by Codi Gary
Dedication
This one is for all the readers who fell in love with Rock Canyon.
Thank you so much!
This book would not have been possible without you.
Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
An Excerpt from Bad for Me
About the Author
By Codi Gary
An Excerpt from An Heiress for All Seasons by Sophie Jordan
An Excerpt from Intrusion by Charlotte Stein
An Excerpt from Can’t Wait by Jennifer Ryan
An Excerpt from The Laws of Seduction by Gwen Jones
An Excerpt from Sinful Rewards 1 by Cynthia Sax
An Excerpt from Sweet Cowboy Christmas by Candis Terry
Copyright
About the Publisher
Chapter One
“Ladies, lock up your men! Caroline Willis is back in town.”
—Miss Know It All
CAROLINE WILLIS SNORTED as she read the entry in the Rock Canyon Press. She’d seen her name on the cover and paused to pick up a paper before heading into Hall’s Market. When she’d turned to page three, there had been a picture of her leaving her sister Valerie’s house. Twelve years ago, gossip was spread on Sundays after church, at the local salon, and on any bar stool in town. Now every juicy tidbit was being printed in the local paper by an anonymous big mouth.
Miss Know It All was the town gossip columnist-turned-blogger. No one knew her identity, although there had been much speculation bandied about by Caroline’s sisters. Valerie was certain it was Gracie McAllister, while Ellie thought it was Mrs. Andrews, the town’s biggest bitch and gossip. Caroline had no idea. And yet, over the last few weeks, whoever it was seemed to have taken a particular interest in her.
Still, it wasn’t like Miss Know It All could make her return any worse. Caroline had decided over a month ago that she wanted to come home to be with her sisters. As for her father, well . . . she had hoped that at least he would be willing to put the past behind them and start over. It wasn’t like they’d ever been a picture-perfect family, at least not behind closed doors, but despite all their bad blood, he was still her dad.
Working things out with him probably wouldn’t have been so urgent if he hadn’t had a heart attack two weeks ago. Valerie had called Caroline to tell her the morning it happened. As Caroline had raced home, she’d imagined her father’s relief at seeing her doing so well after twelve years away with no contact.
Man, had she been living in a fucking fantasy land.
If her father’s refusal to even see her hadn’t proven how she’d over estimated time’s ability to heal all wounds, she definitely wasn’t prepared to face the citizens of Rock Canyon, Idaho. Lord knew she’d burned more bridges before she was eighteen than most people lit up in their lifetimes. She’d only bumped into a few people since being back, but when she’d tried to be friendly, she’d been met with chilly nods as they hurried away.
Walking into Hall’s Market offered a perfect example of how her return was definitely not met with cheers and parades. The first thing she noticed was the stares. Hope Weathers was putting out boxes of cookies in the bakery department and just about dropped one as Caroline passed. Marci Andrews, Betty Harwood, and Willa Fullerton—Rock Canyon’s version of the morality police (they were just like the Fashion Police on E but meaner)—were standing in line at checkout stand one, a wall of open disapproval as they whispered back and forth with the blonde clerk, whose scowl was so ugly that Caroline almost paused. She didn’t even recognize the girl, but she was sure giving Caroline the business.
Even Danny Cordova, who was stocking an end cap, stopped what he was doing, his eyes bugging out of his head as she gave him a tiny wave. Although maybe he was staring at her for another reason. She smiled at the thought that straight-laced Danny might be checking her out, especially considering how shy he’d been in high school. She’d never seen him even look sideways at a girl and had actually assumed he played for the other team.
Caroline was tempted to stop, spin around, and yell Boo!, but then they would say she was crazy. Lord knew she’d called herself the same thing for the last fourteen days. Crazy for coming back, crazy for expecting her father to have grown and softened in his old age. Who knew that when he’d told her to never come back twelve years ago, he’d meant it?
“Oh my God, Caroline Willis? Is that you?”
Caroline stopped in her tracks. Six feet in front of her—and holding a bundle of celery so tightly that Caroline imagined it would snap in half any second—stood her former best friend, Shelby Donovan. She definitely couldn’t blame her for being tense, though. They hadn’t exactly ended on the best of terms.
What with Caroline having stolen Shelby’s boyfriend and all.
On second thought, maybe today hadn’t been a good day to venture out of her sister’s house and brave the world. Judging by Shelby’s red-faced, lemon-sucking expression, Caroline had every reason to hide, but she wouldn’t back down from Shelby’s anger now. She’d embrace it and attempt to make amends. It’s what she’d told Valerie she would try to do. Take the high road. Turn the other cheek.
“What brings your skanky ass back here?”
Sparks of temper prickled Caroline’s skin. Sucking in a calming breath, she forced a smile. “That is so classy, Shelby. Congratulations, by the way; it looks like your boobs finally came in. Or was that a little surgical gift from Mom and Dad?”
Okay, so maybe the high road was overreaching.
