“I can see that too. But, sweetie, I know Bryce pretty well, and he’s not that kind of guy. He wouldn’t cut and run because he was bored or over it. He’s loyal to his very core. There has to be a reason for what he did. So my advice is this: ask him. I know you’re scared, but neither of you are going to be able to move past this—together or separately—until you know everything. He owes you the full story, Tessa. So demand it.”
Dani reappeared on the other side of the counter, and my moment with Sage came to an end. But I actually felt a million times better than I had a few minutes before. Thanks to Sage, I believed I might be able to handle what was in store. “All right, ladies. Here you go. Feel free to take your first sips now so you can wax poetic about my brilliance where I can hear it.”
With a smile, I lifted my cup to my lips, taking a drink so I could do just that when a masculine voice spoke up behind us.
“Ladies.” Sage and I turned just as the detective I’d spoken with the day of Charity’s arrest joined our little circle. “Sage, Dani. Hope you’re havin’ a good mornin’.”
“No complaints so far,” Sage offered. But Dani didn’t say a word, and from the corner of my eye I noticed she’s gone stiff as a board.
Leo’s head slowly swiveled to me, and a smile that read interested loud and clear stretched across his handsome face. “Tessa. Nice to see you again.”
“You too, Detective.”
“Told you already, darlin’, call me Leo.”
My cheeks heated under his attention, and I began to squirm. “Um, sorry, Leo.”
His grin grew bigger, and two attractive dimples popped in his cheeks. “Nothin’ to be sorry for. I’m actually glad I ran in to you.”
“Oh?”
“I heard you’re lookin’ for volunteers for the Halloween Festival. I was wonderin’ if maybe you’d like to join me for dinner and we can discuss where I could help out.”
Oh hell. The situation just turned all kinds of awkward. “Um, I don’t—”
Sage jumped in, saving me from turning into a stuttering, bumbling disaster. “Tessa’s going on a date tonight, but I’m her right hand in all things festival. Step into my office, and I’ll be happy to figure out where we can utilize your talents.” She slipped her arm through his and began leading him away, her move so skilled he had no choice but to follow after her.
Blowing out a sigh of relief, I turned my back on the duo to find Dani standing there like a mannequin. Her face had bleached an unnatural white, and her expression was one of sadness mixed with longing as she stared off at where Sage and Leo had just disappeared into the crowd.
Oh shit. “Dani?” She gave a little jolt at the sound of my voice. I kept my tone steady and quiet as I queried, “Is there something between you and Leo?”
“What? No! No, we’re not . . . that is . . . I mean, there’s nothing going on. Not at all.”
“But you want there to be.” It wasn’t a question. I could see it written all over her face. The beautiful woman standing in front of me had very real feelings for the handsome detective.
She began looking around anxiously before hooking her thumb over her shoulder. “I should probably get back there—”
I reached across the counter, grabbing her arm to bring her to a stop before she could run off. “I’m not sure if you heard, but I’m kind of married to Bryce Dixon.”
By the way her eyes bulged, I knew this was the first she’d heard anything about it. “You are?”
“It’s complicated right now, but yeah. And the last thing I have any interest in is making things even messier by bringing someone else into the mix.”
Her forehead puckered in a frown. “Why are you telling me this?”
“No reason. Just thought you should know is all.”
The sadness disappeared from her gaze, replaced by understanding as she whispered, “Thanks, Tessa.”
I shrugged, feigning confusion. “For what? I was only telling you what I’m sure you would’ve heard through the grapevine eventually.”
She finally smiled, and I breathed a sigh of relief that this potential friendship hadn’t been set off course. “Free cronuts for life, babe.”
“You just made a huge mistake,” I warned her. “Because I’m so taking you up on that.”
Chapter Seventeen
Bryce
The moment Tessa’s door opened and I got my first look at her, my dick sprang to life. One glance was all it took, and I was hard enough to pound nails.
Her black dress clung like a second skin. The top hugged her beautifully, accentuating her tiny waist and rounded hips, lifting her breasts high, breasts I knew from personal experience were a perfect handful. The skirt hit mid-thigh but had a longer layer of fringe that hung down to her knees, swishing and teasing at the soft, smooth thighs beneath.
Her long, light brown hair hung down her back in soft, loose curls, and those gorgeous honey eyes popped beneath smoky shadow and dramatic eyeliner. Every inch of her, from the top of her head to the sexy as fuck stilettos on her feet, took my breath away.
“Christ, beauty. You look . . .”
She shifted from foot to foot while chewing on her glossy bottom lip nervously. “Is it too much? I ran into Sage this morning and she said The Groves was fancy, but I wasn’t sure if—”
“You’re absolutely perfect.” My voice was rough and craggy, full of desire as I did one last scan of the stunner that stood before me. “Jesus, you’re gorgeous, Tessa.”
An adorable blush hit her cheeks, making the rosy hue a shade darker. “Well, thank you.” She took a moment to look me over, taking in the pressed slacks, button-down shirt, and blazer I was wearing with an appreciative eye. “You look really handsome.”
“Glad you approve,” I teased, holding my hand out. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah.” Grabbing a tiny clutch off the entrance table, she stepped through the door, closing it firmly behind her, and took my hand without hesitation.
