Breaking Even (The Sterling Shore Series #5)

by C. M. Owens

  His grin spreads as he shrugs and opens the door. “Your loss. I make an excellent cup.”

  “I prefer sugar. Not salt.”

  He just laughs while walking out, and I frown. I really wanted shower sex this morning.

  “Fuck it,” he says, suddenly back in the shower with me, and I grin in anticipation when his lips come down on mine and he picks me up.

  ***

  BRIN

  I expected to get inside the house and tiptoe around in an effort to get ready and hurry to work, but Maggie and Carmen are sitting on the couch, both of them grinning as they stare at me.

  “What?” I ask innocently, walking straight to my room.

  “Don’t you dare get ready without telling me details,” Maggie gushes, running into my room as I grab a few things to change into.

  “Details? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say deadpan, holding back my giddy grin.

  “You fucked him! Hell yes! I knew it. So are you two seeing each other again tonight? Did you two talk about why he was being so crazy?”

  And these are the questions I wanted to avoid.

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know? Well, did you ask him what all this was about? He seemed genuinely freaked out about losing you when he came over.”

  I sigh hard while shrugging off my old shirt and pulling on my fresh one.

  “We didn’t talk about any of that, and I’m not going to. It’ll ruin it. It always does with guys like him—not that I have tons of experience.”

  Maggie doesn’t have to know that Rye is the third guy I’ve ever slept with.

  “So you don’t get any answers to the questions you want to ask because it might freak him out or something? That’s stupid, Brin. That’s not you.”

  She glares at me, but I roll my eyes. “It was one night, Maggie.” And one incredible shower this morning. “I’m not going to quiz the guy about what one night means. That’s stupid. If it goes somewhere, great. If not, fine. That’s the joyous world we live in. People date to get to know each other. They don’t figure it all out on the first night.”

  She follows me around as I finish getting ready, and Carmen is sipping her coffee on the sofa when we walk out. She does her best not to look at us because this just got awkward—roommate dispute.

  “You do, Brin. You never screw someone without knowing there is a potential promise of a relationship. You’ve dated numerous guys for months without giving it up.”

  “I haven’t really dated since high school,” I say through laughter. “I’m an adult. And I’m allowed to have some fun. I’m not deluding myself into thinking Rye wants anything more than fun.”

  She scowls at me. “You’re more to him than fun. I guarantee you he has feelings for you that go deeper than the surface.”

  “Maggie, right now I’m the exotic creature. For once in my life, I’m something refreshing. To him at least. He’s used to gorgeous girls throwing themselves at him, and I’m the ordinary girl who smashed his car instead of dropping my pants. Well, before I dropped my pants.”

  I aim for joking, but her ugly scowl promises I’m not getting through to her comical side.

  “Maggie, don’t. Don’t force me to analyze this. It’s fun to be different in a good way for a change. Last night, I felt better than I have in so many years. Don’t steal that by forcing me to see it as it is. Not yet. Just let me enjoy it for a little while.”

  Her look softens, and she blows out a breath.

  “Fine. But if he hurts you, I’m roasting his balls on a campfire.”

  He’s going to destroy me.

  “I’ll be fine,” I lie.

  I can do this. I can have fun, meaningless, casual sex with my beautiful, sweet, incredible, perfect neighbor that I happen to be falling for too much. I was okay with leaving. But then he asked me to stay. I was okay with it being just one night, but then he referenced the future. I was okay with it just being about sex, but then we talked. And for the first time since John left me, I talked about our divorce without getting angry.

  I smiled. I frigging smiled because it felt so good not to give a damn anymore.

  Now I’m smiling again, and Maggie is frowning.

  “You’re already in love with the bastard,” she groans.

  “Am not,” I retort quickly, rolling my eyes.

  I’m not sure how deep that lie is, but I know it’s not exactly true. I’m pretty sure I’ve been falling in love with him since the day he stole my car to fix it. But he’s not looking for love. And I’m willing to take what I can get, because I settle. I always have. That’s how people find a few moments of stolen happiness from an otherwise cold and disappointing world—they settle.

