by C. A. Harms
“Are you done cleaning yet?” She’d texted me earlier about going swimming, and I’d declined. “Because I’m tired of laying out alone, and AJ is trapped by my brother. I swear he never lets her out of his sight.”
“I got flowers.” Maybe it was wrong of me to blurt it out like that, but I was bursting at the seams, or so it felt. “From Landon.” Again I was met with nothing but silence. “I’m not sure what to think of it or why he’d even send them, but they are here, on my counter, just”—I pause, feeling overwhelmed suddenly—“staring at me."
“Your flowers are staring at you?” I heard the humor in her question.
“You know what I mean.” This was not the time for her to pick apart my crazy. “Besides, you are missing a very crucial part. They are from Landon.” I enunciated his name very slowly. “He sent me flowers.”
“It’s sweet.” Oh my God, I needed to call Maddison. These times called for someone who did not have their head in the clouds. Sweet, sweet Grace, I loved her to death, but the girl was a dreamer. She was all romantic hearts and rainbows, and right now I was in desperate need of someone who had been through the bullshit. I needed Maddison—plus she had a bit of insight. Mike knew Landon better than any of us.
“I need to call you back.” I heard her arguing as I ended the call, and for a second, I felt bad. But only for a second, because I was in desperate need of some clarity.
Calling Maddison, I was met with Mike’s hushed words. “She’s asleep.” He didn’t sound too far off from lazy land himself. I couldn’t talk to him about this, no way.
“Can you have her call me when she gets up?”
“Sure thing.” He paused, and I was sure he yawned. “Anything I can help with?”
I was tempted, but only for a second, before telling him no and ending the call quickly.
For the next hour and a half, I busied myself with more unnecessary cleaning, but it never failed; every five minutes, I would pause to stare at the flowers. They truly were beautiful.
After I’d taken all I could take, I caved and called my mother.
Big mistake. Huge. If I thought Grace was a romance fanatic, my mother was a hundred times worse. Landon had a lover in my momma the minute per her request I snapped a photo of the arrangement and sent it to her phone.
She was hopeless. She said any man who took the time to send an arrangement like that just to prove he was a good man was in fact a good man.
And I was no closer to figuring out what his motive could be. Not when the voice of reason was being drowned by those who wanted to romanticize it all.
Chapter Eight
Landon
“Flowers?”
I arched my brow at Mike and waited for him to continue. Though I already knew what he was referring to, I pretending to have no clue.
“You frazzled her even more, you know.” He lifted his ball cap and wiped the sweat from his forehead before setting it back in place. “She went through the entire chain of women in the family trying to get their opinions on your motive.”
“No motive.” So that was a lie. “What’s the verdict? Am I still an ass?”
“It’s about fifty-fifty.” He said this with a laugh. “Half of them think you feel sorry for her and are trying to ease the tension because you know that you’ll have to face her since you’re both in the wedding party at Rhett and AJ’s wedding. The other half think you have to be an all right guy if you went to so much trouble.”
“Are you fucking with me?”
Mike cast out his line and relaxed back in the chair at my side. With a shrug, I knew he was letting me stew on his words purposely. “Why would I feel sorry for her?”
“Because you embarrassed the hell out of her and now you can’t get out of that hole.”
“So, what, I should have taken her home and taken advantage of her drunken state?”
This managed to get a rise out of him when I got a glare I was oh too familiar with.
“Exactly, which is why I called a cab instead.”
“You could have done that without calling her a kid. That left a mark for sure.”
“I never once called her a kid.” This shit was getting old. “She was loaded, Mike. I’m talking falling over her own two feet, slurring her words. She insisted that I couldn’t handle her and I was intimidated by that. Insisted that if we were behind closed doors—” I shook my head, remembering how hard it was not to take her up on the offer. I am a man, and Chloe’s attractive. Okay, fine, she was more than attractive. She was beautiful and alluring. She had this innocent way about her, her eyes, those lips.
“That doesn’t sound like Chloe.”
“Exactly.” I wasn’t the kind of guy that did shit like that. I liked the woman I was with to consciously remember the event. I’d had one night stands, I wasn’t a punk, but I refused to have sex with a woman that wouldn’t remember it the next day. “Nowhere in the span of that night did I ever refer to her as a kid.”
I started to run through every second of the conversation, every little tease and taunt she threw my way and my replies. There truly wasn’t much I said, except— “Wait.”
“Remember now?” Mike chuckled like he’d just witnessed a realization, but it wasn’t what he thought.
“Kitten.” I whispered the word and let out an exasperated breath. “I called her kitten. But to an inebriated female, that could very well sound like kid.”
All this time, all these fucking months she’d been hanging on the wrong damn word.
“Looks like you have some explaining to do.”
“And I suppose you aren’t gonna offer me an ounce of help?” He chuckled, and I already knew the answer.
“I think I’d rather be a silent observer. It’ll be entertaining to watch you work your way through this mess.” Dick. “I agree with Rhett. I like to watch you squirm.”
