CHAPTER THREE

 

Theresa looked out at the sea of faces as she talked about the do’s and don’ts for first time cruisers at her seminar. It was a pretty nice crowd tonight. Reed Bradley Books was always a good source of new clients for her, and coupled with the fall weather, people looked to her for inspiration while planning escapes to warm tropical places. She’d be busy for the foreseeable future.

“Should I buy the unlimited beverage option when cruising or at a resort?” an audience member asked.

“If you know you get parched a lot, it’s a good deal. I recommend it if you’re going to have children with you.” She nodded. “Next question.”

“Should I book an excursion with the cruise ship, or would it be better to venture out on my own?”

“I find it really depends on the person. If you book with the ship, you’ll go with a group and will have an itinerary designed to get you back to the dock to board on time. If you want to explore on your own, make sure it’s with a reputable company, not just some random guy on the docks with a car. Also, make them aware that you have to get back by a certain time. You will have to go through a screening process to re-board and they may need to inspect packages if you’ve been shopping.” She turned to the woman in the green dress. “Yes?”

“Where are the best places to meet men? I want a fairytale romance like Morgan Blake.”

The group laughed.

“When I’m asked that question, what I always say is that Morgan meeting Seth was more divine timing than me customizing a vacation that led her to her soul mate.”

“Come on, Theresa, we know you have the inside scoop. My cousin Mia met her boyfriend on a vacation you planned for her.”

She remembered Mia. She was a sweet lady who’d met a great guy while on a trip to wine country. “Mia was a special circumstance too. Anyone else? I have time for one more question.”

“Will I need a passport?”

“It depends on where you travel, but I always advocate for getting a passport. OK, thanks for coming everyone. Don’t forget to pick up the packets before you leave. My top three travel book suggestions are in the folder, and there’s a discount coupon you need to present when you have your meeting with one of my agents.”

“Can’t we just see you?”

“I would love to meet with each and every one of you, but sometimes I’ll be on a guided tour or visiting a prospective property. We have a great, well-trained staff.”

Theresa watched as the crowd receded. She waved when she saw Trina. They were going to dinner afterward.

“Hey, Trina.” She gave her friend a hug.

“Excellent travel advice, as usual. I liked what you said about pre-folding small increments of money and putting them in an easy-to-access place in your bag before you leave so you don’t have to take your wallet out all the time. The second I'm on my way to the airport, I feel like I'm handing out dollar bills at an all-male revue until I return home.”

“Well, it’s certainly a way not to attract too much attention, and never advertise how much money you have on you.” Her Fantasy Locales Travel buddy gave her that tip. “You tip strippers a dollar?”

“Sometimes I ask for change.” Trina winked.

Dana walked up to the podium. “I liked her Lone Wolf, Safe Travels segment.”

“It’s a shame people prey on lone travelers,” Theresa said. “It sounds paranoid or annoying, but it really is better for someone you know to have your itinerary and have check-in times. But traveling with a responsible buddy or a group is always better.”

“I’ll remember that. Now, how about we get some dinner? I’m starved.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me.” Theresa smiled. “Dana, will you be able to join us?”

“Sure.” Dana rubbed her stomach. “This one loves to eat all the time. I feel like a blimp.”

“It’s the Reed metabolism. My niece or nephew would love some jambalaya from Imani’s,” Trina cooed and patted Dana’s belly.

“I just have to close up the store and call the hubby to let him to know where I’ll be,” Dana said. “He’s becoming a real Nervous Nelly each month this pregnancy progresses.” She waddled off in the direction of the store room.

“Let’s help the mommy-to-be.” Theresa began to put books back on the shelves.

They scored a good table as soon as they arrived at Imani’s Soul Food Cafe. Theresa loved to hear the Reed women interacting with each other. It was a lot of over-talking and bouts of hysterical laughing over something funny that happened in the family, but it was coming from a place of love. She remembered Trevor saying he found the chatter of the women in his family to be soothing.

It was also fun to hear about Morgan and Isabelle’s adventures in Texas. And the upcoming Reed family reunion, which Trina was in charge of, was in the planning stages. She said she had everyone on board except Trevor, who was who knows where. No surprise there. She wondered if he missed anything about his life in Philadelphia. Especially her.

After they ate delicious meals, then complained about stuffing themselves, it was time to go. Theresa tightened the belt around her coat so the crisp autumn air didn’t sneak in. She hoped she’d get that leather jacket in time to show it off before it got too cold to wear. Trina’s car was at the mechanic shop, so Theresa offered to drive her home so Dana could go get some rest. As the radiant pregnant woman waved and pulled off, Theresa and Trina looked at each other.

