“Lord, some things never change,” Mindy said.
Bristol let out a sound like a growl. I should have expected what was about to happen next. I should have thought better than to come over to see Bristol without so much as a warning to let her know I was back.
Six years I’d been gone. Six.
Oh, I’d seen Bristol since then. She just never knew it. I had driven through town in a rental car, my baseball cap pulled down low so no one noticed me. I’d caught glimpses of her. It always left me feeling worse, and every time I vowed I’d never do it again. But I always did.
Today, though. The anniversary of the day I told her that I loved her, and she told me she loved me, would be the day I stupidly showed back up in town and then casually walked up to her.
Yeah. I should have seen the punch coming.
When her fist landed square on my nose, I heard Lanny scream and Mindy cry out.
“What in the hell, Bristol! What are you doing?” Mindy shouted as I stumbled back, my hand covering my nose.
“Wow,” I said with a laugh, “I forgot how hard you hit.”
Bristol walked up to me with a look of utter hate on her face. My stomach dropped, and I shut my mouth before I said anything else to piss her off.
She smiled when I pulled my hand away and saw blood coming from my nose.
I had the urge to hide behind Lanny. Bristol shot me a smile and said, “Welcome home, Anson. Let that burn.”
She walked past me, and I stood there, stunned. When I turned to watch her stomping up the street and people damn near jumping to get out of her way, I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.
“That was Bristol, huh?” Lanny asked.
“Yep, that was Bristol.”
Lanny let out a small chuckle. “Hell, I like her already.”
“Anson!”
Mindy’s voice made me turn around.
She held out a napkin and gave me a scolding look. Evidently, she was practicing her mom-glare out on me. And it was working.
“What in the hell were you thinking?” Mindy asked. “You just walked up to her—after six years—and said, ‘Hey, Bri?’ Are you having a breakdown or something?”
I shrugged. “I saw her as we were driving by. I wanted to…”
Mindy lifted a brow. I looked at Lanny, who had her arms folded over her chest, a hard stare of her own going on.
“You wanted to what?” they both asked, at the same time, as I jerked my head back. Did women have some sort of telepathic gift to read one another’s minds?
Glancing between the two of them, I asked, “Have y’all met?”
They both glanced at one another and smiled.
“No, of course not,” Lanny stated.
“Mindy, this is Lanny Ross, my assistant. Lanny, this is Mindy Pressler.”
The two women shook hands.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Mindy said.
“It’s a pleasure for me as well.” She pointed to Mindy’s shirt that read I’m Eating for Two. “Congratulations!”
“Aw, thank you!”
Mindy focused back on me, the smile she bestowed on Lanny wiped clean off her face. “Do you know what day it is?”
“Of course I know.”
“Yet, you thought today was a good day to come home?”
“I was forced home,” I said as I dabbed my nose with my shirt.
Mindy’s mouth fell open, then she closed her eyes and shook her head before she glared at me once more. “Okay, so if you happen to talk to Bristol again, I would probably avoid using the word forced,” Mindy stated.
I sighed. “How has she been?”
“Fine,” Mindy stated.
“Is she, um, is she…”
Mindy raised a brow and smirked. “Dating?”
I nodded.
“No, but she was set to go out on a date tonight. I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen now, though.”
That caused my entire body to tense. “With who?”
She shrugged. “No one you know.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Is that so.”
“Yes, that is so. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m feeling my morning sickness come on, and as much as I would love to hurl on you, I don’t want to be part of today’s gossip email or end up on a viral video.”
“Gossip email?” I asked as Mindy turned back to grab both her purse and the one I was assuming was Bristol’s.
With a smirk, she nodded. “Yes. There’s a group of ladies who like to send out a daily email about what’s happening in town. Every now and then they’ll throw in a recipe and even some actual events. But it’s mostly gossip. You were in it just yesterday. There was actually a poll asking if the townsfolk should be proud you’re from Comfort or embarrassed.”
“Ouch,” I said as I placed my hand over my wounded heart.
She shook her head. “I’m sure they’re going to love having you back home.”
I winked at her.
She laughed. “I’m serious, Anson. You’re not in Nashville anymore. Folks around here haven’t forgotten how you up and left both Bristol and your folks behind. You know how it is here. They tend not to forgive or forget easily.”
She looked around and then leaned in and added, “I totally love your latest single. ‘Missing You.’” She placed her hand on her heart and sighed. Then she gave me a serious look. “I will deny I said that if you tell anyone.”
With a wink of her own, she turned on her heels and walked off. The other girl who had been sitting with them walked over to me and whispered, “I love your music!”
“Why are you whispering?”
She glanced around and shrugged. “Not many folks around here admit to liking you, so…”
“Huh. Well, thank you for being a fan.”
She blushed.
“Anna! Come on!” Mindy shouted back over her shoulder.
“Bye, y’all!” Anna said as she quickly went off to catch up with Mindy.
Lanny sighed. “I’m going to safely assume you’re not getting that street dance to welcome you home. And there’s probably a shortage of tomatoes at the local grocery store right about now.”