***
“Slow night.” I opened my eyes and looked to my left just as Will sat down on the couch beside me. “Rachel’s been sending me videos of Harlow all night.” He held out his phone, and I looked down. “She’s learned the word no.” Just then, his daughter filled the screen as she slapped her hands on her highchair tray, screaming no over and over before giggling happily.
“I think I’m gonna have my hands full with this one for sure.”
Blonde bouncing curls swung around her chubby little face. A smile so big, showing off her toothless smile. She was adorable.
Then I heard the sound of his wife in the background as she repeated the word no in between each chant of their daughter’s.
“Nothing like it, ya know.” The video ended, and I watched as Will held the phone closer, looking down at the still image of his little girl. “Being a dad, it’s unexplainable, the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had.”
I wanted that life, the wife and the kids. I wanted to experience the happiness of having a family to go home to.
“Layne,” I heard my name being hollered out just before Rich fills the open doorway, “you have a pretty lady downstairs asking for you.”
My heart rate spikes. “Who?”
“A pretty little blonde,” he wagged his eyebrows, “brought you a box of something and refuses to leave it with anyone but you.”
Standing, I walked in his direction, and when he attempted to follow me, I paused and gave him a puzzled look.
“Thought maybe you needed some backup.” When he shrugged, I took the opportunity to shove him backward. He stumbled and laughed, bracing himself on the wall. “I’ll just watch from up here, but if you need me to take her off your hands, just holler. I’d be more than happy to help.”
Ignoring his words, I took the stairs two at a time and paused at the landing to look back up. Both Will and Rich were leaning over the railing, watching me with eagerness. Will offered a thumbs up, and of course Rich the player made a few vulgar gestures, and part of me wanted to go back up and hang him over the ledge by his feet, but I continued on.
As I rounded the corn
er, I felt the excitement in me falter when I found Holly standing near the back of one of the trucks holding a small box in her hand. I did my best to hide my disappointment when she looked up. My earlier thoughts of turning around resurfaced but for entirely different reasons now.
“Hey you.” Immediately, I noticed the flirtatious way she began to saunter in my direction. “I thought I’d swing by on my way home from work and offer you something sweet. Oh, and I brought brownies, too.”
“Thanks.” I ignored the way she’d just offered herself up and looked down at the box she held instead.
“I’d like to say I made them myself, but I’d be lying.” She pushed out the box a little farther in my direction, and I accepted them and forced a smile. “Lily Mae’s, the best in town.” She wasn’t lying. Lily Mae was a sixty-year-old woman who owned a bakery in town. She’d been feeding the town of Brooklet’s sugary sweet addiction for years.
“I appreciate the treats.” I stepped back. “The guys will love these.”
“And you?” Holly stepped closer, and I heard one of the guys whistle from behind. She, of course, looked over my shoulder, offering up another sweet flirty smile to whomever it was behind me. When she gave a little wave, I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This was a fine example of why she and I would never work. The woman had no shame. It never mattered if she was in a relationship or not; she loved attention. The more she got, the better. Married or not, she accepted it and demanded more.
“So about that drink you owe me.” She returned her attention to me. “When does your shift end?”
“I wish I could but—” I paused, wondering how the hell I was supposed to get out of this without sounding like a complete asshole. “I’m seeing someone.”
“You are?” The question came from over my shoulder, and again I refrained from turning around. I would deal with the guys later. Right now, I had to get out of this and fast. “It’s new but,” Chloe’s face filled my thoughts, “it’s something I don’t want to screw up.”
“So who’s the lucky girl?” I didn’t miss the way her nostrils flared with her question.
“Chloe.” Before I had the chance to stop myself, her name fell from my lips.
Holly’s eyes widened with surprise. “Rigdon?”
I nodded.
“Hmm.” She still didn’t back away. “I must say that I can’t truly picture the two of you together. She is so—” Instantly, I felt myself growing defensive before she even finished the sentence. “Well, just not your type.”
“You think you know my type?”
“Chloe is just so reserved and boring.” When Holly crossed her arms over her chest, her tits pushed upward, and I knew she’d done it on purpose. When I looked up and our stare reconnected, I saw the gleam in her eyes. “How about you take this?” She held out a piece of paper, and I took it, hoping it would move her along a little faster. “Whenever you get tired of Little Miss Perfection, give me a call.”
I saw a phone number scribbled on the paper, and instead of looking back at her, I focused on it instead.
“I think we both know already that you and I would be real good together.” With that, she moved in close and pressed a kiss to my cheek. Pulling back, she left behind a wet mess, and I was instantly reminded of the horrendous kisser she was. “Don’t lose that.” I fought off the shiver her whisper inflicted. “Enjoy those treats, Landon, and think of me.”
I heard the sound of her heels clicking against the floor as she exited.
“Damn,” Rich mumbled at my side, and I hold out the box of brownies. “You don’t want ’em?”
“Nah, suddenly I’m not feeling so good.” I walked away, wondering if the knot in my stomach was solely related to the vexatious woman that just left or the idea that I had just told Holly that I was dating Chloe. It was just a matter of time before that got back to her and, hell, every damn person in her family.