  ***

  RYE

  “You have...”

  Jessica keeps talking, rattling off my schedule, but those are the only two words that break through. My mind is only on one thing. I’ve never slept so damn good as I did last night.

  No doubt it was from the exhausting evening. It had to be. I refuse to believe I slept so well because Brin was in my arms. But damn she looks sweet when she sleeps.

  I wasn’t going to get up with her. I knew I’d end up in the shower with her and doing things that would only complicate our lives, but I wanted to play. She always makes me smile when she gets that fake angry hissing tone. She loves our war.

  “And Tag Masters is here to see you,” Jessica says, somehow managing to make me hear her again.

  I turn in my chair and frown. Why’s he here?

  He walks in, and Jessica’s eyes roam over his body. Nice to see she’s recovering from my rejection so quickly.

  Tag, of course, doesn’t acknowledge her. He sits down in front of me, and she pouts on her way out. That girl is going to develop a complex working here.

  “What?” I grumble.

  “Rain’s surprise party is tonight. I just wanted to know if you want Leah to meet you there. She’s called me like ten times, wondering if I’ve talked to you since the night you left her stranded. Ash is going to kill her if she doesn’t stop calling my cell phone. Apparently she’s very jealous while pregnant. I’m still learning all this stuff. She’s never really been jealous before because she knows without a doubt that I’d never do anything.”

  I walked out on Leah after kissing Brin, and she wants a date with me? Again?

  “No thanks. I prefer girls with self-respect.”

  I can’t tell him about Brin. I don’t know what to say or how to explain it. At this moment, I don’t even know what’s going on. But she’ll ask. She’ll ask soon, and it’ll be the end of us when I don’t have the answer she wants.

  “Hello?” Tag says, waving his hand in front of my face as though he’s been talking and I’ve been ignoring him.

  I clear my throat and try to give him my attention. “I asked if you were still pissed at me or something.”

  I’m not pissed at him. I’m pissed at me for being such a little bitch.

  “No. I’m coming to the party, but I’ll bring my own date. No more setups.”

  He frowns and nods. “Fine. I’ll see you there. I need to grab some sort of present. What the hell do you buy a girl like Rain?”

  I give him an incredulous look. “And you think I know?”

  He shrugs and turns to walk out. I’ve lived in Sterling Shore my whole life, but there’s one place I’ve never visited—the museum. They don’t need me here. I’m no good to them while I’m distracted.

  I need to go speak to Brin. Maybe today things will be different and I won’t feel like I have to have her close to me.

  Then again, I am going to the fucking museum to see her, so maybe my shit has just gotten worse.

  ***

  BRIN

  “Make sure that is packaged properly. If it arrives at the owner’s home with even one scratch, I can promise you that you won’t be buying your kids a Christmas present this year,” I say mildly to the men who start taking much better care of the
artifacts they are packing up.

  Ash is still standing beside me, pouting as she awaits my answer.

  “No. I don’t want you setting me up. Ever. Again.”

  I turn and start walking toward the next few crates, taking inventory and making sure everything is here.

  “I said I’m sorry. I still feel like the biggest bitch in the world. I had no idea the guy was such a creep. I promise this one is different. His name is George and he has—”

  “Whose name is George?” a familiar, deep, spine-tingling voice asks, and Ash turns as I do to see Rye gliding toward us, walking in a way that even has straight men turning their heads to watch. Does everything he does have to be so sexy?

  He’s wearing a tight black shirt that has a skull and crossbones on it, along with Clanton Auto across the top. And I grin uncontrollably, uncaring about what an idiot I must look like. He stops when he reaches us, and my smile slowly fades. He’s not touching me or even looking at me. His expectant eyes are on Ash.

  “George Carpenter. You know him. He’s friends with Billy, and he’s a really great guy. He wants to meet Brin. He saw her picture yesterday, and he begged me for a date.”