“It’s still early on a Friday night,” Theresa said. “You know what that means.”

“Wine.”

They laughed, linked arms and walked to the car.

“I have a couple of bottles at my house, but everything is still in boxes. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find my corkscrew.”

“No worries. Grandma has a fancy one that Charisma got her last Christmas. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if we borrowed it.”

“Cool. I also picked up some peach nectar the other day if you want to make Bellinis too. You can fill me in on everything you wouldn’t say in front of your sister.” Theresa gave her a nudge.

“I had the date from hell the other night. Never go out with a man who interrupts a date with you to pick up his mother, whom he still lives with, from her physical therapy session.”

“Ouch.” Theresa crinkled her nose and hit the button on her car key fob to open the doors.

“But this is the light at the end of the dark tunnel. I met someone else. His name is Devon. He works in the music industry. He’s handsome and he has the cutest dimples.”

“Nice. When did you meet him? Where?”

“I’ll fill you in after we have a couple of glasses of wine.”

Theresa easily navigated the roads, and a half hour later they pulled into her driveway. She noticed the lights were out at Mrs. Reed’s house. “Where’s your grandma?”

“She’s spending the day with Charisma and Alexis. They should be home soon. I’ll go get the corkscrew.”

“OK. I’ll look for wine glasses.” They both hopped out of the car. She retrieved her briefcase from the backseat while Trina hurried over toward her grandma’s house.

Inside, she turned off the alarm, kicked off her heels, and slipped into her fuzzy panda slippers she kept by the door. It had been a relatively quiet day, but it was good to be home. When she first began looking for a house, she’d visited so many open houses her head was spinning. But when she’d heard that a big house on the idyllic street next to Mrs. Reed was for sale, she thought it was fate. She loved visiting the Reed home during her high school years. She’d spend plenty of time cuddling on the swing porch with Trevor and dreaming about the future.

She had an early day tomorrow with the contractor coming in, but she’d make time to have wine with a friend. Plus she’d wanted to hear all about the new guy Trina had met. Her cell phone rang. It was Trina.

“Hey. What’s taking so long?”

“Theresa! Get over here now!” Trina yelled into the phone so loudly Theresa dropped her wine glass.

“Trina?”

But the call had already ended.

Her blood ran cold. Was Trina in trouble? She ran into the hallway and got out the steel bat from the closet that she kept in her house for protection and sprinted across the grass as fast as she could, barely keeping on her panda slippers.

“Trina?” She entered the house and raised the bat. “What’s wrong? Where are you?”

“I’m in the sitting room!”

Theresa’s heart thudded wildly as she ran down the hall and made a left into the sitting room. A panicked Trina was on the phone, pacing around the room. “I don’t think he’s conscious.”

“Who?” She put the bat down and rounded the couch to find none other than Trevor lying there. Her heart began beating wildly again, but this time it was because the man she loved looked haggard. There was blood on his shirt and meds on the end table. She took a deep breath and lifted up his shirt to see if she could find the source of the blood. It was coming from a dressing on his side that had soaked through. Fear seemed to freeze her heart at the sight of his wound. For a moment she was sure this was some kind of nightmare.

But she couldn’t seem to wake up…

 

* * *

 

When Trevor arrived in Philadelphia, the first thing he wanted to do was get a hug and a home-cooked meal from his grandma, but he was surprised to find a new alarm system activated and she wasn’t home. He’d taken care to keep his wound clean and bandaged—he didn’t want to bleed through his shirt. And he certainly didn’t want his grandma to know he’d been shot. There was a note on the fridge’s dry erase board that said she was going shopping with Charisma and Alexis. He thought they’d have dinner and get in some hugs while she gave him the rundown on the latest happenings in the family.

She’d keep his secret about being in town until he was ready to let everyone else know he was back. He wanted to get some sleep and to be refreshed when he saw everyone.

He milled around the house, took his meds, and ate a piece of apple pie. An hour later the pain returned, so he took another pain pill and collapsed on the couch. He hadn’t intended to drift off, but he was exhausted and he soon fell asleep.

Trevor stirred when he felt a soft, warm hand roving over his body. He felt something loving in the person’s touch as they explored down—

“Ouch.” He winced when the mystery person’s hand moved over the bandage covering his wound. He reached up and grabbed the person’s hand. The moment he touched her, he knew. His eyes flew open, and as if his prayers had been answered, Theresa was standing there. “Reese?”

