Dare to Dream

by C. J. Welles

  “I think you two would be good together. If you ask me, he likes you. Like he really like-likes you.”

  Makayla laughs “Do you realize how many times you just said like?” I shrug. “Do you think he does?” she asks.

  “Yeah sweetheart, he does. It’s obvious. You probably don’t notice because you’ve known him for ages, but with me looking in as a new person I can see it.”

  As we near Jace’s truck I skip up beside him and he wraps an arm around my waist, then pulls me in between his legs. I am so short compared to him, even with him sitting on the back of his car, he still towers over me. He leans his head down and kisses me hard on the lips.

  “Where’d you get to, Angel?”

  “Makayla and I had to go pee.”

  “Fair enough.”

  He turns me around and wraps his arm around my middle and rests his head on mine, as he and Ethan continue to talk. The whole time Kaylee sits there and glares at me. I just ignore her and talk and laugh with Makayla. Thank God, she is here. If not, I’d be surrounded by guys and one chick who wants me dead.

  I turn my attention from Makayla to the guys when they start talking about high school and when they were younger.

  “Remember the time you crashed the tractor through the barn wall?” Jace says Ethan and laughs. “I thought your dad was going to tan your ass.”

  “Hey. That’s not as bad as the time you crashed through the fence and you forgot to mention it to your dad. It wasn’t until dad kept finding sheep all in the south paddock that they went looking at the fences.”

  “He wasn’t happy. I had to clean out the stables myself for a fortnight straight. It sucked big time.” It makes me happy to hear and see Jace talk about his dad. It’s only been just over six months since he passed.

  “Who's that?" I ask as a car flies towards us a little while later.

  "That'd be Bryson. I didn't think he was around tonight."

  “Oh cool, it'll be good to meet him. I've heard plenty about him."

  Ethan laughs. "He's got plenty of stories to tell, for sure. He was a wild one when we were younger."

  "Younger?" Jace asks. "He still is. I've never been able to keep up with him and still can't."

  The truck pulls up and I can hear American Kids by Kenny Chesney blasting when the door opens. "What Y'all doing down here? Where’s my invite?"

  "Just showing Jace's girl how we cowboys grew up partying," Ethan calls out to reply.

  "Jace has a girl?" asks Bryson in a disbelief tone.

  "Yeah, sure does. I met her last weekend. She's a looker. If I knew Jace couldn't take me out, I'd go for her,” Ethan jokes.

  "Hey, we're right here fucker." Jace playfully punches Ethan.

  “He met her last weekend and she’s already his girl? Moving a bit quick ain’t ya?”

  “No dickhead. Met her six months ago. Ethan met her last week.”

  "What are you doing?" Ethan calls out to Bryson.

  "Just peeing and getting a beer from the cooler. This cowboy is dry. I’ve been roundin’ up cattle all afternoon," he calls out.

  A moment later Bryson comes out from behind Ethan's truck and I feel as though I've been sucker punched. My beer drops to the ground and I scramble down to get it and hit my head on the tailgate on the way back up, dropping my beer again.

  Fucking hell. Real fucking smooth.

  "You okay, Angel?" Jace asks, as he hops down and grabs my beer and lifts me up, to sit up on the tailgate.

  I nod, and he stands between my legs and kisses my head. I look over at Bryson again and it certainly is him. How is this happening? How do these two know each other?

  Oh, my God. Of course. That was the same night I walked in on Jace and Krystal. I got so angry and hurt over that, and now I've had sex with his best friend. How did I not make the connection earlier? I should have known. They were both dressed the same and were there on the same night. Bry, as I know him, was at a bachelor night and Ethan is recently married. Well now separated. But it was his bachelor night.

  Fuck my life.

  He knows who I am, I can see his eyes widen as he recognizes me, and he grinds his jaw.

  This is all I need. For him to blurt out my secrets. My secrets I should have told Jace already, but I've been too scared to. Jace is going to hate me. How the fuck did I let it get this far?

  "What's your girl’s name?"