Anson
“THAT IS YOUR grandparents’ house?” Lanny asked as we drove by the Victorian. I turned at the corner and then pulled up to the gate that led to the back of the house.
“Yep. It’s been in our family since 1895.”
“Wow. I don’t even have words right now. It’s beautiful.”
After I parked the rental, I got out and walked over to the passenger side. Lanny got out and then turned in a circle as she took it all in.
“It’s like a music venue. Look at that pool. Look at the deck! Look at the outdoor kitchen! We could have a small concert here.”
I laughed and took her by the elbow. “Come on, I want to take you in through the front door. You need the full experience.”
We walked along the gravel path to the front of the house. Usually I was on the lookout for people pulling out their phones or cameras to snap pictures. But this was Comfort. The fact that Robert had made an announcement last night that I was heading to a remote island in the South Pacific to get some much-needed rest would have thrown anyone off. The last place people would look for me right now was in my hometown.
As we walked up the steps, the door flew open and Grams walked out.
“Anson! Anson! You’re finally home!”
She ran to me, and I wrapped my arms around her. “Hey, Grams. It’s good to be home.”
Her hold on me was tight, so I gave her a little squeeze. Then she let go and stood back to give me a once-over.
Slowly, she shook her head and then looked up at me. “If I thought I could take you over my knee I would, young man. What in the hell have you been thinking?”
“I like the women in this town,” Lanny whispered next to me.
Grams turned and looked at Lanny.
“Lanny! Sweetheart, how have you been?” she wrapped L
anny up in a hug, which totally caught my assistant off guard. She’d met Grams plenty of times in Nashville, but it had always been so formal. Grams was in her element here, and had no problems telling you how it was—no matter what it was.
“I’ve been fine, thank you. How have you and Irwin been?” Lanny asked.
“Good! Good! Although the rumors have been runnin’ rampant no thanks to this one.” Grams shot me a dirty look, and I shrugged.
My grandmother motioned toward the door. “Come in! Come in!”
When we stepped inside, Lanny let out an audible gasp. “This is stunning!”
The foyer of my grandparents’ house was indeed stunning. The wooden banister alone was enough to leave you in awe. The pocket doors to the four main rooms on the first level were all open.
“A quick tour of the house!” Grams said as she wrapped her arm around Lanny’s.
“There’s a small half bath under the staircase here. Then in here, this is the family room. Through here is the dining room, which leads to the kitchen.”
I followed the two women as I looked around. I hadn’t been home in over a year. And when I did come back, it was usually only for two days at the most.
“The craftsmanship of this house is…stunning!” Lanny said. “The hardwood floors, the wainscoting. Oh my gosh, the moldings throughout.”
“Yes,” my grandmother said as she looked around. “Irwin’s grandmother wanted the best.”
“Where’s Granddad?” I asked.
Grams turned back to me and smiled. “He’s at the ranch, helping your daddy with some things there.”
I nodded as I tried to ignore the sudden weight on my chest at the mention of my father. He’d most likely greet me the same way Bristol had. Minus the punch. I hoped.
“Upstairs has five bedrooms, which includes the master.”
Lanny faced Grams. “I’m so sorry we just showed up. My husband will be joining me soon, and I was wondering, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, if I might be able to stay here a couple of nights. Just until he gets here. He’s driving down.”
“He’s bringing Zeus with him,” I stated.
Grams gave us a wide smile. “Darling, you stay as long as you want!”
“Thank you, but I booked a little place in Fredericksburg for the rest of the trip.” She peeked over at me and then leaned into Grams. “A little break away from the boss will do me good.”
With a wink, Grams replied, “Especially with the mood he seems to be in.”
“I’m not in any mood,” I insisted. “The bastard had it coming. Plus, he broke the law. He wasn’t supposed to set foot on your property.”
That had my grandmother looking at me with a confused expression.
“I’ll explain it all later, Grams.”
She frowned. “Did that little punk hit you back? Your nose is swollen! How in the world did I not see that first thing?”
Lanny’s face broke out into a wide smile. “Oh, no. That’s from Bristol,” she said before I could respond.
My grandmother looked between us, really confused now. “Bristol?”
“Yep,” Lanny said. “We…er…ran into her on the main street. I wanted to get out and walk around to see the town. Needless to say, she wasn’t very happy to see the superstar here. Punched him right in the nose after he walked up and said, ‘Hey, Bri.’”
My grandmother sighed and shook her head at me.
Yep. All women learned from the same book.
Lanny laughed and added, “He almost fell back onto his rear.”
I narrowed my eyes at my assistant. “If I didn’t know any better, Lanny, I’d think you enjoyed seeing me get hit.”
She feigned surprise. “Me? Heavens no. I was horrified. Lord knows you didn’t deserve it.”
“I see why you keep her around, Anson,” Grams said as she walked Lanny out onto the wraparound porch out back.
I shot Lanny a dirty look when she glanced back at me over her shoulder.
“Do you? Because I’m beginning to have my doubts,” I said.
Lanny shot her tongue out at me, and I laughed.
“Let’s have some tea on the back porch, and then I’ll show you to your room.” Grams looked at me. “Anson, will you be staying in the guest house?”
