by Elle Kennedy
Chapter Ten
Jake had just swallowed his third shot of whiskey when a shadow loomed over his table. Make that two shadows. Cooper Grady wasn’t alone; his trusty sidekick Wyatt flanked him, and both men eyed Jake warily as they hovered over him like a pair of vultures.
Everyone else in the bar seemed oblivious to Jake’s turbulent mood. He’d chosen to drown his sorrows at the Lodge tonight, mostly because he feared he’d pick a fight with Austin if he went to Bishop’s Corner, but now he regretted his decision not to wallow in private. The Saturday night crowd filled the tables scattering the Lodge’s main room, every bar stool was occupied, and the jukebox was blasting out a Garth Brooks tune that had several people clapping and singing along. Half the town was in attendance tonight, yet there wasn’t a single person Jake could commiserate with. Bree was right—he had distanced himself from the people of Paradise. Shunned them before they could shun him, the way they’d shunned his father.
“How’s it going, Bishop?” Cooper asked, his black eyes focusing on the three empty shot glasses on the tabletop then moving to the five full ones Jake had yet to consume.
“Bad night?” Wyatt Killington added.
“Something like that,” Jake mumbled.
“Mind if we join you?”
Jake swept a hand over the empty chairs. “Have at it.”
The two men sat down, ordered a couple of beers from the passing waitress, and continued to eye Jake as if they thought he might pounce on them at any second.
Which wasn’t all that farfetched. He was itching for a fight, but at the same time, loath to start any trouble. He’d already caused a doozy of a scene back at the Lockharts.
Fuck. He’d really messed up.
He’d really, really messed up.
But who could blame him? Bree’s parents were the nastiest people he’d ever met. They’d spent the entire evening insulting him. Baiting him. Treating him like a wad of dirty gum they’d had the misfortune of stepping on.
You shouldn’t have taken the bait, man.
Jake tossed back his next shot. The alcohol burned a fiery trail down to his gut, joining the knots of regret twisting his insides.
Bree was right. He was a hothead. He’d let his anger get the best of him, and as a result, he’d embarrassed Bree in front of her family. He didn’t regret snapping at Bree’s parents—after the way they’d behaved, telling them to fuck off had been downright polite compared to what he’d really wanted to say to them.
But telling them about his and Bree’s sexual past, pretty much insinuating that their daughter had been a slut? That was definitely crossing the line, and he didn’t blame Bree for reacting the way she had.
“What’s going on, Bishop?”
He lifted his head at the sound of Cooper’s raspy voice. “Nothing,” he muttered.
Cooper glanced at the shot glasses littering the table. “Doesn’t look like nothing.”
“Like I said, bad night.” He downed another mouthful of whiskey, then lost steam and gestured to the remaining shot glasses. “Have a drink, boys.”
Without delay, Cooper slugged back two of the shots, then fixed Jake with a rueful smile. “I’m having a bad night myself.”
“Why’s that?”
“Coop’s got lady trouble,” Wyatt spoke up with a grin. “And see, I’d really like to help him out, except he won’t say a damn word about it.” He slanted his head. “So ’fess up, man, who’s the mysterious chick that’s got your panties all twisted up?”
Cooper grunted out a noncommittal sound. “No one you know.”
Jake pretended not to notice the twinge of pain in the other man’s eyes. Hell, he could relate. Lady trouble was apparently the theme of the night.
At least Cooper had a handle on the shit he was feeling. The guy had flat out admitted to being in love with Lexie Price. Jake, on the other hand, had no clue how he felt about the woman who was tying him up in knots.
I can’t believe I thought I was actually falling in love with you again.
The rush of pleasure he’d received at the notion that Bree loved him had startled the hell outta him. It was the first time a woman had professed her love for him, though tonight’s declaration probably didn’t count since Bree had broken up with him right afterward.