She smiled at him. “Trina, he’s awake.” Then the ray of sunshine faded as she slipped out of his grasp.

“Reese. Wait.” He did his best to sit up and he craned his neck to see her going in the direction of the kitchen. He didn’t want her to go.

Trina rushed over and gave him a squeeze. “Thank heaven. You scared the life out of me.”

“Trina, it’s good to see you too.” Trevor hugged her back. “Can’t a man take a nap on his grandmother’s couch?”

“Never mind, operator.” Trina said into her cell phone. “He’s conscious and in dire need of a decent haircut. No, I just hit the panic button. I’m sure we won’t need an ambulance.”

Theresa came back into the living room and handed him a glass of water. “Here. Drink this.” Her eyes darted to the prescription bottles on the end table. “Do you need anything?”

“No.” He pressed his eyelids with his fingers. “I was just sacking out until Grandma came home. Nothing’s happened to her, right?”

“She’s fine.” Trina put a pillow behind him. “She spent the day with Charisma and Alexis, and they should be home soon. How did you bypass the alarm? Grandma had that installed by a new company just last month.”

“I didn’t bypass anything. I took a shot in the dark that the code was Grandpa’s birthday and voila.” He shrugged.

Trina’s cell phone rang. She looked at the display. “This is Robert.”

“You called Robert?”

“Of course, he’s a cop. He told me he was on the way and to call 911.” Trina answered her phone and walked out of the living room.

“How many people did she call?” Wait. Theresa was in his grandmother’s living room. “How did you get here? And so fast?”

“I’d love to say I jumped in my car and sped over here, but it was more of a sprint across the front lawn.” She took a seat next to him and lifted her feet to show him her panda slippers. “I live nearby.”

“What? When did this happen?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She put her hand to her throat. “Trevor Reed doesn’t know something? The earth must be rotating backward on its axis.”

“I’ve been busy.” He snagged his meds off the end table and stuffed them into his pants pocket. “Apparently too busy.”

Trina came back into the room, phone still up to her ear. “OK, Charisma. We’ll see you ladies in a little bit. You call Derek and let him know everything is OK. I’ll call Jared and Autumn.”

“I can’t believe this.” He ran a hand over his face. This was the exact opposite of what he wanted. Theresa scooted closer to him, and he instinctively put his arm behind her on the couch. It hurt to do it, but the move was automatic. He always put his arm around her shoulders when they sat together, but she didn’t look like she’d go for that. So he kept his arm behind her on the couch.

She looked just as stunning as he remembered. Those striking eyes, long, jet-black hair, full, pouty lips that looked like she was mid-kiss, soft, caramel skin, and that illuminating smile always made his body stir. She looked downright adorable in those panda slippers. His heart sped up as she leaned in, inches away from his face. Maybe she was happy to see him.

“You might want to clean up before the family arrives,” she whispered in his ear.

“What do you mean?” Did he smell? He’d had a very long day, but he didn’t think he stank. He was also in dire need of a shave and a haircut, but that wouldn’t happen tonight.

She pointed to his shirt. “You’re bleeding.”

“Damn.”

“How serious is it?”

“It’s nothing.”

She eyed him as if she didn’t believe him. “Come on.” She took his hand and helped him off the couch. “I’ll change your bandage and you can explain to me how it happened.”

 

 

Theresa tried to ignore the spark that ignited when their hands connected. The wound coupled with the meds meant he’d come home to recuperate, and he’d get nothing of that if the Reed women caught sight of him bleeding. She glanced toward the kitchen. Trina was still on the phone while she pulled out food and placed it on the kitchen table as if she was getting ready for a party.

She guided him to the bathroom down the hall. He brought his duffle bag with him and closed the door behind him. He was normally immaculately dressed and finely groomed, so it was surprising to see him looking so disheveled and wild. She was sure the explanation he’d give for this would be a doozy.

“Shirt off.” She rifled through the decorative white cabinet looking for the first aid kit.

“Excuse me?”

“Since when have you been too shy to take your clothes off? Besides, I’ve seen it all before.”

“Fine.”

Ah, she’d found the first aid kit. Her mouth went dry when she turned back around to see a shirtless Trevor. A few things had changed since the last time she’d seen him without a shirt. He’d always had a lean, athletic body in high school, and he’d obviously kept himself in shape. There was more definition and muscle to his body, and his stomach was ripped. He looked good, right down to his round, outie belly button. She used to tease him about it, but there nothing funny right now about the way the hair on his chest went down past the cute belly button and continued below the waistband of his pants.

