by Amy Harmon
Jake helped her clean up before they dashed through the rain and back to his car. By the time they arrived, Luke was already there, waiting in his truck.
Crap.
Taycee leaned over and gave Jake a quick hug. “Thanks for a really fun date.” In a matter of a few hours, he’d managed to turn a bad day around for her, making her forget about her aching feet and pounding head—not to mention her upcoming date with Luke.
Well, almost forget.
Jake tugged on a clump of her hair. “Not everyone can pull off this look you know. But somehow, you make mud look good.”
Taycee smiled, and then grabbed her shoes and bolted through the rain to her apartment door. She quickly scrubbed herself off in a real shower, yanked her hair back into a damp ponytail, changed into some dry clothes, and threw on her favorite Bronco’s baseball cap. After shoving her feet into a pair of blue platform sneakers, she raced back outside.
Her shoe landed in a muddy puddle just outside of Luke’s truck. She felt like cursing as she jumped inside and slammed the squeaky door against the downpour.
“Your shoes are muddy,” was the first thing Luke said.
Taycee looked pointedly at the faded and cracked upholstery, old radio, and matt-less floor—a stark contrast to Jake’s Audi. “They fit right in.”
Luke patted the dashboard. “It might be old, but it’s clean—well, was clean.”
“Seriously?” Taycee said, but his gaze remained impassive. “Okay, so what do you want me to do with my shoes?”
He gestured behind him. “Back there would work.”
“The backseat?” Burt and Megan were already there, looking squished with their camera gear. Taycee wasn’t about to hand her shoes to them.
“The bed,” Luke clarified.
Taycee blinked. “Are you kidding me?”
“Nope.”
“Unbelievable.” With jerky movements, Taycee pulled her shoes off her feet, opened the door, leaned out, and tossed them into the truck bed before slamming the door shut again. “There. Satisfied? Or would you like me to ride in the back with my shoes?”
“Nah, you’re fine.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He grinned as he flung the truck into reverse and backed out. Like Taycee, he wore a baseball hat, only his was red with “OHIO STATE” stitched across the front. She’d forgotten how good he looked in baseball hats.
“Don’t worry,” Luke said. “We’re not going anywhere you’ll need shoes.”
“Is that supposed to make it okay?”
He shrugged. “It’s a win-win. You get to ride shoeless, which I know you prefer, and my truck stays clean. What’s wrong with that?”
Taycee stared at him. “The fact that you don’t understand what’s wrong with that makes it all the more wrong.”
“There’s an argument for you.”
Taycee glared but said nothing more as they passed through town and headed toward the highway. Ten minutes later, he turned down his long, windy driveway.
“We’re going to your house?” she asked.
“You’re quick.”
Taycee shot him a pointed look. At first she figured the shoe thing had been his way of messing with her. But he’d been so quiet during the drive here, which wasn’t like him at all. Was he upset with her for some reason? Maybe he’d decided that he didn’t really want to be here either. Or maybe he’d been dreading this date as much as she had—only for different reasons.
She frowned as he pulled the truck into the garage and turned off the engine. “Stay here,” he said before ducking out. With a bang, he jumped into the bed and fiddled with something above them. What was he doing? She unrolled her window and stuck her head out, trying to get a peek. “Need any help?”
“Nope.”
Suddenly, a bright blue rectangle appeared on the gray wall in front of her. A few moments later, blue turned to black as words appeared on the wall of his garage. A movie. And not just any movie. Sneakers—a show she, her brother, and Luke had watched over and over and over when they were younger. The boys used to take off their shoes and put their smelly feet in her face while they teased her about how she initially thought the show would be about shoes. She’d loved every minute of it.
Luke actually remembered.
The door opened, and Luke climbed back inside. In his hands, he held a large bowl of popcorn, along with two cans of Red Cream Soda—her favorite. He unrolled his window, and then passed her a drink and the popcorn.
