Page 13 of Trevor

“He tried to have my mom abort me because he was a Banister, and she wasn’t.Turned out thatthey got married for me to have a Banister last name but I’ve never really gotten into the money part of my last name.And there is plenty of that.”She told her that the Strongs were worth billions.“So am I.”

Jade didn’t say anything for which she was glad.Henrie had worked hard for herself and invested well.Then there was the trust fund that she had when her father passed away, and her mom had put her in her will so that she would get what she left behind as well.Mom was a better investor than she was.

“So it’s not the money that has you thinking that you and him aren’t suited.”She told her that she never said they weren’t suited.She just didn’t understand the falling in love part.“I don’t know how to help you with that.I mean, you do know that your grandparents are in love.I’m sure you’ve seen all of us being around our husbands.I don’t understand why you don’t just allow yourself the freedom to fall in love with Trevor.”

“Perhaps I will.I’m in no hurry to fall in love.I like him.Kinda.He’s sappy at times like he’s a teenager that has seen boobs for the first time in his life.”They both laughed, and Henrie was happy that she didn’t tell her that she knew that he’d seen lots of boobs.“My grandma had an affair once when she and Grandda were younger.I know that he’s forgiven her, but she’s never forgiven herself for it.I don’t know how I’d feel if Trevor, if we got together, were to have an affair.I’d more than likely wring his neck.That’s another thing about love.How could two people profess to be in so much love with the other person and step out?Grandma didn’t have an answer when I asked her.She said that she had no idea that things with her friend would go so far.I think it only happened the one time, and there was no sex involved.She just went out with him to be going out with him, she told me.”

“I could never do that to Jenson.He’s my world.”Henrie nodded.“What does that mean?He is my whole world.”

“It didn’t mean anything.I was just agreeing that you are in love with him.”Henrie leaned back in the bed and smiled.“You’re not like other women I’ve had this conversation with.They usually get pissed off and leave.It’s a good way to shove people out of your life is to question their love for someone.”

“Were you trying to get under my skin?”Henrie said that she didn’t start out that way, but she was sorry if she offended her.“You didn’t.I was enjoying talking to you about love.But I do think that given the time, or if you allow him into your heart, you’ll figure out that Trevor has a lot of love he can give you.”

“I thought you were going to tell me he was a good catch.”She laughed and stood up.Jade was a nice person, and she hoped they could remain friends even if there was nothing between her and Trevor.“So I can still go home tomorrow?”

“You can.But I’m to understand that you’re going to be staying with your grandparents.I’d not do that if I were you.They already say how tired they are just from visiting you.They’re going to work themselves into a heart attack if they have you around to fuss over.They’re wonderful people but it will hurt them physically for you to be there full time with them.”She asked her if she thought that she was going to move in with Trevor.“What an excellent plan.Yes, I’ll tell Trevor that you suggested it.I’m sure that he’ll be thrilled to have you there.”

“I didn’t say that.Not at all.”Jade kissed her on the cheek and told her that she’d be better than anyway because of how she was going to be getting around.“I can live anywhere that’s not Trevor’s new home.Hell, I’d stay in a hotel if that’s what you think would work for me.Jade?Jade, come back here and tell me what you’re going to tell Trevor.I never said that I’d—damn it, woman.You’re too pushy.Get back here.”

Jade was more than likely laughing all the way to her car about how she had tricked her.And it was a dirty trick, too.She didn’t want to live with him any more than he’d want her living there.It was his new home, and she was positive that he didn’t want strange women sticking around because she was hurt and couldn’t be left alone.

Chapter 5

He could tell that Henrie didn’t want to be sitting on the couch while the rest of them brought things into the house.He’d had the furniture people put the couch on last so it would come off first so that she could have something to sit on while they were unpacking.It worked out well for her.Jade wouldn’t even allow her to walk around because she said she’d pick something up to help.

Looking down at the boxes he had in his hands, Trevor thought perhaps he’d gone a little overboard on the essentials he’d gotten, like toilet paper, paper towels, and such.His mom was still laughing when she put them in the pantry.There were so many of them.

“Hello?”He went to the living room to see what Henrie needed, and she asked him for a glass of water.“It’s kind of dry in here.Didn’t they tell you that you had a whole house humidifier?”

“I turned the downstairs furnace off because of the doors being open all the time.I think that was a mistake.The upper floors have their own furnace, and I left it alone.But it’s cold down here, don’t you think?”She pointed out that she had the fireplace going, so it wasn’t too cold.“I’ll have to turn it back on to see if that humidifies the house more.I’m glad you mentioned that.I might have forgotten.”

