The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection

by Alexis Winter

  I shake my head and force a smile onto my lips. “I’m good. You?”

  She nods as she walks over to the edge of the counter. “I’m good. Bought this place a few years ago.”

  “That’s great. I had no idea. How’s Mark? You two still together?” I ask, knowing that they got married right after high school.

  She pulls her eyes away. “We got divorced about a year ago. I got custody of little Jimmy, though, and he got . . . well,” she laughs, “he got crabs from the woman he was cheating on me with.”

  I can’t help but laugh along with her.

  “Do . . . do you have time to sit down and catch up?”

  I look at my watch. I’m not worried about time. Really, I’m trying to decide if I want to stay. I haven’t spoken to Julie since prom night. I ignored all calls until I left for college, when the calls stopped completely.

  The things that happened between us took place so long ago. It seems silly to be hanging on to that all this time, so I reply, “Sure, I have a few minutes.”

  I’m handed my coffee and the box of muffins. I take both and we head over to a table to sit down.

  “So, what are you doing back in town?”

  “My dad had a stroke.”

  “I heard about that. How’s he doing?”

  “He’s recovering, but he has a long way to go. I just came home to help my mom take care of him. It’s hard on her to take care of his every need while keeping up with the house.”

  “I’m so sorry. That’s nice of you to give up your time to help them.”

  I pick up my coffee and take a sip. “Well, I didn’t really see a choice in the matter. I gave up my apartment and my job, then packed my whole life into a single duffel bag.”

  There’s a long, awkward silence between the two of us. Finally, she takes a deep breath. “Listen, about Wyatt . . .”

  I hold up my hand, silencing her. “I really don’t want to even go there, Julie. It was a long time ago. I mean, that’s high school drama.”

  She nods. “I know, but I never got the chance to explain. I really did think he was Mark. He came up behind me and started kissing my neck. I just spun around and kissed him so fast that it never occurred to me it might not be him. We’d all been drinking so much that night . . .”

  I nod. “I didn’t drink a drop that night. And it doesn’t even really matter. Not anymore. Let’s just put all of that behind us.”

  “Really?”

  “Already forgotten,” I reply.

  She smiles wide. “Let’s go out tonight. We can grab some dinner, hit up the bar, have a few drinks, and catch up some more. What do you say?”

  “I don’t know. I just got back into town.”

  “Oh, come on. One night of fun and then you can focus on your family. I don’t know about you, but I could really blow off some steam.”

  I smile and nod. “Not tonight. It’s my first night home. Tomorrow night?”

  “Perfect.”

  “But this can’t become a regular thing. I really am needed at home.”

  “Cross my heart,” she replies, creating an X over her heart with her index finger. “Tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Meet me here?”

  I nod. “Sounds good.” I grab my box of muffins and head toward the door to get to the store.

  Three

  Wyatt

  I wake in the morning with a horrible hangover. My head is pounding, my stomach is doing flips, and if I move too quickly, I get dizzy. I manage to drag myself from the bed to the shower. The hot water feels amazing running over my sore, tired body. I sit on the floor, hoping the steam will lessen my headache. It does help it let up some, but I know the only way to get back on my feet is to consume some water and the largest Tylenol I can find. I shut off the water and step out, wrapping a towel around my waist.

  I walk through the house and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Opening the cabinet, I take out the bottle of Tylenol, and chug down two pills. I then check out the pantry, but there’s nothing inside—it’s completely bare. But I guess that shouldn’t surprise me given that I haven’t been home in I don’t know how long. I decide to get dressed and swing by the bakery on the way to the office. Drake will probably be surprised that I managed to pull myself together after last night.

  Twenty minutes later, I’m pulling into the bakery. I head inside, digging my wallet out as I walk up to the counter.

  “Wyatt?” a woman asks.

  My head pops up, and my eyes land on Julie. I offer a smile, but I’m surprised more than anything. “Hey,” I manage to get out.