But in that moment, he’d almost blurted out that he’d fallen for her too. Fortunately, he’d quelled the impulse. She probably would’ve slapped him. And besides, he couldn’t be entirely sure that what he felt for her was love. He liked being with her, that much was certain. No contest when it came to sex—best of his life. And it felt kinda nice, holding her once they came down from their respective orgasm highs. He also loved the sweet sound of her voice. The way she didn’t bug him to quit smoking even though he knew she hated the habit. How she seemed interested in everything he said. And her compassion—he loved how frickin’ big her heart was, how she’d gone out of her way to help him patch things up between his mom and brother.
Was that love?
Fuck, his head hurt, trying to sift through the hot rush of emotions spiraling through him.
“Wow, you two are real downers,” Wyatt announced, running a hand through his sandy-blond hair.
Jake snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that both he and Cooper had been silent for the past five minutes.
“Sorry, man, I’m shit company tonight, huh?” Cooper said with a sigh.
“Yep,” Wyatt confirmed.
“Let’s shoot some pool or something. Maybe that’ll get my mind off—” Cooper halted mid-sentence, his gaze focused on the door.
Jake shifted his head and spotted Lexie.
The sight of her made his spine stiffen. She still wore the black dress and red heels, and as she crossed the room with purposeful steps, Jake experienced a spark of dread. Fuck. She was approaching their table. No doubt to ream him out for the way he’d behaved back at the mansion.
He swallowed, steeling himself for an attack.
“Lexie—” he began when she marched up to the table.
But the blonde wasn’t looking at him. Her pale blue eyes were focused solely on Cooper, who stared at her with a mixture of surprise and apprehension.
“Lex? What are you—”
She didn’t let him finish. Blue eyes glittering with single-minded fortitude, Lexie grabbed Cooper by the collar of his black button-down, hauled him to his feet and kissed the living hell out of him.
A sense of pure liberation shot through Lexie’s body as she kissed Cooper. The second their lips touched, her entire world felt right again. The scratching of his stubble on her cheek, the taste of smoke and whiskey on his tongue, the firmness of his hands as he gripped her waist.
This was where she belonged. This was who she belonged with.
Without a single regard for anyone around them, she wrapped her arms around Cooper’s neck and deepened the kiss, feeling his smile even as he plunged his tongue through her parted lips and explored every inch of her mouth. A part of her couldn’t believe she was doing this, letting Cooper shove his tongue down her throat in front of everyone she knew.
But when they broke free and she saw the joy lighting his gorgeous eyes, she knew she’d done the right thing.
Hoots and catcalls sounded, but Lexie ignored them. She kept her gaze on Cooper’s rugged face, refusing to give in to the urge to flee. Being the center of attention made her unbelievably uncomfortable, but for Cooper, she was willing to battle the anxiety that arose from being surrounded by all those curious eyes.
“Why did you do that?” he rasped.
“Because we’re a couple,” she murmured. “And couples occasionally kiss each other when they’re out. They also say hello to each other in public.” She smiled faintly. “So…hello, Cooper.”
A crooked grin lifted his sexy mouth. “Hello, Lexie.”
From the corner of her eye, she noticed the bemused smile on Jake’s face, the stunned expression in Wyatt Killington’s eyes, but she continued to focus on Coo
per.
“Do you forgive me for being such a coward?”
“That depends,” he said roughly.
“On what?”
“On whether you’re actually ready to tell the world about us. And not just the folks in this bar tonight—I mean your family, Lex.”
“I know.” She swallowed. “And the answer is yes. In fact, you’re officially invited to brunch tomorrow.”
His normally rough features softened. “You mean that?”
“I mean it.”
The happiness in his eyes and the broad grin he shot her made her heart skip a beat. “Then yes, princess. You’re forgiven.” He dipped his head to plant a soft peck on her lips. “How about a game of pool? You’re always bragging about what a shark you are, but I believe this is the first time we’ve had the chance to face off.”
“Sounds good.” She glanced at Jake, then back at Cooper. “But first I need a moment alone with Jake.”
Cooper furrowed his dark eyebrows. “Okay. Sure. Come on, Wyatt, let’s claim a table before someone beats us to it.”
