This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1)

by Bennett, Amanda

  I touch the black box lying on my bed with my fingers, stopping over my fathers’ initials. Just knowing it once belonged to him makes him feel like less of a mystery.

  I stand on my tippy toes and kiss my uncle on the cheek. He blushes and pulls me into his side, kissing me on top of my head. Without another word he walks out and I’m left alone again, this time my fathers’ guitar is my only company. I’m itching to open it. It’s been months since I last played. Music is how I express what I’m feeling and I make a resolution to get back to it when the first chance comes up.

  After finally settling in and getting my uncle and aunt to leave, I crawl into my big, poufy bed, my body sinking into the mattress and releasing all the tension from the past few hours.

  For the first time since my mother died the nightmares stay away, and it is as if nothing happened.

  If only that were true. I pray to God and whatever other Higher Power is out there looking after me that my past wouldn’t try to find me. It tried to kill me once and deep down, in the very core of my being, I know it will come back, that he will come find me.

  I shove the dreaded thought back into the darkest corners of my mind. Tomorrow will be my new beginning and whether I’m ready or not, it’s here.

  The old Huntley Morgan is dead and gone…

  Chapter 2

  ~ 2 months later ~

  ~ Grayson ~

  I pull up outside the bakery on Main street like I’ve done for the last eight Saturdays since classes started. Somehow it’s become a routine, given that our football coach’s wife, or Mrs Coach as I like to call her, owns it. We usually stop by for breakfast and then head out to Lake Dixon for the day, today being no exception. Despite my intense schedule, with it being my final year year, I’ve managed to keep my grades high, attend all my classes, make it to every practice and still find time to hang with friends.

  I cross the busy street, waving to familiar faces as they pass me by. It’s one of the drawbacks of living in such a small town – everybody knows your name and your business. My family are well-known here which sometimes makes things a little harder on me. I’m expected to succeed and that expectation is almost doubled when the whole town suddenly has the same expectations as my parents. Not that I’m complaining though. Life at 21 is pretty damn sweet when you’re me. At least that’s what I want everyone to believe.

  “Hey Gray, what’s up buddy!” my best friend Brody asks as I take a seat at our usual table. “Hey Bro,” I give him a fist pump. Brody and I met in the 2nd grade, when a 4th grader picked on my sister. Brody jumped on his back and just about pummelled him to death, despite the fact that he was twice Brody’s size. We’ve been best friends ever since. I think about my sister for a split second, dismissing the thought quicker than what it came. After 2 years it’s supposed to be easier but some days she’s all I think about.

  “So, how was your night last night?” he looks at me, one brow cocked up high into his messy blonde hair. I know what he’s really asking me but he’s too chickenshit to say it out loud. He’ll make me say it instead. Bastard.

  “It was good, but I wasn’t with Rebecca if that’s what you're asking.” I give him a warning look not to go there. It would just ruin my mood. “What? She didn’t attack you last night like she always does?” he retorts sarcastically. “That’s a shocker! I’m pretty sure that girl has your entire wedding planned already.” I roll my eyes, tired of this conversation already. He knows better than anyone that I don’t do love. Not anymore. When I had my heart stomped on, shredded and spat back out by the first girl I ever truly loved I decided to switch my heart off permanently. I would rather feel nothing than feel so hurt and broken up again. What Rebecca and I have is an arrangement, one that does not include romantic feelings. At least not on my part. All it’s ever been is a few meaningless hook-ups. No feelings, no emotions. Just sex.

  But what if he’s right? What if she thinks this thing with us is more? Shit.

  “It’s not like that Brody. You know she’s just a warm body when I need a distraction.” I need to change the subject and fortunately my rescuer arrives at our table in form of a petit, dark haired woman that is like a second mother to me. Emma Morgan is one of the nicest women I’ve ever met, a real Southern belle, but get on her bad side and she’ll make your life difficult. We always laugh at Coach Morgan when he’s had a fight with his wife – he storms into the locker rooms and mumbles incoherently about marrying a woman like his mother. But he adores his wife and both his daughters. He’s the kind of man I wish I could be. Maybe someday.

