Dirty Exes

by Rachel Van Dyken

  I handed Colin the wine and then shrugged. “Thank you, for apologizing, but it’s not necessary . . . I’m not sorry. You guys deserve the sort of happiness I’ve already found.”

  And I meant it.

  I actually did.

  The bell clanged again as Jessie shoved his massive body through, looking ready to hide. “That woman’s going to get me arrested.”

  Olivia’s mouth dropped open.

  “Hey there,” Jessie said, though he basically ignored her. “Can you please put a leash on her? She followed me into the bathroom. Again!”

  Isla trounced through the door and winked up at him. “Just keeping you on your toes. So, we doing this or what?”

  Colin groaned. “How did you follow us?”

  “Uh, PI?” Isla held up her hand. “Plus I don’t have any wine at the house and saw the direction Blaire was driving your Audi, like a bat out of hell.”

  “That’s all true,” I agreed.

  Colin pulled me to his chest just as Isla’s eyes darted to the stunned couple behind us. “Er, they okay?”

  “Yup.” I winked at her while Jason and Olivia picked out whatever wine was closest to them and got in line behind us.

  “Are you Jessie Beckett?” Olivia blurted out.

  Jessie stilled and then shrugged. “Maybe, but this guy right here”—he pointed to Colin—“owns a hotel empire bigger than the Hiltons, so if you want someone’s autograph, his is probably worth more.”

  Jessie shared a look with me before winking.

  I bit down on my lip as I felt a blush spread across my cheeks.

  “Thanks, man.” Colin cursed under his breath as he finished paying. “Hey, anytime you guys are in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by one of my hotels, first round of drinks on me.” He handed his card to Jason and then placed his hand on my ass as we left the building.

  I stood in front of the car, hands shaking. Colin pulled me to his chest and kissed my forehead. “You okay?”

  I nodded.

  “Please tell me that’s the ex-husband, or I just sounded like a complete douche.” Jessie exhaled and tried to wrangle his Tesla keys from Isla.

  “Of course that’s the ex, did you see the longing on his face?” Isla sighed. “Classic.”

  “There was no longing,” I said.

  Colin grunted in the back of his throat. “I was seconds away from flattening his nose with my fist.”

  “Oooo!” Isla grinned. “Go back, I’ll put it on Facebook Live.”

  “Nobody is punching anyone on Facebook Live.” I glared at Isla and then pulled Colin in for a hug. “And he’s not worth it, not anymore.”

  “No.” Colin’s eyes burned. “He’s not.”

  “You’re welcome!” Jessie called out, but all I saw was Colin, all I felt was Colin, his lips on mine, his body pressing me against his car, and when the store’s bell rang again and footsteps sounded, I realized it was all the closure I needed.

  Because I was finally at a place where I was content just being me.

  With a guy I loved.

  Who taught me that being yourself is more than enough, and if the other person can’t accept that—then breaking up is for the best.

  “Let’s go!” Isla called. “I want some of that wine.”

  “She’ll just keep yelling,” Colin said against my mouth.

  “Eh, one more kiss,” I said amidst Isla’s protests and Jessie’s honking.

  Epilogue

  COLIN

  “Let me guess.” I had just hopped behind the bar to help one of my guys when my phone lit up: Spy Girl. “You got stuck?”

  Blaire sighed loudly into the phone. “I’m not . . . stuck, per se.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Oh? So what would you say you are?”

  “Spying.”

  “Interesting. Who’s the pathetic bastard you’re trying to trap now?”

  “He’s wearing black,” she whispered. “And he hasn’t found out I’m here yet, but it’s because I have a good hiding spot.”

  “It wouldn’t happen to be in a pantry, would it?”

  “Nope.”

  “Blaire, seriously, do you need help?”

  “I need whiskey.”

  “Blaire.”

  “Please?”

  “I’m not driving to God knows where and getting arrested just so you can have your whiskey. I love you, but I’m not going to jail—again.”

  She laughed. “That was more Jessie’s fault than mine.”

