Trace + Olivia Series Boxed Set (155 page)

Rowan gasped when she saw me. “It’s beautiful!” She clapped her hands. “Perfect! The color too!”

“What about the blue?” I asked, turning around so she could see the back. 

“Forget blue, this is so much better and more elegant.” 

Well, for someone that had been so stressed earlier she’d made these decisions relatively easy.

She ordered the dresses, as well as one for Olivia, and we left.

Since we hadn’t gotten anything to eat when we met for coffee, we decided to get lunch. It was nice to spend some time with her. We hadn’t had much girl time in months. Life had a tendency to get in the way.

IT WAS LATE WHEN Jude and I pulled up to the old farmhouse after he’d finished volunteering. Tomorrow I was leaving for spring break with Trent and Row, so this was my last chance to see his grandpa for a good week or more. 

The last week I’d been able to steer clear of Jude’s advances and there’d been no more kissing, but my God did I want to. I hated myself for liking him, and I hated him even more for causing me to have such conflicting feelings. I didn’t know how much longer my defenses would last against him. I was hoping my week away would help me to fortify my walls to ensure that he didn’t break through.

“Pap?” Jude called out as we walked inside. “Pap?” He called again when there was no answer.

He looked at me worriedly and my stomach dropped. Oh no, he couldn’t have…

“Pap!” Jude ran up the steps, taking them two at a time. “He’s not here!” He called down a moment later.

I frantically started to search the bottom level but Jerry wasn’t there either. This was bad.

I was terrified he was having one of his episodes and had wandered off. On a property this large the chances of finding him in the dark…yeah, it didn’t look good. 

In the sunroom, I caught sight of him out the window. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Found him!” I called out to Jude. I wasn’t sure where he had gone to look. “He’s outside!” Not bothering to wait for him I darted outside, running towards Jerry. He just stood there in the middle of knee high grass looking up at the stars.

“Hello, Tatum,” he said, not even looking at me.

“Jerry,” I tugged on his arm, “it’s cold out, you should come inside.”

“I wonder if she’s up there,” he murmured, like I wasn’t even there. “I wonder if each star is someone that was on this earth once—a person that shined brighter than others. My Mae,” he clucked his tongue, laughing softly, “she shined brighter than anyone I’ve ever known.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder and my racing heart calmed. “I bet she’s right there then,” I pointed at the brightest star I could see. It sparkled in the moonlight. “Look at that, she’s winking at you.”

He reached up and blindly patted my cheek. “Jude didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“I begged him,” I grinned up at the sky.

“He doesn’t want you around me,” Jerry stated, “he’s afraid I’ll tell you something embarrassing.”

“Like what?” I laughed.

“That boy cares more for you than he’d like to admit,” he told me.

“That’s not true. He doesn’t even know me.” Although, that wasn’t really true. While we’d never been friends, we had grown up in the same town all our lives, and with this little question game we had going on we knew each other pretty dang well now. 

“How do you ever really know someone?” Jerry countered. “People are always changing. Sometimes, it’s about how you feel them.”

“Feel them?” I questioned, my brows drawing together.

He nodded, placing a hand on his heart. “It what you feel in here, and recognize in the other person, that matters. There’s good and bad in everyone. No one’s perfect, Tatum. Definitely not my grandson, but he has a big heart to offer you.” I wanted to tell him that I didn’t want Jude’s heart, but that would be rude and untrue, because a part of me yearned strongly for the brown-eyed man I was desperate to hate. But the thing about hate is, eventually it disappears and I think I’d just about used all mine up.

Jerry and I stood looking up at the stars for a few minutes longer. When we turned to go back inside, Jude was a few feet behind us watching us curiously. 

“Pap, why were you out here by yourself? That’s not safe,” Jude frowned, looking his grandpa over carefully to make sure he was unharmed.

“I’m fine, boy,” Jerry waved a hand dismissively as he headed for the back door. “You worry too much.”

“Of course I worry,” Jude sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Have you eaten dinner?”

“Yes, I didn’t know you two were coming,” Jerry said, holding the door open for us to follow. “It’s a nice surprise. There are leftovers in the refrigerator if you’re hungry.”

My stomach rumbled at the mention of food. Besides a Special K bar after my last class I hadn’t eaten anything in hours. Jude chuckled, having heard the noise. Great.

Jerry headed to the den and a moment later we heard the sounds of the TV. 

Jude opened the fridge and pulled out a plastic container. Popping the lid off, he inhaled the scent, and breathed happily, “Mmm, meatloaf. Pap makes the best meatloaf.”

“I’m pretty sure your Pap makes the best everything,” I commented as he found plates and cut a square out for each of us. “Are you as talented in the kitchen as he is?”

“No.”

“He’s lying!” Jerry called from the other room, eavesdropping on our conversation.

I quirked a brow at Jude. “Is that true?”

He shrugged. “I can cook, just not this good.”

“Lies!” Came Jerry’s voice again.

I couldn’t help laughing. The way Jude and his grandpa behaved around each other, well…it was heartwarming. They liked to pick on each other, but there was a bond there that was indestructible. It was obvious that his grandpa was his father figure, and I wondered if his grandma had been more like his mom than his own. I was dying to know why Jude didn’t have much to do with his parents, but that was none of my business so I was keeping my mouth shut…for now.

