ll read.”

“I’ll be there in a bit,” Savannah calls out, keeping an eye on him as the two of them disappear out back.

“He’s so good with her.” Becky sighs happily, just as the machine beeps.

“He is. They all are.” A wistful smile spreads over Savannah’s face as she leans against the barstool. “I couldn’t have asked for a better family for my little girl.”

Longing and envy clash inside me, but I push them back.

If you didn’t know it, you’d never think that Savannah wasn’t Levi and Daniel’s biological mother. That woman loves those boys like they are her own, and the feeling is mutual.

Will I ever find somebody like that? Somebody who’ll love Kyle and me just the way we are? Somebody like Chase.

The image of my smiling son standing next to our broody neighbor pops into my mind, throwing me off guard.

What the hell am I thinking? Somebody like Chase? The man is as surly as they come. Besides, I’m in no place to be thinking about something like that. For God’s sake, my divorce isn’t even finalized, and at this rate, I’m worried it never will be.

And yet, there is no denying that my shy son felt comfortable enough to approach him. Not just that, he was smiling around him, not in the least bit fazed by Chase’s silent, broody attitude.

“You want your go-to, Sav?” Rebecca’s question snaps me out of my thoughts, reminding me I should be working.

“Yes, please. God, I need coffee.”

I start to reach for the cup, but Rebecca waves me off.

“It’s fine.” She wiggles her brows at Savannah. “Who’s keeping you up? Baby or daddy?”

Sav bites the inside of her cheek to stop a smile from forming, but there is no hiding the happiness radiating from her. “Depends on the day.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Rebecca chuckles softly, but it soon turns to coughing.

“Shit. Are you okay, Becs?” Savannah asks, glancing at her best friend.

“She said it’s allergies, but I’m not so sure.”

“I’m fine, there must be more pollen in the air or something because I’ve been feeling off these past few days, and the lack of sleep doesn’t help. Anyway…” She places the cup under the espresso machine, and the smell of coffee fills the air. “How are wedding plans coming along?”

Savannah and I exchange a look, but she decides to let it go.

“Good. We don’t really want anything big or elaborate. Just our closest friends, and that’s about it. We are thinking of organizing a small ceremony and party in our backyard at the beginning of August, just before school starts.”

“You’re going back to work?”

Becky hands Savannah her cup of coffee, which she gratefully takes before grabbing one for herself.

“Yes. I love teaching, and it’s time. I’m very lucky and grateful that I was able to spend this past semester on maternity leave and just enjoy my time with Poppy and the boys, but I miss my job.”

I can’t say I’m surprised. Savannah’s a very good teacher, and all the kids love her.

“What about you? Did you find a place to stay?” Savannah asks, taking a tentative sip of her coffee.

Becky glances over her shoulder. “Please tell me you didn’t take Merrick’s place.”

“Umm… No. I didn’t. I?—”

“Oh, thank God.” She leans against the counter, a coffee cup between her palms. “The more I think about it, the less I like it. Something else will come around, you’ll see.”

“I found a different place, actually.”

“You did? Where?”

My throat bobs as they both stare at me. I’m not even sure why I’m suddenly so nervous. It’s not like Rebecca doen’t know about it. Okay, maybe she doesn’t know, know about it, but she knows of it. After all, she’s the one who suggested it.

“Chase’s cottage?”

Rebecca sputters the sip of coffee she just took, her hazel eyes widening in surprise. “Wh-what?” She coughs, patting at her chest.

Savannah’s brows shoot up. “Chase’s cottage? As in Becky’s reclusive, grumpy older brother Chase?”

“That’s the one.” I bite the inside of my cheek, my gaze darting to the woman in question. “Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad. Well, I am mad. What the hell? Why doesn’t anybody tell me anything around here? I swear to God, I’m going to strangle him. When did you move?”

“It wasn’t exactly planned.” I shrug weakly. “About a week ago.”

“That’s for damn sure.”

“I’m surprised he agreed to this.”

Rebecca rolls her eyes. “Oh, trust me, he didn’t agree. Not at first, at least.”

“So…” Savannah wiggles her brows. “How is it living with him?”

I shift my weight from one foot to the other, feeling the color rise up my cheeks.

“I’m not really living with him,” I mutter, grabbing a towel and picking up one of the cups that’s been drying, my full attention on wiping it thoroughly. “We just live on the same property.”

“Still, you must see him occasionally.”

The image of a shirtless Chase standing in front of me, the sun making the thin layer of sweat glisten on his golden skin, makes my stomach roll. My cheeks suddenly feel warm.

“Rose?”

“Umm… Sometimes?” That has both of the women’s brows rising. “Well, not really. He mostly stays in his house.”

If he’s not working outside in the yard and letting my son play with his dog, that is.

“Only my brother can manage to have a next-door neighbor who doesn’t see him once,” Rebecca tsks. “I swear, between my two idiot brothers, I’m not even surprised I’m starting to get premature grays.”

“Hey, at least he has a neighbor.” Savannah giggles. “That’s something.”

The doorbell chimes as a couple of moms enter the café with their kids. Savannah slips out of her chair, grabbing her coffee. “I’m going back.”

“You guys still on for the Fourth?”

Savannah nods. “Yes. I’m not sure about Daniel; he mentioned meeting his friends, but the rest of us should come. Do you need us to bring anything?”

“I don’t think so. I’ll text you if I remember something.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Savannah waves as she slips to the back. I put the last of the mugs on the shelf, and when I turn around, I find Rebecca watching me. “You should come.”

“Come where?”

“To the lake. We’re having a Fourth of July party there. Savannah and Blake will be there along with the kids, and so will Emmett and Kate, and a few other people we know. Take Kyle with you. The kids can play, and we can have some drinks. That is, if you don’t have any plans.”

“Oh, with everything else going on, it honestly didn’t even cross my mind.”

My parents spent their Fourth of July at our country club with their friends.

Last year, we joined them since John’s parents and some of our friends were also members.

Friends I haven’t seen or talked to in months, ever since I left John.

So much for our friendships. Then again, there was a reason I didn’t try too much to reach out either.

I didn’t want more people telling me I was making a mistake by divorcing John.

John.

No, there was no way I’d join them this year. John would be there, and he is the last person I want to see.

“Think about it, the invitation stands, and don’t forget about the book club coming n-next w—” she stutters, before going into a coughing fit.

She bends forward, as she coughs into her elbow, her whole body shaking with the force of it.

“Okay, that’s it.”

I go to her, gently tapping her back, until her coughing finally subsides. She straightens; her eyes are watery, cheeks red.

“You’re going home.”

Rebecca opens her mouth to protest, but I lift my finger. “I don’t care. You’re going home, and I don’t want to hear one more word. You’re clearly not feeling fine. You’re coughing like you just smoked a pack, and you’re all flushed.”

“It’s from the coughing fit,” she mutters, but I’m not even sure she believes it. “I don’t have time to be sick.”

“Well, I don’t have time to be sick either, so please, just go home, and take it easy for a few days. And if you don’t, I’m just going to call Miguel and tell him to come and pick you up.”

“Fine. I’m going, I’m going.” Rebecca groans, rolling her eyes, but grabs her bag. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Just for you to stay home until you’re healthy again.”