It felt hot in here, considering the house was set at a cozy temperature. All the air seemed to have left the room, and the reasonably spacious half bath suddenly had the dimensions of a gym locker. No, she’d said the next time she saw Trevor she’d treat him like he had a plague and that’s exactly what she intended to do.

“So.” She cleared her throat as she put on a pair of latex gloves and opened some sterile gauze packets. “How did you manage to get mangled?”

“Would you believe I was gored by a bull?” He leaned against the sink.

“I believe you’re running some bull right now.” She tenderly pulled off the old dressing and dabbed the area around the stitches with peroxide on a soaked cotton ball. It looked serious, but he was joking about it. Apparently they were gauging the situation differently. “Does this hurt?”

He winced. “I’m on my second pain pill of the day.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“It stings mostly.”

“Were you in too much pain to get a haircut and shave? You’re dangerously close to looking like an urban farmer who wears sandals in the wintertime.” She looked up at his wild, curly mane.

“I should have cleaned up better before I arrived.” He ran a hand over his stubble-riddled face. “You bought a house?”

“I did.” She threw the cotton ball in the wastebasket, took the top off the antiseptic tube, and applied it to his skin with another cotton ball. “The market is bouncing back, so I took the plunge. It needs a lot of work, but it’s cozy, and I like the neighborhood. I had a few unexpected surprises pop up this past month, but I found a contractor. So it’s a work in progress.”

“You want to make sure—”

“No worries.” She cut him off as she applied the new bandage. “I did an extensive background check on the person I chose. Now back to how you got injured.”

“I wasn’t watching where I was going and crashed into some guy on a moped.”

“Is that the best you can come up with?” She sighed. “All done.”

“Wait.” He reached for his belt. “I have another injury.”

“Where?” She folded her arms across her chest.

“My leg.”

“There’s no blood on your pants.” She squinted at him.

“I really think you should take a look. Like you said, you’ve seen it all before.” He gave her a wide grin.

There was a knock at the door.

“Is everything all right in there?” It was Robert.

“Everything’s good,” Trevor called back.

“If everything’s good, why did anybody call me?” Robert grumbled under his breath, even though they could clearly hear him.

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I’d put this in the trashcan out back so no one finds all the blood.” She closed the top to the first aid kit and tied the bag holding the old bandages. “I think I’d better go.”

“No.” He wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “You can’t leave me here with these people.”

“They’re your family who you love very much. Let them fawn over you. They don’t get a chance to do it often. They missed you.”

“Did you miss me?”

There was another knock on the door that was much softer. “Open up Uncle Trev!” a little voice called out.

Trevor’s eyes lit up. “Is that…?”

“Yes, that’s your niece.” She grinned. “Now you can’t say in here.”

“Please stay.”

She saw the sincerity in those mysterious brown eyes. How could she say no? “Just for a little while.”

“We’ll be out in a minute.” Trevor fished through his bag and put on a fresh shirt.

She sighed. “I don’t know how this happened. But you need to take it easy.”

“Thank you. For staying and the patch job.” He moved closer.

She wanted to think that being so close to this man didn’t mean anything anymore. But the heat between them was palpable. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was worried about him. She waited for him to put the bloodstained shirt into his bag, then opened the door.

“I should have known he was in there with Theresa. Some things never change.” Robert, who was holding Alexis in his arms, shook his head.

“Uncle Trev?” Alexis gave him a funny look.

“Hey, jelly bean, it’s Uncle Trev.”

Charisma, who couldn’t wait for them to come out, barreled in and gave her brother a big hug. Theresa wanted to get out of there, but she’d promised Trevor she’d stay, at least for a little while. Why was it that she was always going against her better judgment where this man was concerned?

 

* * *

 

A little while later, Trevor shared a potato chip with his niece while trying to shield himself from the look of exasperation from his sister. He knew Charisma preferred healthy snack foods, but when Alexis reached for a chip, one look into those adorable blue eyes and he couldn’t say no. He was Uncle Trevor after all, which meant he let her do what she wanted. She’d grown so much since the last time he’d seen her. She was beautiful and full of energy just like her mom. Charisma looked more radiant than he’d ever seen her, dressed in a pretty cranberry-colored dress and with her hair done up in a double bun. He was pleased to see her happy. It was also good to see Robert and his wife Alicia, as well as Jared, Autumn, and their son Harper.

