Page 65 of Truck Up
He leans forward on his elbows and narrows his gaze like he’s getting ready to inspect me.Yep, my gut instincts are correct.
Refusing to give into his intimation tactics—at least I assume he’s trying to intimidate me—I hold my gaze on his, waiting for him to speak. This is the kind of bullshit my brothers would do.
After several uncomfortable beats, he finally speaks. “How long have you known he’s owned that cabin?”
His question causes my pulse to speed up. No one in Christian’s family knew about the cabin until now. They expressed a wide range of emotions when Christian told them we’d be moving out there as soon as some of the renovations were done.
My instincts are to tell him it doesn’t matter, but I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with anyone in Christian’s family if I can help it. It’s hard enough dealing with the rejection from my family. I don’t want it from his family either.
“Um, I guess about two years,” I admit. “We’ve spent a lot of time out there ever since we started dating.”
“Dating?” His expression turns to confusion. “Is that what you call it?”
I jerk back and furrow my brows. I don’t like his tone or what he’s insinuating. It puts me on the defensive. “Yes, dating. Just because we kept it a secret doesn’t make it any less real.”
Chase opens his mouth to speak, but he’s cut off by Grams before he gets his words out. “Don’t pay any attention to him. He’s just jealous you knew something about his twin that he didn’t know.”
She sets a plate of eggs in front of me and my stomach growls. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until smelling this food. Thank goodness it’s not making my stomach turn. I never know what food will agree with me anymore.
Chase sits back in his chair and sighs. I focus on my food and do my best to ignore him, but I feel him watching me. Studying my every move.
“Grams is right,” he admits. “Christian has never kept a secret from me before. Even when he was using, he was honest with me. I’m jealous you knew something about him that I didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” I say even though I have nothing to be sorry about. Old habits, I guess. “I’m sure he had his reasons.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” He goes back to eating his breakfast as if he’s done with conversation. I take that as my cue that it’s safe to eat my breakfast. But before I can take one bite, he continues. “Can’t be easy living with the enemy, though.”
I furrow my brows. “I’ve never seen you guys as enemies. I don’t care about the feud.”
He raises his brow and for the first time since I sat down, one of his typical charming smirks lifts his lips. “Maybe not, but your family sure as hell does.”
“Yeah, well.” I point my fork at him before I stab a few pieces of egg with it. “No one ever said my family was smart.”
Grams takes a seat at the head of the table. “Fear will make people do and say stupid shit. Give ’em time.”
“Have you met my brothers?” I deadpan. “We could give them a century and I still don’t know if it would make a bit of difference.”
Grams chuckles, and then reaches across the table to pat my hand. “No matter what happens. From this point on, you will always be family to us. Family isn’t about blood. It’s a state of mind. A connection. And you, my dear, will always have that with us.”
Tears well up in my eyes and I drop my face, hoping neither of them sees her words are about to make me cry. I never imagined Christian’s family would welcome me so easily and readily. It makes me even more sad that my family is struggling so much with this. Hopefully, the day will come when my parents can accept Christian even half as much as his family has accepted me.
I clear my throat and take a sip of my coffee before I speak. “Thanks. That means so much to me.”
“Of course, dear.” The smile on Grams’s face suggests she knows exactly what I’m thinking. “Now eat. Those eggs won’t be nearly as good cold.”
After finishing up the inventory,I stop at a grocery store in Waverly rather than shop at the small one in Beaver. I’m not in the mood to deal with a store where everyone knows my business almost before I know it myself.
Waverly is a small city, but it provides enough of a buffer from Beaver that not everyone knows who I am. And if I am recognized, it’s usually because of the flower shop and not the ridiculous feud that has made my family insane.
Besides, I’m excited to shop for ingredients to cook dinner tonight. I don’t want anything to spoil my good mood.
It took some convincing, but I arranged to make dinner tonight for the Mutters. Grams argued with me on that point for several minutes before I finally convinced her to let me contribute. She only gave into my request when I agreed to let her bake something for dessert.
It took me forever to settle on what to make. Grams is such an amazing cook, and I want to please her. It’s silly, but I don’t want to give her any reason to think less of me or my family. Overcoming the feud is a hard enough battle. I don’t need other faults added to it.
It’s a well-known fact that my mom is also a great cook and baker, but she’s never been able to beat Grams in any of the local baking contests. Grams is a tough cookie to beat.
I’ve always loved to cook alongside Mom, but I’ve never joined any of those contests. I’m not a very competitive person. Plus, I’m not as good as my mom, but if I practiced more, I think I could be.