Trent Walker had just sank a difficult shot, knocking two balls in the outside pocket when Bree walked into the room. She took one look at him and muttered a curse word. Not sure exactly what to make of that, Trent lined up the next shot but ended up scratching, which wasn’t a surprise, considering how jarring it was just to see her again, let alone have her drop the F-bomb at the sight of him.

“Our shot!” Hank Yarborough said, a little too much happiness in his voice. “But first, let’s take a break to say hi to Bree!”

Everyone set their pool sticks down and went to say hello. Even the girlfriends who had been watching got up to go meet her, despite the fact that one of them, Grant’s girlfriend, Jody something-or-other, had been complaining about Bree getting the good room ever since she’d sat down next to Hank’s girl, Kensey. Apparently, the two knew each other from school and were sorority sisters. What sorority, Trent didn’t know, but he had a feeling it was one full of rich b*ches.

He waited until last to go say hi to Bree. She clearly hadn’t been expecting him. Why she didn’t want to see him, he didn’t know. As far as he could tell, they were on good terms. It had been a while since he’d talked to her or even sent her a text, but that was because he’d been so busy getting his accounting degree at University of Kentucky, he really didn’t have time to keep up with everyone.

“Hi,” she said stepping up in front of him. Her smile looked much more friendly now than the face she’d made when she first came in the room

“Hi, Bree.” Trent leaned down and wrapped his arms around her. He almost wished he hadn’t. She smelled just as good as she always had--like vanilla--and it was all he could do to make it a quick hug.

He could make up excuses all he wanted to, but he knew darn good and well the reason he hadn’t talked to her had nothing to do with school.

“How’s it going?” she asked him as the pool game resumed behind them and Nora headed back out of the room.

“Good. It’s going good. How are you? How’s school going? University of Louisville everything you hoped it would be and more?”

She laughed, and he remembered how much her giggle had always made him smile, but he held back now, not wanting to seem too eager. “It’s great. I’m really loving my music program.”

“That’s great. You’ll be famous before we know it.”

“I don’t know about that. As long as I can teach music, I’ll be happy.”

He stood there for a second, looking at her awkwardly, not sure what to say, when a guy he hadn’t met yet stepped through the doorway behind her.

Bree turned. “Oh, Jason. Come meet some more of my friends from high school. This is Trent Walker.”

“Trent?” It was a question. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

Shaking his hand, Trent said, “It was sort of last minute. Isaac’s girlfriend didn’t want to come. Or be his girlfriend anymore.”

Bree hid a smile, but Jason just shook his head. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too.” But the way Jason was looking at him, he didn’t think it was. Trent wondered what Bree might’ve said about him that made Jason leery of seeing him there.

She gave him a small, awkward smile, and then headed off to introduce Jason to the rest of the gang. Trent turned back to the pool table, wondering if coming here had been a big mistake. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit that the main reason he’d agreed to come was because he wanted to see Bree, but he wasn’t expecting for her to still be able to take his breath away.