Chapter 3

Lizzie grimaced when she saw Terry’s number pop up on her phone. She let his call go to voicemail, and she avoided listening to his message the rest of the afternoon. But when he texted her, she knew she couldn’t avoid him forever.

Lizzie, it’s Terry. The label called me today. They say if you don’t finish at least one song within three months, they’ll drop you from the label. I’m sorry. I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, but my hands are tied.

Lizzie sank down onto the couch and sighed. She couldn’t blame Terry—he couldn’t force the label to do anything it didn’t want. She hadn’t put out a new album in two years now, although she’d been touring up until last fall. She’d told herself at first that she was just too busy to write, but now she didn’t have that excuse. She couldn’t write. It was like something had literally blocked the words and the notes.

She stared at her guitar sitting against the wall of her living room. It looked almost judgmental right then. What’s wrong with you? it seemed to ask her. This isn’t that complicated. Just write the damn songs.

Taking the guitar into her bedroom, she set it in its case and pushed it under her bed.

She needed a break. She needed to relax. She needed—she didn’t even know. She’d never felt this lost before.

And it didn’t help that she kept dreaming about that night with Trent.

“I need to get out of here,” she muttered. It was late evening, and the bars would be open through the night. Maybe she could forget about everything for a little while.

Tonight Seth was out with Harrison and Caleb, the second-oldest Thornton, and Lizzie knew they wouldn’t be back for a while. Getting her purse, she walked to downtown, just a handful of blocks from the apartment she was renting with Seth. It was a warm evening, and the sun wouldn’t set until closer to ten o’clock. She heard laughter and music, and her heart lifted somewhat. Maybe she just needed fresh air and a walk to clear her mind.

She hadn’t planned on going to The Fainting Goat. She’d avoided Trent’s bar like the plague, but tonight she felt daring, if not downright defiant. She was not going to act like she had anything to feel ashamed of. Going inside the restaurant, she sat down at the bar and ordered a beer.

“Lizzie Thornton?” the bartender asked as he pushed a beer her way. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

She looked up, and although her brain seemed to want to recognize the man standing in front of her, she struggled to put a name to the face. He seemed to sense her confusion and laughed.

“It’s Colton. We were in band together in high school, remember?”

She vaguely remembered a kid in band with that name—did he play the trumpet? No, the trombone. She smiled. “Yeah, I remember you,” she lied. “How’s it going?”

Colton had grown up, although he wasn’t as tall as some guys Lizzie knew. She winced inwardly. I am not going there right now. Colton was good-looking, in a generic kind of way: brown hair, brown eyes, a nice smile. Yet looking at him, she didn’t feel anything except a slight interest in him.

“Good, good. Just working the daily grind. You’re a musician now, right? Are you home just for a visit?”

She didn’t want to talk about her career or her music, so she just shrugged. “Yeah, for a little while. I needed a break. Do you still play the trombone?”

That made him laugh. “Oh Jesus, no. That’s not really something you play to catch the ladies, you know?” He winked. “I prefer other instruments these days.”

Ugh. She almost got up to go to a booth, but Colton had to attend to the other customers. Lizzie drank her beer in silence, feeling morose, moody, and lonely. She knew it wasn’t a great combination. She wasn’t good company these days. Even Seth—her silent and secretive twin brother—had noticed.

She looked around at The Fainting Goat, and she couldn’t stop the pride filling her at seeing how popular it had become. Trent had done all this. Sometimes she had a hard time reconciling the shy teenager he’d been with the man he’d become, but she’d recognized a drive in him then that had resulted in his current success. It took a particular kind of person to start their own business, and not only keep at it, but capitalize on their success. Trent had begun his restaurant empire, making a name for himself in both Fair Haven and Washington State.

Lizzie saw touches of Trent throughout the restaurant: the irreverent prints on the wall, mostly of goats; the warm, homey decor that welcomed customers right as they entered; the variety of beers, wines, and liquors that couldn’t be rivaled in Fair Haven. When she’d seen the logo—an upside-down blue goat—she’d smiled. That had Trent’s fingerprints all over it. He’d always been good at thinking up catchy names and clever marketing, his mind always busy and thinking ten steps ahead.

She remembered when they’d been paired for their English project their senior year of high school. Lizzie had known Trent’s name, but nothing beyond that. She’d been popular and one of the rich Thorntons; Trent had been from a broken home and had only a few friends. She’d thought, from afar, that Trent was cute, but she’d never thought anything would happen. When they’d gone to the public library to work on their project together, he’d barely spoken more than five words to her.

Their second meeting at her house, though, had gone a little differently.

“I think we should perform something,” she’d said with her most winning smile. It had been the smile that made boys her age blush and stutter, and to her immense amusement, it had made Trent blush—but only a little.

“I don’t really do plays,” he’d said, looking away. “What about a book report?”

