by Sophia Henry
He raised his hand to get the bartender’s attention and I took a step back. I tapped quickly on the keypad.
Me: How’s it going?
It took only a few seconds before I got D’s snarky response.
Damien: Hold on a sec. Holden is playing with matches and running with scissors.
Me: Why do you have to be a jerk? I’m just checking on my kid.
Damien: I watch him every time you work. How is tonight different?
I thought about his question for a moment. It wasn’t any different than any other time Damien watched Holden. It just felt different to me because I was out having fun. Without Holden.
Me: Sorry for checking in. Glad you have everything covered. Grab the box with our insurance papers in case he figures out the matches.
Damien: Already have them in the car. See? I’m responsible.
I couldn’t help but smile at the interaction. I dropped my phone into my purse and looked for Jason. He stood at the bar waiting for drinks. His profile was striking. Strong jaw dusted with scruff, wavy hair cropped over his ears, not one of those military-type buzz cuts some cops wore. He had the kind of hair you could put your fingers in and really latch onto during a good kiss or—
I shook away my lusty thoughts. I knew better than to think like that on the first date. Or the second.
Jason handed me a bottle, which I accepted and swigged from. “So how do you know Greg?”
“Through the lead singer.”
“Auden?” I asked.
“Yes.”
His short answer didn’t give me a clue as to how he knew Auden. Before I had a chance to ask, her voice filled the air, belting out the slow-building first verse of the song “Making Believe.”
I directed my attention to the stage, immediately engrossed in Auden’s sultry stage presence and the haunting hum of the guitar, like every time I’d seen Strange Attraction. The girl’s ability to change from the quiet goofball who pounded dinner rolls dipped in ranch dressing at Peak City to this confident woman fronting a band always fascinated me.
I had a hard enough time pretending to be someone I wasn’t on first dates. Most guys assumed I was a working college student like anyone else. Which is true, but I use first dates to decide if a guy could handle the knowledge—and responsibility—that I have a kid. As a full-time mom, full-time student, and employee at two places, my real life was exhausting enough. I couldn’t imagine juggling a fake persona.
But the lead-singer role seemed to come as easy to Auden as her random comedic routines with KK. It was like they were always “on,” though I doubted they even realized the show they gave people. Their personalities naturally gelled when they were together.
I stole a glance at Jason, always interested in how guys acted at live performances. Would he stand there like a decorative column? Would he dance? Would he try to dance but end up looking corny and uncoordinated?
Jason bobbed his head and bounced with the beat, concentrating on the music. He squinted slightly. He seemed to be transfixed by Auden as well.
Which made me question why he’d be so interested in the lead singer when he’s on a date. Granted, if I were a guy, I’d probably have a hard-on for Auden, too. But still…
I’m not a jealous person. Never have been. Not even in high school while dating Tim. I never cared if other girls flirted with him. Never cared that I found earrings and thongs in his truck that didn’t belong to me. Never cared, because it took some of the pressure of having sex off me.
It may sound like I had super-low self-esteem, but in reality, I didn’t care because I barely even liked him. I wasn’t with Tim because I thought we’d be high school sweethearts, still married at our twenty-year reunion. I admit it: I dated him for the status, the popularity.
Strange Attraction started an upbeat song, one of their own, and the crowd began jumping around to the music. Jason shook his head, stopped staring, and shuffled behind me, encircling me with his arms. His hold formed a cage to protect me from the bodies pushing at us from either side. The crowd jostled him a bit, but I felt completely safe. He still bounced on his toes with the beat while keeping me boxed in. I bobbed as well, bending from my knees and swaying my hips.
The telltale excitement fluttering in my stomach made it hard to deny how much I enjoyed the friction the front of his jeans created against my backside as we moved.
The song ended, but Jason didn’t let me go. Instead, his hands slid to my waist, his fingers squeezing my skin every time someone in the crowd bumped us.
“So, today is my brother’s birthday,” Auden told the crowd. “I know, I know, most of you didn’t even know I had a brother. Hell, I didn’t know I had a brother. I was an only child for twenty years before I found out. But it’s really cool that I do because he’s a cop and I can totally get out of speeding tickets now.” She winked at someone standing near Jason and me. “So, we’re gonna wish him a happy birthday by playing whatever song he requests.”
I watched as almost all the heads in the tiny bar swiveled toward me.
Nope, not me.
Jason yelled a song title at Auden, loud enough for her to hear, but not the whole place.
What the H E double hockey sticks? Jason was Auden’s brother? I mean, he told me he had a sister, but…
“I don’t know that one,” Auden lied.
“Bull,” Jason responded.
My eyes flicked back and forth between them as if I were trying to follow the most confusing tennis match ever.
“You’re an ass.” Auden stuck her tongue out at Jason before she spun around to talk to her band.
“We heard what he said!” a guy a few feet away from me yelled at the stage.
“Yeah, yeah. I know you heard him. I can’t lie, can I?” Auden called over her shoulder.