“If that’s okay, Grams?”
She smiled softly. “He’s going to want to see you, and you can’t hide from him forever.”
Lanny looked between us, confused. “Who? Who are you hiding from?”
My hand went to the back of my neck to rub out the instant ache that had formed. “My father.”
“Oh, I see,” Lanny said as she took a seat in one of the cushioned chairs.
“You two sit, I’ll go get the tea. I hope you like sweet tea, Lanny!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Lanny called out after Grams.
When the door shut, Lanny faced me. “So how are you going to fix this thing with Bristol?”
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head as I stared at her. “What?”
“Bristol? How are you going to fix it?”
“Fix it?”
She sighed. “Lord, why are men so dense?”
I felt my brows pull in hard. “Excuse me, I feel the time is right, once again, to remind you that you do still work for me, Lanny.”
“Then I request the next month off with no pay.”
“Um, why?”
“So I can speak freely to you. I think it’s something to do with being in Texas. I feel so…alive! I feel a kinship to these women. And Bristol. Oh, my dear sweet Bristol. Okay, not only was she beautiful…totally can’t believe you walked away from her…but she is feisty. I mean, she hit you, Anson!”
Lanny laughed. Hard.
I touched my nose softly and winced. “Yeah, I know, Lanny. And I’m not giving you the month off. I need you to be there if I need something.”
She frowned. “Like what?”
With a shrug, I replied, “I don’t know. Anything.”
Lanny tilted her head and looked at me. “Anson, you don’t have to pay me to be your friend. I’ve worked for you for five years, and I’d like to think I’m more than just your assistant.”
I gave her a warm smile. “Lanny, you have to know you mean more to me than that. You’re more than a friend. I think you’re the only woman who knows my every secret. That’s pretty damn dangerous…you definitely hold all the power in this friendship.”
“I’m glad you finally realize who wears the pants in this relationship. Don’t forget, I’m also the holder of all your passwords as well.”
“That as well,” I said with a mock serious face. “I need you for entirely different reasons, though. Friendship being one of them, for sure. But you mentioned me fixing things with Bristol. You saw how she reacted when she saw me.”
“Yes. I did.”
“She nearly broke my nose, so she obviously wasn’t happy to see me.”
Lanny sighed. “Oh, men. What I saw was a woman who saw you and nearly ran into your arms. Her entire body practically vibrated from holding herself back.”
“What?” I asked, confused now more than ever.
“You might not have seen it, but I saw the way she looked at you. I saw the longing in her eyes before it turned to pure anger.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Behind the anger is a woman who is still very much in love with you,” Lanny added.
I snarled my lip up at her. “You saw all that in the one moment before she punched me?”
She nodded. “Indeed, I did.”
We stared at each other for the longest time before I busted out laughing. Lanny leaned back, folded her arms across her chest, and raised a perfectly arched brow. I hated when she did that to me.
“Laugh all you want, Anson. But a woman knows when another woman is in love. Trust me when I say that punch, although most assuredly done in anger, was thrown to hide her other feelings.”
I let her words settle around in my head for a moment. “Other fe
elings, huh?”
“Yes. So, my advice to you is this: make sure she doesn’t go on that date tonight.”
“And how do you propose I do that? I’m not really looking to have a black eye to go with my swollen nose.”
Her hand came up to her mouth to hide her chuckle.
“I know what you need to do.”
Lanny and I both turned to my grandmother.
Grams set the tray down and handed Lanny her tea then gave me my drink. “Grams, what do I need to do?” I asked. The desperation in my voice surprised me.
Grams sat down and smiled. “You don’t stop her from going on the date. You simply show up at the date.”
Lanny nodded. “Yes! You find out where she’s going, and you show up!” She turned to Grams. “Then what?”
I looked at Grams, clearly sucked right into this insane idea.
“Then, you and Lanny enjoy the evening together. Bristol won’t be able to think straight. Not only are you back in town, but you’ve brought your beautiful assistant out to dinner with you.”
Lanny’s cheeks went pink, and she waved off Grams as she said, “Stahhppp it!”
“Grams, are you saying I should make Bristol jealous? With Lanny?”
With that, Grams let out a roar of laughter. “Please. Bristol would see right through that. She knows Lanny is your assistant.”
“How does she know that?” I asked.
Grams looked around, as if looking for someone who might be listening. She motioned for me to move closer. I did and so did Lanny. I shot her a dirty look, and she shrugged.
“What? I’m emotionally invested in all of this. I want to hear too.”
I let out a frustrated sigh before I focused back on Grams.
She whispered, “Bristol makes everyone think she doesn’t care about your career. She does. She refuses to listen to your music, but she has a scrapbook of all of your accomplishments. And I’m fairly certain I saw her stalking you on Instapot.”
“Grams, you mean Instagram, not Instapot.” I laughed, but that little nugget of information took me by surprise.
“Oh my gosh. Wow, okay, how terribly romantic is that, though!” Lanny whispered. I turned to stare at her. The Texas air really was doing something strange to her.
Grams nodded. “I know. Mindy stumbled on it once and told me.”
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