  “Hey Mrs Coach,” I tease affectionately, knowing how much she hates it when we call her that. She swats my arm playfully with a dishtowel and chuckles. “You boys better be behavin’ over here!”

  “Of course we are Mrs Coach, we’re the most well behaved boys on the team,” Brody quips. He’s lying. We both know how much shit we’re capable of getting ourselves into especially when we team up. We’ve been partners in crime for what feels like forever.

  “Can I get you boys the usual? Bacon, eggs, french fries and coffee?”

  “Yes please ma’am,” Brody and I respond in unison, causing us to laugh. She smiles at us affectionately for a brief second and then saunters off to place our order.

  Out of the corner of my eye I see Brody’s expression harden suddenly, his playful disposition evaporating in the blink of an eye. “Well if it isn’t the she-devil herself,” he barks. I turn to look at who he’s talking about and immediately regret my decision when Rebecca walks through the door. Her fiery red hair flicks over her shoulders as she sashays her way toward our table. Her hips sway and her signature sneer sits firmly on the edges of her ruby red lips. She’s gorgeous but the problem is she knows it. She flaunts it, uses it to manipulate the people around her. She uses her body for that too and as much as I hate to admit it, Rebecca is a real hell cat between the sheets. Our ‘relationship’ is purely physical and until now I still haven’t been with anyone who can get my body to react the way she does.

  I notice how the normal physical reaction I have when I look at her isn’t there anymore. Yup, it’s time to move on. Love ‘em and leave ‘em I always say.

  She stops at our table and glares at Brody. “Ha, that was almost a good one Brody, come up with that all on your own?” she snaps. She turns her attention to me and I stiffen. “Hey babe!” she drawls. “Why didn’t you call me last night? I missed you.” Her voice goes from virulent to syrupy sweet in less than a heartbeat. I never noticed before and if I’m being honest I hate it. She bites her lip and traces her long nails up my arm suggestively. I’m waiting for my dick to stir, a tell-tale sign that her flirty little moves turn me on.

  But there’s nothing. Not even a twitch.

  “I was busy Rebecca.” My voice is cold and flat and I know I’m being an asshole but it’s time to end this. I didn’t sign up for a girlfriend and certainly not a possessive one at that, which Rebecca knew from the start. I should’ve known she’d get attached, they always do.

  I hear her say something but it falls away when my eyes land on someone else. My breath catches in my throat and it’s like all time is standing still, freezing this moment before it flies past too quickly. Nothing else exists.

  Her blonde hair is pulled up high in a messy bun with a few loose tendrils hanging in her face. She’s wearing a white sundress that compliments her sun kissed skin and red cowboy boots that make her legs look they go on forever. God have mercy… those legs… My mind goes straight to conjuring up images of seeing her in nothing but those red boots.

  Damn…

  I don’t think Blondie can get any hotter but then she proves me wrong when she laughs, a light choral sound that echoes through every bone in my body and settles itself in the core of my stomach. I am completely transfixed, my eyes following her every move until she disappears into the kitchen.

  “Hello, Grayson? Are you listening to me?” Rebecca’s screech is like a cold shower. My heartbeat slow
s, returning to its normal rhythm and everything around me comes back into focus. “Yeah Rebecca, he heard you! But he was too busy checkin’ out Huntley Morgan to give a shit about what comes out of that mouth of yours,” Brody growls. I inwardly curse myself, not for staring but for doing it so shamelessly. But I couldn’t help it. My eyes were drawn to her like magnets and I wouldn’t have been able to look away even if I wanted to. I’m a hot blooded male after all and when God makes something that perfect its only right to show some appreciation for His handy work.

  Wait, did Brody say her name was Huntley Morgan? How the hell does he know who she is?

  Rebecca huffs and storms off to her friends’ table while Brody snickers. He finds this situation hilarious. “Thanks Bro,” I snap, irritated. “Now I’m never going to hear the end of it.” Not that I care.

  “Whatever, it’s time someone put that she-devil in her damn place. She doesn’t own you Gray. You yourself said she was nothing more than a warm body and last time I checked that did not equate to girlfriend status.”

  I can’t argue with that. He’s right.