“That’s boring. Besides, we get extra credit if we perform something.” She sidled closer to Trent and looked up at him from under her lashes. “Come on. You can be Benedick, I’ll be Beatrice. We can switch things up or something. You can play Beatrice and I can play Benedick,” she added with a flutter of her lashes.

That made him laugh. “No way are you making me put on a dress.”

Right then, his gaze didn’t move away from her face, and she felt herself blushing. How had she never noticed how beautiful his blue eyes were? She’d never seen that color before. Or maybe she just hadn’t been paying attention.

She forced herself to look away. “No, I don’t mean you’d play a woman. I mean, we make Beatrice a man and Benedick a woman. If that makes sense.”

Trent considered. “That could work.”

“Awesome. Although if you’re sure you won’t wear a dress…”

He just rolled his eyes and told her she could find a new partner if that was what she wanted to do. That made her smile, which made him smile. Lizzie felt her heart speed up. Their gazes locked, and Lizzie became all too aware that they were alone in her room with the door only barely open. She hadn’t thought she’d need to keep the door open, but now…

Trent cleared his throat, looking away. “So, which scene do you want to do?”

After some practice and trial and error, they performed the scene in front of their English class. Their performance went so well that their English teacher, Mrs. Tremblay, asked them to perform their mini-play for the other English sections.

Maybe it was the love speeches, or perhaps just spending time together. But with each performance, Lizzie was more drawn to the boy she’d barely spared a thought for only months earlier.

He kissed her for the first time after their last performance. It was outside in a shadowy corner near the school, and when he touched her cheek and asked her in a low voice if he could kiss her, she knew she couldn’t protect her heart from this boy any longer.

“Need a refill?” Colton asked her, hurtling her back into the present.

Lizzie hadn’t even realized she’d finished her beer. She considered getting another one, but suddenly, she was too tired to be in public. She wanted to go home and sleep.

She didn’t want to think about the boy who’d kissed her that afternoon and taken her heart with him.

“Thanks, but I’m good on that refill. See you later,” she said with a tight smile. After leaving some cash on the bar, she headed out.

She didn’t walk home right away. Leaning against a tree outside that was secluded from the crowds, she gazed out at the sunset, enjoying the play of colors on the horizon. There truly was nothing like a summer here in Fair Haven. She’d missed this. She’d missed her hometown, and yes, even her crazy family.

“Lizzie? Hey, good, you’re still out here.” Colton ambled up to her, giving her a sheepish smile. “You left so fast I didn’t get a chance to ask you something.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Did you want to get a drink with me sometime?”

“Oh. Oh, thank you for asking,” she said in a kind voice, “but I’m not really dating right now. Thank you, though.”

Colton didn’t move from his spot; instead, he moved closer to her, touching her arm. Her eyes narrowed.

“You’re not with anyone right now, though, right? Why not have a drink with me? Come on. You won’t regret it.”

Lizzie forced away the irritation bubbling up inside her. “No, I’m good. Really.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t you have to work?”

“I’m on break.”

He’d gotten closer, and she realized he’d cornered her. Unless he moved away—or she pushed him away—she was stuck. Her heart started pounding.

“Look, I’m flattered. I am. But I’m just not in a place for dating right now.” She made her voice as firm as she could without sounding strident. She didn’t want to get Colton riled.

But her hopes were dashed when his lips twisted. “Seriously? You’re going to flirt with me inside and then turn me down?”

“I didn’t—”

“I don’t get women like you. You show your tits and smile and laugh and then you get mad when guys don’t ask you for a drink, but then when we do, you act like you didn’t mean anything.” His voice rose, a flush crawling up his cheeks.

Lizzie forced herself to stay calm. If she could duck under his arm, or push him away, she could get away and hide in the crowds walking down Main Street. But Colton had at least five inches on her and was beefy; she wasn’t sure she could push him away even if she wanted to.

When he grabbed her wrist, she bit her lip to stifle a yelp. “Stop, Colton—”

One moment she was watching Colton lean toward her to kiss her. The next, she heard a shout and then the sound of someone getting punched before Colton collapsed at her feet.

And there was Trent, breathing hard, his blue eyes flashing in the dim light.

“The lady told you to stop,” Trent growled as he took Colton by his shirt collar. “When a woman says stop, you listen to her, got it?”

Colton’s lip was split. “She led me on,” he whined.

Trent shook him. “Doesn’t matter. She has a right to say no.” He let Colton go with a disgusted sound. “Get out of here. And you’re fired. If I see you around my bar again, I’ll have you arrested.”

Wiping his lip, Colton spat near Trent’s foot and stood up. After giving Lizzie a dark look, he stalked off, mumbling under his breath.

Lizzie felt dizzy with fear. She clutched the tree behind her, desperately trying not to freak out in front of Trent. She was torn between immense relief that he’d helped her and annoyance that she hadn’t been able to save herself.