  "Callie," Jace says, as he steps aside, and I look at Bryson.

  "Oh really? You remind me of someone I know called Summer," he grates out the word Summer like it kills him to say it.

  Oh shit. He ain’t going to be nice about this. I don’t answer to his dickhead comment and keep drinkin’ my beer. Well, now I’m sculling my beer. I think I need to get drunk.

  I can feel his eyes on me. It’s like they are burning a hole into me. The past hour he has been acting like an immature fuck. Having digs at me. Pointing out Jace and Kaylee’s previous relationship, which I think has made Ethan want to punch both Bryson and Jace over it. Who gives a shit? I think I’ve had enough to drink to care at the moment.

  Jace gets up and walks over to Ethan’s truck to get us more beers and Bryson starts straight away. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he growls at me.

  "What do you mean? I'm here with Jace?" God, I hope he doesn't say anything too loud. I don't want Jace to find out this way. I should go tell him now before Bryson opens his big asshole mouth.

  "You know what I mean. How much are you expecting him to cough up? Four months is a long stint, how much is his bill?"

  He is a fucking pig. How is Jace friends with someone like him? "Fuck you, Bry," I grind out. “And it’s been six months.” With that, I jump off Jace's tailgate and walk towards Makayla. I can't be near Jace now, I will break down if he asks me anything. He's already been studying me since he walked off.

  This night has turned to complete utter shit

  *

  Jace

  I WATCH BRYSON and Callie, as I talk to Ethan. I can't hear or see what they are saying but Bryson looks pissed off. I don't like the way he's been acting towards Callie tonight. He's only just met her and he’s treating her like shit.

  Callie has been acting weird since he showed up. Bry won't want to have said anything to her. I don't want to fight with my best friend, but I will for my girlfriend.

  I see Callie say something to Bryson then get up and walk towards Makayla. She looks furious. Fuck knows what he said to her.

  I walk towards him as he downs his beer and tosses the can in my truck bed before opening another. "What did you say to my girl?" I ask him as I approach.

  He shrugs his shoulders and doesn't answer. "Just getting to know her a little more," he eventually grinds out.

  "Yeah, well don't be a dick about it,” I say, and he mumbles something under his breath and all I hear is ‘dick’. "What's your problem? You don't even know her."

  "Pffft. I'm fairly fucking sure I do know her."

  I step up in front of him "What's that mean? What’s your problem with her? You've been actin’ like a dick to her all night?"

  He stands up and glares at me. He's my best friend and all, but currently, I'm ready to knock him out. "Why don't you ask your girl what she does for a livin’?"

  "I know what she does. I met her at her work, dickhead."

  "So, you know she's a slut and-" He doesn't get another word in before I pull my fist back and punch him hard.

  I launch myself at him and go to punch him again, he grabs my shirt and we both fall to the ground. I get one more hit in and cop one to the side of my jaw before Ethan is pulling me off him and Ryan is grabbing Bryson.

  "It's already started, that slut has got into your head. You’re turning on your friends over her."

  "Say one more thing about her and you'll wish you were dead," I grind out between clenched teeth, as I try to pull away from Ethan's grip, but he and Nath hold me back.

  "Come on man. You’re drunk. Don't say anything else," Ryan says
to his brother, my supposed best friend. He shoves Ryan off him and stalks away, leaving his truck and walking towards the main road.

  I pull from Ethan's grip and look for Callie. She shouldn't have seen that. Shouldn't have heard him say things about her like that. Fuck, I could kill him right now. Friend or no friend, you don’t say shit like that about a girl. Just because she strips it doesn't make her a slut. Fuck, I wish I had hit him harder. I never thought Bryson would act like a dick like that. He's usually chilled out.

  I look everywhere for Callie but can't find her. Makayla says she hadn't seen her since before the fight.

  Kaylee pops up next to me. "I saw her go off and then Bryson followed after her." She can't be serious about walking back. It's over half hour walk and in the dark, you can come across anything. I stalk towards my truck to go get her.

  "Jace she's not worth it. Can't you see it? They are having a fling. The way he treated her, and she was furious at him earlier."