The house was abuzz with family members who’d heeded the distress call Trina sent out when she’d found him. If only he could have stopped her from sending out the SOS, but in a way it felt comforting to know that they cared. They’d never been short on love and support in this family, and it eased his mind that his sister had a support system at home when she needed it.

So much had changed, but so much had remained the same too. There had been a few changes to the décor in his grandma’s house—along with the new alarm system, which was definitely an upgrade—but the feeling of warmth and comfort remained.

Grandma Reed insisted on making him something to eat, even though it was getting pretty late. She always said it was bad manners to have company and nothing to feed them. So she ignored his request to take it easy and found everything she could heat up and put together for his unexpected homecoming. If he’d arrived when she was home alone, he would have made her a cup of tea and snacked on the homemade chocolate chips cookies she had in the cookie jar.

Alexis was talking up a storm, telling him about her day at the Yarn Barn with her mom and great-grandmother. Apparently she became very interested in a big silk sunflower she’d seen in the store. Which explained why there were bags full of the flowers that Charisma had laid on the dining room table when she’d arrived. He kept up with his niece, all while keeping a watchful eye on Theresa. Right now she was sitting on the couch, talking to Trina and Autumn.

“No more junk food for you, missy. Great-Grandma talked me into letting you have your way all day.” Charisma took a big bite on the chip in Alexis’s hand. “Uncle Trevor’s going to get a crash course on what you’re not allowed to eat. But I’m glad he’s home.” She looked at him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to town?”

“It was spur of the moment, and I thought it would be a nice surprise.” He kissed his sister’s cheek. “I wanted to see two of my favorite girls. I can’t believe how much she’s grown.”

“See.” Charisma nudged him gently. “This doesn’t hold a candle to videoconferencing. You should come home more often.”

“I plan to make that a priority.”

“And I’m so happy to see you I won’t even ask what’s going on with the bird’s nest on top of your head and your hobo beard.”

“I could have sworn you just did,” he mused. “Where’s Derek?”

“He’s attending another grand opening of the Slap Shot in the Blake Hotels. He’ll be back on Sunday. So how long are you sticking around this time?”

“It’s undetermined at this time.”

Jared entered the kitchen and retrieved a cookie from the cookie jar. “Does this mean you’ll finally be home for a Thanksgiving meal?”

“I don’t know. That’s weeks away.”

“We would love to have you here for the holidays,” Charisma chimed in. “If you’re going to be in town for a while, you can use one of our cars. Derek doesn’t drive the sports car as much; he’s a SUV dad these days when we’re not having a date night.”

“Thanks. I like that car. It has been a while since I’ve stayed more than a week.” He looked in the living room. “I can’t believe Harper is so big now and such a handsome little devil. He has those classic Reed man features.” Trevor shook his head.

“Then you’ll be in shock when you see Morgan and Isabelle’s kids. Jake’s in middle school.”

“Yikes.” He laughed.

“We should get together to chew the fat before I head back to Texas on Monday. The Reed men haven’t had a good old-fashioned sit-down in ages.”

Charisma raised an eyebrow. “You mean where you drink beers and argue over who’s Grandma’s favorite?”

“Yep.” Jared laughed. “Who knows when I’ll see you again?”

“I promise that you, Robert, and I will carve out some time before you head back,” he said. “But it’s still too early for a firm answer on the holiday plans.”

“We won’t dwell on the future just yet.” Grandma Reed came over with a plate of food. “As luck would have it, we’re having a family get together tomorrow.”

“She’s right. With Jared, Autumn, and Harper coming to town for the weekend, we’d planned to have a family day.”

“Thanks, Grandma.” He knew she understood his erratic comings and goings. “Do you mind if I stay in my old room?”

“Of course not.” She beamed. “I don’t know how long it’s been since most of my babies have been home.”

“Where’s Uncle Curtis and Aunt Sydney?” he asked.

“They’re in Maui with Mom and Dad.”

“Excuse me?” He couldn’t believe his ears.

“Derek and I gifted them with the vacation after all they’ve helped this summer. We had packed schedules with the Slap Shot openings at the Blake Hotels, and they were consummate babysitters for Alexis and Harper.”

“And they went together?”

“I’d like to think we’ve all been growing as a group.”

“It’s a good thing?”

“They spoil Alexis rotten, but in a good way. Mom doesn’t do any stage grand-mothering and dad is more engaged now with the family.”

“That doesn’t sound like our parents.”

“No, it doesn’t. Isn’t it great?” Charisma’s gaze shifted in the direction of the laughter coming from the living room. “So, good thing Theresa was here to help Trina in your hour of need.”

