Stay With Me: A Best Friend’s Brother Small Town Romance (Sugarland Creek Book 2)
Stay With Me (Sugarland Creek Book 2): Chapter 10

I love working at the retreat because it’s a constant flow of customers who tip exceptionally well for coffee and muffins. The guests beam about my cute little setup, and the staff comes for an extra special treat to break up their week.

When I got approved for a small business loan, I bought an old horse trailer and hired a contractor to help me build it out. After months of researching, I had a vision board and knew exactly what I wanted—white and bright with blue accents and lots of greenery vibes. Some of the final touches were adding fairy lights through the vines secured above the wheel hubs and adding a turf wall to the trailer door with a neon sign of my business name.

It screams cottagecore single girl aesthetic who makes frou-frou lattes, and that’s exactly what I was going for.

In the summer, I could wear cute sundresses or rompers each day and keep fresh flowers on the counter. Now that the weather is cooling down, I wear leggings with boots and long sweaters to stay warm.

Just as I shove half of a muffin into my mouth, I hear someone approaching and turn around to greet them. I nearly choke when I see Tripp…and only him. He never comes by himself.

“Tripp, hi.” I cough, forcing myself to swallow the food down without tasting it. “Came alone today, huh?” I scrub my hands down my apron, wiping off the crumbs.

“Yeah, Landen’s stuck at the stables gettin’ his ass whipped by Summer, so figured I’d come to see you and get a caffeine boost.”

My gaze scans the length of him, always looking like a Southern dessert—tight jeans, scuffed work boots, and a white T-shirt under a plaid flannel—with a metaphorical flashing “no eating” sign across it. He’s not wearing a hat today, but the top of his head is messy like he’s been threading his fingers through his hair.

“That okay?” The lingering in his voice snaps me out of my obvious staring.

“Great. Perfect. Your regulars?” I stammer, grabbing two cups.

“Actually…what do you recommend? I’ve yet to try anything besides coffee.”

“Oh.” This is new. “What’re ya in the mood for?”

He shrugs, and I almost direct him to the menu, but I like having all of his attention on me.

“What’s your favorite?” he asks.

I feign an exaggerated gasp. “So cruel. That’d be like askin’ me to pick a favorite child.”

He shoves his hands into his pockets. “Well, it’d obviously be Chattanooga Tennessee.”

My face gets impossibly hot as my heart thumps faster.

That’s how he’s going to bring it up after not responding to my texts?

“Of course. How could I forget our beloved firstborn, Chatty?” I smirk, swallowing down the nerves from how flirty he’s being today. But then tomorrow he’ll be closed off and ignore me. His MO since I was in high school. “But if you insist I choose, I think you’d like the Hot Mess Express Latte.”

His head tilts with a cocked brow. “That’s an interestin’ name.”

“It might’ve been self-inspired.”

He laughs. “What’s in it?”

“White chocolate and tiramisu syrups with coffee bean powder on top of whipped cream.”

“That sounds delicious, actually. I’ll take that for me and Landen’s regular for him.”

“Did you wanna add a muffin? Today’s special is Razeberry Delight.”

“Raze-berry?”

“Raspberry and blackberries. I wanted to give it a more fun name than just mixed berries or whatever,” I explain.

“Alright, I’ll get two so Landen doesn’t steal mine.”

I smile, knowing he would do just that, too. “You got it.”

Once I pump the syrups into his cup, I pull the espresso shots and then froth the milk. My back’s turned to him, but I feel his heated gaze on me. Normally, I have small talk with my customers while making their beverages, but our conversation hasn’t turned awkward like it usually does, so I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible.

“Any plans for Halloween this weekend?” He breaks the silence, and if I didn’t know any better, there’s a hint of nervousness in his voice.

I glance over my shoulder and watch him wipe a bead of sweat across his forehead.

“Just Noah’s bachelorette party on Saturday. What ’bout you?”

“I’m managin’ the Halloween party at The Lodge on Friday.”

I could’ve sworn Landen told me he was in charge of that. He mentioned it a couple of weeks ago when he was looking at costumes.

“That’ll be fun with all the kids,” I say, wiping down my machine before putting the espresso shots into his cup and then pouring the milk on top. “What’re you gonna dress up as?”

“Not sure…”

The hesitation in his voice has me meeting his gaze over my shoulder before I add the finishing touches to his drink.

Then he adds, “Maybe a Marvel character. What do you think?”

My heart threatens to beat right out of my chest as it races against my rib cage at the mention of Marvel ideas.

It’s just a coincidence. Calm down, Magnolia.

“Yeah, I could totally see you in some Spiderman tights.”

