“Depends,” he’d said. “What can I do you for, Reid?”
“Nora actually suggested that I stop by.”
“That so?” He pondered the words I’d just spoken. “I’m surprised she even gave you a second look.”
“Well, I’m very convincing when I want to be.” I had offered a smile, but it faded as soon as he failed to reciprocate. My effervescent charm was not working on Nora’s father. Not that I’d expected it to. Flashbacks of the first day Nora had introduced me to her father as her boyfriend replayed in my head. I’d known Royce Bennett my entire life and he’d always been nice to me, until the moment the words my and boyfriend came out of his little girl’s mouth. I was then faced with the challenge of proving my intentions were true and that I wasn’t just some pervy kid looking to score with his daughter. Took me almost a full year to convince him that I was to be trusted, and judging by the way he was staring me down I was back on page one with him. “Look,” I said, taking in a deep breath. “I’m back for the time being and I fully intend on earning Nora’s forgiveness for the way I left things between us.”
“I’d say that’s the least you could do.”
“It might not mean much, but I can promise you that I’m not going to hurt her,” I swore. I would have taken a blood oath if he’d suggested it. The wrench he was holding in his left hand said that it might be a real possibility that I’d be bleeding soon. I waited for him to either whack me over the head or tell me to leave.
“You know, I’ve learned a few things over the years... especially where my daughters are concerned.” A smile threatened his lips at the mention of Nora and her sister. “As much as I want to tell you to hit the road and never look in her direction again, I think it’s probably best that I sit this one out and let her come to her own decisions about you.”
“I appreciate it,” I replied, sounding more like a question than an answer. I was hoping that he’d say he knew I was the one for Nora and back me up, but I should have known this wasn’t going to be an easy feat. “I think.” Having him say he thought her giving me a second chance was a good idea might have helped, but I knew winning her back was something I had to do by myself. I was used to getting things done by myself on the track. I just needed to put the same effort into things with her.
“I mean, hell,” he chuckled, “I’ve been biting my tongue about her seeing the Gregurich boy for two years now, so maybe I don’t know what in the hell I’m doing.”
“Not a fan?” I pressed.
“I think you know the answer to that,” he said, pointedly. “That little shit ripped through my prime hunting ground one morning on that dirt bike of his and scared off a prize buck. Never even apologized for it.”
Figured. Beau had always been selfish and unable to take responsibilities for anything he did. Maybe this was Royce’s way of telling me I was already a leg up by admitting my faults and telling him, and Nora, how sorry I was. He wouldn’t say it, but when he asked me to come inside and say hello to his wife, I had a good feeling about winning him over again.
“Well, my Lord,” Becky Bennett had wrapped her arms around me tight enough to press the air from my lungs. “Reid Travers. Look how much you’ve grown up.” She smiled as she ushered me over to the kitchen table. As soon as I sat down, she cradled my face in her hands and just stared. “You sure look different. In a good way,” she added with a wink.
“Thanks, Becky,” I felt myself blushing like a teenager. “You haven’t aged a day.” I knew how to sweet talk a mom, especially Nora’s mom. She and I had always had a great relationship and I wasn’t lying when I said she looked the same as I’d remembered. She’d always been a pretty lady and I remembered my dad suggesting that I hold on to Nora because if her future was looking like her mama then I’d be a lucky man. Her sweet, dimpled smile made it even harder to apologize for hurting her girl.
“Reid, I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t want to take a switch to you when my baby came home crying the day you left, but over the years I’ve realized that what you did wasn’t to hurt her. You were both kids. It would have been hard to make a relationship work. Especially, with everything you had going on in your life”
“Try explaining that to her.” I hung my head.
“I’ve tried, honey,” she confessed. “But you know her. You know how stubborn she is.”
“Don’t we all,” Royce added. Laughing for the first time since I’d showed up. I had a lot of good memories with this family, and I’m sure Nora had many with mine. We had both been blessed with fantastic role models when it came to making relationships work and being parents. Seeing Becky and Royce again, and thinking about my own parents, made me want what they had. And, I wanted it with Nora.
“Now how about I get you a drink and something to eat and you tell us what you’ve been up to,” Becky suggested.
“That sounds fantastic,” I agreed.
We sat there catching up for about an hour before I heard the voice of the girl whose photographs I’d been looking at. Becky had pulled an album from the bookshelf in the living room and was pointing out some of her favorite memories of my time with her daughter. It was nice to see photographic proof that we’d been happy and together at one point. Each time I saw Nora and she shut me down I was starting to believe that it had all been a dream.
When she didn’t immediately run out the door upon seeing me, I had to think that I was at least making progress with her. A little bit more time and I’d have her remembering exactly why we were perfect for each other.
Want to know what it’s like to have your thoughts hijacked by a guy you swore you’d never think about again? It’s ridiculously fucking frustrating.
Reid had managed to not only infiltrate my thoughts, dreams, and my office, but he’d went and shown up at my parents’ house. He had to stop his relentless pursuit and I had to tell him.
When I pulled onto the lane and drove back to the cabin I knew he and his brother were sharing during their visit, I felt the anxiety bubbling inside of me. Could I really look him in the eye and lay it all on the line without letting him get to me with his sweet words and arrogantly, sexy ways?
I thought back and tried to remember exactly how it felt to hear him say that he wanted to break up with me. I remembered the disengaged look in his eyes and how easy it seemed to be for him to end what we had. I’d been with him for three years and he threw it all away like it hadn’t even mattered. Of course I could tell him.
I stood on the front porch for a good two minutes before I knocked. I took a deep breath as I waited for him to answer and tried to settle my nerves. The door opened, but it wasn’t Reid standing on the other side.
“Nora Elaine Bennett,” Brett said when he pulled open the door. “I was wondering how long it would take before you stopped by here.”
“Is Reid—” I paused, trying to ignore the ridiculous way he was leaning up against the frame of the door—one arm over his head, the other flexing in front of him. “How did you know my whole name?”
“I’ve been doing my research,” he said with laugh. “I know all about the Bennett sisters.” He winked. “How’s Georgia Yvonne this fine evening?”
“That’s creepy,” I said, earning a chuckle from him. Despite his stalking, I could tell he was harmless, and kind of cute which made him much less intimidating. “I guess I’ll have to Google you and find out your deep dark secrets.”
“There’s plenty,” he assured me with a boyish grin. “You here to see RT or did you finally come to your senses about the real stud shacked up in this place.”
“You are shacking up in an Airstream, Sally,” I heard Hoyt’s voice call out from inside. Brett swung the door open and I took it upon myself to walk in. “And it’s going to take a lot more than internet stalking to win over a Bennett sister.”