Page 15 of That One Night (The Heartbreak Brothers Next Generation #4)

Chapter

Twelve

The red car was still in his driveway the next morning.

Not that Emery was looking. Okay, she totally was. She’d lain awake half the night listening for the rumble of the engine as it left, but there had only been silence.

Whoever it was, he clearly wanted them to stay the night. Which meant it wasn’t just a booty call.

“Stop it,” she muttered to herself, as she pulled on a pair of cutoffs and a t-shirt, because the sun was already beating in through the crack in her curtains. It was obviously going to be another hot one.

“Honey, can you fetch the eggs?” her mom asked as she walked down the stairs. “I need to make some cakes for tonight.”

“What’s happening tonight?” Emery asked her.

“Chairs,” her mom reminded her.

“Chairs still happens?” Emery’s eyes widened.

She’d forgotten all about the spring and summer ritual the townsfolk of Hartson’s Creek had.

They’d meet in grassy field by the creek in the center of town every Friday evening, for gossip and cake.

Everybody brought their own lawn chairs – hence the name – and whether you were a man, a woman, or a child, you’d meet friends there to talk or play with.

“Of course it does. I just haven’t been feeling up to it for a while.” Her eyes met Emery’s and she knew her mom was talking about her losing her dad. “But a few of the women from the stitching club are going. Asked me if I’d join them.”

“That’s nice.” It really was. As much as her mom drove her wild, it was good to see her getting out again. Maybe coming home had been a good idea, after all.

“You could come, too, if you’d like.” Her mom suggested. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh, no. You go spend some time with your friends. You’ll be able to enjoy yourself a lot more without me there.” Before her mom could try to persuade her, Emery grabbed her shoes. “I’ll go get those eggs now.”

Just as she expected, it was already hot outside.

The kind of blue-skied day that made you forget that storms existed.

She felt the heat of the morning sun on her face as she walked down the porch steps to make a left to head to the chicken coop where hopefully there were enough eggs to keep her mom distracted for a while.

“You recovered from last night?”

She looked across the lane to see Hendrix standing by his bike. She wasn’t sure if he was leaving to head to work, or if he had just come back.

The red convertible was still there, though. She quickly pulled her eyes away, not waiting him to notice.

“Just about.” She forced a smile onto her lips. “I gotta go get some eggs.” And not talk to you. Because you had a woman in your bed and it’s killing me.

He frowned, like he knew she was trying to blow him off. But really, this felt excruciating. Not just because she’d embarrassed herself by lusting after him when he was taken.

But because the woman he was taken by was in the house right now.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine.” It came out terser than she’d planned. Enough to make him wince. “I’m sorry, I’m just so busy. I really have to go.”

He looked her over for a moment. Like he was trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with her. But then the door to his cottage opened and she walked out.

The beautiful blonde was still wearing the black dress she’d had on when she arrived last night, but over the top she had a huge denim jacket on that looked like it belonged to Hendrix. It was way too big for her tiny frame.

Emery watched, her mouth dry, as the blonde walked over to Hendrix and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for last night,” she said, her voice sultry. “I owe you.”

Slowly, she turned her head, her brows lifting when she saw Emery standing there less than thirty yards away. Her mouth formed a little ‘o’. “Who’s this?” she asked Hendrix.

He let out a long breath, like he really didn’t want this to be happening.

Ditto, babe. Emery wasn’t exactly enjoying this either.

“Sabrina, this is Emery, the neighbor I was telling you about. Emery, this is Sabrina.”

“You’re the one who got a tattoo?” Sabrina asked.

And somehow it felt worse that he’d told her about that. Like he was betraying her, even though he wasn’t.

“Yeah.” Emery nodded. And to her surprise the blonde’s mouth lifted into a full-on grin.

“I’ve heard so much about you. Well, as much as this ass is willing to tell.” She full-on slapped Hendrix in the stomach, making Emery’s eyes widen. “Which isn’t much, because like his brothers, he’s a complete loudmouth until you ask him a personal question.”

“I don’t answer because you talk too damn much,” Hendrix grunted. “And what’s with the criticism after I just did you a favor?”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I would have done it for you.” She looked over at Emery. “I was on a date last night. And I didn’t want to go home, so Hendrix let me stay the night.”

“You were on a date?” Emery asked, the lift in her voice betraying her surprise.

“Yeah.” She let out a sigh. “But then it all went a bit wrong. He got called into work on an emergency. But I’d already told my parents I wasn’t coming home, so I opted to hide out here.”

“Yeah, well, the next time you want to lie to Uncle Cam and Aunt Mia, don’t involve me,” Hendrix muttered.

“You have to help me.” She pouted at him. “We’re family.”

“So are Marley and Pres. Go bother them.”

“Wait, you’re family?” Emery asked, trying to place the blonde. She knew most of the Hartsons, she’d grown up with them.

“Oh Lord, you don’t remember me.” Sabrina started to laugh. “I was a couple of grades below you in school. Wait…” She looked at Hendrix. “Did you think I stayed with him and… eww. He’s my cousin.”

“I didn’t think…” Oh, what an idiot she was. She vaguely remembered there were some female cousins in the Hartson family, but she hadn’t remembered Sabrina specifically. It had been a long time since she’d been in school.

And Sabrina was now a bombshell.

“Hendrix told me he’d taken you to get a tattoo,” Sabrina continued, ignoring her cousin as she walked closer to the road. “Can I see?”

Trying to ignore the relief rushing through her, Emery lifted her ankle and Sabrina leaned closer, letting out an ‘ooh.’

“Did it hurt?” she asked Emery.

“Like hell.”

Sabrina laughed. “I thought it might. This is why I can never get a tattoo. I don’t like pain.”