Giving her a glass of water and several bottles so she could have them as well, he was excited about how well the house was coming along.The dining room looked complete because he’d been able to unearth his grannie’s dinnerware set to put in the room.His mom and Jade had put that all away for him after they’d run things through the dishwasher.The table that he’d gotten gleamed in the dining room, and he loved that he’d been able to get it.

Jade told him that Henrie could get up and walk around now that the boxes were in the house but said that she couldn’t lift even a loaf of bread.It would hurt her in ways that she’d wish she was still in the hospital.So while his kitchen appliances, he’d forgotten how many he’d purchased were being put away, he walked around the main floor with her to keep her out of trouble.He should have figured that she’d be all right with not lifting.She said she was still sore from the surgery.

“I can’t believe how much it looks different.I thought it looked really good when the previous owners were still here but you’ve really changed it up.I love the butcher block you have instead of an island.”He told her that it had been his grandmother’s when she was alive.“It’s perfect.”She stopped moving when they were in the pantry, looking around.“You’re sure you don’t mind me staying here?I don’t want to put you out or anything.And I’m in no shape to fend you off, so please don’t get frisky with me.I’m a wounded person.”He laughed.

“No, I’ll not get frisky with you until you say it’s all right.I want to, don’t get me wrong on that, but I don’t want you injured any more than you are now.You need to get better.How will you eat more than your weight in food next week if you’re hurting.”She looked confused.“It’s Thanksgiving.Did you forget?”

“I did, actually.I wonder what my grandparents are going to be doing.I usually eat with them.”He told her how his mom had invited them to their home for dinner and football.“Grandda loves football and food.Grandma watches it and pretends to not know anything about the game, but if there is a bad call, she gets all worked up.”

Trevor wanted to kiss her but knew that there wasn’t a worse time for him to try.While walking around with her, he pointed out some of the things that he’d had done to the pantry and showed her the oversized freezer that his brother Jenson had suggested that they have put in.

“It’ll come in handy during the summer months.The cook—I’ve forgotten her name, said that she would use the gardens in the back for fresh things.She also unearthed a herb garden that she plans on utilizing.I can’t wait.”He guided her to the back yard where his pups—Pebbles and Bam-bam, were playing after she told him that the cook’s name was May.She asked him about his dogs’ names.“Oh, that was Gracie.She named them after the cartoon The Flintstones.She said she didn’t watch it as a child; it was before her time, but Sherm, her son, was enjoying them.Jenson has Barney and Betty.Clay took a pair that were called Fred and Wilma.The others are named after the cartoon as well, but for Blackie.She had named her first when she saw them and couldn’t change her name.She’s the bossy one of the group.”

“How adorable.”The dogs were all over Henrie when she sat down on one of the chairs that he’d purchased.They weren’t careful, but she didn’t seem to mind.They were having a good time and she was laughing harder than he’d thought he’d ever heard before.

Getting her back inside, she sat down on the couch and nearly fell asleep in mid-sentence when she was talking to him about the dogs.They were getting bigger daily, and now that they were a few weeks older, he could leave them in the house in their crate for longer periods of time.

Dinner was a lot of all kinds of things.They would order that way so as not to overwhelm one restaurant.There was pizza, of course, as well as Chinese and Mexican food.He had downed three soft tacos before he remembered to go and wake up Henrie.She was still resting and he debated about waking her when she suddenly opened her eyes to look at him.

“Something is wrong.”He told her no, he’d just come to get her for dinner.“I’m sorry I keep falling asleep.Jade said that I’m still working through the drugs I got in the hospital.I don’t know what it is, but I’d like to be awake for more than ten minutes at a time.”

“You were awake for a whole three hours this time.Good for you.”She glared at him, and he had to laugh.He was going to point out that his mom was better at that than she was, but she was too close to him, and his mom was as well.Barton got up when she came into the dining area when it was obvious that he was going to need to get some extra chairs if everyone was going to be eating with them.

There were the helpers that he’d gotten by advertising at the local school that he was going to need help.He was glad that Barkley had suggested that he hired a few high school kids to help out bringing things in and breaking down boxes.They were saving for a car, he’d been told.

He was putting the linens away when his dad found him.After getting one of his famous hugs, he asked him what he thought about the house.Dad said that he was proud of him for finally getting out of the condo.It was no place to raise a family if you didn’t have to.

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