Taycee’s eyes met his even as her heart beat a million times a second. “So the shoes…”
“I had you going, didn’t I?” Luke grinned and pointed to his own feet, now bare. “Just like old times.”
But it wasn’t like old times—a realization that made Taycee shift uncomfortably in her seat as she stared at the make-shift drive-in movie screen. This was exactly what she’d wanted for a date tonight: A time to relax and not worry about making conversation. But all of a sudden, everything seemed so much more complicated. As if the past and the present had collided with a colossal bang, tearing at Taycee’s heartstrings.
She wanted to believe that they could so easily go back to those days, but they couldn’t. “Just like old times” was a lie. A clichéd saying that made people believe they could break open a memory and somehow recreate it and relive it for one blissful moment. But ultimately all it did was turn a once-happy memory into a sorry reminder that things could never be the same. No matter how much she or Luke wanted them to be.
Chapter Fifteen
Taycee sat on the leather couch adjacent to the stone fireplace in The Barn. Burt had just finished setting up and they now waited for Jessa, who wanted to do a quick interview about the first ten dates.
It seemed like overkill, since Taycee had already re-capped each date on SheltersBachelorette.com, but Jessa didn’t think a few short paragraphs were enough. She wanted more. Always more. Jessa was out to prove she could orchestrate the best bachelorette show ever, and Taycee got to be her pawn.
Lovely.
Jessa breezed into the room, said a few words to Burt, and then plopped down opposite Taycee. Without so much as a “hi,” she cued Burt to start filming.
“So, Tace, talk about two crazy busy weeks, huh?” Jessa said, sounding perfectly composed.
“Um yeah, pretty crazy. I’m glad it’s behind me.”
“After tonight you’ll be down to only five bachelors. How do you feel about that?”
Would it be rude to say “The fewer the better?” Probably. “Actually, I’m kind of glad. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all great guys, but dating ten different bachelors over the course of two weeks kept me a little too busy, if you know what I mean. I’m more of one-guy-at-a-time kind of a girl, so I’m ready to narrow it down some.”
Jessa leaned forward, clasping her fingers around her crossed leg. “Now that you’ve spent some quality time with each of them, is it going to be hard to say goodbye to some?”
As long as Taycee didn’t have to do it in person, then no. And if Sterling, Alec, Gavin, and Luke were among the five leaving, Taycee might even throw a celebratory party. “Let’s just say that I’ve enjoyed my time with all of them and hope that life deals them a great hand from here on out.”
“How diplomatic of you,” said Jessa. “Are there any particular bachelors you’ll be sorry to say goodbye to if it comes to that? Anyone you’ve made a special connection with?”
Special? Not really. Connection? Possibly. Or, at least the hope of a connection. “Oh, I definitely feel like I’ve connected with some more than the others, but since it’s in the viewers’ hands, I have to trust that they will make a good choice for me.” There, how’s that for being diplomatic?
“What about Luke? How do you feel about all the pictures of him and Missy? There’s been quite a stir on the message boards and people would love your take on it all.”
Taycee should have known this question would be coming. Was this the reason for the impromptu inte
rview?
“I… uh… don’t know,” Taycee finally hedged. There were a lot of things she could say. Like how she and Luke hadn’t even been out on a date when it happened, how they weren’t in a mutually exclusive relationship, or how Luke didn’t want to be on the show in the first place. But all of those answers would sound as though Taycee didn’t find fault with Luke’s actions—which she didn’t—but she also didn’t want the viewers to know that. She wanted Luke voted off.
“I think however Luke chooses to spend his time off camera is up to him.” There. Another diplomatic answer that didn’t necessarily help Luke’s image, but didn’t exactly worsen it either.
“Are you hoping he gets voted off, or would you like him to stay around for a while longer?”
Jessa wouldn’t let it go, would she? Taycee shot her a thinly veiled you-are-so-going-to-pay-for-this-later look. “Well, that’s the great part about it, isn’t it? I don’t have to hope or worry because it’s in the viewers’ hands, not mine. They chose ten great guys this past week, and I’m sure the five they narrow it down to will make for a great week also.”