“I’m not the biggest fan either,” Emery told her. She could feel the warmth of Hendrix’s gaze as he watched them talking.

“It’s pretty though,” Sabrina said, standing up and stretching her arms. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you,” she told Emery.

“Right back at you.” It was strange how happy she felt now that she knew Sabrina was another Hartson.

But she didn’t want to think about that too deeply right now.

She was too tired after her fitful night of sleep for that.

She nodded at Hendrix, who was looking at her with a strange expression. “I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, you will.” His gaze didn’t falter.

Her heart did, though. It did a little leap as she turned around and walked to the chicken coop, still feeling the heat of his stare on her back.

“Wow, she’s sweet,” Sabrina said to him, as he walked her back to his car. “And cute. You didn’t tell me that.”

“I didn’t tell you anything about her,” he pointed out. Because the last person he’d choose to confide in would be his cousin. He loved her, but she had a loose tongue. Sabrina and secrets didn’t go together.

“You told me she was lonely,” Sabrina pointed out. Because yeah, he might have asked his cousin to find a way to be friends with Emery. He still remembered that night on the porch when she’d admitted to having no friends here.

“I did. Thank you for being nice to her.” He opened her car door for her, but Sabrina didn’t climb in. Instead, she gave him an interested look.

“She has the hots for you,” she told him.

“Shut the hell up.”

“She does,” Sabrina insisted. “Did you see how weird she was until I told her we’re cousins? She was jealous. And then suddenly she was all sweetness and light.” Sabrina grinned. “Oh, I love a good neighbor love story.”

“Can you keep it down?” Hendrix said, frustrated. Sabrina always talked too loud. And too damn much. “She’s taken, remember?”

Because he did. Even if he wished she wasn’t.

“When has that ever stopped you before?” his cousin teased.

But he didn’t smile. It wasn’t funny, not really. “I’m reformed,” he said, keeping his voice even. “Now go home. Before your parents send out a search party.”

“You were more fun when you were trouble,” Sabrina told him.

“You could try being good, too.”

She started to laugh. “Don’t be silly. There’s no fun in that.” She rolled onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Try not to do it again.”

“You know I will.” She winked at him. “Laters, taters.”

She climbed into her car and he closed the door, waiting patiently until she started the engine and drove away. When he looked over at Emery’s house, there was no sign of her.

Good. That was good. After last night’s lesson, the last thing he needed was to spend more time with her.

Even if she was all he could think about right now.

“So all we need is for the lien to be removed then we can go full steam ahead,” the realtor told Emery, as she walked him back to his car.

It was Monday afternoon and he’d spent most of the day with them, measuring the rooms in the house, taking photographs, then doing the same with the farm as Jed took him around.

He’d stopped for lunch – her mom made a quiche and a potato salad that had made his eyes bulge, and then during the afternoon he’d gone through all the paperwork with them, and given his valuation.

It was less than she’d hoped for, but more than enough for her mom to buy a little house in town and get settled.

And then Emery could start concentrating on her own life. Even if the thought of that right now made her stomach twist.

“I should have the lien resolved before the end of the summer,” she told him.

After all, Trenton’s parents were due back from their luxury cruise in August. And as soon as they were home, he’d tell them about their relationship ending, then remove the lien with an agreement that his loan would be repaid after the sale.

Or at least that’s what she hoped. And what she’d emailed him, suggesting that they do it all at the same time. But he hadn’t answered her. She wasn’t sure if he was salty at her lack of a ‘Y’ in response to his message the other day, or if he was genuinely busy.

She tried to push it to the back of her mind. If she started chasing him too hard, that would make things worse.

“Excellent,” the realtor said, clicking the button on his key to unlock the car. “I’ll have the listing ready to go. Just call me as soon as it’s done.”

“I will.” Emery nodded as he nodded his head to her then closed his driver’s door.

When she walked back into the house, her mom was in the kitchen, her back to Emery. It took her a moment to realize her mom’s shoulders were shaking.

“Mom?” she said, walking toward her. That’s when she heard her sob.

“I’m sorry. Ignore me. I’m just…” Her mom gulped in a breath. “It’s a lot to get used to, knowing somebody else will own this place.”

Emery took her into her arms and held her tight. “Of course it is.”

“I’ve lived her for so long. I don’t like imagining what it’ll be like to be somewhere else.

” Her mom’s voice was muffled as she cried into Emery’s shoulder.

“Your dad brought me home here the day that we married. And this is where I had you.” She looked up, her eyes red-rimmed.

“I’m so sorry that you’re having to do so much to help me. ”

“It’s okay.” Emery’s voice was low. “You’re my mom. Of course I’ll help you.”

“I just feel so useless. He was asking all those questions and I didn’t know what to say. Your father always dealt with everything.”

“I know.” Emery touched her mom’s cheek. “But it’s all going to be okay. You’ll move into your new place, make new friends. Start living again. It’ll be different, but you’ll be fine.”

“I’m so happy you have Trenton,” her mom said. “So you don’t have to feel like this. All alone. Nobody should feel this way.”

Emery’s stomach contracted. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine.”

“How was he when he called last night?” her mom asked. Because Emery had taken to pretending to talk to him a few nights a week to keep her mom’s worries at ease. She was actually turning into a good liar. Which wasn’t necessarily what she’d wanted from life.

“He’s fine. Just very busy.”

“The sooner we put this place up for sale and you can go home the better,” her mom said.

Emery hated lying to her. But it wouldn’t be for much longer. Once the lien was gone, everything would be okay. Her mom could move on, and so could Emery. Whatever moving on looked like.

All she knew was that she wouldn’t rely on a man the way her mom had relied on her dad. The fall was just way too hard.