“Oh, Bryce’s sister, right?” She nodded. “I’ve only met him twice, and I’m afraid the second time I’d had a few too many cocktails, so it’s a little hazy.”
Ashlee giggled softly. “It happens.” Her eyes traveled to the blanket I had been sitting on and then back to me. “Are you and Walker dating?” she asked, her voice hesitant.
I let out an uncomfortable chuckle. “Oh, no. I’m just the neighbor. I moved into the guest cabin a couple months ago, and the Cole family has kind of taken me under their wing. Like a sister they knew nothing about until recently.” It was a lie. A bald-faced lie, and I knew it. But I didn’t know what else to say to this semi-stranger.
Ashlee’s face brightened, and then it all became clear. She had a crush on Walker. My stomach churned because she would be perfect for him. A pretty girl who clearly had deep roots in Sutter Lake. And from the look in her eyes, she’d do anything to make Walker happy. I hated her a little bit then. But I swallowed my pride and forced a kind smile.
“They really are a wonderful family,” she said wistfully.
“They are. If you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the ladies’ before they start the show.”
“Of course. It was nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” I called over my shoulder as I hustled inside. I rushed to the bathroom, closing the door behind me and flipping the lock. I ran the water as cold as it would go and splashed it on my face. Patting my skin dry, my reflection stared back at me like an angry taunt.
I needed to get it together. So I was attracted to Walker. That didn’t mean I had to act on it. All I had to do was avoid copious amounts of tequila and stay strong in the we-are-no-good-for-each-other mentality. Get over it and enjoy the movie, Taylor. I willed those words to be true and opened the door.
Blades of grass tickled my sandal-clad feet as I walked. More people had arrived since my bathroom meltdown. I spotted Bryce talking with Jensen and Noah. Noah was pressed against his mom’s side, but I heard his little-boy laugh from across the yard. I grinned. It was going well.
Steeling my nerves, I steered myself towards a Walker-filled blanket. As I approached, my jaw dropped. “You little jerk, you’re eating my M&M popcorn!”
Walker raised a single shoulder in a shrug. “You were right, it is good.”
I snatched my popcorn out of his hands. “Get your own.”
“But maybe yours tastes better,” he said with a devilish smile.
Trouble. Nothing but trouble.
“Can I get your attention?” Walker’s father, Andrew’s voice rang out over the crowd. “Thank you for all coming tonight. We love sharing this tradition with you. We’re about to get started, so grab your snacks, snag a blanket, and enjoy The Sandlot.”
I pulled my sweatshirt over my head, the twilight air already a bit chilly, and leaned back on the pillow.
Walker tugged on a strand of my hair. “Glad you came.”
I sucked in a breath. “Me, too.”
I turned my gaze to the screen as the opening credits started to roll. As one minute melted into the next, my eyes grew heavy. The heat from Walker’s body only added to fatigue’s call. It wasn’t long before sleep claimed me.
I awoke to gentle ministrations on my scalp and my cheek pressed against a hard surface. “Time to wake up.”
That had my eyes popping open with a start. I bolted upright. “Wha—?” It was a partially formed word, but my brain wasn’t quite awake yet. Looking around, I saw that almost the entire movie crowd had cleared out. I had slept through the whole show…on Walker’s chest. I was pretty sure there was a spot of drool on his shirt.
“I’m so sorry—” I started.
Walker shook his head. “What did I tell you about apologizing?”
I grimaced. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep on you. You should have shoved me off or something.”
He chuckled, and the low, throaty sound hit me right in the belly. “It’s fine, Taylor. Really. I never mind a pretty woman cuddled up next to me.” Unless that woman is me, and she tries to kiss you, I wanted to say. “Still not sleeping well?” he asked.
“Not really.” To be honest, I couldn’t believe I had fallen asleep so easily next to Walker. Taking inventory of my body, I realized that I felt incredibly rested. God, it was wonderful. I didn’t even feel this rested after an entire night’s worth of pseudo-sleep.
I cleared my throat. “I should get going. Do you know where Jensen is?”
“She’s in the guest house, putting Noah down. I told her I’d take you home.”
Great. Let’s just extend the mortification. “Thanks,” I mumbled.
“All right, let’s get on then.”
I followed Walker to his truck and half jumped, half slid into the passenger seat. He let out a low laugh. “Oh, shut up,” I sniped.
