by Piper Rayne
A deep voice on the other side of the door startles me and I sit up straight in bed. Grabbing his t-shirt strung over the chair in the corner I slip it on and crack the bedroom door open.
“Vic, listen to me,” Dane says somewhere down the hall.
My heart hammers in my chest. My dad is here?
“No, Dane. I heard you with that girl in the laundry room at Marcus’ last night. Ava’s car was sitting outside his house when I left. I was told that she had car trouble and you agreed to take her home. Imagine my surprise when I go to her house this morning to offer a hand and find out she’s not there. Please tell me she’s not in your bedroom.”
“Vic.” Dane’s stalling.
“I’m about to barge in there if you don’t start explaining.” The anger is apparent in my dad’s voice, and the last thing I want is the temper from his Brazilian side to make an appearance. Afraid he’ll make good on his threat, I shut the door quietly, putting on my dress and shoving my bra and underwear in my purse.
“It’s not what this looks like.”
Can’t Dane just lie? Tell him it isn’t me in here?
“I think you’re fucking around with my daughter. She’s not like your other girls.”
Dane’s quiet for a moment and I strain to listen at the door again.
“I know.”
“You know? So, she is in that bedroom?”
I glance at the clock. Eight o’clock and my dad’s already up and looking for me.
“Listen, I’m not gonna lie to you. I respect you way too much to do that. If I were in your shoes I’d want you to know. Yes, Ava is here.”
Damn it.
“Fuck you, Dane.” There’s that tone I remember from my youth when I’d do something stupid.
“Vic. It’s not like that.”
“Like what?”
Hope blooms in my chest as I wait to hear Dane’s next words.
“We’re friends.”
Friends. It feels like a knife just gutted me open.
“Friends? You think this makes it better because you like her as a person? My daughter deserves a helluva lot better than some guy who can’t keep his dick in his pants. She deserves to be treated with respect, to be worshiped for the amazing young lady she is.”
Dane’s quiet for another moment. “You’re right.”
It’s quiet for a moment and I can picture my dad running his hands over the top of his white and grey beard, trying to rein in his temper.
“I think you’re a good guy, don’t get me wrong. You do so much for this town and no one can refute that. But boyfriend material? You’ve never even had a relationship that I know of. Have you?”
“No.” Dane’s tone is downright melancholy now.
“I don’t want my daughter to be the guinea pig.” I hear his footsteps and the front door creak open. “If you don’t think you’re ready for this then don’t fool yourself into thinking because you’re friends, no one will get hurt in the end. I’d put money on the fact that the two of you aren’t on the same playing field. Eventually, someone will want more, and my money is on my daughter if she’s not already there. Don’t be selfish, Dane. Man up or get out.”
The door shuts, and the ensuing silence weighs heavy on my shoulders.
I give it a few minutes, but since Dane hasn’t come into the room, I head down the hallway, finding him on the back deck sitting in a chair with his head in his hands.
I open the sliding glass door, and he bolts up to a standing position.
“Hey,” I say.
“Hey.” He walks over to me. “You’re dressed already. I was thinking I could give you another earth-shattering orgasm before you leave.” He smiles but it’s weak and doesn’t reach his eyes.
Classic Dane trying to defuse the tension with humor.
“Can we sit?” I ask.
He nods, stepping back and I sit down in the chair across from him, hoping for as much distance as possible.
The ocean is beautiful as the sun shines down on it and water lazily laps at the shore.
“Can I get you a coffee?” He moves to stand, but I signal for him to sit back down.
“I heard.”
“Your dad can be scary.”
I nod. “He can also be right.”
His face loses the usual smile he’s known for and he stares me directly in the eyes. That’s when I know things are about to change between us.
“Ava.”
I shake my head, praying the tears keep at bay until I can hightail it out of here.
“You can’t commit, can you?”
His gaze focuses on the table and then out at the ocean.
Guess that’s my answer.
“I like you, Dane, a lot and I didn’t want to feel this way for you. I wanted to enjoy what you had to offer, but…I lost that battle last night.”
He draws in a deep breath and shoves his hand through his hair. “Ava, I just can’t. I have Toby and the bar. I’m not the type of guy who can settle down. My schedule is crazy, we’d have no nights together. Soon you’d want something more. Something I can’t offer you.” He sits back in the chair, shoulders slumped.
“You won’t offer me. Not can’t. There’s a difference.”
“I wouldn’t make a good boyfriend.”
“How do you know? You’ve never been one,” I bite out.
He stares at me long and hard. “Are you trying to convince me? Do you think that I’ll cave and be like ‘oh, you’re right, Ava, I can be a boyfriend?’ I’ve been this way my entire adult life. I know what I want.”
“And it isn’t me.” I rise from the chair unable to continue this conversation.
I refuse to grovel for him only to be heartbroken when I’m still not enough.
“You couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you. Just not as something serious. I’m not built for it. I’d disappoint you eventually.”