The idea of giving her space had flown right out the window the moment I saw her, so as I guided my truck out of Hope Valley toward the restaurant, I did it with our clasped hands resting on the center console between us. I couldn’t not touch her. It wasn’t an option. This was a moment I’d been dreaming about forever, and now that I had her sitting beside me, on the way to our date, I worried I’d wake up any second and discover I was still dreaming.
Feeling her delicate hand in mine, dragging my fingers across the thrumming pulse beneath her wrist, proved this was very, very real.
“So, what were you up to today?” I asked, wanting to hear her sweet voice fill the cab of my truck.
“Well, I told you I saw Sage this morning. I went to Muffin Top, and she introduced me to the woman behind all that baked goodness. I’ve only met her once, but I’ve tasted her pastries, and I think Dani might be my favorite person in the world.”
A laugh bubbled up my throat. “Dani’s good people. She’s a Hope Valley native. With her skills in the kitchen, she could’ve gone anywhere and been successful. Believe me when I say everyone in town’s real happy she decided to open up shop here instead of moving to a big city.”
She turned her face from the passenger window and graced me with a smile bright enough to light up the dark truck. “Oh, trust me, I know. I’m now one of those people. After that, I headed back to the inn to work on the costumes.”
That was the perfect segue for something I’d been meaning to talk to her about. “Speaking of the inn, have you started lookin’ for someplace a little more permanent to stay? You’ve been in town a while now.”
Her sigh was heavy and tired. “I know. The inn is great and all, but I’m bleeding money staying there. I just haven’t had the time to look for my own place. I don’t want to live in an apartment, but the few chances I’ve had to search online, I haven’t had a whole lot of luck. I’m not even sure where to look.”
“I know of a few places in town.” One in particular. “If you want, I can show you
around. When’s your next day off?”
“I can’t ask you to do that. I already took so much of your time when I was sick—”
I squeezed her hand, cutting her off. “Honey, you didn’t ask, I offered. And I offered because I want to help. So, again, when’s your next day off?”
From the corner of my eye, I caught her chewing on that plump bottom lip again, and I ached to lean over and lick the sting away. “Thursday,” she finally answered. “I try to schedule my days off during the week so I can be there for the kids on the weekends.”
“Then we’ll look on Thursday.” Hell, I’d go to another goddamn fabric store, lugging around all her shit if it meant I got a chance to spend more time with her. Only two nights, and I was addicted to sleeping with her in my arms. Sleep had been impossible without her this past week.
“Are you sure? You’ve already done so much for me. You took off work when I was sick. Running me around on my errands. Helping with the haunted house. That’s a lot, Bryce.”
I wouldn’t tell her, at least not until I was confident she was ready to hear it, but there wasn’t a single thing I wasn’t willing to do for this woman. “I’m positive, Tessa. Besides, the haunted house gig was a favor to Cord. After all, he’s the one who asked, right?” What I didn’t say was I would’ve agreed to help no matter what, because the man was my brother, but the reason I jumped at the chance as fast as I did was because of her.
“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” Her hand turned over in mine, bringing us palm to palm, and my heart kicked into overdrive. “In that case, I don’t feel so bad taking you up on your offer.”
“Never feel bad,” I told her, my tone serious as I brought our linked hand up and dragged my lips across her knuckles. “And never hesitate to ask for my help if you need it, okay?”
When her hand started to tremble, I knew that shake was coursing through her whole body, and I had to fight back the grin that wanted to form.
“O-okay.” The throaty, seductively low timbre of her voice made my groin tighten. But that shouldn’t have come as a surprise.
All the woman had to do was breathe, and I was ready to take her.
* * *
Tessa
The Groves exceeded my wildest expectations.
The outside of the building was positively stunning, a rustic cabin surrounded by trees, tucked into the foothills. The lights inside shown through the huge diamond-paned windows, creating a breathtaking golden glow that worked beautifully with the gas lamps lighting the walkways.
The outside was something to see; the inside was even better. Sage hadn’t been joking, this place was swanky. I loved it instantly. And icing on the cake, the food was absolutely delicious.
Conversation with Bryce flowed naturally as we drank wine—me—and whiskey—him. There wasn’t a single lull or awkward moment. He shared about some of the jobs he’d worked on since starting at Alpha Omega and asked me tons of questions about my work, everything from now to my time as a case worker back in Houston.
The only time the conversation grew a bit heavy was when he reached across the table and played with my fingers before reaching down to toy with my watch. “Tell me about this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I know it’s your dad’s, but there has to be a story behind why you wear it all the time. If you can talk about it, I’d like to hear it.”
Pulling my hands back, I stared down at the watch, circling the large face with my index finger before I loosened the leather band. “We didn’t have a lot of money growing up,” I started, keeping my eyes to the watch as I flipped it around over and over. “We weren’t poor; we were just like everyone else. My dad was a middle school science teacher, and my mom was a stay-at-home mother. We made do, but there wasn’t a lot of money for extravagant things, you know?” I pulled in a calming breath and finally lifted my eyes to his. “My mom wanted to do something special for my dad for their anniversary, so she started cleaning houses in our neighborhood. She saved every dime she made for months and bought my dad the most expensive watch she could afford.”