  “How do you know her name anyway?” I ask sounding a little too eager, even to my own ears. My curiosity has gotten the better of me; her name alone has piqued my interest. Brody takes a second to realise who I’m talking about and then looks me dead in the eye while formulating his response. His mouth pulls up into half a grin and I know I’m caught. It’s the first time in 2 years that I’ve shown a real interest in a girl. I stop myself from thinking about it though.

  Don’t go there Gray… You need to move on…

  “Mrs Coach introduced us when I got here. She’s the niece Coach has warned us all to stay away from.” There’s a warning in his eyes. “So be nice Gray, but don’t be whippin’ out that entire home grown Southern charm all at once. She’s not just another freshman you can toy with.” I grin. No girl has ever been able to resist my ‘home grown Southern charm’.

  The kitchen door swings open and Huntley heads straight for our table. I watch how her dress flows with the movement of her legs, hitting her just above the knee. The closer she gets the further up my gaze travels, ending on her face when she stops in front of us. “Here you go, two coffees,” she says, placing our coffees on the table. “Your food will be out in a minute.” She smiles at me and Brody clears his throat. I’m gawking like an idiot. When Brody kicks me under the table I snap out of the stupor and gingerly smile back at her. “Thanks” is all I manage to say since my voice has pulled a Houdini on me. How convenient.

  “Huntley, this is Grayson,” Brody says, waving his arm in my direction. “He’s our star quarterback and my pain in the ass best friend.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Huntley.” She sticks her hand out and I take it. My hand looks gigantic in comparison and envelopes hers easily. “So you’re the brat Coach has been talking about non-stop,” I tease, glad to have returned to my confident self. The slight blush in her cheeks is barely noticeable but hell it’s so cute.

  “Promise me you won’t believe everything he tells you,” she whispers. “I’m not half the trouble he makes me out to be.” She’s being playful.

  “We’ll have to see about that sweetheart.” I’m doing everything Brody told me not to and laying my Southern charm on thick, even accentuating my drawl. Her cheeks redden a little more and she turns to look at Brody. “I’ll be back in a few minutes with your food,” she repeats. Brody smiles at her and we watch her leave.

  “Well well, the last time I saw you get all tongue-tied and breathless like that over a girl was when you met Haley.” The mention of my ex girlfriends’ name makes my entire body go rigid. I haven’t spoken about her or seen her again since she cheated on me in our freshman year and skipped town. That was 2 years ago. That’s not all she did I remind myself.

  I scowl at him. “Brody, don’t.”

  He shrugs. “Just callin’ it like I see it.”

  Before our conversation can continue, Huntley exits the kitchen and starts towards us. Thank God our food is done, I’m starving and hopefully Brody will shut up while we eat. I hate that the mere mention of Haley’s name can put me in such a foul mood so quickly. Obviously I’m not as over it as I thought. Maybe if cheating on me was all she did then I’d be over it. But it wasn’t and what followed was a long string of random hook-ups to try numb the pain. She left me when I needed her the most. It was the hardest time of my life.

  I drag myself away from my vehement thoughts and instead of turning to look at Huntley, I find Rebecca’s angry glare. She’s shooting daggers at Huntley but when she sees me watching her, the expression changes into something more sinister, evil. What the hell is up with that? Brody wasn’t lying when he said Rebecca was the she-devil incarnate. She has a nasty jealous streak and an imperceptible cruelty about her.

  I should’ve known what would happen next. I should’ve expected it.

  Rebecca sticks her leg out slightly and catches Huntley by the foot. The tray flies into the air and before I can think twice about what I’m doing my feet start moving towards the accident-in-progress. The plates and coffee cups join the tray and come crashing down with a deafening clatter. I grab Huntley by the waist and catch her before she can hit the ground. Her head snaps up and she’s looking at me like a deer caught in headlights. I notice then that her eyes are the most incredible shade of indigo. But it’s their depth and lucidity that surprise me, like they would be able to see right through me if given the chance.

  Get a damn grip Grayson.