Cooper and Wyatt ambled off, and Lexie smiled when she noticed the happy spring to Cooper’s step. Yeah, she’d definitely done the right thing tonight. Screw her family and whatever narrow-minded opinions they’d have about Cooper. The man made her happy, blissfully happy, and she’d be damned if she’d let anyone tell her otherwise.
From his seat, Jake was also watching Cooper walk away. “You made his night,” he remarked, tracing the rim of an empty shot glass with the tip of his finger.
“He’s important to me,” she replied softly.
There was a beat of silence, broken by Jake’s heavy sigh. “So what do you want, Lexie? To lecture me for being an ass at dinner?”
“Naah. I imagine Bree lectured you enough for the both of us.” She planted a hand on her hip. “I wanted to give you some advice.”
He arched a brow. “I don’t recall asking for any.”
“Tough. You’re getting it anyway.” She hesitated. “You need to make things right with Bree.”
Jake averted his gaze.
“I’m serious. That woman did a brave thing tonight.”
That got his attention. With a pained look, he met her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Do you know how much guts it took for her to invite you to dinner?” Shame trickled down Lexie’s throat and settled in her chest. “God knows I didn’t have any. I could have asked Cooper to come tonight, but I didn’t. I was too scared because I knew my parents would act the same way Bree’s did.”
When Jake didn’t respond, she let out a frustrated breath. “Bree cared enough about you to bring you home, even knowing how much Tanner and Barbara would disapprove. It made me realize what a coward I’ve been. Cooper and I are good together, we complement each other, and I care about him so damn much. So what does it matter what anyone else thinks about that? It’s what we think of each other, and ourselves, that matters.”
Jake’s voice took on a note of sorrow. “Bree doesn’t think much of me right now.”
“Because you lashed out like a child and humiliated not only her, but her father. And knowing you Bishops, you’re just going to retreat even further and shut her out rather than admit you were wrong. My advice—don’t let Bree get away, Jake. I don’t know her well, but that woman must care something fierce for you if she brought you home to face the Snob Squad.”
More silence ensued, lasting long enough that Lexie decided to quit while she was ahead. “Think about what I said,” she said firmly. Her gaze landed on the shot glasses cluttering the tabletop. “And try not to get too wasted tonight. Or in the very least, leave your truck here and catch a ride home with someone.”
She started to walk away, but Jake’s voice stopped her.
“Lexie,” he said gruffly.
She half turned. “Yeah?”
“You’re kind of okay, you know that?”
She rolled her eyes. “I guess I’ll take kind of okay over ice princess. But this doesn’t make us friends.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said solemnly.
Fighting a smile, she left Jake at the table and crossed the busy room toward the half dozen pool tables spanning the far wall. Wyatt, who was racking up the balls, shot her a knowing grin as she made a beeline for Cooper.
“Sorry about that,” she said as she approached. “I needed to talk some sense into Bishop.”
When she took his hand, his expression flickered with surprise, but then he laced his fingers through hers and leaned in to brush his lips over her cheek. “I’m glad you’re here, Lex.”
She grasped his chin and angled his head so that their lips met. “Me too.”
Wyatt interrupted with a soft chuckle. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, Coop?” He laughed when he noticed their intertwined fingers. “Seriously. I never would’ve guessed your mystery lady would be Lexie Price.”
Both Cooper and Lexie stiffened. “Got a problem with that?” Cooper demanded.
Wyatt took on a thoughtful pose, then shrugged. “Nope. Actually, you two make a surprisingly cute couple.”
Lexie couldn’t help but feel touched. “Thanks, Wyatt.”
“Now the question is—how good are you at pool?” Cooper’s best friend teased as he handed her a cue. “Because mayor’s daughter or not, I won’t go easy on you. I play to win, Price.”
“So do I,” she said with the haughty raise of her eyebrows.
Wyatt raised his eyebrows right back. “Bring it, princess.”