  I stop walking. She can't be serious. Bryson wouldn't do that. He didn't even know her until tonight. He was shocked to see her.

  I turn and run toward the house. They wouldn't do that. Callie wouldn't do that. She's too sweet to hurt me.

  I run for ten minutes before I come across yelling. I halt and listen to where it is. I hear Bryson and my heart drops from my chest. I feel like someone cut it out with a knife.

  ∞∞∞

  Chapter 16

  Callie

  I TAKE OFF running as soon as Jace gets in Bryson's face. I know what's going to come out of all this. I can’t face them all. Not when Bryson is going to air out my secret.

  I'm a coward but I can't see the look on Jace's face. It will kill me to see him look at me with hate.

  I slow down when I feel a stitch in my side, and bend over to catch my breath. I shouldn't run when I've been drinkin’.

  I don't even know how far I am from the house. I've been running for about fifteen minutes. It shouldn't be too far away, I've stuck to the track that leads along the fence and tree line.

  I hear something behind me and twist around hoping it's not some wild animal. I'm stuffed if it is. I didn't even think of them.

  But all I see is Bryson stumbling towards me. I turn and start walking again. I don't want to hear anything from his mouth.

  "When are you goin’ to tell him that you fuck men for money?" he yells out.

  "I don't anymore. I haven't since I met Jace," I grind out, but keep walking. "And I don't need to tell him. I'm sure you just informed him."

  "Didn't get a chance before he tried to break my nose. I know you’re a good fuck and all, was one of the best I've had, but you must be real fuckin’ good for him to turn on me. For him to turn on his best friend that he's known all his life."

  I turn and push him in the chest. He stumbles but stays upright. "You are an asshole," I yell, "How dare you say that. I'm not with him for his money. I'm with him because I love him. I haven't had sex with a single person since I met Jace. Don't you start your shit. I wouldn't cheat on him."

  "You still were, you still fucked men and they paid you. My best friend deserves someone better than that," he says angrily.

  What the hell is his problem? It's not as if I am a murderer or thief. I don't see how I thought he was a nice person. He was a hell of a lot nicer that night we spent together.

  "Don't you fucking dare," I hiss again, as I step up to him and push him again. "How dare you say that about me? I am still a decent person and I don't deserve you talking to me and about me like that. What I did for a job doesn’t change who I am," I yell.

  "I don't care. How do you think Jace will feel when he finds out you've fucked half of Dallas?"

  I step back. I need to before I punch him. He does not have the right to say that about me. He does not know me. He doesn't know my past and he's spent a total of twelve hours with me. I love Jace. He is everything to me.

  "Like you are any better Bryson. Have you forgotten about that night together? You were going to pay me to fuck you," I grate out between clenched teeth. I just want to pummel his face.

  I hear a noise beside me, and I flinch as I see Jace come into view.

  I want to run to him when I see the hurt look on his face, but when it turns to anger I force my legs not to move.

  "What the fuck is going on? What the fuck did I just hear?" he asks, in a deadly booming voice. He looks murderous and I want to run away and hide.

  I look back at Bryson and he is smirking.

  "You asshole," I scream at Bryson as I launch myself at him and try to punch him.

  I miss when he jumps back. "I didn't do nothing," he says smugly.

  He did that on purpose. He knew Jace was there and he wanted Jace to hear everything. I could kill him right now and not even care about it. He’s just destroyed my relationship with him.

  "Yeah you did, you knew he was there and you knew he would hear me. What is your deal?" I yell.

  "To let my friend know who he is really dating. To let him know his girlfriend fucks for money"

  "I don’t anymore,” I roar, so loudly that I don't even recognize my own voice. “And he is dating me. I am still me, it doesn't matter what I did for a job, it doesn't change who I am.” I turn to Jace “You know the real me. I am me when I am with you.” I study his face. He is still so angry and has a loathing look on his face. “And I don't do it anymore,” I quietly repeat. “I stopped when I met you.”

