“It was great seein’ you.” I smile.

“Grace, honey, don’t you stop comin’ by. I know you and Trent couldn’t work things out, but you’re always welcome in my home. Hell,” she lets out a soft laugh, “I’ll throw him out so you can visit with me, okay?”

And this is why she’s my favorite person in this town. Her and Rhett. No one says a mean word about them because they’re simply the best. Rhett didn’t start out with money, he worked hard and provided for his family, but he was always charitable. My parents couldn’t afford the horses we had, but Rhett provided them free of charge. He made sure everyone in this town had what he could give.

They’re good people.

“Thanks, Mrs. Hennington.”

“I’m sure I shouldn’t say this, but I’m an old woman, and keepin’ my mouth shut has never been my strong suit,” she warns. “I’m not askin’ you to give him anything. Not a damn thing, but I know my boy, and he’s missin’ you, sugar. Just know that.”

I squeeze my hands together and close my eyes. Each time I manage to get him out of my head, something happens, and he’s right back.

Stupid boy.

“I’d be lyin’ if I told you I didn’t miss him. But I want what you and Mr. Hennington have. I want a marriage, family, and commitment. I know Trent has some weird issue about all of it, but I would’ve settled for the appearance of a life. I can’t keep holding out hope for something I clearly won’t get.”

She nods. “I think you did exactly what you needed to do, honey. I wanted you to know that he’s payin’ his price. He’s got a lot of debt to repay. Remember that.”

“I will.”

“Oh, and you make sure you enjoy your big date with Cooper, now.”

She’s amazing. Who tells the girl their son used to date how to make it hurt him more? Macie Hennington, that’s who. Seriously, she’s my idol.

We say goodbye and she heads off. It takes me ten minutes to walk to Angie’s, and when I get there, Wyatt’s truck isn’t in the driveway.

“Hello?” I knock tentatively. Last thing I want to do is wake her.

“Grace?”

“Hey!” I stand outside as I see her head pop off the couch.

“The door is open! Please! Come in!”

I step inside and head toward her. Her face is pale, the circles under her eyes are dark, and I can tell she’s miserable. Still, I put on a reassuring smile and crouch in front of her. “Are you okay, honey?”

She grumbles. “I swear this baby hates me. Being pregnant in your late thirties sucks ass. This baby is determined to make my life hell.”

“Is there somethin’ I can do to help?”

Her eyes close as she rests her head. “I wish there was. Wyatt is a wreck. He refuses to leave me for long periods, but there’s nothing anyone can do. The doctor said the baby is growing and healthy, I just need to hang in there.”

“Wyatt came by the store, he said you weren’t able to keep much down?”

Angie shakes her head a little and then covers her mouth.

Poor thing.

“I should’ve been comin’ by more. I’m sorry, Angie.”

She rolls her eyes and scoots a little. “Stop. Between Wyatt and Mama, I’m never alone. Presley’s been over a lot when Wyatt has to work late. It’s really fine. I wish everyone would stop worrying so much. It’s only seven more months.”

Her brave front isn’t fooling me. I can see how worn out she is. Angie has always been the life of the party. I hate seeing her like this. “But who’s counting?” I pat her leg.

“Oh, I am so counting.” We both laugh before her face turns serious. “So, did you decide to go out with Cooper?”

“Don’t even act like you don’t know.” I grin as I gently slap her arm. “There’s no way it hasn’t been around town and back.”

She gives an impish smile. “I wanted to hear your version, though.”

I fill her in on all the details about how we’re going out tomorrow and how it happened. Her lips turn up when I tell her about how Mrs. Townsend and my mother concocted some package to get us talking. I express my feelings about how I’m not sure if it’s a good idea and how my heart is torn. Angie doesn’t say a word. She lets me spill all the thoughts I’ve been struggling with.

“I love Trent. I’ll always love him, but I can’t be hurt anymore. If he were different . . .” I wipe a tear I didn’t realize fell. “I can’t be disappointed time and time again. I know that walkin’ away and endin’ things was what we needed to do. And then there’s Cooper, and he’s so sweet, but I don’t dream about him. I don’t spend my days talkin’ myself out of callin’ him.”

“Grace,” she grips my hand, stopping me from talking. “You’ve spent your whole life waiting for Trent. You’ve given him so much more time than he deserves. Remember when he forgot your birthday? Not just forgot it was that day, but forgot the whole thing? Seriously, you can’t tell me after the years you were together he didn’t know that it was your damn birthday. He doesn’t deserve you if he can’t remember something like that.”

Angie’s right. It broke my heart a little to think the man I loved didn’t remember my birthday. I sat there all day waiting for him to say something, but then he remembered the Tennessee game was on and told me he’d call me later.

I spent the rest of the day alone and angry.

It took three days for him to finally remember, and I’m pretty sure it was his mama who finally told him.

“Could you walk away from Wyatt?” I ask. “With as much as you love him, could you cast him off and then date another man?”

“I don’t know,” she says with honesty. “I walked away from Wyatt, but after we lost Faith, Wyatt changed. He wasn’t the man I fell in love with, almost as if a piece of him died with her. We’d both been through hell, but no, there was no chance that I could have been with another man. Don’t get me wrong, Trent is great. He was there for me after we lost Faith, but he hasn’t been there for you.”

My heart hurts as she says the final words. I’d never seen Wyatt like that. He was lost, but Trent hasn’t lost a child, he’s scared of commitment. He’s been selfish and thought he could do what he wanted because I’d take it, and he was right. I did take it. I was so worried if I pushed him that he’d walk away.