by C. M. Owens
“Now, Wren! And hurry.”
He hangs up on me, and I stare at my phone for a beat, still confused.
“I have to go. Rye needs help. Allie?” I prompt, looking over at her.
Her entire body tenses, but Tria answers before Allie can.
“She’s riding back with me. Kode left with Ethan to take him to the airport. He has to be back in Chicago, so Kode drove him in his car. I’m taking Ethan’s car back. I thought Allie and I could hang out for a while and get to know each other.”
I hadn’t even noticed Kode missing.
Allie still doesn’t bother looking up, so I don’t push the matter. Mom gives me a curious look coupled with a disapproving frown. Somehow she knows I’ve fucked up.
Angel gets up and runs around the table, diving straight in to my arms when I bend and reach for her. She giggles when I pick her up, and I kiss her on the head when she hugs my neck.
“I’ll see you soon.”
Allie doesn’t offer me another glance as I put Angel down and turn to leave.
***
WREN
I pull up to the curb next to the pier, and I swear my eyes try to fall out of their sockets. I’m torn between laughing so hard it hurts and allowing my face to distort in fascinated horror.
An amused policeman stands next to a bench, barely able to keep from laughing. Rye looks like he could kill ten people with just his murderous look.
He stands from the bench, says something to the cop, and then he walks toward me. I’m still reeling from the sight in front of me as everyone walking by bursts out in laughter when they check him out.
Rye is blue from head to toe—I’ll never look at Hefty Smurf the same. At least Hefty wore red pants. This fucker is naked. The only thing he has to shield his crotch is a cowboy hat, and he’s holding it there very firmly.
For some reason, pink fuzzy handcuffs are dangling from both wrists. I’m not sure what’s up with that. It looks like the chain that once connected them has been broken. He jerks my passenger door open, climbs in, and ignores the whistles and catcalls that emerge from all around.
“About fucking time you got here. Where’re the pants I told you to bring?” he growls.
I grimace, but then I can’t help it; my laughter pours out before I can stop it. He glares at me like he wants me dead.
“Sorry,” I say, not meaning it one bit. This has to be the funniest shit I’ve ever seen in my life. “I forgot the pants.”
He groans while leaning his head back, and I laugh harder while putting the car in gear and pulling away from the curb.
“What the hell happened?” I ask him, still laughing.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he growls.
My side is aching, but I can’t stop laughing. Every time he curses me, I only laugh harder. Brin is the smallest girl I’ve ever met, but I swear she’s the toughest. How did she pull this off?
“She had to have had help,” he snarls, and I wonder if I’ve asked my question aloud. “There’s no way she carried me to the beach herself. The flimsy chain on the cheap handcuffs fortunately broke, but I need a key to get them off my damn wrists. I woke up when that cop was shoving the blunt end of his baton against my chest—don’t you dare say anything dirty.”
His threatening glowers doesn’t stop my laughter. I was two seconds away with a dirty retort to go with the blunt end of his baton.
“Anyway,” he continues, his mouth still twisted in an angry scowl, “she left me with my phone.”
I can’t help but laugh harder. “She left you there naked? I can’t believe someone didn’t steal your phone.”
“It was under the hat.”
Again my laughter roars free, and I subtly start using the pad on my steering wheel to locate a song to go with the moment.
“That cop said I’d only been out there for a couple of hours—like that’s no big fucking deal. He said he saw Maverick Sterling hanging out close by, like he was making sure no one messed with me. Since it was Maverick, the fucker didn’t do anything. Damn Sterlings get away with murder. The cop said Maverick told him to wake me up, and he crept off once I did. So I know he helped her, but he couldn’t have been the only one. Did you help her?”
He snarls as he turns toward me again, but I shake my head. I finally see the song I want, and I hit play. I crank up the volume on the stereo, letting the sound blare through the speakers at the perfect moment. It’s on old Eiffel 65 song, but I’m glad I’ve got it on hand.