After a minute, she straightened up, leaned into the microphone, and sang, “ ‘I threw a wish in the well.’ ”
The audience members who knew what was coming next from that line alone hooted and hollered. Auden released the microphone to extend both middle fingers to the crowd before breaking into the rest of the pop hit “Call Me Maybe.”
“You’re so mean.” I smacked Jason’s hand, which was still resting on my hip. Thankfully, he hadn’t released me.
“You’re lip-synching,” Jason said into my ear after catching me in full karaoke mode.
“What?” I glanced at him over my shoulder. “I like this song.”
Jason’s lips brushed my ear, causing a tingle straight down to my toes. “Why did you call me mean?”
“Because it doesn’t look like Auden is too happy about your song choice.”
“Then how does she know all the words?” he countered.
After Strange Attraction ended their set, Jason slipped his hand in mine and guided me toward the bar, where we took a seat at a high-top table two girls had just stumbled away from. He moved a chair from the opposite side and placed it next to mine.
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked when Jason sat down.
“About what?” He glanced at me, then lifted his hand to get a server’s attention.
“Auden is your sister?” I asked, trying to lead him to the conversation.
“Yep.”
“I’ve known her for years—literally years—and she never mentioned a brother.” I paused to give him a chance to explain before more questions rolled out.
But Jason didn’t offer a response, only silence. He stared off at a point in the distance.
So I continued. “She’s brought her grandparents to Peak City multiple times, and I don’t remember seeing you with them.” I paused again, hoping he’d throw me a bone this time.
Why would he bring me here if he didn’t want to talk about it? He had to have known she’d be playing.
Jason glanced at me. “We didn’t know about each other.”
Oh. That’s weird.
I reached out to put my hand on his leg, but stopped and pulled it back. I almost rea
ched out again, but thought better of it. My shoulders dropped in defeat, unsure of what to say. I honestly didn’t know how to respond.
“Happy birthday,” I offered quietly.
Worst subject change ever, but his brief answers told me he didn’t want to talk about Auden. And if he didn’t know about her until recently, maybe it was a sore subject. But they had such cute banter during the show. And…
“Thank you.” His eyes finally met mine and he smiled.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”
“Because it’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal. It’s the day you were brought into this world. The happiest day of your parents’ life.”
At least that’s how I felt as a parent. Holden’s birthday was the most painful, terrifying, happiest day of my life.
Jason’s smile disappeared and his lips morphed into a thin line. He shook his head, slid his arm around my waist, and cupped my hip, drawing me closer. “I’m glad I’m spending my birthday with you. Thanks for agreeing to go out with me. I didn’t think you would. I normally steer clear of women who have nicknames for me like ‘Officer Jackweed.’ ”
A rush of heat spread through my cheeks. “Who told you that?”
“I’m a cop. I have sources.”
“I need to know the source, so I can have a chat about what’s told in confidence.”
“Rule number one, there’s no such thing as a secret unless you keep it to yourself. The people who are promising to keep a secret are the ones blabbing it all over town.”
“Agree with you on that one.” I nodded.
I knew that lesson all too well. It had been my former best friend who’d started the “rumor” when I was pregnant. A leak that came from me telling her my dilemma in confidence.
“Rule number two, I can’t name names. Let’s just say having a sister with a best friend who works with you has its perks.” Jason smirked.
KK.
I’d have to remember to zip my lips now that I knew Auden was Jason’s sister.
“A spy in my network. Good tactic, copper.”
“Can’t seem to catch a server, so I’m gonna run to the bar,” Jason said. “Do you want another drink?” He’d been drinking water all night.
“Don’t you drink?” I asked.
“I do, but I have an early shift tomorrow. Don’t want to wake up with a foggy head.”
I understood that. With a three-year-old who woke up at the crack of dawn, I didn’t have the luxury of sleeping off a hangover, either.
“Just a water, please.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Jason edged his way past the crowd to the bar. He wasn’t the jackweed I originally thought. First impressions aren’t always correct, it appears.
Another lesson I should have learned from my ex. Despite teenage stereotypes, being hot and a star football player didn’t make Tim a good person. His true colors came out when he’d been tested with adversity, or, in our case, pregnancy.
Two reasons to be cautious about the guys I dated: my son and my history of being deceived by men.
Jason came back with two bottled waters, one of which he handed to me. “Wanna get going?”
“Sure.” I nodded. I jumped off my seat, grabbing my purse and water before heading toward the door.
Jason put a hand on my back as we walked, and I felt a shiver of desire and comfort. Instead of dropping his hand when we stepped outside, he slid it to my hip and pulled me close.
“I had a great time. Thanks for coming out with me,” he said.
“Thank you,” I responded. “I had a blast. Not at all what I expected.”
“You didn’t expect to have a blast?” Jason said, teasing, guiding me to his truck.
“That’s not what I meant. I just didn’t expect a drive-in and a live band. I thought you’d be more of the dinner-and-a-movie type.”
“I seem boring and traditional?” Jason pressed his key fob and the locks clicked. Then he opened the door for me and assisted me into his gorgeous monster truck.
“Well, according to the kid at Hank’s, you are pretty predictable,” I said when he climbed into the driver’s seat.
