Page 39 of Call It Love

He didn’t wait for a response, just started walking in the direction I’d come from.

“Coming, Anna?” he called over his shoulder.

I froze, then spun on my feet and hurried after him. “Wait! How’d you know my name?”

He smirked as he looked back at me. “You’re quite the conversation at Ruth’s,” he answered, referring to the diner on Main Street.

I rolled my eyes. Of course, I was. It wastheplace for gossip, and in a town this size, word spread fast. Any number of people could have shared that I was looking for a job. Dozens of others were bound to repeat anything they heard—and what they didn’t know for sure, they’d make up. Not to mention Trinity and her big mouth, and who knows who saw Chase and me on the sidewalk near The Dogtrot?

“Good lord,” I muttered.

“Don’t worry. I don’t think you’re actually here to take over the town as mayor or to build a gambling casino.” He was clearly amused. “Or to kidnap Mayor Sterling.”

I gasped. “Is that what they’re saying?”

“They were the more colorful theories. But most people don’t believe any of it. Most just think you’re here to get back into Chase’s bed.”

“Oh, my God. That’s probablyworse.”

He shrugged and kept walking with long strides. I raced to catch up with him. “It’s not true.”

He glanced over at me, but I didn’t see any judgment in his eyes. “Not my business. Give it time. Something else will come up, and they’ll move on. Trust me.”

“Not sure that’s true in my case. They hate me.”

“Hate you? Or something that you did? There’s a difference.”

I turned his words over in my head. I’d never separated the two before. If the second was true, then maybe I could earn back their trust.

“I have a feeling you’re pretty smart,” I offered after a moment.

Trey shrugged. “Or maybe this town taught me there’s a difference.”

“Sounds like a story there.”

He didn’t answer, confirming in my mind that there must be. But I sensed I’d have to earn the right to hear it. Or I could put my ear to the rumor mill, but I was walking proof that I would get a half version of the truth, if that.

Ahead, Jack barked and took off through the trees. As Trey and I stepped into the open yard, I saw Chase standing with his arms crossed as he waited for us to reach him. Jack bounded straight toward him with his tailwagging. Chase scratched Jack’s head, but his eyes never strayed from bouncing between Trey and me. If I wasn’t mistaken, he looked like he was trying to hide a frown. Was there something I should be warned about Trey? He was quiet, but he seemed harmless enough. Just a man who might have been trying to run from his own demons.

“Trey, didn’t expect to see you. How’s it going?”

“Fine. Wanted to talk to you about the plans for the new building you want.”

Chase frowned. “So you ran here? Wouldn’t a phone be less trouble?”

Trey actually grinned. “Wasn’t planning to bring it up now, but I ran into your woman out in the woods. She didn’t have bear spray. Heard they’ve been pushed farther into this neck of the woods since they have that construction going on up the mountain.”

I glared at him. “And where’syourbear spray? Or were you planning to just wrestle it if you saw one?”

With a small grin, he pulled a can out from a holster around his waist that I hadn’t noticed before.

Chase’s eyes shot to me. “What were you thinking? You know these woods. You know not to go out unprepared.”

I bristled. “I had some things on my mind. I hadn’t gone that far. Besides, I had Jack.”

“That’s just stupid.”

My mouth dropped. “Stupid?”

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