Yo listen up
Here is the story about a little guy that lives in a blue world
And all day and all night
And everything he sees is just blue like him
Inside and outside
Blue his house with a blue little window and a blue Corvette
And everything is blue for him and himself
And everybody around
Cause he ain’t got nobody to listen...
I’m blue…
DA BA DEE DA BA DI… DA BA DEE DA BA DI…
Rye groans as I start singing along, antagonizing the hell out of him.
“Fuck you,” he growls, eliciting more laughter from me, but even he can’t stifle his own grin. When he laughs a little, I fucking lose it, finding it hard to breathe and sing at the same time.
It hurts. Damn, it hurts so bad. I feel like I’ve done a thousand crunches after laughing so much and so hard.
“How the hell did you forget to bring pants?”
“Sorry. I had some shit going on, and it distracted me.”
He curses while adjusting the cowboy hat.
“Whoa, big boy. I don’t want a peek at that… Is it blue, too?”
He grimaces, but then his scowl returns. “Yes. It had better have been Brin that made it blue, too. And this shit better not be toxic. I think it’s just body paint. She went too far this time. Payback is going to be hell.”
I almost feel sorry for Brin. Almost. One look at Rye has me laughing again, and he shifts the hat in his lap as he leans up to peer through the window.
As we near his subdivision, Rye tenses, his eyes narrowing like he’s already plotting.
“What’re you thinking?” I ask him. I can’t help but be curious.
“Probably something I’ll need help with. So you better be game.”
I snicker while pulling up to the curb, but the gentle laughter turns into a thundering roar when I see his front yard. Rye growls when his eyes land on the same thing.
There are lassos everywhere and there are stick ponies sticking up from the ground. Son of a bitch. He’s going to kill her.
“I’m going to kill her,” he growls, echoing my thoughts.
He stalks out of the car, giving his neighborhood a blue show. Blue Moon comes to mind.
Brin opens the door, wearing chaps over blue-jean shorts and a tied up flannel shirt. What has me bursting out laughing is the music pouring out of the house as loud as she could probably get it to go.
“You can leave your hat on… You can leave your hat on…”
Rye breaks into a sprint, still holding the cowboy hat firmly over his… blue balls—never thought it would be that literal. Brin squeals while dodging him and laughing as he rushes into the house.
I just shake my head as I pull away from the curb. Maggie—Brin’s best friend—waves with a huge smile on her face, sitting on her porch across from Rye and Brin’s home, and I wave back.
My window lowers, and she laughs while saying, “Even blue, his ass is nice.”
My laughter has just stopped, but it starts up again as I talk to her for a few minutes about our unruly and weird friends. But I finally decide to head off, leaving her to keep Rye from committing murder on her own.
My distraction is over, and now my own drama is back. What do I do to fix the dam I broke with Allie?
Chapter 22
ALLIE
Pro
Sexual attraction is out of this world.
He loves Angel.
/> He’s so damn nice…
Thoughtful…
Sweet…
Sexy…
Funny…
If this worked out, Angel would have both parents full time.
If this worked out, Angel would have everything she ever dreamt of.
If this worked out, I’d also have a family.
He’d give Angel the world if he could.
I’d get to have guilt-free sex with Wren all the time.
Con
He’s too leashed to let me know how he feels.
He fights me harder than I fight him—unless he’s drunk.
Wren drunk = traumatic memories, and I don’t know if I can get past that.
If it went bad, Angel would suffer.
If it went bad, we’d lose the friendship we’ve just started.
If it went bad, his friends might start talking poorly about me in front of Angel.
If it went bad, I might lose that closeness I’ve just developed with Melanie.
I keep studying my pro/con list with a shrewd eye, knowing I’m not listing anywhere close to everything. But it’s hard to concentrate when I can’t stop thinking about anything other than his lips on mine. Oh. Incredible kisser. I need to add that to the Pro column.