Instead of a response, Jason leaned over the console separating our seats and placed his lips on mine. I thought it would be quick, but it wasn’t. He lifted his hands to my face, his fingertips soft as he tilted my chin up. His tongue slid between my lips and explored my mouth. And just when I thought he would lean back, he pressed in. Then he dropped his hands to my waist and pulled me toward him.
My entire body hummed at his gentle dominance. I grabbed his shoulders, then slid my hands up into his wavy locks.
He broke the kiss and lifted his head, but didn’t take his hands off my waist. Yet his fingers didn’t roam, either. Jason handled himself well. Very controlled. Very respectable.
“Predictable?” he asked.
“Nope.” I took a breath, preparing for another round.
That’s when he let me go, straightened into the driver’s seat, and pulled his seatbelt across his body.
I sat still, surprised at his ability to back off so quickly. With a frustrated sigh, I inched off the console between the seats and leaned back. “Has anyone ever told you how frustrating you are?”
“Excuse me?” he asked. He pressed a few buttons and a blast of air rushed out of the vents.
An involuntary shiver shook me when the initial burst hit my skin. “You heard me.”
“I have been told that, yes.” Jason grinned. “I used to frustrate the shit out of my brother Landon. I’m sure I still do.”
“How so?” I asked, pulling my coat over my legs, trying to shake my chill and hoping the heat would kick in soon.
“I tortured that kid.” Jason barked out a laugh.
“What for?”
“I just remembered a time I really got him.” Jason looked to his right and left before pulling the truck onto Mason Street. But he didn’t continue his thought.
“Are you gonna share?”
“No.”
“What? Come on!” I reached out and smacked his thigh. “You can’t say something like that and not finish.”
He grabbed my hand and held it before I could pull it away. “Why not?”
The smile created creases around his eyes, which told me he was baiting me, but I fell into his trap anyway. “It’s frustrating!”
“You’re so fun, Indie.”
“Tell me.” I squeezed his hand. “Please.”
“It’s a sick story, actually. I mean, it’s funny, but disgusting.”
I leaned away until the armrest on the passenger-side door jabbed the small of my back. “Okay.”
“I can’t believe I’m telling you this.” Jason rubbed his free hand across his eyes quickly, before focusing on the road again. “All right. There was this one time Landon and I really got into it, like, an all-out brawl on the living room floor.”
I nodded, though I could feel my eyebrows inching closer together as he spoke, waiting for the sick part to jump out at me.
“I’m older and stronger, of course.” Jason winked.
“Of course,” I agreed.
“So, I have him pinned down, almost eating carpet, right?”
I nodded.
“Well, one of our dog’s Kong toys just happened to be lying right there. Inches from where I had his face pinned.” He paused to glance at me. “One of those thick, rubbery, pyramid-shaped things. You know what I mean?”
“Mm-hmmm.”
“I may have made him lick the crusty peanut butter inside the Kong.” He lifted a hand as he shrugged, as if he were innocent.
My barf reflex almost kicked in as the image passed through my head. “May have?”
“Okay, I did. I did make him lick the crusty, dried, dog-slobbered peanut-butter remains out of a rubber toy.”
“I don’t even want to know you.” I couldn’t keep the revulsion from my voice, even t
hough I was totally joking.
Jason slammed on the brake, and I whipped my head to look out the windshield, where a red light glowed over our heads. He threw his arm across my body to stop me from jerking forward, and his hand skimmed my boobs.
I lowered my eyes to his hand. “You did that on purpose.”
“Did not.”
“Just like you didn’t purposely make your little brother eat disgusting peanut butter out of a dirty-ass dog toy?”
“Well, when you put it like that.” Jason lowered his hand to my thigh.
I jerked my knee up, banging his hand away. “How can you think about feeling me up after telling me that story?”
“I always think about feeling you up, Indie.” He placed both hands on the steering wheel.
“I want to be flattered. I really do. But I can’t stop thinking about poor Landon.”
“Oh, don’t ‘Poor Landon’ me! I’m sure he deserved it.”
“Well, regardless. I hope my son never stoops so low.”
It slipped out. I swear it did. That’s not how I wanted to tell Jason about Holden.
Jason slammed on the brake again, only there was no red light this time. And, thankfully, there weren’t any cars behind us, either.
Our first date and I’d already set the end in motion. I knew what would come next. Jason would take me home, kiss my cheek at my front door, and never call me again.
Which was fine. I’d rather weed him out early than get my heart hurt later. Especially since I already felt my heart diving deeper than I ever expected for the handsome officer.
Chapter 11
Jason
Indie has a kid?
“Excuse me?” I asked.
I could tell by the way her face paled and she cast her eyes downward that she hadn’t planned on telling me.
“I…yeah.” She looked up, meeting my eyes with newfound confidence. “Yes. I have a son. He’s three.”
Regaining my composure, I eased my foot back down on the gas, moving forward again. “The kid that’s always at Damien’s hockey games?”
“Did you think he was Damien’s?”
“I didn’t think he was Damien’s kid. I thought he was his little brother.”