I roll my eyes. “You sound like a jackass. If you only cared about my pussy, you wouldn’t be going around town getting every business to buy from me for one reason or another. You wouldn’t have made love to me last night and held me in your arms the entire night. Guys who only want friends-with-benefits don’t do those things.”
“I agree maybe a line blurred last night, but it was one night. Doesn’t mean anything.”
The contents of my gutted chest spill out down to the ground. At least that’s what it feels like.
“Bye, Dane.” I march through the back door and straight for the front of the house, making a pit stop for my purse first.
“What are you going to take my car again?” He follows behind me.
“No. I’ll call a taxi.” I hit the button for Al on my speed dial and give him Dane’s address. Luckily, he’s not far.
Without a word, I step out the door and slam it behind me, only to hear Dane follow me out.
We stand there in silence for a few minutes, me refusing to speak to the bastard for fear I’ll burst out crying and him…well, him doing I don’t know what because he’s standing behind me.
“Ava, I don’t want us to end like this.”
“End?” I turn to face him. “According to you, we never even started. Have a nice life, Dane, stay on your side of Main Street from now on.”
Like a gift from the heavens, Al pulls up into the driveway at that exact moment. I rush over to the car, hop in, and slam the door shut.
As Al pulls away, I’m not going to lie, I kind of wish for a movie moment. The one where the man chases down the taxi, admits he was wrong and didn’t mean anything he said. Then he takes her in his arms and kisses her until applause rings out.
But that didn’t happen. Dane never chased after me. In fact, when I look out the window I realized he didn’t even bother to stand in the driveway and watch me drive out of his life, confirming I made the right decision.
Why does the right decision have to be so damn hard and hurt so damn much?
24
Dane
<
br /> Monday’s suck.
The shipment of Rock Hard Whiskey must have arrived on Saturday and of course, Chad didn’t inventory it yet. Hence the reason I love Charlie so much more than Chad.
I busy myself for the first hour, logging the bottles in and then spend five minutes checking out Mad Batter through the window of the bar.
She’s open. Her door is closed, but the fall weather has finally kicked in full force this morning, and she’s probably trying to keep her place warm. Not at all is the closed door a metaphor to keep me out.
I wish I believed that even a little.
The bar door opens, and I’m about to announce we’re closed when in walks Marcus and Garrett. I already know why they’re here and their scowls don’t scare me.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Marcus is the first to talk, sitting down at the bar across from me.
“Party was great, man. Thanks again for the invite,” I dodge his question.
“Did you think she’d never want you to be serious?” Garrett finally opens his mouth and I wish he hadn’t.
I toss the dishrag on the bar top. “I don’t need to be lectured by the two of you.” I disappear into the kitchen, prepping the meat for today’s special.
When I decided to add on the grill, I did a ton of research on recipes I could make fresh for large groups. Every day there’s one special and usually it’s a sandwich with a marinated or slow grilled meat.
The two know-it-alls follow behind me.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” I say in an attempt to put them off. One I know is useless but you can’t blame a guy for trying.
“Cut the shit. Everyone in this town knows you and Ava have been fucking around. Now everyone knows that you broke her heart.” Marcus is the one with all the accusations.
“I didn’t break her heart.”
“Did you really think the whole monogamous friends-with-benefits was an actual thing?” Marcus asks.
“What?” I flick my gaze to him. “How do you know?”
“Do you live under some rock? Girls talk,” Garrett chimes in.
“Cat is my girlfriend and guess what happens when things go south with you and your girl? She talks to my girl who in turn gives me the back turn last night because my friend is a dick.” Marcus’ tone grows more agitated. Not that I give a shit, he signed up for the problems when he agreed to date Cat.
I never agreed to date anyone.
“Back turn?” I ask.
“Where you’re denied sex at bed time.” Garrett crosses his arms and I’m beginning to feel as though they’re ganging up on me. His beastly frame has him looking more like a bodyguard at a strip club than a supportive buddy.
“I wouldn’t know that move because I don’t do bed times with my women.” I pull on the plastic gloves and grab my spices for the rub.
“One day, Dane, you’re going to realize you made a mistake.” Marcus shakes his head in that fatherly way he seems to love so much.
“I’m telling the Club,” Garrett says, voicing his own disapproval.
“It’s not Fight Club, big guy, they aren’t going to beat me up in the corner until I agree to date Ava. Let’s not forget her dad is a member.”
Marcus puts his hands in the air. “I’m out. I can’t take this anymore.” He’s a man of his word as he walks out of the kitchen and I hear the front door open and close.
Garrett however stays. He not only stays, he takes the stool that’s in the corner by the point-of-sale machine that the wait staff use.
“What?” I whine feeling like a teenager who was just caught with his pants down on top of his girlfriend and is about to get the sex talk.
“Marcus is right, you’ll regret this one day. I know you think a monogamous relationship is worse than a death sentence, but what do you think is so different than what you and Ava have been doing?”
I throw the meat in the smoker and take off my gloves and wash my hands.
“If we were in a relationship, the stakes would be higher. She’d nag. I’d get bored. Eventually I’d disappoint her like I do with everyone. Sounds like I’m really missing out.”