  She leans over the counter with her arms extended. “I can’t believe you’re here. How ya been?”

  I pull away from her hug. “Good. How about you?”

  She nods. “I’m great. And what a coincidence! I just ran into Destiny yesterday. We’re going out tonight.”

  I’m stunned for a moment and finally manage to sputter out, “Destiny was here?”

  She nods. “She just got in. She’s helping her parents out. Her dad had a stroke.”

  Her words make my heart sink to my stomach. I’d always loved Mr. Parker. I hate to hear that he’s not in good health.

  “You should pop into the bar tonight. Surprise her.” Her eyes are wide with excitement.

  “I doubt she wants to see me. We haven’t spoken since high school.”

  She nods. “Same here, but she seems like she’s over it all. Even said it was all just a bunch of high school drama.”

  “Did she now?” I mumble, thinking to myself.

  “So what can I get ya?”

  “Oh, um, just some coffee and a bacon breakfast sandwich.”

  She nods. “Okay. Coming right up.”

  I try handing over my card but she waves it off. “Old friends are free today.” She rushes off to get my order.

  As I wait for my food, I can’t help but consider taking her up on her offer. Does Destiny really think it was all just high school drama? I wonder if she’ll talk to me. I wonder how she looks. I have to admit, all these years, I never once looked her up on social media. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was afraid I’d see pictures of a blissful life with a perfect husband, and maybe a kid or two. All things I thought I’d be a part of when we were together.

  Now, curiosity gets the best of me. I pull out my phone and bring up Facebook. I type in her name and find her picture on the left side of my screen.

  “Here you go,” Julie says, handing over my order.

  “Thanks,” I say, taking it and heading out to my car.

  Behind the wheel, I sip my coffee while scrolling through her page. Her last post reads: Prayers for my father in this trying time. Daddy, I know how strong you are. We’ll get through this. I’ll be home soon.

  I click on the pictures folder. The first one catches my eye. It’s a picture of her in a park of some sort. She’s sitting on the grass under bright green trees. Her blonde hair is hanging loose around her face in soft curls. Her blue eyes are sparkling with the bright sun shining above. Her cheeks are rosy—I remember making her blush like that, and it makes me wonder who put this look on her face. Her thick, red lips are turned upward, stealing my breath. I remember when I was lucky enough to taste them. She’s even more beautiful now than she was back then.

  I put down my phone and shake those thoughts from my head. Then the voice of reason pipes up. She wouldn’t give me a chance then; she sure as hell won’t now. Too much time has passed. The feelings she had for me are likely dead and buried. For both our sakes, it’s probably prudent to just stay away. She has enough on her plate with her sick dad. She doesn’t need me bringing up old shit.

  I head to the office, and to my surprise, Drake is in the lobby, ready to welcome me back. “I was wondering if you’d make it in today. You really tied one on last night,” he says, patting me on the back.

  I laugh. “It’s not the first time I’ve had to quickly recover from a hangover.”

  We step into the elevator and ride it up
to my office. “I’ve found you an assistant now that you’re back in town. Her name is Joanie. She can help you with anything you need. So, what do you think of the place?” he asks, walking into my office ahead of me. “We did some renovations around here.”

  I walk around the office, taking it in. It’s not really that different. My desk still sits in front of the large window that used to look out on a grassy field. Now I have the perfect view of the distillery.

  “The view has changed a little,” I joke, taking my seat.

  He laughs. “Yeah, it’s better now. Have you tried the new stuff yet?”

  I shake my head and he walks over to the drink cart, grabbing a bottle and two glasses. “It’ll put hair on your chest,” he says, pouring a little in both glasses before handing one over.

  I tip the glass back, swooshing the liquid around in my mouth before swallowing. My whole mouth tingles and burns. I let out a little cough as my stomach does another flip, not quite prepared for more alcohol. “Smooth,” I croak out.

  He laughs and sits down across from me. “We still on for dinner tonight? I invited the whole family.”