He rounded the hood of the truck and, in seconds, we were on our way back to my house. “So,” he began, “we’re going to the lake tomorrow.”
“That’ll be fun,” I replied, the picture of polite distance.
“You’re coming with us.”
My head snapped in his direction. “No, I’m not.”
“Come on, what are you going to do? Stay home alone and work out all day?”
I had planned to attempt another cooking project and swim laps, but I didn’t say that. “My plans are none of your business.”
“Your plans are coming to the lake with the entire Cole family. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
I huffed, crossing my arms at this familiar refrain. “Does pushiness run in your family gene pool or something?”
Walker let out a bark of laughter. “Why, yes, ma’am, it does. So, you might as well give in now.” He swung his truck to a stop in front of my stairs. “I’ll be here at nine a.m. to pick you up.”
“Fine,” I gritted out.
“Goodnight, Short-stack,” he called as I jumped down from the truck.
“Goodnight, Bigfoot,” I called. But to myself, I huffed, “Stubborn, ornery, no-good, troublemaking men.” Apparently, I was going to the lake.
21
Walker
My truck bumped along the gravel drive as I pulled up to the guest cabin to pick up Taylor. I grinned as I remembered her reaction to me telling her that she was going to the lake with us today. She had been a hissing, spitting little kitten.
I loved getting her riled. It had become a favorite pastime of mine. Over the past few weeks, we’d gone running together almost a dozen times, and I always got a perverse joy out of heckling her along the way. She needed to know that she couldn’t push me or any other members of the Cole family away with her prickliness.
I shut my door with a soft push and climbed the stairs, rapping on Taylor’s front door. “Coming,” I heard through the wood, followed by the thundering of footsteps. Geez, the girl was all of one hundred ten pounds soaking wet, but it sounded like a herd of elephants were headed my way.
The door swung open, and the sight that greeted me was enough to have my shorts tightening and my jaw hardening. Taylor stood before me, sunglasses perched on the top of her head, long, golden hair tumbling down over her shoulders. She wore ridiculously short denim cutoffs with frayed edges and a tank that dipped low enough to give a peek of the white bikini underneath.
I was fucked.
“Hey,” she said, tossing her beach bag over one shoulder. “I’m ready.”
“Great.” My voice sounded hoarse.
Taylor quirked a brow at me. “Are you okay? Not getting sick, are you?”
I cleared my throat. “Nope. Probably allergies,” I lied through my teeth. I led the way down her steps to my truck. Opening the passenger door, I said, “We have to make a pit stop at the bakery on our way to get donuts for everyone.”
Taylor clicked her seatbelt into place. “The bakery? You’ll get zero arguments from me.”
I grinned at the ground and rounded the truck. Less than ten minutes later, we had snagged a prime parking spot in fr
ont of the bakery. “Have you had donuts from Sutter Lake Bakery yet?”
A faint blush stained Taylor’s cheeks. What in the world was that about? She coughed. “Uh, yeah. Your sister brought them by one morning. They’re amazing.”
Huh. I’d have to get the rundown from Jensen about why Taylor blushed over donuts. “They’re the best. I called ahead, so they should have our order all ready to go.”
“Perks of being a town cop?”
“Perks of any lifelong town resident.”
She nodded, and I pushed open the bakery door. The place was packed. The to-go line was at least fifteen people deep, and another crowd of twenty waited to be seated. I loved checking out who was out and about on a Saturday morning. I spotted Tuck in a back corner with his latest bed buddy. Bryce and Ashlee were being shown to a table. And, unfortunately, Caitlin was there with her bitchy friend, Bridgette. I turned my gaze away as Caitlin’s eyes narrowed on me.
I ushered Taylor ahead of me with a palm on her lower back. I swear my skin tingled. What was this, the fifth grade? Hard-ons and butterflies without so much as a kiss?
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I scanned the bakery staff. Nina raised a hand in a one-minute gesture, and I jerked my head in a nod.
“It always smells amazing in here.” I had to lean my head down so that I could hear Taylor’s words, and her minty breath tickled my ear.
“Best donuts in the county.”
“I believe it.”