  Ever since the trip two months ago, we’d all tried to move on. Vanessa left Jessie’s house, and news broke about her cheating. We later found out she leaked the story, because any publicity is good publicity, and her book sales went crazy mainly because once people figured out a lot of what she said was fabricated, they bought the book to make fun of it and rip it apart.

  Vanessa decided to move to New York for a fresh start, and Jessie sold his boring, white-ass house and moved into a chic beach house in Malibu.

  “Okay, I’ll at least admit Jessie was the culprit on that one, you girls are a seriously bad influence on him.” And they were, Isla especially. She forced him out of his comfort zone, and because the guy was competitive, he didn’t back down, thus the jail time (turns out, Walmart felt very strongly about drunk shopping-cart racing).

  I think they would have remained close had Vanessa not leaked to the media that she had hired us to investigate him because she suspected he was cheating. It put him in a speculative light that had him irritated with Isla and wanting to shut down our business. The bad press forced him to resign from his charity, and he blamed her. Not sure why I was left off the hook.

  “Blaire, I gotta get back to work, we’re packed.”

  “Okay, me too!”

  “So you called for whiskey, I said no, and now you’re just going to go back to whatever the hell you were doing?”

  “Spying,” she corrected. “I’m spying, and he’s smoking hot.”

  I almost dropped the phone. “Excuse me?”

  “His jeans are so tight I could take a bite out of that ass . . .”

  I was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt.

  “Any tats?”

  “You mean other than the creepy snake one?”

  I rounded the corner.

  And there she was.

  Sitting in her original hiding spot.

  Grinning up at me like a fool.

  God, I loved her.

  I held up a finger and went to grab the whiskey, came back, and handed her a glass.

  “Top shelf?”

  “Always.”

  “I love you.” She stood and pulled me into her arms, I kissed the hell out of her because I could. Cheers erupted around us. I wasn’t private about my relationship with her—if anything, I wanted to make sure the world knew that I’d changed.

  Because I’d found someone who let me be me.

  Who challenged me.

  Who got me.

  Got us.

  “You free the rest of the night?” I asked, still holding her in my arms.

  “I sort of came by to see if you wanted to do a stakeout.”

  I felt my eyes light up. “Can I wear a badge?”

  “No.”

  “Can I taze someone?”

  “Not that kind of stakeout.”

  “Oh?”

  “We’re going to go spy on Isla, she’s been weird lately . . . besides, I figured following her in an unmarked vehicle would be a great prelude to sex.”

  “That’s my girl.” I gripped her hand. “Finish your drink, let me help restock, and we’ll go.”

  “Thanks, Colin.” She lifted her drink to her lips and then blinked down into her glass. “What’s that?”

  “Oh, that?” I shouted. “It’s a six-karat engagement ring.”

  She spit the whiskey all over me, just as Jessie and Isla made their way to the front of the bar and surrounded us.

  “Wait, is this why Isla was acting weird?” She smacked me on the che
st.

  “It was almost too easy.” Isla winked and then crossed her arms. “Um, aren’t you going to say yes?”

  “Be my adventure.” I kissed her across the lips, tasting whiskey there, tasting me.

  “YES!” Blaire shouted so loudly people turned to look. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Jessie patted me on the back, his face fell a bit, but I wasn’t sure if it was from losing Blaire, or the reminder of what kind of marriage he’d had. He quickly formed a smile and then whistled so the bar fell silent.

  “Drinks on the house!”

  “Bastard,” I grumbled.

  Everyone cheered.

  I wrapped my arms around her middle and kissed her neck. “Do you need to go upstairs and celebrate with swing sex?”

  She pressed a kiss to my chin. “I want your whiskey first.”

  “My whiskey,” I teased, “or my whiskey?” I rolled my hips into her.

  She smacked me. “Stop making things sexual and pour me a drink.”

  I kissed her mouth. Hard. Then whispered, “That, I can do.”

  Acknowledgments

  I’m so thankful to God for giving me this amazing opportunity to put words on paper, words people actually read! There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not in complete disbelief over the fact that I get to write books for a living. I feel so blessed. And I’m so thankful every day!