Shelby’s cheeks flushed an unhealthy shade of violet, probably because despite the obvious surgical enhancements, she had gained about thirty pounds. Shelby had always moaned and groaned about her lack of curves in high school, voicing her jealousy over Caroline’s hourglass frame, but it looked like she had finally gotten her wish. Only where Caroline’s body had always been toned, Shelby looked a bit . . . lumpy.
“Well, Marcus doesn’t seem to think there’s anything wrong with me,” Shelby said, smirking.
Ah, Marcus Boatman. Shelby’s dream man was the same guy who hadn’t hesitated dumping her like a hot potato the minute he’d thought Caroline was interested.
“I find it interesting that you’re still holding a grudge against me, when your supposed boyfriend,” Caroline said, making air quotes, “cheated on you. How come you forgave him?”
“Because men are weak. Besides, he has more than made up for his one transgression, where as you violated the rules of friendship and sisterhood.”
Caroline had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing. “Okay, first of all, you were never my sister in any way. And you, of all people, know that I was not in a good place. Where were you when I needed you?” Caroline shook her head. “Face it, Shelby. We both failed each other in a big way, and I apologized a long time ago for my part i
n it, but don’t you think it’s time to just let it go?”
Obviously not, if the flush of her former friend’s face was any indication. “You haven’t changed at all!” Shelby said. “You act like you’re God’s gift—”
“Is there a problem here, ladies?”
Caroline looked over her shoulder to find Mr. Hall glancing between them sternly.
“Yeah, there is. You let this tra—”
“Actually, Mr. Hall, I was just picking up a few things to take over to my dad and bumped into Shelby,” Caroline broke in, shooting Shelby a warning look. Obviously, age had not matured the spoiled, entitled little snot, but if she thought Caroline was going to stand there and be bad-mouthed to her face, she was wrong. Caroline could only be pushed so far. “It seems we still have some things to work out, but unfortunately, I am in a hurry.”
Shelby huffed and tossed the celery back onto the pile. “We have nothing to work out, and you can be sure I’ll be doing my shopping elsewhere from now on.”
Caroline wanted to tell her exactly how ridiculous she sounded, but before she could, Shelby stomped around the two of them toward the exit.
When they were alone, Mr. Hall ran a hand through his silver hair, clearly uncomfortable. “How’s your dad doing?”
Caroline smiled. She’d always liked the kindly grocer. “As far as I know, he’s ornery as ever. We’ll see if he lets me through the door.”
“Yes, he can be stubborn,” Mr. Hall said, his eyes shifting away.
His whole demeanor screamed that he had something to say and was struggling with it. Caroline tried to put him at ease. “It will all work out, I’m sure. I am sorry about the way Shelby spoke to you, and I’m sure she didn’t mean what she said about shopping elsewhere.”
Although, Mr. Hall, it shouldn’t surprise you if she does stop coming here . . . the spiteful little bitch.
“Yes, well . . . I understand you’re moving back here.” He paused a second, as if waiting for her to confirm his statement, so she nodded. “You know I don’t listen to gossip, but I can’t afford to lose my regular customers. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
So much for thinking at least one person might give her the benefit of the doubt.
“Sure. You’re saying if I offend the respectable people of Rock Canyon, you won’t let me through the door,” she said, no longer smiling and hanging on to her temper by the skin of her teeth. “And that’s called discrimination. I thought you were better than that, sir.”
Without waiting for him to stop blustering, she walked back toward the front of the store and down to the candy aisle, trying to hold on to her dignity. It shouldn’t surprise her that Mr. Hall would warn her off; she was a fly in the ointment for quite a few good citizens, and he had a business to run.
Still, did he have to make her feel like some kind of second-class citizen? It wasn’t like her money was worth less. As she stopped in front of the candy display, she realized she’d been squeezing her hands into fists so hard that her nails had dug into her palms. She opened them to find purplish-red crescent moons indented into the flesh and winced.
Since she began running her own businesses years ago, she’d tried different tricks to control her temper. Sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn’t, but at least she hadn’t popped anyone in the face today. That was progress.
Caroline pulled a gold-and-yellow bag off the shelf, ignoring her sore flesh. Her father loved these disgusting butterscotch candies, and she was hoping a bag of them might ease his hostility. He definitely hadn’t been as receptive of her last visit to the hospital a few weeks ago.
At first, she’d laughed off her father’s refusal to see her as a sign that he must be feeling better, but when he’d denied her a second time, irritation had settled into the pit of her stomach and simmered. Why couldn’t he just set aside some of that stubborn Willis pride and put the past where it belonged?
After three days, she’d barged into his hospital room and faced off with Edward Willis for the first time in twelve years. After a few minutes of telling him exactly what she thought of his rejection, the nurse had shoved her out the door. But not before she’d had the satisfaction of watching her father’s face turn purple with rage after she’d said, “You’re the one who missed out, Dad. I survived without you. In fact, I thrived in spite of you.”
Edward Willis never liked to be wrong, especially when there was proof.
