Chapter 1-2
820 Words
Trent awoke to the sound of water running somewhere. Then he awoke further when he realized a warm weight rested on his right arm, to the point that his hand had fallen asleep.
The warm weight—Lizzie. He’d slept with Lizzie.
He took a deep breath. He couldn’t help but trace the lines of her back as she slept, the covers having slipped down until he could just see the top of her ass. Gritting his teeth, he gingerly moved her so he could get his arm free. She slept on, muttering something into her pillow.
Trent hadn’t wanted to attend Harrison’s wedding. He’d almost come up with some excuse to skip it—one of his restaurants had an issue, he had the flu, he’d been abducted by aliens—but Harrison and the other Thornton brothers had been good to him. Well, except for Seth Thornton, Lizzie’s twin brother.
Seth Thornton hated his guts, and Trent couldn’t blame the guy.
I need to get the hell out of here. The house was waking up, and if anyone saw him leaving Lizzie’s room… it’d be a disaster, to say the least. He just prayed that everyone had partied so far into the night that nobody would wake up until later in the morning.
He got dressed as quietly as he could, swearing a little when he couldn’t find his other shoe. He found it behind a chest, wedged between the chest and the wall. He’d been so desperate for Lizzie last night that he’d literally thrown off his clothes.
He gazed down at Lizzie for a long moment. To say they had history and baggage would be an understatement. Trent hadn’t seen her for over three years, until she’d come back to Fair Haven, disrupting the orderly life he’d maintained in the last few years. If he felt lonely sometimes, well, that was fine. He could find pleasant female company when he wanted it. Besides, he had too many things on his plate to consider settling down right now.
She didn’t ask you to marry her, he groused. No, and Lizzie wouldn’t. He’d bet his bottom dollar the moment she woke up and realized she’d slept with her ex-boyfriend at her older brother’s wedding, she’d push Trent out the window of her room without a backward glance.
So, he’d be the one to leave this time—not Lizzie.
Lizzie Thornton had broken his heart into a million pieces when he’d been all of eighteen. He’d been young, stupid, and desperately in love with this beautiful, smart, vivacious girl who he’d never thought would’ve given him the time of day. When they’d been paired together for an English project, he’d been sure he’d make a fool out of himself. Lizzie was one of the Thorntons: popular, rich, and surrounded by other popular and rich classmates.
But he’d discovered that underneath the beauty and the popularity lay a girl who’d felt as alone as he had. He hadn’t known he’d been searching for Lizzie Thornton his entire life.
He shook his head, dispelling the memories. This had been… ill-advised, but they were both adults now. He’d put it behind him and mark it off as a one-time error that would not, under any circumstances, be repeated.
Going to the bedroom door, he pressed his ear against the wood, listening. He didn’t hear any movement. But when he cracked the door open, he saw someone coming out of the bathroom down the hall.
He closed the door and considered. He could wait, hope he’d find a moment when none of the guests would be out of their rooms. Considering how many guests were staying here, that might be an eternity.
So, the trellis it was.
He’d climbed up that stupid thing more than once, almost falling and breaking his neck. But he’d been in love, and he’d thought it was romantic, having to climb up to a girl’s room because her parents disapproved of your relationship.
I was such a lovesick i***t. He wasn’t about to break his neck over Lizzie Thornton again. She wouldn’t appreciate the gesture, anyway.
He opened the window, wincing a little when it squeaked, but Lizzie didn’t stir. He backed out of the window, first one foot, then the other finding a foothold, and he made his way down the trellis while saying a little prayer that it would hold his weight.
As he neared the bottom, he heard a snap. He hit the ground, the wind going out of him, and he wondered for a brief moment if he’d finally broken his neck. Serves me right.
But as he sat up, rubbing his aching back, he knew he hadn’t broken his neck. Just his pride by falling onto his ass like this. He blew out a breath and climbed to his feet, wincing when a sharp pain shot up his foot.
As he limped to his car, thankful that no one was around to see him look so pathetic, he told himself he was finally done with Lizzie Thornton.
- Writer