  He saw my picture and begged for a date. That sounds... odd. Especially if he knows Ash. Standards are too high around here.

  Rye frowns as he looks at me. “You’re planning on dating George?” he asks, his jaw ticking.

  Is he jealous? Am I grinning again?

  “No. I told Ash I refuse to be set up by her again.”

  I try to look at the men who are still packing up the artifacts, but it’s hard to do when my eyes keep drifting back to the same man I was pretty much thoroughly explored by last night.

  He looks as though relief has just washed over him, but Ash turns her attention back to me, so I don’t get to fully study the man on my right.

  “I said I was sorry about the creep from hell. George isn’t like that. He’s nice, and funny, and he’s actually pretty good looking. I promise he’s not the same asshole the last prick was. Please let me do this. I feel horrible about what happened, and Rain’s party is tonight. It’s perfect.”

  Rye bristles beside me and answers before I can. “She’s not going out with George.”

  I bite back my grin as Ash turns a glare on him. “It’s not your decision. And she’s not someone you have to protect. Brin can take care of herself.”

  “I said she’s not going with George,” he growls, and Ash glares at him that much harder.

  “And I said it’s not your decision,” she hisses.

  He rolls his eyes as he turns to me, and he pulls me to him, shocking the hell out of me when his lips crush mine. I drop the pen and clipboard in unison so that I can steady myself by holding onto his shoulders. His tongue sweeps in, and my knees buckle, forcing him to hold me up.

  “You’re not going to Rain’s party with George,” he murmurs against my lips, nipping at my bottom lip playfully before pulling back.

  “Wasn’t planning on it,” I say, admittedly a little breathless after that.

  “Good.” He grins, and we both look up to see Ash with tears in her eyes and her mouth turned up in a painful smile.

  Pregnancy hormones must be a bitch.

  “You two are together now?”

  Sheesh. Why does everyone want to push for some sort of promise of a relationship?

  “We’re going to the party together,” Rye says, and then he shifts uncomfortably before turning to me. “Unless you don’t want to go with me.”

  I fight so damn hard to contain the little girl scream that wants to escape me, but I can’t hold off my grin. “I want to.”

  He nods and turns back to Ash. “Go away. And take George’s date proposal with you.”

  She laughs while wiping a tear away, and then she sighs happily. She waves and walks off, seeming all too chipper.

  “You came to ask me out?” I ask, turning toward him. “A phone call would have sufficed.”

  I’m doing all I can to seem casual. His grin returns as he leans down and kisses me again, but he pulls away before I can deepen it.

  “I came to see the museum. I’ve never been here before. I want a tour.”

  It’s hard for me not to be hopeful when he does and says stuff like this. “Then let me be your tour guide.”

  He smiles as he puts his arm around me, and I breathe in easily. He makes breathing so much better. But what will it be like when we’re in front of everyone who expects him to be with someone like the girls they keep setting him up with?

  ***

  RYE

  “You two look good together,” Wren says, grinning his shit-eating grin that might as well say I told you so.

  I don’t say anything as Brin returns with Ash, walking across the dance floor and avoiding the drunken crowd the best they can. Ash gets stopped and pulled toward the bar by someone, but Brin continues her venture toward me.

  “How does your car drive?” Wren asks her, a lilt to his voice as she sits down next to me.

  I put my arm around her and she leans in, making all the shit I’ve caught from Wren and Tag worth it.

  “Like a dream,” Brin says with her adorable grin that makes me swell with pride.

  I put that smile there.

  I can’t stop myself from leaning down and kissing her, wishing we didn’t have so many people around. It’s not supposed to feel this good.

  She kisses me back, but she pulls away when I try to push for more. I frown, and she laughs while wiping at my mouth, probably removing her lipstick from me again. Why is she wearing that shit?