Laughing, she rounded the table, then paused mid-step as she realized she’d forgotten to do something. Leaning the cue against the wall, she marched back to Cooper, brushed another kiss over his sexy mouth and murmured, “By the way, I love you too.”
Chapter Eleven
Three weeks later…
Jake was itching to get on the road, but he didn’t want to rush his brothers, who were taking their sweet-ass time finishing their food. Besides, he was the one who’d invited them to breakfast, so he really had no right to complain.
He’d only hung out with Nate a couple of times since his big brother had returned to Paradise last week, and Owen had been busy with a construction job in the next town over, so Jake hadn’t seen much of his twin either. As for Austin, he hadn’t answered his cell when Jake called about breakfast, which meant the jerk was still sulking about that botched intervention and had decided to give Jake the silent treatment.
“I’m psyched you’re only going to be an hour away,” Owen said between mouthfuls of his turkey club. “We should drive out every Sunday and catch the games with you.” He glanced at Nate. “What do you think?”
“Sounds like a plan,” their older brother replied. “Charlotte hates football so she’s no fun on Sundays. Hey, are you all moved in yet?”
Jake nodded. “I bought a shit ton of stuff from IKEA and spent the whole day yesterday putting it all together. Military housing’s pretty sweet. I’ve got a yard and everything.” He shrugged. “I’m thinking of getting a dog.”
Man, he’d never thought he’d ever hear himself chatting about houses and furniture and dogs, but since the night Bree dumped him, he’d been doing a lot of soul-searching. Everything Bree said had been spot on. He was scared of responsibility. Enlisting in the army had been his way of avoiding college, or getting stuck in a boring nine-to-five job that would eventually suffocate him to death. And even though he’d had a successful military career, Bree had been right about something else—he didn’t take himself seriously.
He’d gotten so used to people comparing him to his father that he’d simply stopped trying. He hadn’t bothered making any friends, hadn’t tried to make a home for himself anywhere. He’d run away from Paradise, from his family, from the women he’d slept with over the years. He’d balked when anyone mentioned settling down, because deep down, he’d feared that he’d fail at the whole home and hearth thing, just like his father had.
“Jake? You gonna an
swer that or what?”
He glanced over at Owen. “What?”
“I wanted to know if you’re planning on seeing Austin before you go.”
“Oh. Yeah, I am. I don’t think he’ll be happy to see me, but I can’t leave without saying goodbye to the jerk.”
“Well, when you see him, tell him to start taking my damn calls,” Nate grumbled as he pushed his empty plate away.
As the waitress wandered over to drop off the bill, Jake took a last sip of his coffee, then slid out of the booth. “I should get going. I’ve still gotta see Austin, and then I’m making a pit stop in Denver before I head back.”
Owen raised a brow. “Planning on paying someone a visit?”
“Maybe.”
“Is that someone named Bree?”
Jake’s heart squeezed at the sound of her name. “Yeah,” he admitted.
Nate and Owen exchanged grins.
“Should we be wishing you good luck?” Owen asked.
“Definitely.” He sighed. “I’m gonna need it.”
“Good luck,” his brothers said in unison.
Jake glanced at the check, then pulled a few bills from his wallet and dropped them on the table. “Breakfast’s on me.”
Nate guffawed. “That’s a first.”
“Hey, I’ve got a real job now. I can afford it.”
He bid his brothers goodbye, then strode out of Betty’s and headed for his truck. As he drove away from the diner, he couldn’t help but wonder how Bree would react when she saw him. Hopefully she wouldn’t slam the door in his face, but he wasn’t ruling that out. He hadn’t contacted her in nearly a month. No phone calls, no texts, no email. She probably thought he’d written her off, just as she’d predicted he’d do during that eye-opening argument at her parents’ place.
She was wrong, though. Jake had no intention of letting Bree go again. These past three weeks, he’d done everything in his power to change his circumstances. To act like the man she’d always known he could be. He’d accepted the instructor job, got his own place. Hell, he’d even started shaving. He felt like a different person, a man Bree Lockhart would be proud to date.