Wild and Free: A Second Chance Romance (The Wilder Brothers Book 1)

by Nicole Elliot

  “We shouldn't make him talk about it,” Cash said.

  “It’s fine. I’m good. You're not gonna like my answer, though,” I said.

  “Fuck me, what did you do now?” Flynn asked.

  “I forgot my cell phone when I went out to the site,” I said.

  “Are you shittin’ me?” Everett asked.

  “You’re lucky to be alive,” Drew said.

  “I am. I ended up stumbling into a bar or something not too far from the site. And this woman was there who ended up calling an ambulance. Well, she yelled for someone to call an ambulance.”

  “Oh, a woman. Tell me more,” Flynn mused.

  “Really? He’s telling you how he stumbled with an open wound into a bar and you want to talk about the girl?”Cash asked.

  “I’d actually like to talk about her,” I said.

  “Uh oh. Falling in love with the guardian angel?” Drew asked.

  “No. No one’s falling in anything except pain medication,” I said.

  “Strong stuff?” Cayden asked.

  “Very. But I have been trying to track that girl down to thank her,” I said.

  “For what?” Cash asked.

  “She was just… kind. She didn’t unnecessarily panic. She eased me to the ground when I couldn’t keep myself upright anymore. She cradled my head to keep me breathing instead of laying me down flat.”

  “Her touch was so angel soft I could never forget it,” Flynn said, chuckling.

  “You’re an asshole,” I said.

  “And you’re talking like ya in some kind of dream-like state,” Everett said.

  “Did she have pretty eyes?” Drew asked.

  “The best blue eyes I’ve ever seen,” I said.

  “So you are thinkin’ ‘bout her,” Everett said.

  “Shut up. Look, a very wonderful nurse at the hospital tried to help me track down who she was, but it was no use. The emergency crew that delivered me to the hospital is too busy to fumble through paperwork long enough to figure out which bar they plucked me from. So, aside from ducking my head into every damn one and looking like Drew’s daddy—no offense—”

  “Trust me, there’s absolutely none taken,” Drew said.

  “Aside from doing that, I’ve got no way to track her down,” I said.

  “What’d she look like?” Cash asked.

  The memories hit me like a ton of rocks. The delicate slopes of her petite body. Her thick blonde hair. Her beautiful blue eyes that reminded me of the American flag. Her soft features. Her rosy red cheeks. I drew as much of her in as I could before I had to dumb down my answer for my brothers.

  Because if I described her the way I wanted to, they’d never fucking let me live it down.

  “Blonde hair, pretty long. I think she had it braided back, maybe? Blue eyes. I remember the blue eyes. And a small little thing. Petite. But I don’t know how tall she was or anything. When I remember her, I was already on the floor and her hand was already supporting my head.”

  “So you don’t remember initially seeing her when you stumbled in and were still upright,” Cash said.

  “Nope.”

  “Well, then tracking her down calls for one very specific thing that’s sure to work.”

  A grin spread across his lips for the first time during dinner.

  “A Wild Party,” I said.

  “A Wild Party,” he said.

  “Oh hell yes,” Everett said. “It’s been a hot second since we’ve thrown one.”

  “Yeah. Work’s been doggin’ all of us. It’d be nice to unwind with the pretty women of Charleston for a night,” Cayden said.

  “Yeah. The ones that don’t hate us,” Flynn said.

  “Hey, we’re very upfront with what we want and expect. Not our faults they think they can change our minds,” Drew said.

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Everett mumbled.

  “You got it hard last time,” Cayden said. “I’m surprised you’re so eager to have another one.”

  “Can’t let one clinger ruin it for the rest of ‘em,” Everett said, grinning.

  “She wasn’t just a clinger. She fucking tracked down your personal cell number,” I said.

  “And I changed it. It’s been a few months. Haven’t run into her or seen her. Shouldn't be an issue,” Everett said.

  “Unless she shows up at the party,” Kane said.

