The Arrangement

Chapter 28

Trent sighed.  “Hello Maddy, good to see you too,”

Madeline shrugged.  “Keep your pants on.  Oh, and nice to meet you sister-in-law.”

My face felt about a million degrees as Maddy left and closed the door behind herself.  

Trent sighed and sat up, pulling me up with him.  “That was Madeline.”

“Does she usually just barge into your room?”

Trent shrugged.  “Honestly, no.  Since she’s so much younger than me, we’ve rarely been under the same roof.”

“Did you plan that?”

Trent shook his head.  “No,”

“What was that then?”

“You should know by now how hard it is for me to keep my hands off of you.”

I shrugged.  The comments from Helena still stung.  

“Plus I wanted to make you feel beautiful.” Trent whispered as he kissed my cheek.  “My mom isn’t the most welcoming person when she feels threatened.  I hope you know she’s wrong.”

I shrugged.  “It doesn’t matter.”

“Bull, you need to know that her opinion doesn’t matter.  And I think you’re gorgeous.”

I shrugged away from him.  “Let’s just get ready to go meet them.” I pulled away.  “Where are our bags?”

Trent sighed.  “I’ll go get them.  Come here first,”  I eyed him suspiciously but obliged.  Trent pulled me against him and gave me another tender kiss before resting his forehead against him.  “You ready for this?”

“Nope.  Not at all.”

“It’ll be fine.”  Trent promised.

“If it isn’t?”

“Then I will be the one to deal with it.  Not you.”

“Alright.”

Trent kissed my forehead before leaving the room.  I decided to look through what used to be Trent’s room.  The walls were mostly bare except for the antlers above the closet and a photo that was framed on the wall.  I walked over and saw a much younger Trent, Nicky, Madeline, and Helena, I could only guess the man was Trent’s father.  Trent had his arms wrapped around a beautiful girl, both of them had cheesy smiles on their face and they looked about fifteen.  I smiled at it.  They all looked so happy, even Helena and Madeline.  Granted I’d only met Helena once, but smiling just didn’t seem like something she did naturally.  Then again, it was kind of a new thing for me too.  I was too serious most of the time.  Then I turned my attention to the man I assumed was Trent’s father.  He had the same broad shoulders as Trent, the same strong jaw, but his face held none of the mirth.  He smiled, but it looked unnatural on him, very forced.  His arm held possessively around Helena’s waist and the other hand resting on Nicky’s shoulder.  Madeline was kneeling holding the collar of a large black lab.

“That was the summer I turned fifteen.”

I nearly jumped out of my skin.  “Jesus!  When did you get back?”

“About thirty seconds ago.” Trent smirked as his arms encircled my waist and he pressed himself against my back.  “I saw you looking.  That was Samson.  He was the best hunting dog.”

“You hunt?”

“I used to.  Dad used to hunt with me and Nick.  He thought it’d make men out of us.”