It’s been over a week since the Christmas party, and I’ve barely spoken to him. The few conversations we’ve had have been stilted, as though he’s intentionally being nothing more than cordial toward me. And he’s gone out of his way to not touch me.
Which leads me to the conclusion that he does remember exactly what happened between us the night of the Christmas party. Either he regrets it, or he’s under the impression that I turned him down for reasons other than he was drunk. Or maybe he’s embarrassed.
I’m. So. Confused!
“Still studying that pro/con list?” Bella muses, sitting down at the bar while I scribble down another con—Wren is confusing.
“Yes. A lot of good it’s doing me. I’m sure as hell not making the first move, and I think he’d rather ride piggyback naked on a glacier than to touch me again.”
“You both feel the attraction, Allie. You’ve said he’s confessed as much. But this is all very overwhelming. The guy just found out he has a daughter, and let’s face it, you hated him. It has just gotten to where you can tolerate him.”
I roll my eyes.
“I went straight from hate to lust to… I don’t know what,” I groan, eliciting a small chuckle for her.
“This is why I’m glad I’m no longer looking for that guy who can blow my mind. I want more control.”
Control—stupid freaking control. Bella and Wren are perfect for each other because they both want complete control over their emotions.
That thought roils my stomach. I’d kick her ass. Then I’d beat the hell out of him.
“Well, my mind isn’t blown; it’s a freaking mess.”
She pats my arm sympathetically while I continue to study my pointless list. It’s dark outside, and I’m bored out of my mind. I don’t know what to do with myself without Angel here.
“It feels weird being here without Angel, doesn’t it?” Bella asks, doing that freaky thing where she seems to read my mind again.
I’m trying not to freak out. Thank God she has her own phone, even though I thought it was over the top when Wren initially got it for her. But it’s come in handy, since I can at least call her whenever I want.
This is the longest I’ve ever gone without her, and it’s a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. But she’s having so much fun that it makes it worth it. It’s only been three days, but it feels like weeks. I still have to make it three more before I can join her.
“Yeah,” I say, frowning as I continue to add things to the list to distract me from missing my baby girl. Pro—he watches movies with us without complaining. “Don’t make me think about it. Especially since you’re about to go on a date. I need to distract myself.”
Con—he really does suck at making popcorn. A small smile curves up on my lips as I write that one down.
“I could ask Benjamin if he has a friend.”
My head pops up, and I stare at her, confused. “I thought you were dating Doc Pervy.”
She rolls her eyes. “Ha. He’s a douche. I dumped him.”
“Is Benjamin a prick, loser, or asshole?” I ask absently, adding frustrating to the Con column.
“Nope. Which means he’s not at all my type. He’s also not a douchebag.”
Sighing, I toss my pen down.
“I’ll pass on the date offer. You need to get going if you’re meeting him.”
She stands before grabbing her purse, and glances over at the clock. “Alright. You sure you don’t want to come?”
I give her a no-way-in-hell-am-I-tagging-along look, and she shrugs before going to the door. As soon as she swings it open, a squeal bubbles out of her lips, and I whip my head over just as a guy laughs.
“Sorry. I was just about to knock. Is Allie home?”
I can’t see him, but he sounds familiar.
“Yes,” Bella hisses, still trying to catch her breath. She hates being scared or surprised.
I walk over to see Billy Prize standing on my front porch, and he grins at me. What the hell is he doing here? Why isn’t he in Aspen?
“What’s up, Billy?” I ask, trying not to sound as rude as I’d like to be.
I still don’t like him, but he’s Wren’s brother—and Angel’s uncle.
Bella’s head whips toward me when she realizes who he is, and she eyes me questioningly. I don’t have any damn answers to those questions.
“I guess I’ll see you later,” she says to me very hesitantly, still giving me a chance to scream for help.
Billy is a jerk, but he’s a harmless jerk.
“Yeah. I’ll see ya.”
She lets Billy in, and then she mouths, “What the fuck?”
I shrug, and she glances at the back of Billy’s head one last time before leaving me alone with him.