  I nod. “Yeah, we can do dinner. Your place?”

  “Colton’s new house.”

  “He bought another house?”

  He moves his head from side to side. “Well, his place in town was just a small, two-bedroom house. Then he got with Brennan and she’s now pregnant, so he built a pole-barn house out on his portion of the family property.”

  “About time. I did that right after high school.”

  “Yeah, you never had a problem taking what was already yours. Colton didn’t want anything handed to him.”

  “Where are our brothers, anyway? Do they not work from the office anymore either?”

  “Nah, Colton is still running his mechanic shop and Clay has his construction business. They both come in when needed, but other than that, it’s just me overseeing the day-to-day operations.”

  “How are our numbers?”

  He nods. “Really good. I can get the file down to you later to see for yourself, but everything is booming. We’re already turning a profit on the distillery.”

  Drake promises to send me everything I need to look over, and for the rest of the day, I spend my time playing catch-up and familiarizing myself with everything I’ve missed. When 5 p.m. rolls around, Drake is in my office, ready to walk me down.

  “If you just want to follow me home, you can ride with us to Colton’s.”

  I nod and say, “Sounds good,” as I climb behind the wheel. As I drive through the countryside, I can’t help but think of Destiny. I think back on the good times we had growing up. I even think about the days leading up to prom.

  “I talked my dad into getting us a limo,” I say, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to my chest.

  She lights up, eyes sparkling, as a wide smile spreads across her face. “Are you serious?”

  I nod as she closes the space between our lips. Kissing her is like getting a taste of heaven. She’s sweeter than any candy, softer than any pillow. She’s so beautiful, she could have her pick of any of the guys, but for some reason, she chose me.

  I cup her cheeks with my hands and deepen our kiss. I always get carried away, especially when we’re alone. I pull away slightly. “Wanna go to the treehouse?” I ask. Growing up with so many brothers, privacy isn’t something my bedroom has ever provided. Whenever we want to be alone, we go up to my old treehouse.

  She smiles and nods. I take her hand in mine as we jog from the driveway to the back property. I allow her to climb up the ladder first, watching as her ass shakes the whole way. By the time I get up, she’s already stripped off her shirt. I nearly tackle her, my mouth landing on hers as I lay her back.

  My dick twitches with that memory and I know I can’t not go to the bar tonight. I can’t pass up my only opportunity to see her again, even if I know she’s going to turn me down. Seeing her is better than nothing.

  I park my car at Drake’s and hitch a ride with them over to Colton’s. When we pull up, everyone is already in the backyard with smoke rolling over the top of the grill. I walk to the yard with a smile in place, happy to see my brothers again.

  “Hey, man,” Colton says, pulling me in for a hug.

  I slap him on the back. “Where’s that girl of mine?” I ask, referring to Brennan. I’ve only met her once, but I flirted with her the entire time, for no better reason than to get under Colton’s skin.

  He laughs and shakes his head. “She’s inside, putting some food together. And for the record, she’s pregnant.”

  This makes me chuckle. “That just means I can’t knock her up.”

  I don’t even see it coming. The next thing I know, I’m being drilled in the shoulder.

  “The fuck, man?” I ask, rubbing my bicep.

  He laughs. “That’s what you get.”

  Clay comes walking up with a smile on his face from watching our exchange. “Hey,” he says, pulling me in for a quick hug. “This is Autumn, and this little guy in her arms is your nephew, Logan. And this guy,” he says, ruffling the hair of a dark-haired boy, “is Bryce, Autumn’s son.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.” I shake her hand and show the boy my fist, which he bumps with his own. I glance down at the baby and smile. “He’s adorable. He looks just like me,” I joke.

  Clay shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

  I hear the back door open from behind me and spin around in time to see Brennan walking out with a stack of plates in hand.

  “There’s my girl,” I tease.