  “In which case, I’ll be beggin’ one of y’all to help me the fuck out,” Everett said.

  “Oh, I’m taking that job,” Drew said.

  “I’m not even going to ask,” I said.

  “So, when would we be throwing this party?” Cayden asked.

  “What about the last weekend of this month?” Kane asked. “We’re supposed to wrap up the Sycamore project Wednesday so Mom and Dad can list it, and we don’t start any new projects until that next Monday. Those projects extend us into the end of the month, so we’ll be in between work commitments during that time.”

  “You got the other two houses wrapped up?” I asked.

  “Yep. Finished those out a couple days ago,” Flynn said. “Already listed and on the market.”

  “You guys work fast,” I said.

  “Then there’s only one thing to say about all that,” Drew said.

  We all looked around at one another before smiles trickled across all of our faces.

  “I’ll deal with the invitations,” Cash said.

  “I’ll put some calls into the catering places around the town,” Drew said.

  “Decorations. Always the decorations for me,” Flynn said.

  “I’ll make sure to get things like valet parking and have the rooms cleaned down and prepped for anyone too drunk to drive home,” Cayden said.

  “And speaking of the alcohol, I’ll get up with a friend of mine and craft an entire unique selection of drinks for the party. Then, I’ll hire the bartending service for the night,” Everett said.

  “Then that leaves music to me,” I said. “Did we like the D.J. from last time? Or do we want to try out someone else?”

  “Definitely someone else. He was good for a themed party, but something tells me he isn’t up to date on popular music for a party like this,” Kane said.

  “Duly noted. I’ll search around then and see what I can find,” I said.

  And the first Wild Party of the summer was born.

  FIVE

  Jessica

  “Jess!”

  “What!?”

  “You almost ready?”

  “I’m getting there. I need about twenty more minutes, though.”

  “The party started thirty minutes ago, Jess!”

  “And you’re not supposed to arrive on time to these kinds of things,” I said.

  “Fine. But hurry up. I want to beat the traffic. I hear these Wild Parties or whatever they’re called are the events of the year to attend.”

  “I’m sure,” I mumbled.

  I slipped on a couple coats of mascara before debating on what lipstick to wear. I’d only heard of the Wild Parties, but I’d never been invited to one. They always had their quirks, however. The last one that was thrown I wasn’t invited to, but it was a costume party. A masquerade ball, actually. But this time, rumor had it that every single worker from the bars and taverns around town had been invited. I had no idea what the hell that meant for the theme of the party—if there even was one—so I decided to go shopping for a new dress to wear for the occasion.

  “Jess!”

  “If you keep yelling at me and I keep stopping, it’s going to take me longer,” I said.

  “Can you do it in the car?”

  “Do you want me to look like The Joker?”

  “Hey, nice reference,” she said, smiling.

  Bianca came around and leaned against the bathroom doorway as I put the finishing touches on my outfit. The yellow and cream-colored dress I purchased for the party came with matching flats and went well with a pair of earrings I already owned. They dangled close to my neck, ac
centing its length, which I enjoyed. I was five-foot-three on a good day, and I hated wearing heels. They hurt my feet too much, so I stuck with flats, flip flops, and boots without heels on them.

  Which meant I was always the shortest one of the bunch.

  “I wish I had your figure,” Bianca said.

  “And I wish I had yours. You have curves in all sorts of places.”

  “Trust me, you don’t want them there. Nice southern boys like their women petite. Like you.”

  “And yet, I’ve been single for four years. Go figure. You’re beautiful, Bianca. And I bet someone at this party’s gonna think so, too.”

  “They better. It took me forever to squeeze into my Spanx tonight.”

  “You’re wearing those insane things again?” I asked.

  “Yes, because it keeps me from moving in areas I shouldn’t move.”

  “Some men like it when your thighs move.”

  “Well, I don’t like it when my thighs move. Now come on. Slap that lipstick on that perfect pout of yours and let’s get out of here!”