He coughs out a laugh as I put the lid on his cup and then pour Landen’s coffee before adding in his cream and sugar.

“You should come with me.” He says the words so casually I don’t let myself read into them, but Tripp’s never invited me to tag along with him anywhere.

“Why? You need an MJ?” I ask, referring to Spiderman’s love interest. “Not sure I could pull off the red hair.”

“What about blond?”

“Mm…maybe?” I shrug, putting two muffins in a bag and then setting everything down in front of him. “Who has blond hair?”

“Jane.”

I freeze in front of the cash register at the familiar name. “And who’s she with again?”

And if I remember correctly, I’m not going to like his answer.

He swallows hard, his stare penetrating me. “Thor’s.”

My teeth grind together as I contemplate my next move.

This is no coincidence.

“You okay?” he asks when I don’t speak.

“I’m gonna kill him.” I grab my keys off the counter, then storm out of the trailer toward my SUV.

“Sunflower, wait.” He grabs my arm, and I freeze at his gentle touch. The urgency in his voice has my nerves on fire. Then he pulls me back until I’m standing in front of him.

I blow out a nervous breath. “Whaddya know?”

His eyes soften, lowering to my mouth. “Enough to know you have a code name for me.”

“You weren’t supposed to know about that.”

“It’s not his fault. I saw the texts and blackmailed him into tellin’ me. The first time I saw it, he dismissed me completely. It wasn’t until I thought Thor could actually be a threat that I snapped.”

My tongue peeks out, and I lick my lips. “A threat to what?”

His hand cups my cheek and his face splits into a wide smile. “Takin’ you from me.”

My throat goes dry, and when I open my mouth, nothing comes out, which isn’t like me.

Finally, I manage to speak. “I’m gonna need some context here.”

I feel like I missed a few chapters.

How’d we go from him barely acknowledging me to him asking me to go with him to the party? Oh God, how much of Landen’s and my messages did he read?

Then his calloused thumb brushes muffin crumbs off my cheek when he adds, “I like you, Magnolia. And I want us to hang out on Friday.”

Magnolia?

I shake my head, wondering if maybe I’m in a dream state. Did I hit my skull on something and suddenly wake up in my fantasies?

If that’s the case, leave me to die so I never leave here.

“You do?” I squeak out embarrassingly.

He nods with a grin. “I have for some time.”

And he couldn’t have told me like I don’t know…a few years ago? Or at the very least, before last weekend happened when my stupid self made the worst decision of my life.

“So all this time…” I blink, still trying to wrap my brain around this news because I’ve been waiting for this moment for as long as I can remember and now that it’s happening, I’m taken off guard.

All because he thought I liked another man and was at risk of losing his chance of telling me?

His tongue peeks out and swipes along his bottom lip as he leans forward to my ear. “I can hear your mind going a million miles an hour. Say you’ll go with me to the Halloween party, Sunny.”

He has no clue—or hell, maybe he does—that whispering in my ear in that seductive tone would have me doing just about anything he asked.

“Okay,” I finally manage to answer. “But do I really have to go as Jane?”

He chuckles, sliding his hand down my arm until it captures my fingers. “You can go as anything you want.”

Maybe Noah will let me borrow her yeehaw clothes, and I’ll go as a cowgirl. Not an original idea, but it’s the best I can do on short notice. I’ll have to be sneaky about it, though, or she’ll ask me a hundred questions, and I’m not ready to add that level of pressure. It’s bad enough Landen knows, but as soon as it’s out there in the open, everyone else will add in their two cents and get in my head.

“Is this a date?” I ask because I’m done second-guessing when it comes to Tripp. If he likes me, then he should want to take me out on one.

“I wanna say yes, but I also don’t want our first date to be at The Lodge surrounded by a dozen little kids singing Disney songs.”

I chuckle. “Fair enough.”

He steps an inch closer, grabbing a piece of loose hair and twirling it around his finger. “But just so you know, when we do go on one, you won’t need to ask for clarification. You’ll know.” Then he fucking winks.

I want to give him shit for how overconfident he sounds considering how long it took him to even admit he likes me—some Ross and Rachel from Friends style bullshit—but then a throat clears behind us and we break apart.

Smiling apologetically at the woman waiting to order, I quickly turn back to Tripp.

“You better go before y’alls drinks get cold,” I tell him.

“Right. I still gotta pay,” he reminds me as he follows me back. “Do I still get the double price discount?”

“Just for that, I’m triplin’ it.”

With a smirk, he pulls out a fifty. “Shoulda known nothin’ would change.”

“When it comes to givin’ me cash? Never. I’m not one of those women in rom-coms who won’t spend the billionaire’s money. You wanna add my name to your account?” I toss my thumb over my shoulder. “Let’s go to the bank right now.”