“Very true.” Jessa settled back in her seat and looked directly at the camera. ”Speaking of the final five, the voting is now officially open, so cast your votes for whoever you think will be a great match for Taycee, and remember that every time you vote, your money is going to a good cause. Thanks so much for your support!”
The camera light finally flickered off. Taycee let out a breath of relief before giving Jessa the glare she deserved.
“Sorry.” Jessa patted Taycee’s knee in a motherly fashion. “I had to do it. You answered them all brilliantly though.”
“This is going to cost you another favor, just so you know.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just put it on my tab.”
Chapter Sixteen
Taycee squinted through the peep hole on her front door. A distorted, magnified face stared back with large crossed eyes and cheeks sucked in, making a fish face. She squealed and flung the door wide open, throwing her arms around the stocky guy standing on her front porch.
“Caleb, what the heck? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? Are you back for good?” Her brother had always said that he’d consider moving back near Shelter once some of his bigger cases were all wrapped up. That was over eight months ago. Was it finally happening?
Caleb lifted her off the ground and squeezed the breath out of her before setting her back down. “Sorry, sis. I’m only here for the night. We’ve brought in a firm from Denver to help out with a marathon case we’ve been working on, so I’ll be spending some time up there for the next several weeks. Which means”—He grinned—“I’ll get to drop in on you every once in a while. Awesome right?”
“Yeah. Awesome.” It sort of felt like someone had given her a beautiful bouquet of flowers and then taken it away, saying, “Oops, sorry. Wrong recipient.” Taycee hadn’t seen her brother in months, and with every passing day, she worried more and more that he’d never move back. What would she do if Caleb followed in her parents’ footsteps and decided to make a permanent life elsewhere?
She would cry long and hard, that’s what.
“You don’t mind if I crash here tonight, do you?”
“Of course not.” Taycee waved him inside. “I’ll take whatever I can get. I was just hoping this would be a longer visit—possibly even long enough to check out a few potential office spaces?”
“I’ll be working at least sixteen hour days the rest of the week, so no can do,” Caleb said, sliding the strap of his overnight duffle over his head. His light brown hair had grown longer since she’d last seen him, but the new look suited his casual, go-with-the-flow personality.
“Sixteen hour days? Are you serious?”
“Cheer up. I’ll most likely be back a few more times before the summer’s out, so hopefully one of these trips I can extend my stay a little longer and we can really catch up—not that you’ll be able to squeeze me in, what with your busy dating schedule and all.”
Taycee slugged him in the arm. “Don’t make me regret telling you about that or you’ll get the couch tonight instead of the guest bed.”
Caleb ran his hand across the back of her micro suede couch. “It actually feels pretty comfortable.”
So much for that threat. “C’mon, Caleb. I’m embarrassed enough as it is. I don’t need you making it worse.”
“Fine. But only because I’m starving and you probably won’t feed me if I do.” He held up his bag. “Where can I put this?”
Taycee showed him to the guest room, and then left him to get settled while she rummaged through her fridge for something to make for dinner. Leave it to a guy to think a girl always had extra food on hand. She frowned at the contents of her fridge. Only a few pieces of chicken and some vegetables. Mmmm… maybe pasta. Yes, basil chicken could work.
Soon chicken was frying on the stove next to a bubbling pot of pasta. Taycee diced broccoli and tomatoes when Caleb wandered back in. He sank down on a nearby bar stool. “I hope it’s okay that I invited Luke for dinner. Since I’m only here for the night, I figured we could catch up. It’s been forever since I’ve seen him.”
The knife stilled in Taycee’s hand. Luke? Coming here? Tonight? She resumed her chopping, slicing through the vegetables with renewed force. Caleb and Luke together? In the same room? With the topic of Shelter’s Bachelorette hot off the let’s-gang-up-on-Taycee press? Ugh. She could think of several things she’d rather put up with. Hanging out with Liza for one.