  “Oh my God, are you retarded or just clumsy by nature?” Rebecca snaps. There’s a cold edge to her tone and I’ve only seen her use it when she’s threatened by someone. Huntley whips her head back towards Rebecca but doesn’t say anything. “Oh, so I guess you're just clumsy then.” Rebecca is taunting her, kind of like how a cat sometimes plays with its’ food before eating it. God she’s a bitch.

  Huntley yanks herself free from my grip and scrambles to pick up the mess on the floor. The girls at Rebecca’s table say nothing; instead they sit there and laugh, like their Queen Bee had nothing to do with what just happened. Mrs Coach steps closer to Huntley and whispers something in her ear. I catch a glimpse of her tear-filled eyes and that’s all it takes. “Rebecca, why do you have to be such a bitch? I saw you trip her on purpose!” I growl. She has the audacity to look embarrassed, but only because she got caught. “What are you talking about Grayson? I didn’t do anything.” The lie falls so easily from her lips and I mentally castigate myself for ever getting involved with such a cruel person. “You’re such a liar!” I roar, making her flinch. I should feel bad for getting so angry with her but I’m not even sure why I am. Maybe it was my conversation with Brody earlier about Haley.

  Yeah, that’s it. A single mention of her name and I’m ready to flip the fuck out. It’s not Rebecca’s fault but hell, she had no right to humiliate Huntley like that. And for what? I know the answer, the realisation only adding to my misplaced anger. Rebecca saw me talking to Huntley. Before she has a chance to respond Brody grabs my arm and slowly pulls me away from the chaos. “Let me go,” I snarl, trying to loosen his vice grip on my bicep. I need to see if Huntley is ok. I hate that Rebecca made her cry. As if sensing my intention Brody shakes his head, “Just leave it Grayson, don’t get involved man. It’s just Rebecca being Rebecca. She wants to see you flip out.”

  “It’s my fault,” I say, feeling somewhat calmer. Brody has that effect on me. He knows when I’m about to lose my shit. “Rebecca saw me talking to Huntley.” Guilt settles in my chest.

  “Bro, I haven’t seen you react that way in years, let alone defend a girl you’ve only just met.” He’s eyes are questioning and I feel myself wondering the same thing. Why did I feel the need to defend Huntley, protect her?

  By now the mess is cleared and people seem to have forgotten about it, resuming their conversations like it never happened. I know Rebecca is staring at me but I don’t care. I’m done with her. “I think
we should get out of here. The guys are already on their way to the lake,” Brody says, lowering his voice. He’s about to leave when I see Huntley walk out of the bathroom. Her eyes are puffy and her face is red. I find myself wanting to fold her tiny body in my arms and comfort her. The thought takes me by complete surprise and leaves me baffled. Perplexed. I look back at Brody and he nods once, walking out the door.

  “Are you ok?” I ask Huntley, meeting her in the middle of the bakery. She looks a little surprised and I don’t blame her. “I’m fine,” she whispers, her voice hoarse. “Thank you for catching me.”

  I nod. “I’m sorry. Rebecca did that because of me.” And I will talk to Rebecca about that, but now’s not the time. Huntley looks confused by my apology but doesn’t say anything. After a few seconds of awkward silence I pay the bill and leave, but not before I turn to take one last look at Huntley’s tear-stained face. In that moment I realise that calling her hot is an insult. She’s beautiful.

  My mind is in overdrive and my behaviour makes no sense, to the extent that it seems irrational and maybe even illogical.

  Huntley Morgan is a problem.

  One I’m going to have a hard time ignoring.

  Chapter 3

  ~ Huntley ~

  I toss my keys onto the table by the door and let out a huff. What a day. I’ve been here for 2 months already and it was by far one of the worst days. I started it off like I do every Saturday – working at Aunt Em’s bakery. I love it. Until today that is.

  The sound of my phone ringing makes my jump and I grab it out of my bag before I miss the call. I fall onto the couch and slide my finger across the screen to answer. Of course it’s my friend Demi. We met during freshman orientation in one of our introductory psychology classes and hit it off. Strangely enough I felt at ease with her immediately, something that still boggles my mind. I have a hard time letting people in and Demi seems to be the first exception. I’m still cautious though. After what my last best friend did to me I’m wary about the people I allow close to me.