Cape Cod Promises: Love on Rockwell Island Read Free Page B

his hand in the air as if the reason weren’t important. “Just bring it to me.” He turned to Didi before Trent could ask any further questions. “I’m not feeling well this morning. Please take me back to my room now.”
    Trent rose to his feet with a frown. He knew enough about his grandfather’s machinations over the years to wonder just what the hell Chandler was playing at now.
    * * *
    TWO HOURS LATER Trent had gone through most of the files in his office but was no closer to finding the deed than he was when he’d begun looking. After placing a call to the courthouse and learning that the transfer of the deed was never filed after his great-grandfather’s death, he had to redirect his search and look for the original transfer paperwork.
    At least he’d been distracted from thinking about Reese for a little while.
    “Knock, knock.”
    His younger brother Quinn walked into his office. He had become so relaxed since falling in love with Shelley and moving to the island that he actually looked like a different man. Especially today, his blue eyes shining with curiosity.
    “So?” Quinn sat down on the leather couch and crossed an ankle over his knee. “I hear there was a basket from Reese in Shelley’s café this morning that wasn’t there last night when we left. Want to tell me how it got there?”
    “Not really.” Talking about Reese would only make Trent think about her again.
    “So we’re going with the basket-elves theory? That’s what Shelley thought you might want to do, too.”
    “Quinn.” Trent ran his hand roughly over his face.
    His brother’s teasing expression shifted to concern. “Was it that bad seeing Reese again?”
    “No. It was that good .” Trent had been tortured all night long by how good it had been to have Reese back in his arms.
    “I ran the old route to the dunes this morning,” he admitted. He hadn’t run that route since they’d split up, but after bumping into her last night, it was like his legs had carried him in that direction without any thought.
    “And?”
    “I still can’t get her out of my head. I know it’s over and she’s moved on. I’ve seen her very briefly on and off over the years, but last night...”
    Trent paused, searching for the right words to describe how blown away he’d been by the intense feelings that had consumed him the second he’d realized it was Reese in his arms—and how awful it had been to realize just how badly she’d wanted to get away from him. She had all but run from him.
    “Last night outside Shelley’s café, when I realized Reese is even more beautiful, even more talented than she was before, something hit me. Hard.”
    “You mean the fact that you’re not really over her?”
    Yes .
    The lightning-quick answer inside his brain stunned him silent. Most of all, because he knew it was true.
    “What did you think was going to happen?” Quinn asked after letting Trent stew for a few moments. “You two never really hashed everything out. Don’t you think that has to happen at some point, given that the island’s too small for you two not to keep being thrown together?”
    Trent knew his brother was right. Ten years ago Trent had explained to Reese that as a burgeoning lawyer he was expected to work long hours and attend the highbrow social events that even he never really cared for. But she hadn’t wanted to hear it. She’d told him that she was last on his priority list—not even just second to his job, but seventh or eighth, after his workday, parties, office events, and whatever else might lead to his success. She’d also said she didn’t even recognize him anymore. Right before he returned to New York, his mother had said something that still rang in his ears today. When your heart is ready to commit, you’ll know. Until then, you just have to do the best you can to move on .
    And moving on was what he thought he’d accomplished. Although, now that he was thinking about it, it had taken him a long time