He can’t hold on and he cries out my name over and over as he finishes.

After our breathing returns to normal, he takes me in his arms. I lie there with my hand on his heart. There’s a lot to say, but all I want is to be right here. Legs tangled, completely sated, and lost in each other.

“Pres?” he asks while running his finger up and down my back.

“Hmm?”

“Will you sleep here tonight?”

I lift my head and smile. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

He yanks me so I’m flush against him, and I close my eyes. I’ll stay here as long as I can, because right now, everything feels right.

“Y OU SHOULD CURL YOUR HAIR and pull it up,” Grace says as I stand in front of the mirror.

“I’m so tired you’re lucky I can keep my eyes open.” I go back to getting ready. Emily is on her way over to go out for the night. She’s going to sing at Lucky’s in town, and everyone will be there because no one is driving to Nashville.

It’s been three weeks of meeting Zach since we made love. I sneak out in the middle of the night and creep back to my bed in the morning. Thank God, I still remember the stair creaking pattern. Although, I think Mama has known for a long time. She’s made plenty of references previously to the bags under my eyes and the grass on my clothes.

“Emily said it’s mandatory you’re there.” She comes behind me, fixing my hair. “Let me pin it for you.”

After we figure out what to wear, we head downstairs. Cooper’s eyes lift, landing on Grace, and I wonder . . .

He watches her a little too long, grunts, and goes back to whatever he’s reading. Interesting.

“Hi, Coop!” She slaps him on the back of the head, and I hold back a laugh. It seems the feelings aren’t reciprocated.

“Grace.” He rubs his head. “Going to see Emily?” he asks me, trying to keep from looking over at her.

I give him a knowing grin, I answer with, “I think you should come.”

His face falls as he confirms what I suspected. “Yeah.” Grace chimes in. “We should probably have a chaperone.”

Cooper gives a lame excuse, but I let it go. Grace was Trent’s girl for a while. And when a Hennington claims his girl, everyone backs off. Unless, of course, you’re a Townsend. I can only imagine how this will play out.

“Have fun, Mom!” Logan says as he flips through the channels with my dad.

“You guys behave.”

“We won’t leave the house, Mom.” Cayden attempts a joke.

“Good.” I mess his hair.

Grace and I head out to where Zach will be, and I remind myself that I’ll have to pretend nothing is going on between us. We’re still keeping things under the radar, but I don’t know how I’m going to be able to stay away from him. In fact, I know I won’t. When he’s around, I’m unable to resist being close to him. He fills me up and makes everything brighter. The dark isn’t void when he’s near. Plus, since we’ve been having sex, all I see is him naked when I look at him.

“Grace,” I call her attention.

“Why does the way you say my name worry me?”

I shake my head. “It’s not bad.”

“Are you finally going to admit you and Zach are back together?” she says with a sly grin.

“You know?” I question, slightly flabbergasted.

“Of course I know. Everyone knows, Presley. I mean Zach is walking around town as if he just won the state championship. You’re suddenly smiling all the time. Both of you look like you’re staying out all night . . .” She nudges my elbow and laughs. “We’re not dumb, but we did let you have your secret.”

My mouth hangs open. I really thought we were in the clear. “Unreal,” I mumble to myself. “I thought . . .”

“You thought nobody knew?”

“Yes!”

“Don’t ever go into acting.” Grace parks the car and turns to me, placing her hand on my forearm. “I’m happy for you, Pres. You’ve been so sad since you’ve been back. I know it couldn’t be easy coming back here, but we love you. I’ve never been married, and I don’t have kids, so I won’t even pretend I understand what it’s like to lose your husband. Just know that I’ll always listen. And I won’t lie . . . I’m really happy you and Zach have found a second chance.”

I smile and nod. “I’m scared that I’m happy too.”

“Why?”

“It’s so soon.”

She shakes her head. “I think it’s been too long. You don’t remember the Presley and Zach that I do. The ones that everyone wished they could be like. Loving each other so much that other people were jealous.” She laughs at the memory. “I mean . . . I broke up with six guys because they didn’t look at me like he looked at you.”

“That’s crazy,” I chide. “You can’t think that what we had is normal.”

“Exactly, Presley. It wasn’t. It was so special. I think we all wept when we heard y’all broke up. Don’t get me wrong,” she quickly adds. “I think you were right. You’d spent your entire junior and senior year waiting for him. Then he took that contract like you were irrelevant.”

“Thanks.” I sigh.

“You were so young, though. He was an immature boy with dollar signs in his eyes.”

I get what she means. In the last few months, I’ve come to see that I was too naïve to even understand the situation. Do I wish that things had happened differently? Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. If he had never taken that contract, then I wouldn’t have my boys, and really, they’re everything.

“I think that things worked out the way they were supposed to,” I admit. “I’ve been angry at him for so long. I don’t want the town butting in either.”

She laughs. “I get being angry. Those men have a way of getting under your skin and embedding themselves there.” Ahh, her and Trent. I wonder what exactly is going on in this town. Grace and Cooper were definitely giving each other some lonely eyes. “Let’s get in there.” Grace’s smile brightens.

We head into the bar where my eyes immediately seek out Zach. What I’m faced with is not what I am expecting. Felicia clutches Zach’s arm as he talks to Trent. Her hands cling to him as she rests her head on his shoulder. He doesn’t pay her any attention, but I couldn’t give two shits. I watch her stare at him, hanging on every word while my rage starts to churn.