“I hope you don’t mind. I thought I’d drop by the plane ticket, since I heard Ash talking about how you and Wren seem a little tense around each other lately.”
I shift uncomfortably. I really don’t want to discuss Wren with him.
“I was going to buy my own ticket. And for the record, Wren and I are fine. Ash shouldn’t be discussing things like that if she doesn’t know what’s going on.”
He barks out a laugh that startles me. “She’d kick my ass if she thought I was stirring shit. Let me rephrase that. Ash asked Wren if everything was okay between the two of you, and he told her to butt out. She just mentioned it to Mom in front of me, trying to find out if she needed to have Tag kick Wren’s ass. Don’t get mad at her. She’s looking out for you. That’s how she is.”
Ash’s maternal instincts are kicking in heavily. I remember being pregnant, and I swear I made Bella’s life hell by constantly threatening every guy she came into contact with. It’s almost embarrassing to look back at it now.
“Can I sit?” he asks when I get lost in thought.
“Why?” I say, sounding much more defensive than I mean to.
He grins like I’m amusing him. “Because I’d like to get to know the mother of my niece. Angel is wary of new people, and I don’t think she’s too crazy about me.”
I immediately feel more defensive. “She loves Wren. He’s her father. If you want to have a relationship with Angel, you’ll have to treat Wren like you love him. Angel is very loyal. She wouldn’t give Wren a real chance until I did. Now he’s solidly in her life, and she’s just as dedicated to him as she is me or Bella.”
His smile falters, and he blows out a breath while taking a seat on my sofa. “My relationship with my brother is… complicated. Saying that it’s strained would be putting it too nicely. But we’ll eventually work through all our issues. I’d really like to be a part of her life. Yours too. You’re great, Allie. You deserve a hell of a lot better than Wren can ever offer.�
�
Taking a deep breath, my fists clench until my nails dig into my palms. But he continues before I can let my mouth run wild.
“Wren will hurt you. He’s loyal to Tag and Ethan. He’s loyal to Mom. He’s loyal to Kade and Rye. But that’s about it. Everyone hates Erica for what she did, but she was just lonely and drunk, and I was just there. She needed attention, and even though it was stupid, I was the one willing to give her that attention. Wren isn’t the kind of guy to give a damn about what someone else needs, and he doesn’t defend too many people from the verbal attacks that come. He’s just… well, he’s not really selfish, per se, but he’s too self-involved. He genuinely doesn’t care about anyone or anything other than who I’ve already listed. I’d hate to see you get hurt by him. Again.”
To hell with niceties.
“You know what? You’re an ass.” His eyes widen, and I realize how pathetic my insult really sounds. Hell, I sound like a third-grader dishing out trash talk. But I pretend it’s a badass retort instead of a lame one, and I continue. “Wren is great. He doesn’t have to be a saint. He’s loyal to Angel, so add her to that list. You need to go. I won’t do this. I’m not arguing with you, and I’m not letting you bash my daughter’s father in my home. It’s not right.”
He holds his hands up, surrendering. “I’m sorry. I realize I sound bitter. Can I have another shot?”
He gives me an innocent expression, grinning at me like he’s a charmer. I don’t care how pretty he is, I’m not one of those girls. Well, I’m usually not. Wren seems to turn me into one of those girls, but his brother sure as hell doesn’t.
“I’d seriously like to know a little about my niece. As you’re aware, Wren and I don’t necessarily talk too much, and Mom is a little mad since I brought Erica to the Christmas party. I just want to know about Angel.”
Inhaling a fresh breath, I try to calm down. I almost feel thankful now that I never had a sibling.
He’s Angel’s uncle. Even though Billy screwed Wren’s fiancée, Wren still started talking to him again. I really don’t want to be the one pushed out when fences are mended this time. No doubt Wren will choose his brother—family always sticks together no matter how deep the scars are between them. Bella’s the only exception to that rule that I’ve ever known.