Jude set the warmed plates of food on the table and I got us cups of ice water. It felt weird to be sitting at a table just the two of us enjoying a meal. It was so simple, so easy. I never thought I’d use either of those words to describe Jude and I. Wow, we’d come a long way in a few short weeks in the sense that I didn’t contemplate all the ways I could kill him with my bare hands every time I was in a room with him.

I studied his strong chin and brow, his full lips that had felt like heaven against mine, and something I’d never felt before stirred inside me. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” 

I shook my head forcefully, bowing my head so my hair hid my face and concealed the embarrassment staining my cheeks. “I didn’t know I was,” I muttered.

Suddenly his fingers smoothed my hair back and my chin was forced up so I had to look at him. His eyes were such a warm brown, like melted chocolate. “You can look all you want, pretty girl. I don’t mind.”

Of course he didn’t, but I did. Jude Brooks was the last person I should have these…these…fluttery  feelings about. It wasn’t okay with me. But the heart wants what it wants, and mine very clearly yearned for Jude. I didn’t understand how I could go from hating someone with every fiber of my being to wanting them. Actually, it was more than a simple want. I craved him. But I was determined to deny my feelings until either they went away, or he gave up on waiting for me, because he would give up on me eventually…everyone did.

“Hey,” he said, his voice deepening with seriousness. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine,” I assured him. 

“That look on your face doesn’t seem fine to me,” he commented, tilting his head slightly as he studied me. 

I bit my lip, letting out a heavy sigh. “I think I’m just really tired.”

He nodded his head, like that was answer enough.

We finished eating in silence, cleaned the dishes, and joined Jerry in the living room to watch some TV before we left for the evening. 

When we said our goodbyes, Jerry called me Julia and Jude had become Andrew. It broke my heart, seeing Jerry regress into his mind and into a time that was no more. I knew it had to be even more painful for Jude. 

Back on campus, Jude parked his truck in the empty spot beside my old red Mazda. I didn’t say anything as I got out and headed to my car. I jumped in surprise when I heard the driver’s side door of the truck close. Jude had never gotten out of his truck before when he dropped me off.

He came around to where I stood by my car, leaning so close to me that you couldn’t fit a sheet of paper between us. 

My breath faltered as he stared into my eyes. His look was intense, searing me straight to my core. 

A few weeks ago I would’ve pushed him away and cussed him out for standing this close. I did neither of those things.

My heart raced dangerously fast as he lowered his head. I thought for sure he was going to kiss me, but he didn’t. I was learning that Jude was full of surprises. 

He brushed my hair back over my shoulder and nuzzled my neck. The light stubble on his cheeks and chin grazed my skin, causing me to shiver. “I just want to see you happy,” he breathed against my skin. Then his lips were on my cheek, oh so close to my mouth, but he pulled away from me before it went any further. He turned hastily and strode to his truck. I watched him get in and pull out of the parking lot while I was left standing there, panting like I’d run a marathon, and wondering what the hell had just happened.

“OH, HELL TO THE no!” I seethed, standing on my front porch at six in the morning with two suitcases by my side. “No one told me he was coming!” I pointed an accusing finger at Jude. 

Rowan rolled her eyes as Trent grabbed one of the suitcases and Jude got the other. “I knew you wouldn’t come if I told you Jude was coming too.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “This feels like a setup,” I accused her. Rowan, Trent, Jude and me…yeah, that was a bit too cozy for my liking. I’d been the third wheel when I thought it was only the three of us, but I’d never had a problem doing things on my own before. But now…I was going to be stuck with Jude. I’d been hoping to use this time to get over my…crush—I cringed at the word—on him. Stuck in a house 24/7 with him was going to prove futile to my plan. I was so screwed. Unless I didn’t go. “I think I’m going to stay home.”

“Tatum, don’t make me get Trent to drag you into this car,” she warned, “you know I will.” 

Judging from her serious tone and the look in her eyes, I believed her, and I knew Trent would do whatever she told him. 

“Fine, I’ll go, but I won’t enjoy a minute of this vacation,” I spat venomously as I passed her on my way to the car. Staring up at Jude, I warned, “Don’t try anything.”

He chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. “I’ll try, but no promises.”

Great.

Jude opened one of the back passenger doors and waved a hand for me to get inside. With a bunch of grumbling, I finally did. I heard him laugh as the door closed and jogged around to the other side, sitting so close to me that our knees grazed.

The car we were in was some kind of fancy SUV that I knew didn’t belong to Trent or Row. I figured Trent had borrowed it from his mom, since neither of their cars were made for long distance traveling.

I hated that our spring break was so early, in April, so the weather was always cool. I really hoped it would be much warmer at the beach, but on the east coast you never knew. 

Jude tapped his fingers along his jean-clad thigh to the beat of the song playing on the radio. I let out a sigh and turned to look out the window. 

It was going to be a long drive.

“THIS IS YOUR BEACH house,” I gasped when we pulled up to the gate blocking the entrance. It wasn’t huge, but it certainly wasn’t small either. I’d been picturing a cottage. This looked like something you’d see in the movies. The siding was navy blue, with white shutters, a deck, and stairs leading up to the dark wood door. The gate swung open and Trent drove through, pushing a button to open the garage door—which he didn’t park in because there were two dune buggies and two jet skis. 

“Yeaaaah!” Jude clapped his hands, “This is going to be awesome!”

We eased from the car and got our luggage from the trunk.