“Why don’t you invite the rest of Shelter while you’re at it?” Taycee grumbled. “I’m sure I have enough food lying around.”
Caleb grabbed a chunk of raw broccoli and tossed it into his mouth. Between chews, he said, “Sorry. Didn’t think about that.”
Obviously. “Just don’t tell Jessa. I’m not supposed to interact with any of the bachelors off camera.”
“Wow, they’re really taking this show seriously, aren’t they?” A chunk of tomato disappeared in his mouth. “If you’re really worried, I can always call him back and un-invite him.”
“No, it’s fine. He’s coming to see you anyway—not me.”
Taycee checked the chicken while Caleb ate another piece of broccoli. He wandered over to the stove and took the tongs from her, prodding the chicken as if it would somehow make it cook faster. “I still can’t believe you’re dating my best friend. That’s wrong on so many levels.”
“I completely agree.” Taycee took the tongs back and pushed him out of the way. “Hovering won’t make it cook any faster, you know. Now stop snitching and get some plates from the cupboard.”
“So bossy.” Still, he opened the cabinet doors in search of plates.
Thirty minutes later, just as Taycee removed the finished pasta, the doorbell chimed. Without waiting for an answer, Luke let himself in. He wore a large cowboy hat and a trench coat with the collar sticking up to hide his face.
“Long time no see.” Caleb laughed as he clapped his friend on the back. “What in the heck are you wearing, man? Is there a spring storm coming that we don’t know about?”
Luke looked down and examined himself as if his wardrobe was nothing out of the ordinary. “Personally, I think The Mysterious Cowboy is a great look for me. What do you think, Taycee Lynne?” He opened the coat, revealing a button down plaid shirt, khaki shorts, and cowboy boots. Yes, cowboy boots. With shorts.
Taycee choked back a laugh. “Change mysterious to goofy, start chewing on some straw, and you’d have it about right.”
Luke shrugged out of the coat and tossed it over the back of the couch, throwing the hat on top. Then he removed the boots, revealing white ankle socks and toned calves. Really toned calves. Taycee swallowed and quickly forced her attention back to their dinner.
“In case you couldn’t tell, it’s a disguise.” Luke padded toward her, acting as comfortable in Taycee’s apartment as he had in their home growing up. “I swear that gossip blog has eyes and
ears all over town. My reputation’s already tanked, and I don’t want to bring Taycee down with me. I even parked a few blocks away to be safe.”
Caleb picked up the cowboy hat, examined it, and then dropped it on his head. “Dude, you’re paranoid. You both are.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Luke plopped down on a barstool and leaned forward on his elbows. “But have you read those discussion threads? Dang, they’re brutal. It’s completely okay for Taycee to date twenty guys at once, but if I’m caught on camera with another girl, watch out.”
Wait, Luke actually read the discussion boards? Taycee felt a pang of guilt at this. Did he really care what was said? He seemed like such an impenetrable wall of confidence that she’d never worried about how something like that might affect him. “So stop reading them,” she said. “I never do. Jessa can keep you up-to-date on all the important stuff.”
“Hmm… Jessa McCray,” Caleb said it slowly, drawing out the name as if Jessa was someone worth considering. “What’s she still doing here? She’s not exactly the small-town type.”
Taycee shoved a pitcher under the faucet and started filling it with water. Of course Jessa was a small-town type. She loved Shelter Springs as much as Taycee did. Well, maybe not quite as much, but enough to keep her here and actively trying to save it. Taycee frowned at Caleb, as if his mentioning it would somehow make Jessa want to up and leave, too. “She loves it here. Not that you’d know that since you barely know her.”
“I know enough.” Caleb leaned against the counter, folding his arms. “She plastered your face and name all over the internet without your consent—not exactly something a real friend would do. The lawyer in me would tell you to sue.”
“Wait.” Luke shot Taycee a look. “What do you mean without your consent? You didn’t know?”
Taycee set the pitcher on the table and faced Luke. “Do you really think I would have volunteered you if I’d known?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