  My husband knows the drill by now, but it doesn’t make it any easier on him when our toddler is running around the house naked in need of attention while I’m still trying to finish a book and turn it in on time, so thank you, Nate, for being a true superhero not only to me but to our son, Thor. Thanks for all the dinners and late-night takeout runs, for locking my computer away and hiding my phone when you think I’m too exhausted to keep my eyes open. I’ll even say thank you for the forced naps where you trap me under enough blankets to suffocate a human and tell me to “Stay” while you hide my phone so I won’t find it and try to work. You are a true partner in crime, and my best friend . . . love you more than words could ever describe!

  Thor, thank you for being patient with Mama, and for understanding when I tell you that you can’t have any more nuggets if Mama doesn’t turn her book in on time because then Mama can’t buy the nuggets. Hah-hah, hey, it works with him, okay? Nuggets are a really big deal in our house. Chicken is chicken, people!

  A special thank-you to Erica, my incredible agent, for being so supportive of the ideas inside my head and for never saying, “Eh, let’s not and say we did.” You are family, and I’m so thankful to have you in my life.

  Maria, you have been so supportive, so funny, just amazing to have. I love Amazon Publishing, and I feel like I’m part of a team that truly cares for and loves one another. Courtney, I will always love you (cue music). Thank you for still staying in my life even after the baby!

  My beta readers were huge in this book, they read and reread and put up with me when I deleted chapters only to bring them back again. I argued with myself for months over this book, trying to make it the best possible, and you guys didn’t call me crazy or judge me, and just kept reading the words and offering the best advice ever. Kristin, Krista, Jill, Jessica, Tracy, Stephanie, Liza, you guys are amazing. Thank you so so so much!

  Audrey Carlan, girl, you’re the reason I am able to write a sex scene. Thanks for not laughing your head off when I had to send you a scene and get your approval, and thank you for being so helpful with all the words and support. I know that no matter what, I can pick up the phone and you’ll not only talk me off the cliff but pour wine into my glass until I feel better about my stress levels.

  To all of my author friends who I can’t even begin to list because this community is legit with its support: I could fill pages and pages with all the authors who helped me, held my hand, supported, and hugged on me when I was frustrated. I love you guys so hard, and I’m so blessed to be a part of this community.

  To Nina, thank you for sharing a room with me and not putting spiders in my bed—oh, and I guess you’re kind of an awesome publicist too. You have opened my eyes to so much and are so wise in all that you do. Thank you for just being you. Jill, another book, another story, another journey, thank you for allowing me to panic, and thank you for getting things done! You are family. Becca, between you and Angie I feel like this month has been chaotic but wonderful. You both have done so much, and I know I wouldn’t be sitting here smiling without everything you did to manage (Hah-hah, get it?) me. Becca, had you not been in NYC, I would have turned left instead of right, and I would have gotten hit by a taxi and missed my flight. Ang, thank you for shipping all the books and staying up until three in the morning to make sure they got to me on time!

  To Amazon Publishing, it’s a privilege to write for you. Thank you for constantly giving me a chance.

  And last but NOT least, thank you to my friends and family in Rachel’s New Rockin Readers—guys, you keep me sane! I stand by my belief that we are the friendliest, most drama-free group on Facebook. Thanks for always keeping things classy and for supporting me! As always you can find me on Twitter (@RachVD), Instagram (@RachVD), or by visiting my website (www.rachelvandykenauthor.com), and don’t forget you can join my fan group, Rachel’s New Rockin Readers, on Facebook—just type it in and request to join!

  HUGS,

  RVD

  About the Author

  Photo © 2014 Lauren Watson Perry, Perrywinkle Photography

  Rachel Van Dyken is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and #1 New York Times bestselling author known for regency romances, contemporary romances, and her love of coffee and Swedish Fish. Rachel’s also recently inked a deal for her Wingmen Inc. series—The Matchmaker’s Playbook and The Matchmaker’s Replacement—to be made into movies.

  A fan of The Bachelor and the Seattle Seahawks (not necessarily in that order), Rachel lives in Idaho with her husband, a super cute toddler son who keeps her on her toes, and two boxers. Make sure you check out her site, www.RachelVanDykenauthor.com, and follow her on Twitter (@RachVD).