Page 48 of Unbearable

I went into the other room, scooping up my niece before taking her to the car and buckling her in.

She smacked her lips, never opening her eyes. “I love you, Aunt Dotty.”

“I love you too, Gracie girl.”

“Do you think you’ll stay here forever?” she asked, and my heart ached.

“I don’t know, Gracie girl. I have to go back to Seattle soon. But I promise I will spend lots of time with you before I leave, okay?”

“Okay,” she said. I kissed her forehead and closed the door.

Dorian gave me a knowing look. “So…”

“Nope, not having this conversation with you.” I turned around. “But because you’re nosy as hell, there is nothing going on, nor will there ever be anything. Good night, brother,” I said, walking back toward the ranch house.

Dorian chuckled. “Keep telling yourself that. Love you,” he said sarcastically.

“Mhm.”

SEVENTEEN

Dotty

OUTSKIRTS - SAM HUNT

The truck wassilent as we drove through the back roads after family dinner. Trent sighed with one hand on the steering wheel, looking irritatingly charming.

“That wedding is coming up soon. You still good to be my plus one?”

I had completely forgotten that I had agreed to go with him, since I assumed I would already be out of town by then. I also assumed that I wouldn’t have almost kissed him… twice.

“Uh, yeah, sure. Where is it at?”

“It’s in Mount Leston,” he replied, his gaze fixed on the road. “About a two-hour drive east from here.”

I rolled my eyes and kept my tone cool, trying to keep up my defenses. “I know where Mount Leston is, Trent. I did grow up here, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Roll your eyes at me again, sunshine,” he said without glancing away from the road.

It took me a moment to find my voice. “You didnotjust say that to me.”

I didn’t know when he became so demanding, and Ireallydidn’t know why I found it so hot.

“Guess I did.” He let out a low laugh. “But seriously, are you able to come? I already told my friends I was bringing you, and now they’re excited to meet you.”

“Yeah, I’ll come.” A month ago, if someone told me I would be going to a wedding with Trent, I would say they were out of their mind. Not to mention a wedding out of town, but I wasn’t one to go back on my word. “How do they know who I am?” I asked.

“I’ve spent eight years with these guys. They know everything there is to know about me,” he replied curtly.

“I assumed you didn’t talk or even think about me, considering we didn’t speak for ten years.”

“You’re always on my mind, Dot. Especially while you were gone. Everyone I’ve ever known knows about you.” He met my gaze, his eyes speaking volumes. We lingered in that moment before he turned back to the road, and my thoughts wandered.

Trent and I strolled down Main Street, each of us holding ice cream cones from Scoops. The sun dipped behind the distant mountains, casting an orange glow across the sky.

“You always know how to cheer me up,” I said. It had been a tough day after receiving a rejection letter from my first-choice university. A 3.8 GPA seemed decent to me, but apparently not to them. At least I had been accepted to my second choice in Seattle, promising many rainy days ahead.

Trent chuckled. “You’re easy to make smile,” he teased, nudging my shoulder.

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