  It had been three weeks since the incident with the man in the bar and I’d pretty much forgotten about him. But I was lying if I told myself I didn’t hope he’d be at this party somehow. I didn’t know much about the family throwing it other than they were names to be revered in the community. Every time I asked someone who the Wilder Brothers were, they all looked at me like I was stupid before assuming I was pranking them with a joke. So, no one ever told me upfront who they really were.

  I finally got myself down to the car and Bianca drove us just outside the city limits. We wound up the driveway of an historic mansion and the place was gorgeous. The massive driveway that rolled over the hills was lined with lemon and apple trees. Blackberry bushes accented the frame of the house and lent a decadent smell as we approached the front of it. We stepped out of the car and Bianca handed the keys to the valet, then she slipped her arm into mine and tugged me toward the front door.

  The mansion was immense, and absolutely breathtaking.

  We walked into the house after a couple of men clad in tuxedos opened the doors for us, and I was robbed of the breath from my lungs. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and decadence lined the walls and floors. Beautiful marble tiles, swirling with black, blue, and yellow. Stone-carved statues sat at the base of both the staircases that swung up the sides of the home and up to the second and third floors of the place. Bianca promptly left my side to get a drink as I gawked at my surroundings. Hand-painted artwork decorated the ceiling and beautiful plants were placed in corners, emitting a smell that pulled me into something akin to a dream.

  “Bianca? This place is incredible!”

  I heard her giggle off in a corner and when I turned to look, what I saw brought a smile to my lips. There she was, already being hit on by a very striking man, and I grinned before I ducked behind a corner. I knew she’d find someone to spend her time with, and I was happy for her. She never put herself out there because of her preconceived notions about her body, so watching her smile and laugh along with a man privately made my heart soar.

  So, I decided to take myself on a self-guided tour.

  “Drink, miss?”

  I looked over at a man carrying a tray that he promptly swung in front of it. It was filled with so many drinks that all looked so different.

  “What are they?” I asked.

  “This one here is a southern shot. A hint of lemonade, a hint of sweet tea, and a hint of sweet tea vodka.”

  “That sounds good. Let me try that.”

  I plucked it off the tray and tossed it back before setting the glass back down.

  “Oh wow. That was really good,” I said, giggling.

  “Would you care for another to carry around with you?” the man asked.

  “What’s the pink one?”

  “Ah, yes. That one is called Bubble and Gum. It’s marshmallow vodka, pink grapefruit liqueur, and rum with a splash of cranberry juice and grenadine.”

  “I’ll take that one with me. Thank you so much,” I said.

  With my drink in my hand, I started up the steps. I dodged people already making out against the banister and watched as people stumbled into rooms, ripping each other’s clothes off. I walked all the way around the second floor before coming to a smaller staircase, and I decided to become a little adventurous. It didn’t look as if anyone had ventured up them, so I hung onto the railing and began my ascent to the third floor.

  At least, I thought it was the third floor.

  Once I got to the top of the small steps, there was a door. I reached for it and opened it, and when they musty smell of the room hit me I almost turned around and left. Until I took in what was really there.

  A plush couch sat in the middle of the room and a fireplace sat in front of it. There was a massive window that overlooked what seemed to be the backyard and the walls were lined with books. From floor to ceiling, wrapping all the way around the room, were books with dusty spines and old covers and yellowing pages.

  I walked into the room and gawked in awe as I made my way over to the couch.

  It wasn’t the third floor, but a private, hidden little room. I walked over to the window and took in the expansive view of the backyard. There was a sprawling garden. One that grew copious amounts of food as well as one that was tailored for walking through. A hedge maze, of sorts. I sipped my drink and rolled my eyes at its taste. It was the perfect drink, and I made a mental note to try and recall the ingredients later so I could try to make it.

  I drew in a deep breath of the books around me. Their words and their worlds filled my nostrils and spread a warmth throughout my body. Some days, I wondered if I could take over the town library. Surround myself in books all day and make about as much of a living working there as I did at the tavern. I took another sip of my drink as I walked around, my eyes scanning the book on the shelves.

