CHAPTER ONE

      BRYCE WITHERSPOON MOVED around the party intent on enjoying herself, although the host was the last person she wanted to be around. However, she knew Kaegan Chambray felt the same way about her. Yet, as always whenever he hosted one of his acclaimed cookouts, he’d included her on the guest list. They both knew the reason why.

      Since moving back to town, their childhood friend Vashti Alcindor-Grisham, forever the peacemaker, had let them know she was best friend to them both and wouldn’t take sides. Nor would she allow either of them to pit her against the other. So whenever Vashti was invited to one of his cookouts, Kaegan sent Bryce an invitation, as well, to keep the peace. Vashti’s motto was There Are Things That Happen In The Past That Are Best Left There.

      Bryce figured she could make things easier on Kaegan by not coming, but then, why should she? He certainly didn’t try making things easier for her by coming into her parents’ café regularly. Kaegan would arrive every morning at the Witherspoon Café for blueberry muffins and coffee, knowing she would be there and, more likely than not, be the one to wait on him.

      It wouldn’t be so bad if she could forget what he once meant to her. It had been ten years since their breakup. She wasn’t twenty-two anymore. Since then she’d dated, but what she’d shared with Kaegan had been special. At least she’d thought it had been. He’d been her first in a number of things and on so many levels. That was why the pain of their breakup still managed to linger even after all this time.

      And it hadn’t helped matters when he’d returned to the cove four years ago with a chip on his shoulder, still believing he was the one who’d been wronged. She’d decided to show him that he wasn’t the only one who could carry around a chip, and at this stage of the game he could believe whatever he wanted about her. All those years ago she’d tried proving her innocence and he hadn’t wanted to listen to what she had to say, so what he thought now didn’t matter.

      Coming to his parties let him know she could be in the same room with him and feel absolutely nothing. She figured he was determined to prove the same thing to her, which was probably why he frequented the café every day.

      Okay, she knew there was another reason why he patronized the café. He might not like her, but he loved her parents and they loved him. He was good friends with her two older brothers. But they didn’t know the whole story. She’d never told anyone what had happened between them to end things. In fact, she’d only just told Vashti last year.

      One night when Vashti’s husband, Sawyer, was out of town, Bryce had stopped by her best friend’s home. Once Vashti had put her newborn son, Cutter, to bed, they’d opened a bottle of wine and put on a sappy movie, and Bryce had told Vashti everything.