Cooper gives a lame excuse, but I let it go. Grace was Trent’s girl for a while. And when a Hennington claims his girl, everyone backs off. Unless, of course, you’re a Townsend. I can only imagine how this will play out.

“Have fun, Mom!” Logan says as he flips through the channels with my dad.

“You guys behave.”

“We won’t leave the house, Mom.” Cayden attempts a joke.

“Good.” I mess his hair.

Grace and I head out to where Zach will be, and I remind myself that I’ll have to pretend nothing is going on between us. We’re still keeping things under the radar, but I don’t know how I’m going to be able to stay away from him. In fact, I know I won’t. When he’s around, I’m unable to resist being close to him. He fills me up and makes everything brighter. The dark isn’t void when he’s near. Plus, since we’ve been having sex, all I see is him naked when I look at him.

“Grace,” I call her attention.

“Why does the way you say my name worry me?”

I shake my head. “It’s not bad.”

“Are you finally going to admit you and Zach are back together?” she says with a sly grin.

“You know?” I question, slightly flabbergasted.

“Of course I know. Everyone knows, Presley. I mean Zach is walking around town as if he just won the state championship. You’re suddenly smiling all the time. Both of you look like you’re staying out all night . . .” She nudges my elbow and laughs. “We’re not dumb, but we did let you have your secret.”

My mouth hangs open. I really thought we were in the clear. “Unreal,” I mumble to myself. “I thought . . .”

“You thought nobody knew?”

“Yes!”

“Don’t ever go into acting.” Grace parks the car and turns to me, placing her hand on my forearm. “I’m happy for you, Pres. You’ve been so sad since you’ve been back. I know it couldn’t be easy coming back here, but we love you. I’ve never been married, and I don’t have kids, so I won’t even pretend I understand what it’s like to lose your husband. Just know that I’ll always listen. And I won’t lie . . . I’m really happy you and Zach have found a second chance.”

I smile and nod. “I’m scared that I’m happy too.”

“Why?”

“It’s so soon.”

She shakes her head. “I think it’s been too long. You don’t remember the Presley and Zach that I do. The ones that everyone wished they could be like. Loving each other so much that other people were jealous.” She laughs at the memory. “I mean . . . I broke up with six guys because they didn’t look at me like he looked at you.”

“That’s crazy,” I chide. “You can’t think that what we had is normal.”

“Exactly, Presley. It wasn’t. It was so special. I think we all wept when we heard y’all broke up. Don’t get me wrong,” she quickly adds. “I think you were right. You’d spent your entire junior and senior year waiting for him. Then he took that contract like you were irrelevant.”

“Thanks.” I sigh.

“You were so young, though. He was an immature boy with dollar signs in his eyes.”

I get what she means. In the last few months, I’ve come to see that I was too naïve to even understand the situation. Do I wish that things had happened differently? Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. If he had never taken that contract, then I wouldn’t have my boys, and really, they’re everything.

“I think that things worked out the way they were supposed to,” I admit. “I’ve been angry at him for so long. I don’t want the town butting in either.”

She laughs. “I get being angry. Those men have a way of getting under your skin and embedding themselves there.” Ahh, her and Trent. I wonder what exactly is going on in this town. Grace and Cooper were definitely giving each other some lonely eyes. “Let’s get in there.” Grace’s smile brightens.

We head into the bar where my eyes immediately seek out Zach. What I’m faced with is not what I am expecting. Felicia clutches Zach’s arm as he talks to Trent. Her hands cling to him as she rests her head on his shoulder. He doesn’t pay her any attention, but I couldn’t give two shits. I watch her stare at him, hanging on every word while my rage starts to churn.

Is she out of her mind? He’s mine. We were at his place last night and well into the morning. She needs to get her nasty hands off my man.

“Well,” I say under my breath.

Grace’s gaze locks on what I’m seeing and she lets out a growl. “Pres.” She draws my attention away. “Listen, the only way you’re going to fix this is to walk over—”

I don’t let her finish. I know exactly what I have to do.

My feet travel quickly as I march toward them. Anger boils in my blood as I think about the last few weeks when Zach held me, kissed me, made love to me like I was the only woman alive. Now this bitch is touching him? Not just no—hell no. She’s going to learn really quick where her hands do and don’t belong. And Zach, well, he’s going to learn a few things as well.

Zach’s eyes follow me as I approach. He glances at Felicia and then back to me. Yeah, you’re in trouble.

I don’t slow down or pause. I stand right in front of Zach, grip his neck, and pull his mouth to mine. Right here in the middle of the town bar, I kiss him. I let every person know exactly what we are. Zach doesn’t falter, his hands grab my back and he holds me tight to him. His lips move with mine as catcalls and whistles ring out around us. I don’t know how long we’re like this, but it feels like an eternity.

I stake my claim on the boy that has always been mine. The worry melts away about what people will think. Grace is right—we’ve always been special.

Once I feel my point is made, I lean back. Zach’s lips form a cocky grin. “Hi, darlin’.”

“You’re in trouble.”

“If that’s how you punish me, I think I could accept this.”

My head dips as I give him a no-nonsense look. “Big. Trouble.”

“Felicia,” he says as he pulls me against him. “I’ve decided I am going to go to the auction gala next week.” I look at him with confusion. “Get me two tickets. Presley will be coming as my plus one.”

“Be sure you get us a hotel room too,” I tack on. “We’ll probably need some privacy after.”

She huffs and walks away.

“So we’re going to a gala?”

“It made my point.”

I gaze at him, remembering why the point needed to be made. “Why exactly was she hanging on you?”

He brings me flush against his body. Zach’s nose rubs against my ear as he whispers. “She’s drunk, and I was being nice. Nothing more. But you ousted us in one hell of a way.”

I lean back so I can look in his eyes. “I guess it’s time the women in this town know that you’re not available.”

“Presley.” His deep voice grumbles as the gratification in his eyes shines. “I haven’t been available since I was fifteen years old.” He kisses my forehead, pulls me tighter, and goes back to talking to Trent like nothing happened.