I had just made it to the top of the stairs when my phone beeped with a message.
Dating Chloe, huh?
That didn’t take long.
Chapter Nine
Chloe
“Have you seen him?” I continued to focus on the darkened road before us that was lit up by the bright lights of her Explorer.
“Nope.” I was interrogated first thing Thursday morning when I entered the office. Holly was waiting for me with one question after another.
When did I start dating Landon? Was it serious?
I knew I had to look like a deer caught in the headlights. I was blindsided, and before I could stop myself, I asked her if she was insane.
It was all downhill from there. She laughed, insisted that she knew that Landon and I couldn’t be a couple because the two of us were like night and day. There was no way a man like that could be interested in a girl like me. It only made me hate her more. When she walked away saying that he was just playing hard to get, I wanted to grab her by her hair and give it a real nice tug, only I was still too wrapped up in the idea of why Landon would say we were dating.
I chalked it up to her hearing him wrong. There really wasn’t any other explanation.
“Maybe you should,” Mad said. I shifted my gaze and gave her a glance. “Talk to him. It really might clear up a lot of things.”
“What do you know?”
“Nothing.” Mad said that entirely too fast. “I’m just saying.”
“Maddison.” Turning in the seat, I faced her. “Spill.”
“Would you look at that,” the car swerved to the right, “we’re here.”
The bright light of Lucky’s sign shined over the parking light, and Maddison pulled into the first available spot. “Mike’s waiting inside. Come on.” And she’s off, faster than I thought her little legs could carry her. “You know him. If I don’t get in there, he’ll come find me.”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my purse and started to follow, knowing without a doubt that she knew something.
The sounds of the music playing inside spilled out when she opened the door to the bar. She paused, looked back over her shoulder, and I narrowed my gaze. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Stop hiding shit,” I retorted, and she snorted in laughter.
“Come on,” she reached out and hooked her arm with mine, “let’s find my guy.”
Mike had called three times over the last hour, rushing us along. He had been gone all day working on a project at Grandma and Grandpa’s and said he was missing his woman. I thought it was adorable how caveman he was with Maddison. He adored her, and yes, I was a bit jealous of the connection they shared.
We slowly found our way through the crowd. The loud rumble of the band mixed with the loud voices around us was deafening. Maddison paused, and I stumbled over someone’s foot, bumping into her from behind. Reaching out, I steadied myself and was just about to ask her what was wrong when I was met with a determined set of big brown eyes. They were focused solely on me and narrowed.
“Shit.” I stepped back and let go of Mad’s arm. Each step I took was only met with those he took. The distance between us was not widening. Nervous energy raced through me, and I could feel my hands getting clammy as my chest tightened.
And then I did it, not my most graceful move, but I spun around on my heels and bolted for the door. Going where, I had no damn clue considering I didn’t drive, but I was in frantic mode.
I was only a few feet from the door when it came open and a big burly man stepped inside, blocking my exit. He offered me a little chin lift, and I attempted to step aside, only I was unable to. A strong chiseled chest was pressed to my arm, and I didn’t have to turn to know who it belonged to, because I would notice that manly scent anywhere.
I couldn’t breathe. I was unable to run.
Suddenly, Landon stepped around me, our eyes locked, and then he smirked. “You’re not gonna like this.” And then he leaned in and placed his shoulder at my waist before hooking his arm around me, and my feet leave the floor. “You and I need to talk.”
Unable to speak, I pressed my hands to his back and looked around frantically. Across the bar, I saw Rhett and Mike with AJ and Maddison at their sides, watching with smiles stretched out wide across their lips. Are you freaking kidding me?
I felt the shift in the temperature as he stepped outside. The coolness of the night was actually welcome on my clammy skin.
I still wasn’t exactly sure where it was he was taking me, but that didn’t really frighten me any. It was the idea of being alone with him that had me freaking out. I’d done a pretty stellar job of avoiding him, but now I was stuck. I knew this.
Landon paused, and I began to formulate a plan. He carefully started to lower me to the ground once more, and the second my feet touched the ground, I attempted to scurry off. I actually thought I was in the clear until I heard his boots scuffing against the gravel parking lot of Lucky’s, and I accepted the fact that I was not—lucky, that was.
“Damn, woman, will you just give me two minutes?” Landon hooked me around the waist, spinning me around in one quick impressive move, and I found myself being held captive in his strong arms. Okay, so yes, it felt amazing, but the nervous energy inside me begged to differ.
Not once did he attempt to release me. I couldn’t have escaped even if I’d tried. With one hand on either side of me, he gripped my waist and moved in a little closer.
“I think there has been a miscommunication between you and me.” I focused on his chest instead of his mouth. That was a train wreck in the making, because whenever I looked at Landon’s lips, I grew all girly girl and wanted nothing more than to kiss him. He honestly had perfect lips, and when he smiled, holy hell, I was a mess.
“That night at the bar—”
