Chapter Seven
Tatum leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed, enjoying their Sunday afternoon off. They'd decided that they needed a day away from the bar, to just do their own thing. It had been a very intense few weeks, especially this last one. She'd found out her father had passed away and, like her half-sister, didn't know how to feel about this. The box she'd found at the bar was hidden under her bed until she figured out her feelings towards her father. She'd moved back to where she'd had anything but an easy childhood, to basically live with Isabella for the first time in their lives after not seeing each other for ten years. Little Grove hadn't changed much in those ten years and even the Miller family was still as obnoxious as ever with Aaron coming over to flex his muscles. Though, if she had to be honest, she didn't mind if it meant seeing Sean too; he was always the nicer one of the family. Tatum tried not to picture his face in her mind, but it was hard keeping him out as he was a nice distraction from the wreck that her love life had been. He was easy to like, always quietly polite with a little awkwardness about him, as if he didn't realise how good-looking he was. She wouldn't mind telling him some time as she couldn't help a smile make its way onto her face.
Her phone pulled her from her daydreams and she frowned when she saw Kenny's name appear on the screen.
"No thank you," she told him and pressed the ignore button.
"Who was that?" Isabella asked curiously as she came in from the kitchen holding a plate of sandwiches, seeing her half-sister shrug nonchalantly.
"Just Kenny," the redhead answered. "I've tried breakin' up with him before and we ended up back together within like two weeks. I think he's not realised yet I mean it this time," Tatum added. She was determined to stay strong this time and not taking his calls was a good first step. It meant she couldn't be too tempted to listen to his sorry excuses.
"I'm sure he will eventually and at least you can ignore your phone," the brunette said with a shrug of her own and held out the plate towards her. At least if he was phoning, you could be sure he wasn't on his way over to come find her. Isabella had no such luxury. She'd almost expected David to show up on her first or second day back. It had been a week since she'd gotten on that bus and it was making her nervous, not knowing whether he'd decided to let her go or whether he was still plotting to get her back.
"Thanks," her half-sister smiled as she took a sandwich and took a bite. She chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds, thinking back to their conversation earlier in the week. "How 'bout you? Anyone special in your life at the moment?" Tatum asked after she'd swallowed, surprised to see the brunette stiffen a little.
"It's complicated," was all Isabella wanted to say right now. The redhead nodded, though she obviously had no idea what her sister was talking about; it did kind of explain why she wasn't running hot for the Sheriff, if she was still committed to someone.
Austin stared out onto the dirt road as he sat on his porch swing with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. After college he'd returned to Little Grove, bought the land where Isabella's old house had stood and flattened it, only keeping the old swing. He'd never thought she'd return to the small town and that piece of land had been the only thing he could afford at the time. It had taken him several years, but he'd built the house he now lived in, forgetting about the girl that used to live there before him. It had never felt like anything else but his own home and he hadn't thought about it for a long time, but now she was back it felt kind of weird to be sitting on the swing where they'd had their first kiss. He wondered what she'd think, she was bound to find out soon enough.
He could remember the night they'd met like it was only the day before, in a small dive bar just outside the county line. She'd been playing pool and winning money from a group of guys who all seemed too distracted by her long legs and stringy top to care about the cash they were losing. She'd captured his attention and he hadn't been able to look away from her all night. And it was obvious she knew he was watching her as she flashed him a confident smile every time she pocketed a ball, her light brown eyes sparkling and taking his breath away. He could still picture the way she'd walked over to him, her hips swaying seductively, when one of the guys was getting too drunk and had started to bother her. She'd wrapped her arms around him, smiling at him as if she'd done it a million times before as she pretended he was her boyfriend. "Baby, you wanna get out of here?" she'd asked him and he'd been too stunned to answer so merely nodded, unable to remember a girl ever leaving him speechless. He'd put his hand on her waist and walked out the bar, proudly smiling when all the other guys looked at him jealously. Austin cringed when he remembered the first words he'd said to her were: "I'm gonna marry you." But she'd smiled and said, "Okay," as if it were the most normal thing to say to a girl you'd only just met. They'd spent the rest of the night driving around and talking; it had been the start of the most intense summer love he'd ever experienced, but that had all ended. The way it had still made him feel guilty, but he'd been a scared twenty-year old boy and there wasn't anything he could do about it now.
He jumped up when he saw Sean's car approach his home in the distance, trying to push the memory of that summer out of his head before the Miller boys got too close. He'd never told them about his summer with Grayson's daughter and it didn't seem like a good plan to do so now she was back in town. He frowned when the car pulled up on the driveway and he realised only Sean was in it.
"Where's Aaron?" he asked as soon as the younger Miller got out of the car and walked his way; Aaron didn't let his brother out of his sight very often. It also was nothing like the oldest Miller son to skip on a night of drinking with friends.
"He ain't comin'," Sean said, shrugging when the Sheriff frowned at him. "He might drop by later, said he had 'business elsewhere'," he added with air quotes and a roll of his eyes. It was code for a date with an unsuspecting girl that still hadn't figured out he was no good.
Austin chuckled as he led the way into his home. It wasn't like Aaron hid his bad boy status, some girls just really loved a project or hoped to be the one to change his ways. So far none had succeeded. "So, what's goin' on with you?" he asked when he saw Sean hesitate. It was obvious the younger man had something on his mind, but wasn't sure how to start. He walked into the kitchen to grab them both a beer and the other man followed him in.
"You know them Tennant girls are back," he finally said, and Austin felt a surge of protectiveness he hadn't expected.
"Yeah," he nodded, giving his friend the benefit of the doubt as he handed him a cold Bud. Usually it was Aaron that made a big deal out of this whole feud, Sean on the other hand had never seemed to care either way. "So?" he asked when the youngest Miller didn't elaborate.
"Nothin'," Sean quickly mumbled. "Just… Pa's been goin' nuts since he found out. He's more determined than ever to get that bar."
"They ain't handin' that bar over to your pa, not of their own volition," he said, seeing Sean nod like he'd come to the same conclusion.
"I know," he said with a sigh. He didn't know why he cared. He obviously remembered them from before they'd left, especially Tatum as she'd been in a few of his classes, but he didn't know them very well. And he didn't owe them anything. Yet it didn't feel right that his family were trying to take away their rightful inheritance and kept punishing them for something their father had done years ago. As a teenager, he hadn't thought about it too much; it was just the way it was. But as an adult, it seemed rather childish and unfair. Sean had no way to put that all in words to the young Sheriff, who was more his brother's friend, so just left it at that as he took another swig of his beer.
"Sit outside or play Call of Duty?" Austin asked him now, figuring that topic of conversation was best left as it was.
"Call of Duty," he answered without hesitation. "I will be kickin' your ass Sheriff," he warned him, only making the other man laugh.