  She looks up and smiles. I think she enjoys torturing Colton as much as I do. “Hey, Wyatt. How you been?” She steps up to my side to wrap one arm around me for a hug.

  Instead, I take the plates from her hand and put them on the table, then pick her up in a big bear hug.

  “Okay, okay, you’re going to squish my baby,” Colton says, pushing my hands away and taking her back.

  “You guys are so stingy with your women. What happened to brotherly love and sharing and all that?”

  Clay laughs. “Wait until you bring yours home. Then we’ll see just how much you like the idea of sharing.”

  I don’t know why, but in my head I see myself bringing Destiny here. The thought of them hitting on her has my blood boiling. I know one thing and one thing for sure: I’m going to that bar tonight, and I will get her to talk to me.

  The cookout lasts a couple of hours. We all sit around, eat, talk, drink, and catch up. It’s getting dark by the time we pull back into Drake’s drive. I don’t bother going in even though he offers. I need to drive home, clean myself up, and get to the bar. I have to see her. It’s no longer a want—it’s now a need.

  I swing by the house and take a hot shower, making sure to wash every inch of myself with the best-smelling soap I have. I climb out and fix my hair, adding a little bit of product but not too much. I like the I just climbed out of bed and don’t give a shit how my hair looks look. I shave the stubble from my jaw and move to the bedroom to get dressed.

  I find a pair of worn baggy jeans that hang from my hips slightly, and pull on tight-fitting T-shirt. The black fabric stretches around my biceps and chest while fitting loosely around my waist. I tug on a pair of boots and apply some cologne. It’s going on 9 p.m. when I finally leave the house.

  The moment I pull into the bar parking lot, my nerves double. My stomach ties into knots and anxiety bubbles up my throat. I’m more than prepared for the letdown of being denied, but I’m making it my personal mission to never give up. She will be mine again, and I’ll finally get to put that ring on her finger.

  Four

  Destiny

  I hop in the shower then take longer than usual to do my hair and makeup. I curl my hair in long ringlets that hang down my back, nearly to my ass. I use dark liner around my blue eyes, and shadow to create a smoky-eye look. I contour my jaw and cheekbones, giving my face sharper angles, then top it all off with a dark r
ed lip. When I’m happy with my appearance, I move to my closet to find something to wear.

  When I left for college, I left a lot of stuff behind. I dig through my options until I find a red summer dress. It buttons up the entire front and has tiny babydoll sleeves. I pull the dress on, leaving a couple buttons undone to show off some cleavage, and only button the dress to my mid-thigh, leaving most of my legs showing. I pull on my favorite pair of old cowgirl boots and grab my purse. I wonder in the back of my mind why I’m putting forth so much effort to look good, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen anyone in this town that I want their jaws to drop. I don’t want to show up in jeans and a ratty old T-shirt. I want to show them what I’ve become.

  I swing by the bakery just as Julie is closing. She steps outside and locks the door behind her as I’m walking up.

  “Hey, look at you!” She sends an approving smile my way. “Ready to go?” She tucks the keys away in her purse.

  “Yep.”

  We both pile into her car and she drives us down the street to the diner, where we talk and catch up while eating greasy food.

  “You remember that time we all went to that monster truck show just outside of town?” she laughs as she chews on a French fry.

  I giggle. “I do remember that. I remember Mark getting so wasted that we had to stop driving every five minutes for him to puke. Wasn’t all that funny at the time.”

  “You should go see him. I mean, I hate him now, but I’m sure he’d like to see you after all this time.”

  I cock my head to the side. “Is he still in town?”

  She nods. “Yeah, he still works down at the old saw mill. He rented a small place over on Cherry. And he frequents the bar quite often. If you’re driving by and notice that old blue Mustang, be sure to stop in.”

  My eyes double in size. “He’s still driving that hunk of junk?”

  She laughs and nods. “Oh yeah, he’d marry that thing if they’d let him. He always said it did what he told it to and never talked back, making it a better wife than I was.”