  In fact, she doesn’t look like she normally does. Her dress is tighter, and it’s a bold pink color she doesn’t usually wear. Even though it’s sexy on her, it’s not her. I prefer the cute shorts or innocent sundresses she wears. Her heels are higher, her makeup is heavier, and her hair is styled to perfection with curls that had to have taken hours to put into her very straight hair. It sort of pisses me off, though I don’t know why.

  “Rye Clanton has a girlfriend. Never thought I’d see the day,” Ethan Noles says as he joins us in the booth.

  Brin tenses just as I do, but I’m more surprised by his presence than worried about his words. “When the hell did you get into town?” I ask, smiling at the bastard who has been my best friend since elementary school.

  “Just a few minutes ago. I’m here for a month or two this time. Dane called and told me Rain’s party was tonight. Thought I’d stop by and see my cousin on her birthday. Then I make it through the door only to hear everyone talking about the two of you. Had to come see it for myself.”

  He looks Brin over, pursing his lips as though he’s curious. I refuse to let him ruin this moment with too much reality. Brin is stiff as a board, proving this is making her uncomfortable, too.

  “We’re not a couple,” she finally says, and he tilts his head more, smiling as he leans back.

  “Looks like he’s wearing your shade,” he says, turning his eyes back to me.

  I wipe my lips where there’s still pink lipstick apparently. I really wish she’d just get rid of that shit. It makes kissing a pain in the ass.

  “They’re neighbors and friends,” an oddly familiar voice says with sarcasm as the redhead I turned down crawls into the booth beside Ethan.

  He grins as he looks her over, and I swallow hard. Ah, shit. Drama. There will be drama. I hate drama.

  Leah. Can the girl not take a hint?

  Wren groans as he looks at me, worried like I am. A woman scorned is never a good thing.

  “Looks like someone found Momma’s makeup bag,” the drunken version of Leah quips. What the hell?

  Brin rolls her eyes and starts to back away, but I pull her to me. Ethan’s smile disintegrates when he takes in the situation.

  “Alright, Red. Looks like someone should be going,” he says, pushing her out of the booth and trying to wave over security.

  “You turned me down for her? For that?” she asks with d
isgust, fighting against Ethan who is seconds away from losing his temper.

  He’ll launch her ass out of the booth if she keeps on.

  “Yes I did,” I say without hesitation when Brin finally stands.

  I start to go to her, but she just walks off. Leah follows immediately, and I stumble out of the booth, tripping over my own drunken feet.

  Ethan mutters an, “Oh shit,” as he joins me in the chase.

  But by the time we catch up, Brin is smiling, leaning against the bar as security drags out the screaming crazed girl. She watches and waves at Leah, and then she turns to grab a drink from the bartender. It’s then I notice Leah is soaking wet with a red mark across her face.

  Did I just miss the good shit? Fuck.

  “Shit,” Ethan groans. “How the hell did we miss that?”

  I just laugh as I make my way over to Brin, but her smile has lost its depth. It seems forced now. Brittle even. I hate that smile.

  “Did you slap her?” Ethan asks, whining almost.

  Brin smirks while sipping her drink, and then she says, “Just a little tap. The drink in her face came from Ash.”

  Ash walks up, moving away from the door where Leah was just hauled out. “I’ve really wanted to do that since she started calling Tag,” she gloats, smiling as she hands her cup to the bartender for some fresh water.

  “Damn,” Wren says, joining us. “What’d I miss?”

  We all pout, but Ash is the only one to laugh. Brin seems a thousand miles away. This is the sort of drama that I like to avoid. She’s upset but not talking about it. I didn’t invite Leah, but I didn’t tell her that Leah was still trying to get me to see her either.

  “Why was she even here?” Wren asks, looking at Ash.

  “Hell if I know. I certainly didn’t invite her. She must have heard us talking about it a couple of nights ago when Tag set her up with Rye.”

  Brin’s lips tighten as she stares down at her drink. I wish I could see inside her head right now. I can’t tell if she’s pissed at me or just upset about what Leah said.

  “Oh, so you two are newly together?” Ethan muses, looking between Brin and me.