His chuckle sends shivers down my spine.

But then I swear he lowers his hand to adjust himself beneath his jeans.

When I hand him back his change, he immediately puts it into my tip jar. “Good. Don’t change, Sunny. I like how unapologetic you are and everything else that makes you, you.” Then his panty-drenching smile returns with another wink.

Goddamn him.

And goddamn the customer standing behind him for interrupting our moment.

“Landen Michael Hollis!” I pound my fist on his front door, knowing he’s inside because the asshole locked it and he never locks it. It’s like he knew I’d come for him. “I will kick this down if I haveta!”

Finally, I hear the deadbolt turn and the sound of the lock unclicking. Then he whips it open with an amused grin. “You’d break your foot tryin’.”

“Fine, then I’ll kick you instead.” I glare, then lower my gaze to his crotch.

He quickly cups himself as if that’d stop me. “What for? I thought everything went well. Tripp returned all smiley and said you two were going to the Halloween party on Friday.”

I shove my finger into his chest, stepping inside and forcing him back. “That doesn’t wipe out what you did. You broke the code!”

He holds up his hands in mock surrender. “It was either tellin’ him the truth or lettin’ him think you were interested in someone else. Then he woulda never confessed his feelings. So actually…you owe me. You’re welcome. Do I get free coffee for life now?” He waggles his brows.

I roll my eyes because he’s right, but that still doesn’t take away his betrayal.

“Well, let’s hope you feel the same way when I see Ellie this afternoon.”

“Joke’s on you. She just left for a competition.”

“You little stalker. I’ll have to look up her social media to see if she’s with that really cute barrel racer…what’s his name?” I snap my fingers. “Elliott? Evan? Either way, I bet they’re gonna be spendin’ lots of time together. Especially in those really small campers…probably only one bed, too.”

He puffs out his chest and crosses his arms. “Easton is too scrawny for her anyway, so who cares?”

“Oh, so you’ve looked at her pages already.” Chuckling, I pat his chest before turning toward the door. “Who says that’s not her type? A lanky Southern gentleman who wouldn’t think twice about lettin’ her cross the finish line first…”

He leans against the doorframe. “Just shush that big ol’ mouth of yours, Magnolia,” he warns, but a hint of panic tinges his voice.

“But why? Wouldn’t you rather tell her the truth…” I mimic his words back to him.

His gaze narrows in on me. “Might wanna wipe that smug little smirk off your face or I just might let it slip that I saw you cozyin’ up with Travis last weekend…”

My stomach bottoms out as I stare at him, wondering if he’s bluffing or if he really did see us. After my scuffle with Lydia, he occupied himself with another chick to even notice what I was doing, so there was no way.

“Nice try. Your tongue was down Stacie’s throat after the Marrow twins left. The only thing you saw were her eyelids.”

He snorts. “A little birdie might’ve seen something. Is it true?”

“Who I did or didn’t cozy up with is none of your business. Neither is my sex life.” I make my way down the stairs toward my SUV before my face gives me away. The coffee trailer’s already connected since I’ll be parked downtown for the next couple of days.

“You’re the one tryna ruin mine!” he calls over the balcony.

“I’d hardly call it that when Ellie can’t even stand you!” I laugh at his pitiful expression.

A part of me wants to tell Noah about his little crush because I know she’d get a kick out of one of her brothers liking her client, but then she’d tell him she’s off-limits and that’d only make him pursue her more.

I can’t even blame him, though. Ellie’s a knockout with long, thick, blond hair. She’s so tiny, and I always wondered how she doesn’t get yeeted off her horse when he’s rounding barrels at high speeds.

But what’s really amusing is how Ellie’s six years younger than him and Landen would still be too immature for her.

“That’s what they all say until they get up close and personal with⁠—”

“Do not finish that!” I hold up one hand while I open my car door with the other.

Thank God Tripp isn’t home to hear us shouting at each other. Though it’d probably be nothing new since we’re always giving each other shit.

“A secret for a secret, Magpie!”

“Too bad I don’t have one!” I taunt, then get in the driver’s seat and shut the door.

I wait until I’m halfway home before I allow the panic to settle in. If someone saw me leave with Travis, that means it could only be a matter of time before it gets back to Tripp. If what Landen said is true and Tripp worried he’d never have a chance with me because I always went back to my ex, him replaceing out we slept together last weekend could ruin everything before it even begins.

Though I don’t want to lie to Tripp, the truth would only hurt him and add to his anxiety.

It could make him look at me differently or he could change his mind about me.

And after years of waiting to hear he likes me too, I’d be devastated if he walked away now.