Page 34 of Only You and Me

A half hour later, when I’m on the way back to Elladine, I catch a flash of long blonde hair as I pass the Meadow Creek library, and it reminds me of Trina. I instinctively slow down and am shocked when I realize that the woman walking into the library doesn’t just look like Trina, sheisTrina.

What the hell is she doing at the Meadow Creek library?

Before I can think better of it, I’m pulling off into the library parking lot and driving up and down the aisles looking for her car. When I find it, I pull up next to it and park, roll down my window and wait.

Fifteen minutes turns into thirty, so I pull up my book on my phone and start reading. When I’ve been waiting an hour, I wonder how long one woman can really spend at the library. And at an hour and a half, I climb out of my SUV and pace back and forth in front of it, arguing with myself about whether or not I should go in.

“It’ll certainly piss her off if I do. And how much can really happen in a public library?” I mutter to myself.

“Ben? What are you doing here?” I whip my head up to find Trina standing in front of me, a canvas tote bag on her arm with big plastic looking sticks poking out.

“Um…” I didn’t think this far. How am I going to explain to her I was waiting outside the library for her?

“Oh my God, did you follow me here?” Her tone is high pitched and incredulous.

“What? No! Of course not.” I can’t help but rub the back of my neck, then shove my hands in my pockets.

Trina simply folds her arms across her chest and tilts her head at me, one disbelieving eyebrow cocked up.

“I didn’t. I was already in town, and I saw you walking in when I was driving by. I was… I was worried about you being here alone with everything going on, so I pulled in and waited.”

“You waited an hour and a half for me? And you just happened to be driving by?”

“Yes. And what are you doing here? There’s a perfectly good library in Elladine.”

Trina shakes her head at me. “Whatever. You’re being evasive and trying to change the subject. I’m leaving.” She walks to her car.

“Okay. Wait,” I protest. “How about we go get something to eat and I’ll explain what I’m doing here if you’ll do the same?”

Trina stops, but she fixes her stare on me for several uncomfortable seconds. Her eyes narrowed and searching my face as if she’s looking for any hint of insincerity.

“Fine. But I’m driving in my car. Follow me.”

Less than ten minutes later, we’re seated at a small Ma and Pop restaurant, perusing the menus.

“You’ve been here before?” I ask.

“Yup. They have the best pie.” I can’t help but chuckle. You’d never know it to look at her, but Trina Flynn has one hell of a sweet tooth.

After we order, Trina leans back in her chair and folds her hands in front of her on the table. “So, why are you in Meadow Creek?”

I shrug. “Nothing too exciting. I come here every two to three weeks to meet up with my men’s group.”

Her eyebrows furrow, and her slight frown betrays her confusion. “Men’s group?”

“Yeah, there’s five of us and we get together and talk about life, help each other see through our own bullshit. That kind of stuff.”

She’s intrigued now. I can tell by the intensity in those gorgeous blue eyes of hers as she leans forward, puts her elbows on the table and rests her head in her hands. “Give me an example.”

“Please?” I tease. I’m rewarded with a classic Trina eye roll.

“Please.”

“Well, I won’t betray any of their confidences, but for myself, they’ve helped with a few things. I guess the first major one was realizing why I was the way I was when I was in high school… and after.”

Our server comes over with our drinks and I nod in thanks.

“Geez, how long have you been meeting with these guys?”

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