“You are my friend. You just haven’t realized it yet.” He rubs at his beard for a minute before he continues. “You’re missing out on all the best stuff.” He runs a hand through the long hair on the top of his head with frustration.
“See.” I point to him. “That’s where you’re wrong. I get the sex.”
Garrett lets out an exhausted sigh and though I can tell he’s trying not to let the undertow of his memories drag him down, it’s clear they are.
“It’s not the sex. It’s the sharing your life with someone. Movies with popcorn and having her snuggled into your side. Watching the sunset on the deck in each other’s arms. Seeing her smile when you surprise her with flowers. Having someone in this world who really, truly gets you. Someone you can look at and have a whole conversation with, without saying a word. Someone you know will be there no matter what life throws at you.” He swallows and his eyes go distant for a moment. “I miss it every damn day,” he whispers.
“I’m sorry.”
The mood in the room shifts and with good reason. Garrett was dealt a shit hand when his wife died.
“Don’t be sorry. It happened twelve years ago,” he pauses and I see him swallow before he continues. “All I’m saying is don’t let a little fear ruin what you guys have. I’ve never seen you as happy as I have since you’ve been spending time with Ava.”
He stands up to leave and I walk over putting my arms around him.
“I’m sorry about Melissa.”
“Get off me.” He pushes me off him and steps back with a small smile playing on his lips. “Listen, I may have taken days with her for granted, but I know now, no one will ever compare, and that’s why I don’t date. Once you have the real thing, everything else is second best.” He clasps his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t let her slip out of your grasp because you’re scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
He quirks an eyebrow. “We both know you are. Just think long and hard about it.”
He walks out the door and then steps back for a second.
“Hey, Charlie,” he murmurs, putting his head down.
Charlie walks in right after Garrett’s departure.
“Good morning,” I say, but all she does is give me the finger in the air and walk into the bathroom.
Great, now I have two ornery females pissed at me. Things can only get better from here, right?
25
Ava
I drop a tray of burnt cupcakes in the sink and slouch down on my stool. Maybe I made the wrong decision. Maybe I could be with Dane and not want something more.
The door chimes and I stand up.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
“Ava?” Cat walks to the back, waving her hand through the smoke. “Is something on fire?” she asks.
“No. Apparently I’ve lost all baking ability.” I pop the burnt cupcakes out of the pan, throwing them in the garbage and then turning on the water to soak the pans.
“I’m yours all day today.” She smiles, moving over to grab her apron.
“No, you’re not.” I point to the door. “You have your mojo back and you need to work on the pieces for that gallery spot next month.”
“Nope. You’re stuck with me.” She leaves the room and I hear her in the display case fiddling with things. “We need some more goodies.”
I sit on the stool again, the side of my face laying in the palm of my hand. “What’s the use? I can’t sell anything. Dane’s probably been bribing people to buy my stuff. Add on the fact that I have to see him every day through the window? It’s an impossible feat.”
I stand up and look through the cut-out, my gaze focused on his Mustang parked out front of his bar.
“Nonsense. Everyone loves your baking. I hear people rave about it all the time. Why don’t you do something different, get your mind of
f of him.” She stares at me through the open cut-out between the kitchen and the front of the store. “Make a wedding cake.”
“Yeah, that’s what I want to do, Cat. Make a wedding cake when I’m miserable over a man.”
She’s in the kitchen, at my side a second later.
“It’s his loss.” She wraps me in a warm hug and the prickling of tears stings the corner of my eyes, and I try to push it back.
“I’m stupid. I mean did I honestly think that the playboy of Climax Cove would ever settle down?”
“You’re not stupid. You didn’t mean to fall for him. You were having fun, but you’re just not that type of girl. Hell, I don’t think there’s a girl out there who can’t not develop feelings for a guy she’s sleeping with on the regular. Women are built differently than men and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Cat, forever the optimistic one.
“I just want to smash something,” I say, clenching my fists at my side.
I glance down at the heart cookie I was making for sweetest day this weekend and before I realize what I’m doing, it’s crumbling in my hands.
“Okay, Ava.” Cat pries my hands open and the crumbs fall to the counter. “Let’s channel this anger into something productive. Why don’t we bake? You always seem calm when you bake.”
I glance to the sink with the burnt cupcake pans. Her gaze follows mine.
“Let’s not do cupcakes. Let’s dip things in chocolate or something.”
“I’m a baker, not a chocolatier,” I remark and she huffs, clearly annoyed with my woe is me attitude.
“Then let’s bake things and smash them.”
Her sentence gives me an idea and I could kiss her. I run to the backroom, finding all the supplies and piling bags of sugar candy and pounds of chocolate on the table.
“I’m loving this inspired look you have going on right now.” Cat’s finger circles around my face. “What are we making?”
“I’m making piñata cakes. Could you do me a favor and run down to Nail Me Hardware and get some small wooden hammers? If they don’t have wood, get the smallest ones and pretty duct tape.”
She looks at me like I’m literally growing a third head.
