Page 50 of Forever Player

Lev:Didn’t want you to lose your head or your heart over the guy.

Me:You don’t need to worry. My head is on straight.

Lev:Good.

I take Maylee and we head upstairs so I can get both of us dressed. Then I call Lucy and see if she has any plans. She tells me she is home with her fifteen-month-old son and she invites Maylee and I over for a playdate. I haven’t really connected with anyone from my past since I’ve been home, but this is a good thing. If I am not going to go with Brett to New York then I finally need to start reaching out to old friends and being social in Sugar Meadow. Brett isn’t around when I take Jacob’s truck and leave to Lucy’s farm. I also don’t text him to tell him we are going. I’m angry after reading those damn articles. No, I feel duped. He was leading me to believe he was someone else and those articles just proved he is the fuckboy I thought him to be.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Brett

I’m in a large walk-in cooler with Jacob as he checks on some cheese and explains the process of cheese making.

“Your brother really has it out for me,” I say to him.

“He’s looking out for Willow,” he replies.

“I can appreciate that.”

“Thanks for your help today,” he says as he counts the pieces of goat cheese on the shelf.

“It was my pleasure.”

“You didn’t have to do all that work,” he states.

“I wanted to,” I assure him. “I need to prove to your sister I’m a man she can trust.”

He snickers but doesn’t say anything.

“We’re done for today,” he says instead. I follow him back to the main house, expecting to see Willow and Maylee hanging out in the main room. But when I arrive the house is empty. I notice my suitcase by the front door. I’ll need to thank Maddie for sending my clothes.

“Did Willow say she was going somewhere?” I ask Jacob. I also check my phone for missed messages.

"No, but Lev enlightened her on this,” he says and then he takes out his phone. A moment later my phone pings with a message from him. It’s an article written about me. Beneath the article are more links to read about my playboy ways.

“This all makes sense now,” I say.

“What?” Jacob asks.

“Lev was being a real ass to me this morning, and I couldn’t figure out what I did wrong,” I explain.

He presses his lips into a thin line but I sense sympathy from his blue eyes. “This family has been through a lot. We don’t trust easily. We rely on each other.”

I nod. “Maybe you rely on each other but none of you were really helping Willow with Maylee when I arrived. She was tired and stressed,” I point out.

“She had a free place to stay and free food. That’s something and I helped when I could. Running this farm is a full-time job.”

I exhale because he is clearly not the enemy. “Sorry, you’re right. I just want to prove to her that I can be the man she needs.”

“I don’t have any good advice for you. I’m not a relationship guy.” He shrugs and he walks over to the fridge.

“Yeah, I get that,” I sigh.

I shoot Willow a text.

Me:Done working. Where did you run off to?

I don’t get a reply and now I’m not surprised. I lived a life I am not proud of. I head upstairs, taking my suitcase with me. I leave the suitcase open on the floor in Maylee’s room and go to shower. I get dressed in a pair of joggers and a Rangers hoodie then I head down to the kitchen.

---