“She was very helpful.”

In the other room, Theresa was playing with Harper, who seemed to love the attention he was getting.

“Don’t look now, but Harper’s putting the moves on your girl.” Charisma took Alexis out of his arms.

“It’s the curse of the Reed men, being so darn adorable,” Jared said, mindful that Alexis was in earshot. “I’d get in there if I were you.”

“She said she lives close by,” Trevor said.

Charisma bit back a smile. “You should go ask her about it.”

Trevor could take the not-so-subtle hint from his sister and cousin. He’d asked Theresa to stay, but at the same time he was trying to wrap his mind around her being in his grandmother’s house again. It was unbelievable but not impossible. She did grow up in the neighborhood after all, and they had been high school sweethearts. Also, she handled a lot of the family’s travel needs, and she’d said she lived nearby. OK, it was looking more like it was natural that she’d be here. Charisma was right, a lot had changed.

He wandered into the living room to be closer to her.

“Trevor,” Theresa said when she saw him. She stood. “I was just telling Trina and Autumn I have an early day tomorrow. I’d better be going.”

“Can I at least escort you home?”

“Sure.” She turned to Trina. “Rain check on the bottle of wine and the gossip?”

“You know it.” Trina gave her a thumbs-up.

Trevor retrieved his jacket from the coat rack and draped it around Theresa’s shoulders. He’d done that many times before, and a sense of familiarity came over him. He held the door open as she picked up her bat and let her lead the way. He didn’t know where she lived, and he felt like an idiot. He usually took pride in the dutiful way he kept tabs on the people who mattered to him.

She started down the front path and he followed. “You and Trina were going to split a bottle of wine?”

“Trina and I have become good friends the last couple of years. We had dinner with Dana, then thought we’d have a night cap and gab about our whacky social lives.”

“You have a social life?”

She shot a warning look at him. “I’m not a troll. I do date.”

“Of course. You’re gorgeous. I’m sure you have no problems dating.”

“I wouldn’t pour it on that thick either.”

“OK. What would you say?”

“I’d say that although I am devastatingly beautiful, I still haven’t found someone who hits all the checks on the list I have.”

“There’s a list now?”

She frowned. “I didn’t have it when we dated. But when someone you care for decides to move on and never look back, you feel like you need to create a guideline to follow so it doesn’t happen again.”

He didn’t know what to say. Her words stung, but he knew they were true. “I’m sorry to have created unnecessary paperwork for you.”

“I learned from it.”

He looked into her eyes and saw indifference. That hurt far worse than the wound in his side. “Thanks again for taking such good care of me.”

“No problem. I didn’t want your grandma to get upset seeing you that way.” She made a left when they got on the sidewalk.

“I’ll be staying in town for a while,” he blurted out.

She nodded. “I think it would be great for you see how much you’re needed in this family.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “When you were younger, you always seemed to feel like you weren’t an integral part of this family. I know you went through a lot with your parents and that did make things difficult for you. I think it’s why you bolted as soon as you had the chance.”

Pondering the past was not one of his favorite things to do, except when it came to her. Thinking about their time together had been a solace for him on hell-filled days in the spy world.

“I did a lot of reactive things back then.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, Theresa. Since I’m going to be in town for a while—”

“This is me,” she interrupted as she stopped in front of the house right next to his grandmother’s.

He looked up to find they’d only walked a few feet. The Smith family had moved. Why had it felt like they’d been walking for hours? “You live next door.” He let out a dry laugh.

“Yes.” She smirked. “I moved in two months ago.”

“I didn’t see that coming.” He followed her up the porch steps.

“Good. Now I have you on your toes.” She shook off the jacket and handed it to him.

“Like I said, I’m going to be in town a little while. I’d love to catch up.”

“I’ll be at the get-together tomorrow. Your grandma invited me.”

“I’m glad you’re coming, but that’s not what I meant. I was thinking dinner, just the two of us. A night on the town.”

“I’ll have to think about it.”

At least she hadn’t said no. “OK. Thanks again for changing my bandage.”

“You’re welcome.” She stepped inside. “Goodnight, Trevor.”

“Goodnight, Reese.”

He stayed until he heard her put the locks on and activate her alarm. Theresa lived right next door to his family homestead. What could be better than that? Getting a kiss goodnight would have been awesome, but he knew leaning in for a smooch was more dangerous than evading those thugs in that club. He had to find a way to get her to trust him again.