Of course, if he’d known anything about those first two rough years after being kicked out, he probably would have glowed with satisfaction. Within just the first few weeks, Caroline had had less than fifty bucks to her name and had been sleeping in her car outside of Las Vegas, eating a lot of dollar tacos.
And then she’d run out of money.
But when she went around to local businesses, none of them would hire a high school dropout who was living in her car. None except Diamond of the Desert Gentleman’s Club.
Caroline had hated stripping more than she could express, but she couldn’t deny that it paid well. Within a year, she’d saved enough to move on, and when one of her favorite patrons, a kind, lonely man named Carl Jackson who owned a bar nearby, asked if she’d be interested in a bartending position, she’d agreed—with the stipulation that there’d be no dancing, stripping, or teasing involved.
Caroline ended up working for Carl longer than she’d thought she would. Along with getting her GED and taking college classes online, she found her calling in drawing people to Carl’s bar, the Whiskey and Wine Saloon, using fun theme nights. Soon she was managing the bar and eventually, two years and one bachelor’s degree in business later, Carl offered to sell it to her. Three days after her twenty-sixth birthday, she was able to sell the bar for a profit and leave Nevada in her rearview mirror.
After that, she’d taken on five more failing bars around the country, leaving every one of them in a better place than when she started and making enough for the next project in the process. But the work was exhausting and after a while, it started being more labor than love.
When her father had his heart attack, she’d already planned to stop flipping. But once she decided to move back to Rock Canyon, it had been Carl who’d suggested she start a consulting business for bars that were struggling. Now, she already had a few consultation jobs lined up in Chicago and New York, but she wanted to get settled before she did any traveling. All in all, she had high hopes for her future and her business. With little thanks to Edward Willis.
So no, Caroline hadn’t been putting on a brave face when she’d thrown her success in her father’s face. She had survived without his help. Without his money. She had worked hard, done whatever it took, and even graduated from college. His lack of approval or forgiveness hadn’t broken her, and no way would the opinions of a few idiots tear her down now.
Pulled back to the task at hand, Caroline walked up to the checkout stand and saw that the three biddies were still there, standing at the front of Hall’s, watching her.
“Good morning, ladies,” Caroline said, oozing sweetness. “So lovely to see you again.” Mrs. Andrews sniffed and headed toward the exit with her cart, the other two hurrying after. Innocently, Caroline handed the blonde clerk her candy and debit card. “Was it something I said?”
Chapter Two
“The past will always catch up to you, no matter how fast you run.”
—Miss Know It All
CAROLINE STOOD AT the end of the walkway leading to her childhood home. The April breeze blew her hair into her eyes, obstructing her vision as she stared up at the two-story ranch house. It hadn’t changed much besides a fresh coat of paint, but the perfectly landscaped fortress still seemed like a strange place instead of the warm, welcoming hearth that coming home was supposed to be.
Reaching up to tie her hair back in a loose ponytail, she rotated her shoulders and cracked her neck, trying to ease the tension.
You can do this. You just have to face him, to show him that you’re here and you aren�
�t going anywhere, no matter what a bastard he may be.
Caroline headed up the path and the steps, the hard candy in one sweaty hand. She shouldn’t be this nervous, especially since she’d already faced his anger in the hospital.
But there, they’d been in a less personal setting, neutral turf. Now, she was stepping into the lion’s den, where a thousand memories, both good and bad, would be waiting to add to her already emotional state.
It was funny. She’d spent three years hating him before she left and another two blaming him for everything that went wrong once he was out of her life. Yet he was still her dad. Though the times he’d been there for her were few and far between, those were the memories that stuck out to her. Like the time he’d coached her for the state spelling bee, which she had lost. But for a week there, having his complete attention had been all she cared about.
Yeah, he definitely hadn’t been the dad of her dreams, but she was almost thirty-one. She didn’t need him to be a dad now. But she would at least like to have some kind of relationship with him. If only so she didn’t add any more regrets to her list.
Once she stood on the stoop, she knocked twice and waited, expecting their housekeeper, Teresa, to open the front door.
Only when the door opened, it wasn’t Teresa.
Caroline’s heart stopped cold before resuming at an unhealthy tempo, beating against her chest painfully. Icy blue eyes stared back at her from a too-handsome face, a cupid’s-bow mouth splitting into a leer that knocked the wind out of her.
Kyle Jenner.
Valerie had warned Caroline that he worked for their father now and was basically his right-hand man. It didn’t surprise her that Kyle and her father were attached at the hip, considering how far up Senator Jenner’s ass her dad’s head had been. But she’d never thought Kyle would be in their home, especially since her father was still recovering.
“Well, hello, beautiful.”
His tone, arrogant and too familiar, sent her stomach twisting. Bile rose up and burned the back of her throat. She was being strangled by her fear, and there was nothing she could do. Every self-defense and martial arts class she had taken hadn’t cured her of the paralyzing fear this one man could create. She’d faced down three-hundred-pound drunks and an angry husband with a two-barrel looking for his wayward wife, yet Kyle’s sly smile still made her want to piss her pants.