A small, whistful smile tugged at my lips as I flipped the watch and traced the words carved into the back, words I’d memorized a long time ago.
“Mom always called Dad her heart and soul, and he called her his other half. So she had those words inscribed on the back of it. For my heart and soul. My other half.” My throat grew thick, the words coming out husky as I told him, “I can still remember the look on my dad’s face when she gave it to him. It was like he’d fallen in love with her all over again. It was just a watch, but it meant everything to him.”
Bryce’s hand came into my line of vision, his long fingers wrapping around mine. “Kills me that you lost them, beauty.”
“Me too,” I said on a sniffle, clasping the watch back around my wrist before looking up at him. “I still miss them every single day. But I have a million memories like that one, and I’ll always be grateful for the time I had with them.”
“Then I’m glad you have them.” As if sensing my need to get things back to how they’d been earlier, Bryce easily shifted the conversation back to something lighter. There was just one problem. Any time I asked about his time as a Navy SEAL, he’d deflect, shifting the conversation back to me with an ease that told me it was something he’d had plenty of practice doing.
I wanted to press harder, but when he brought up the kids at Hope House, I couldn’t help but get lost in my excitement as I talked about each and every one of them.
“I’m tellin’ you, beauty, seeing you with them yesterday was amazing. Those kids adore you.” He lifted his whiskey glass and swirled the amber liquid around before taking a sip. “Especially Charity.”
I felt my face grow soft as I thought of Charity. “She’s something special, isn’t she?”
“You mean somethin’ to her,” he said quietly, shooting me a knowing grin from across the table. “And you were worried you were failin’ her.” He shook his head good-naturedly. “From where I was standin’ it looks like you’ve been doin’ just fine.”
“They’re pretty curious about you,” I told him. “Reggie called me this morning. Apparently they asked a million questions after we left yesterday.” Lifting my wine glass, I took a sip, letting the fruity flavors coat my mouth before swallowing it. “They asked if you were going to come back for another visit. I think the older boys want to talk your ear off about your job.”
His eyes glinted as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. The flame from the small votive candle holder in the center of the table danced, making those spearmint greens look darker. “You tell me when and I’ll be there. They can talk my ear off as long or as often as they want.”
Bang! Another direct hit to those walls. If not for the answer to the one question I had yet to find the courage to ask, they would have come crashing down completely.
But I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I was having such an incredible time I told myself I didn’t want to risk ruining it, when the truth was, I was a coward.
I kept the rest of the dinner conversation light, but as he led me to the valet after paying the check, I couldn’t shake the disappointment I felt in myself. It was one question. One simple question and the war waging inside me could finally come to an end.
Or his answer could make everything worse.
I grew quiet as Bryce started the drive back to Hope Valley, staring out the side window at the silhouettes of trees and mountains all around us. Halfway through the ride, he reached over and took my hand, his strong grip grounding me.
“You’ve gone silent on me, beauty,” he said into the darkness. “Talk to me. What’s on your mind?”
Now or never, Tessa. Grow some lady balls and get this over with.
Pulling in a fortifying breath, I shifted in my seat so I could see his profile in the dim lights of the dashboard. “I have to ask you a question.”
“You can ask me anything, Tessa.”
Here goes nothing. “Bryce, why did you—?”
Then it happened. The sky opened up, rain came down in sheets, and when a deafening crack of thunder shook the truck, everything inside me shut down.
Chapter Eighteen
Bryce
“Goddamn, this storm came outta nowhere,” I grunted, flipping the windshield wipers on high against the driving rain.
I didn’t want to let go of Tessa, but in order to navigate the narrow mountain roads in this downpour, I needed both my hands on the wheel.
“What was it you were gonna ask me, honey?” No answer. “Tessa?” A bolt of lightning shot across the sky, lighting the cab of the truck like a spotlight, and when I glanced over, Tessa was curled into a tight ball, her chest pressed against her thighs, her head buried between her knees with her arms wrapped over it protectively.
My heart started beating faster at the sight of her. “Tessa? Baby? You okay?”
I could barely hear her voice over the storm raging outside. “You have to pull over.”
“What? I can’t hear you.”
“You have to pull over,” she said louder, her voice full of panic. “Right now. You have to pull over right now.”
“Honey, we can’t pull over.”
“We can’t drive in this, Bryce. We can’t drive in this! You have to pull over!”
A chill skated over my skin. The more she spoke the more terrified she sounded. “Tessa, baby, we can’t. There’s no shoulder here. If we pull over now, we could cause an accident.”
A whimper wrenched itself from her chest, causing my blood to turn to ice. “Oh my God. Oh my God.”
“Tessa. I need you to talk to me. What’s happening?”
Reaching over the console, I pressed my hand to her back. Her body was shaking like a leaf.
She shot up so quick I nearly jumped out of my skin, her eyes big and manic “Both hands on the wheel!” she screeched before resuming her hunched position. She began to rock, mumbling something under her breath that I couldn’t make out.
The Second Time Around: a Hope Valley novel Page 14