“Are you all right?” Trent asked her quietly. He looked her up and down. “Did he touch you?”

She took a shuddering breath. “I’m fine. He was just being an asshole.”

She moved to walk away, but Trent said, “Wait. Lizzie. Don’t go.”

Trent watched Lizzie’s shoulders stiffen. When he’d heard voices, he’d come around the corner of his bar and seen something he’d never wanted to see in his lifetime: one of his employees harassing his ex-girlfriend. Lizzie had been pale with fear, and Trent had seen too many drunken assholes try to accost women to misunderstand Colton’s intent.

Colton had been a decent employee, but Trent wouldn’t have men like him on his staff.

Now, though, he wanted to make sure Lizzie was all right. You just don’t want her to go, his mind whispered.

That, too.

She looked at him over her shoulder. No tears—of course not. Lizzie had never been a wilting flower. More than likely, she was more pissed at her own helplessness than terrified at what had happened.

He approached her. He almost reached out to touch her, but he curled his fingers into his palm.

“Are you all right?” he asked again. He didn’t see any marks on her, but not all marks were physical.

Her mouth twisted. “I’m okay. Shaken up and angry, but I’ll survive. This isn’t the first time this has happened.”

Rage swept through him. “Who was it? I’ll strangle him. Who was it, Lizzie?”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t mean—not anyone from your bar. It’s happened while I was touring. Guys think that since I’m a musician, I’m an easy lay. When they find out otherwise, sometimes they get mean.” She shrugged.

He barely kept his rage from taking over. He wanted to kill any man who’d disrespect and scare Lizzie like that. But then despair filled him, because who was he to her? Not a boyfriend, not a lover. Not anymore. He didn’t have the right to claim that he would protect her.

Lizzie licked her lips. The tip of her pink tongue wetting her bottom lip sent a frisson of heat through him. He couldn’t stop himself from remembering their night together over a month ago. And based on the look in her eyes, she was remembering it, too.

“Thank you for your help,” she murmured. She looked away. “I need to get home.”

“I’ll walk you.”

“No, I’m fine. You don’t need to.”

“I insist.”

Seeing that he wasn’t about to let her walk home alone, she let out an annoyed sigh. “Fine. I’m only five blocks away, but if it makes you feel better…”

He smiled grimly. “It does.”

They didn’t talk as they walked back to her apartment. Trent had barely seen Lizzie since the wedding, and he drank her in now. Her dark hair flowed down her back, and she wore the shortest shorts in existence. Shorts like that should be illegal, he thought with a hard swallow. Her shoulders and arms had tanned in the summer sun, freckles dotting across her nose and cheeks. She looked fresh and pretty, and as he walked next to her, the scent of jasmine wafted to him.

When they arrived at her place, it was twilight. He couldn’t help but think about when he’d kissed her at the wedding at this same time of night. He wanted to kiss her again so badly that he stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep himself from reaching for her.

She played with a strand of her dark hair. “Well, this is my stop. Thanks again.” But she didn’t make a move to leave.

Looking up at him from under her lashes, she waited. Trent couldn’t help but remember how she’d done the same thing when they’d been teenagers: that look was one that had sent him to his knees then. Now, though, he was a man, and he knew exactly what she meant with that subtle flutter of her dark lashes.

He wrapped an arm around her waist; she gasped, but she didn’t pull away. Right as she tipped her head back, he leaned down to kiss her. He groaned at the taste of her, his heart thundering. No matter how many times he kissed her, he couldn’t get enough.

Her hand roved down his back, and he threaded his fingers in her silky hair. They kissed as the sun set fully and twilight turned to night. They kissed like they’d never been apart. As their tongues touched, they both moaned. Trent got so hard that he almost trembled.

He didn’t know if it was a noise that Lizzie heard, but suddenly she broke the kiss and stepped away. She was breathing hard.

“We can’t,” she said, but she sounded like the admission hurt. Like she wished it weren’t the truth.

He wanted to yell. “Why not? Why, Lizzie?”

“Because of everything that’s happened. There’s too much baggage between us. You know that. I know it, too. We’ll just hurt each other again.”

He swore in a low voice. “We were kids then. Stupid kids. But we aren’t kids anymore. Don’t you think this time would be different?”

Her smile was so sad that it broke his heart. “No, I don’t think it would be different, because I’m still me, and you’re still Trent. And we just end up hurting each other.”

As she turned away, he caught her by the elbow. “Is this about me breaking my promise to you? Still? I had no choice, Lizzie. You know that. I was scared and desperate—”

She pulled away from him. “Like I said,” she murmured, “we only hurt each other.” Reaching up, she cupped his cheek for a brief moment before shaking her head. “And I can’t have my heart broken again.”

Trent wished he could promise that wouldn’t happen again, but he couldn’t. She kissed him one last time and went inside.