“Caro knew I loved her,” his grandfather said. “But that doesn’t excuse how I treated her. And I would also like you to know that I think Reese is doing a fine job on the mural. You should take her to that dance we’re hosting this weekend.” His eyes went slightly misty as he said, “Caroline always loved dressing in something pretty and being twirled around the dance floor.” A moment later, however, he cleared his throat and waved his hand in the air. “Now get out of here and run this resort.”
For the second time that week, Trent left his grandfather’s office without being chased by tension. He pulled out his phone and sent a group text to his siblings and parents, requesting a meeting at the Hideaway as soon as possible. He knew Reese was at Bay’s Edge, and as much as he wanted to share what had just happened with her before he told anyone else, he didn’t want to disturb her while she was teaching.
And he couldn’t wait to see her beautiful eyes light up when he asked her to the dance. Just the way his grandmother’s eyes must have lit up whenever Chandler took her somewhere special and showed her that she was important to him.
Chapter Twenty-Six
REESE WAS PLEASANTLY surprised by how far Tilly, Morris, and Norma had come with their paintings in only one week. When she’d first begun teaching them, Morris had had a difficult time getting perspective into his paintings. But although he was in his late eighties, he was smart as a whip and equally as determined. When she’d assured him that painting wasn’t about perfection, he’d told her that there was nothing he couldn’t master if he put his mind to it. And he’d been right.
“That looks beautiful, Morris,” she said as she came around behind him.
Tilly coughed, and Reese’s eyes lifted at the sound. “You still sound a little wheezy. Have you seen the doctor?”
She waved her hand. “I saw the doctor this morning. It’s a cold, and as my mother always said, it’ll last seven days or a week, whichever comes first.”
Reese smiled at that, but it didn’t alleviate her concern. She loved Tilly like a grandmother, and she hated to see her not feeling well. “Would you like some water, or is there anything else I can get you?”
“No, sweetie. I’m fine, and with any luck, I’ll get these leaves done today, too.” She went back to brushing green paint on the leaves on the tree they’d started painting the other day.
“Maybe if you brought that nice fellow Trent Rockwell in for another visit, it would cheer her up,” Norma said, making everyone chuckle.
“He was sure sweet on you, Reese,” Morris added. “He looked at you the same way I look at Norma.”
“Do you want to know how you looked at him, Reese?” Norma asked.
Reese was pretty sure she already knew, but she humored them by saying, “How?”
“Like he was a big, juicy steak.”
Reese couldn’t help but laugh, even as Tilly grinned mischievously and said, “You have to admit, Reese, he is awfully handsome.”
Carin and Martha walked in before Reese could reply, and Carin immediately said, “Did you bring that hunka hunka burnin’ love with you again today, Reese?”
“Oh my gosh, what have I done?” Reese was only half teasing. “Trent is not here today. We’re here to paint, but I’m glad you all liked him so much.”
“Liked him?” Martha sighed dreamily. “You are one lucky lady. He seems to be really taken with you.”
“Trent is wonderful. He’s attentive and caring, and—”
“Handsome. Don’t forget handsome,” Carin added.
“Did you see his hair? He’s never going to lose it,” Morris said as he rubbed his bald head.
“How long have you been seeing him?” Norma needed to know.
“They dated a long time ago,” Carin said as she sat down beside Norma. “But he’s never stopped loving her.”
Reese had to pick her jaw up off the floor. “He told you that?”
“Well…not exactly,” Carin admitted. “He simply said the two of you had dated a long time ago, but then I asked my granddaughter, who went to school with his brother Quinn. And she told me how the two of you were famous for never being able to keep your hands off of each other.”
“Carin!” Tilly chided, even though she was clearly delighted with the information. “You gossip worse than a high school girl.”
“How else are we going to figure out what’s what?” Carin said. “If I were you,” she said to Reese, “I’d swoop that man back up and never let him go.”
Reese had a feeling that Carin’s granddaughter had shared much more, but Carin was kind enough not to mention the rest of the details about her relationship with Trent. She ushered Carin and Martha out of the classroom on the premise of getting the class back on track, and for the remainder of the hour, the group focused on painting.