Trust In Love (A McCord Family Novel Book 2) by Amanda Siegrist

it you don't like it."
    "No. But I gathered from the conversation outside that neither does your brother."
    "No, he hates it," Austin replied, wondering why he even brought it up.
    "Why does he hate it?"
    "Why do you hate it?"
    "Perhaps we should skip this conversation." Sophie turned her back to him and started to pick up the mess she created from preparing the pie.
    The rigidness as she wiped the counter or the stiffness as she opened the cupboard under the sink to throw some trash away couldn't be missed. Austin wanted to apologize for opening his mouth, but wasn't sure if bringing it up again, even for an apology would be good. Agitated didn't begin to describe how much he upset her.
    His mouth started open when she whispered softly with her back still to him, "I lived there before I moved here. It wasn't a pleasant experience and it brings back memories I wish to forget. That's why I hate it."
    Austin stood up, but made no move to approach her. "Ava was born and raised there. She's a New Yorker through and through. My brother Jimmy always wanted to be a cop, but it had to be in New York. He met Ava fresh out of the academy and they became fast friends. I'm glad he made friends with her because he probably wouldn't have survived otherwise. He could be extremely shy. Zane never wanted him to leave for the big city."
    Sophie turned around when he stopped talking. "So he hates it because Jimmy still lives in New York. He isn't excited to see him?" she asked.
    "No, he isn't excited. Because Jimmy died in the line of duty. We're going there to visit his grave because Ava wants to tell him that she's pregnant. Zane disliked the city when Jimmy moved there, but he definitely hates it now that Jimmy died there. He's only going for her, otherwise he would never step foot in that city again."
    He suddenly pulled a grin from nowhere. "Well, that was a pleasant story time. We all have difficult times in life, Sophie. I miss my brother every damn day. He was a hell of a guy. Sometimes I hate talking about it, but mostly, I've come to find that it brings me a little more peace when I do. I can't keep it bottled up. Neither can you. Maybe I'm not the best person to talk to, but if you happen to pick me, I'm all ears. I'm a really good listener."
    Before she could respond, Emmett walked in, oblivious to the serious conversation. "All done. Boy, that pie smells great. I can't wait to taste it."
    Sophie looked away from Austin and his perceptive eyes. "Well, it won't be done for at least another thirty minutes. You two should head back to Austin's for the game and I'll knock on the door when it's finished."
    "You don't want to join us?" Emmett asked.
    "No, thank you. I'm not a baseball fan," Sophie replied.
    "I hope I get a piece. You're sharing with me, right?" Austin said to Emmett with a laugh, trying to ignore the rapid pulse of his heartbeat for speaking that way to her.
    "I don't know, man, it smells pretty darn good. Depends how nice you are to me," Emmett said with a chuckle.
    "I can be really nice. Or I can con Sophie into baking me my own pie," Austin said with a wink to her.
    Sophie shyly smiled. "Perhaps you can. I do need wood to replace a few of the basements steps."
    "Yeah, I know. I noticed that myself. Wait to go down there until I bring some over tomorrow. I don't want you to get hurt," he said with concern. "No need to knock when the pie is done, just come in the house. Okay?" She broke the barrier and he would try his hardest to keep it crumbled to the ground as much as he could.
    Sophie nodded.
    He walked away before he tenderly pulled her into his arms to wipe the sadness from her eyes. He put that there. And he wanted to take it away.
    As he closed her front door, he knew that she would never join them. She'd drop the pie off and run back to her house like she always did.
    Distance would be better.
    That wasn't something he wanted anymore. Just how in the hell could he bridge the gap between them?

Chapter 5
    "How is