“I don’t want to leave this house. I love it here. And I’m not giving up Martini Friday with my sisters.”

She was full of surprises, he’d thought they’d have to argue over moving in together. “Like I’m going to complain about a house full of tipsy, beautiful women. Although if we could plan it so you hung out at The Pumphouse first and invited Cassie, Liv and Maggie back here too, I’d like that a lot.”

“I hate The Pumphouse you know. The last time you invited me everyone stared at me. Still, okay. For you. I suppose if we just came and sat with Liv, Cassie and Maggie, people will get used to it eventually.” If Petal was meant to be the place they were to be together, she had to work harder to make it more of a positive place in her head. Let go of the past and build a future.

He kissed her. “Thank you. I love knowing you’re there as I play pool. It’s sort of sucked since we’ve been going out that you’ve been here when I was there. Speaking of that, I love it here too. Thing is, it’s small for two people although my place is even smaller. But I have a suggestion. This is a huge lot. It wouldn’t be hard to add on at all.”

“I’ve been thinking about that for the last year or so. I’d be open to that.”

“Who are you, ma’am, and where did you put my girlfriend?” He leaned in to kiss her again and then once more, licking his lips afterward like she tasted good.

“I had this long talk with Liv and then with my sisters. I f**king hate how people react to this relationship and to me. But to give in and let them chase me off isn’t who I am. I’ve been letting it get to me when there’s nothing I can do to change it. All I can do is live for me. And for you. You say you want something with me. I want that too.” She shrugged.

“Well to start, this dining room needs to be about three times the size it is now so we can have all the Murphys and Chases over no matter the weather. We need another two or three bedrooms and a den I think.” He winked and they planned.

Chapter Eleven

Things began to settle in. That next week, Matt slowly moved his stuff into her house. She hadn’t been too surprised to come home from work on Friday and see several sweaty Chase brothers with sledge hammers taking out a side wall to enlarge the kitchen. William and Tim were out there too.

“You aren’t mad?” Matt asked as he came into the kitchen, freshly showered.

“We talked about this. You had someone come out here Tuesday to check the load bearing walls. You got the permits in next to no time, I’ll have to thank Liv’s connections with the mayor’s office for that one I guess. You promised to do something and you’re doing it. Far from making me mad, it makes me very happy. How long have you all been at it?”

“I got off at noon. Kyle had a half day and came with me. William showed up after he got off at two. Everyone else came as they got off work. We’ll get a solid amount done tomorrow and Sunday too. But for now, it’s time to play pool. Marc called to say Liv hasn’t been feeling well. She’ll probably have the baby any day now. Everyone has their phone on. But I’ll stay away until ten since it’s no boys allowed. In fact, we’re all headed to Nathan’s after pool.”

She smiled. “Really? That’s nice. I like to hear that you’re all doing stuff together. And I know about Liv. I stopped by there on my lunch hour today to bring her a few things.”

It was his turn to smile. “I like to hear that too. You’re a good person, Tate Murphy. Oh and about next week.”

She froze. Homecoming. A shudder of revulsion rode her spine. Tate dreaded it. Hated it with the heat of ten thousand totally clichéd suns. She’d been trying to talk her way out of going with the Chases for weeks but Matt would not let it go.

“So I ran into my momma earlier. She wants to know what we’re bringing to the picnic next Sunday. And don’t forget dinner at my parents’ house after the game on Friday. I’ve already talked to Nathan and Anne, they’re both coming and bringing dates.”

She ground her teeth in frustration. The stress of this damned town event and her father’s increased demands for money weighed on her more and more. He’d come back several times and each time he wanted more money. His behavior had deteriorated and he’d begun to threaten showing up at the kids’ school in the afternoons, saying they should get to know their grandpa.

The thought of the way Tim and William would react to that little kernel kept her paying him. Her family was finally enjoying normalcy and she wanted it to stay that way. And once he found out Matt had moved in, it would get worse.

She’d had to juggle a few bills the week before to wait for payday, not easy when you own the darned business. But she had some money in savings if she needed it, which it looked like she did. And now the expansion of the house. It was a lot at once.

She knew it would get out of control. She knew that moment wasn’t too far away and eventually she’d have to deal with it and tell someone. She couldn’t afford to pay him forever.

But right then, she felt cornered by Matt’s going around her to her siblings. “You did what? I told you I wasn’t going to any of that f**king stuff. You know how I feel about Homecoming.”

“Oh, f**king is it? What crawled up your craw?” He tried to tease his way into her arms but she slapped his hands away and took a step back. His grin slid off his face.

“What crawled up my craw? You went around me to Nathan and Anne to get them to go to this crap so I’d go too. That’s what crawled up my craw. And it’s crawled up your ass, not craw.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.