  But before I could find one to reach out for, I ran smack dab into the wall.

  At least, I thought it was the wall.

  My drink went splattering to the floor and I bent to pick it up. But when I saw a pair of feet in my vision, I panicked.

  Holy shit, I’d run into someone.

  “Oh my gosh. I am so sorry,” I said.

  The chuckle that fell from his lips both startled me and sent shivers running down my spine.

  “I know I shouldn’t be up here. I just found the staircase and I—”

  “What is your name?”

  That voice. I recognized that voice. My eyes panned up the body in front of me as I slowly rose to my feet, and when my back straightened out my eyes continued to their journey. Up a torso I recognized and up a neck I had committed to memory. And once my eyes took in that strong jawline and those darkened gray eyes, my heart stopped in my chest.

  I held his gaze for far too long before I found my voice.

  “Jessica,” I said.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you properly, Miss Jessica. I’m Lucas.”

  “Lucas,” I said. I enjoyed how his name rolled off my tongue.

  “And don’t worry about intruding on this room. It’s my favorite room of the house.”

  “How are you doing?” I blurted out. A blush tinted my cheeks as his eyes bored into mine.

  “I’m doing much better, thanks to you,” he said.

  “Thanks to me? I didn’t do anything.”

  “You did a great deal, Miss Jessica.”

  “You can just call me Jessica. Or Jess. Some people call me… Jessie which I don’t particularly like, but it is what it is.”

  His gaze was intense, and I found myself pleasantly uncomfortable underneath it. I didn’t even know ‘pleasantly uncomfortable’ was a thing until his eyes found mine.

  “Jessica it is,” Lucas said.

  “How did you get yourself so hurt?” I asked. “I was wor—”

  I stopped myself before I gave too much of my idiotic thoughts away. I watched a grin crawl acro
ss his face and I smiled along with him. The atmosphere between us was tense, but he didn’t seem at all upset with the drink I had gotten on his jeans.

  “I’m sorry about the stain,” I said.

  “They’re just pants. They can be washed,” he said.

  “How did you get hurt, Lucas?” My voice was a little breathier than I wanted it to be.

  “I was working on a project and fell onto a window. A shard of glass pierced my abdomen.”

  “Oh my gosh. Are you okay now?” I asked.

  “I’m fine. Got the rest of the stitches removed yesterday and everything seems to be healing nicely.”

  “Well, that’s good.”

  “It is.”

  “You said you were working on a project?”

  “I was. My brothers and I restore old, dilapidated homes to their former glory,” he said.

  “Places like this?” I asked.

  “We’re in the process of restoring this one, actually. We start really ramping it up Monday morning.”

  “Wow. That’s incredible. This entire place is incredible, honestly.”

  “It’s one of my more favored properties we’ve taken on. My parents work in real estate, so some of our work comes from them. They commission our expertise to restore properties they either want to sell or have already sold.”

  “That sounds amazing. And convenient. How many brothers do you have?” I asked.

  “Four others. Five, counting the cousin we grew up with.”

  “Wow. That must be nice.”

  “Only child?”

  “That’s me.”

  “I sometimes wonder what it would’ve been like to be an only child. Or at least have a sister.”

  “Being an only child was lonely growing up,” I said.

  “That’s one thing I never experienced much of growing up, whether I wanted to or not,” he said, chuckling.

  “Trust me, it’s not fun. Especially as a teenager.”

  “Are you lonely now?”

  I sat there and gazed into his eyes as a soft smile fell across my cheeks.

  “No. I’m not.”

  “Good. Because a beautiful woman like yourself should never feel lonely,” he said.

  A blush tinted my cheeks as I looked down at my feet. I couldn't believe he was there, but to find out he was restoring this beautiful place made me feel things I couldn’t blame on the small amount of alcohol I had consumed. I drew in a deep breath before I panned my gaze back over toward the window, taking in the music that thumped underneath us.