  He doesn’t say anything as he holds his murderous glare on my face. I feel tears streaming down my face.

  I turn back to Bryson “Are you jealous or something? Is that why you’re doing this? You’re jealous I didn’t go for anything more with you, but I’ve changed for Jace. I have chosen to be with him.”

  His eyes say it all, he is jealous of Jace. That fucker has ruined my life, all because he doesn’t have what his friend has. I see his expression change and I know he is going to deny it.

  He goes to reply but Jace cuts him off. "You don't think I had a right to know?" he grates out. "You don't think I should know that you fucked my friend and took his money for it?" he roars.

  He may as well get his pocket knife out and cut my heart out of my chest, then feed it to the pigs. That would hurt less than how I am hurting now. It fucking hurts, to hear him say that. It rips my heart out, that he doesn’t listen to what I say. I have changed for him, I’ve told him, but he didn't hear it. To hide my hurt, I do what I do best. I try to protect myself.

  "No, I didn’t, I didn't know you were friends. I only just met him. Well, only just met him as your friend. Before today he was just one of many random men I’ll never see again. Do you want me to list every man I have fucked in my life? Go get a few pages of paper and I will happily write down the ones I can remember,” I yell, and he stands there stunned. I feel a little bad now.

  This isn’t on him, I’m the one who fucked up. “I was going to tell you," I whisper in a defeated voice.

  "When? We've been seeing each other for six months? When were you going to tell me? Our anniversary? Wedding day? On your death bed? When?”

  “Yeah, we’ve been seeing each other for six months, but you’ve still had sex with Kaylee in those six months,” I quite happily remind him, “several times,” I add just to rub it in. He flinches and steps back.

  Before he can speak I answer his question "I was going to tell you soon, but I was worried you'd react like this and I didn’t want to lose you. And well I was right, look how you have reacted. I have not had a client since before we met, I couldn’t do it. That first night I met you, I felt things for you that I have never felt before. That is why when you asked me down here for the rest of the weekend I said yes. Ask your friend,” I point to Bryson “He wanted me to return, again the next night, but I said no. I don’t do that. I never saw people more than once a week, people get attached if you do. But there was something about you.”

  How can he be angry at me like this? He is the only person I have shown
the real me too. He is the only person I have wanted to have a better life for. “I have never lied to you.”

  "No, but you've not been honest with me."

  This gets me angry. It’s not like he’s been upfront with me in the past either.

  "What, just how you fucked my best friend and I only worked it out once I saw your tattoo. That was really honest Jace," I say sarcastically. I spin around and take a step. Turning back, I look at them both and say "Oh, and for the record, I didn't take Bryson's money. I thought he was a decent person and it felt wrong at the time.” I look him in the eye. “But little did I know I was wrong back then. You are nothing but a judgmental asshole.” I turn to Jace. “Both of you."

  I take off running along the track towards the house. I am totally stuffed when I make it to the house. Running inside to Jace's room, I grab my bag and run back out.

  I can't stay here. This whole night has turned fucked up. It began as such a good night. I got to meet all his friends, who are totally funny and great people.

  "Where the hell are you going?" I hear Jace behind me as I round the barn onto the driveway.

  "Home. I'm not staying here with you. I don't want to be near you"

  "How the hell are you getting home at this time of night?"

  “I'll walk if I have to, just long as I'm not with you. I can't believe how you reacted, Jace. You treated me like a whore just then."

  "Because you are one,” he yells. There goes that knife into my heart again. “How do you expect me to act?" he yells in a booming voice. "Like you did when you found out about me and Krystal? You cracked the shits and ran from me."

  "You kept that from me for more than an hour, Jace. You knew for weeks before I found out. And I didn't talk to you the way you just did to me. I didn’t treat you like a slut"

  "Yeah, and I didn't fuck half of Dallas either." He bellows, and I stumble back from his words. They hurt. They hurt so fucking bad.

  "Yeah, well you won't have to worry about it anymore," I brokenly say.

  With that, I run down the driveway, away from him. I hear him yell out my name, but I don’t stop.