I soaked in the delicious smells and the feel of Taylor pressed up against me. But my happy buzz was soon ruined by a shrill voice. “You have got to be kidding me.” I turned to see Caitlin’s face a mottled red. “You drop me like a piece of trash, saying you’re not ready to commit, and I find you here weeks later with this skank.”
My spine went ramrod straight, but Taylor let out a chuckle. “Friend of yours?” she asked. “She’s charming. It’s hard to see why you’d ever want to get rid of her.”
The comment had me biting back a grin. “Caitlin, this isn’t the time or the place.”
Caitlin’s hands went to her hips, and her eyes narrowed to slits. “Since you refuse to return any of my phone calls, this is exactly the time and place.”
Taylor peeked around my frame. “Honey, never admit that to a crowded room.”
I swung my gaze down to Taylor. “You aren’t helping.”
Caitlin’s face grew even redder. “You bitch!” She lunged.
Thankfully, Tuck had spotted the start of a scene and made his way over just in time to catch Caitlin around the waist. “Now, now,” he said. “That’s not behavior befitting a lady.”
“Let me go!”
“Not until you calm down.” Tuck turned to me. “She’s probably just hangry.”
I raised a brow. “Hangry?”
Taylor piped up again. “You know, when you’re so hungry, it makes you angry.”
Tuck extended a finger, pointing at Taylor. “This one, I like. Are you the infamous Taylor perchance?”
Taylor beamed. “I am. I’d shake your hand, but I don’t want to get kicked.”
Caitlin was indeed throwing a righteous fit, kicking her legs and slapping at Tuck’s arm secured around her middle. I looked heavenward. “Jesus.”
Tuck turned a shit-eating grin on Taylor. “I’m Tucker, but everyone calls me Tuck, Walker’s partner in crime since childhood.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too, dollface.” Tuck turned his attention back to the hissing creature in his arms. “You gonna calm down?”
“No, you asshole. Let me down.”
Just then, Nina appeared with three boxes of donuts. “Here you go, Walker. Tuck, you can set her down outside, because after going after a paying customer like that, she’s banned.”
“Nina,” Caitlin whined. “You can’t do that.”
“You bet your ass, I can. Now get.”
Tuck took Cait right out the front door. The restaurant clapped.
Bridgette stomped up to me, drilling a finger into my chest. “That was cruel, Walker Cole. You know she’s in love with you.”
I cringed, removing Bridgette’s finger. “Bridgette, I didn’t mean to hurt her. Sometimes, relationships just don’t work out.”
Bridgette eyed Taylor up and down, her lip curling. “You’re going to regret leaving Caitlin for that cheap trash.” My jaw tightened, but before I could say a word, she turned on her heel and stomped out the door.
“You certainly know how to keep things interesting, Cole,” Taylor said, and then promptly dissolved into a fit of laughter so strong she was doubled over.
“Get it together so we can get out of here before Caitlin plots her return.”
Taylor rested a hand on my shoulder to right herself and tried to take deep breaths to slow her laughter. “I’m sorry. It’s just… You dated that crazy?”
I ground my teeth together. “It wasn’t that serious.” She quirked a brow, and I felt the need to defend myself overtake me. “I was clear about wanting to take things slow. She seemed to be down with that.”
“Until she wasn’t, right?”
“Right. I missed the signs that she was ready to get married next week.”
Taylor glanced out the front door. “I shouldn’t be laughing. Every girl has that guy they want but know they’ll never have.”
My gut burned. Taylor seemed to be talking from experience. An image of some guy showing up on Taylor’s doorstep with flowers and apologies, begging her to take him back, filled my mind. It made me want to punch something. I hated the idea of her with anyone else. Anyone but me.
Shit. Slow. I needed to take things slow. Snail’s pace, I reminded myself. I shook my head in an attempt to rid my brain of the thoughts that would get me nowhere.
Tuck swept back in the front door. “You’re good to go. They took off.”
“Thanks, man.”
“No problem. Enjoy the lake.” He turned his gaze to Taylor, eyes twinkling. “It was lovely to meet you.”
“You, too. Thanks for saving me from the bitch attack.”
Tuck chuckled. “Anytime.”
Taylor held open the door for me and my stack of donuts, but over her shoulder said, “Let’s hope it’s only necessary once.”
With that, we headed out. The drive to the lake was short, and by the time we got there, my dad had the boat ready to go. There were a handful of private docks scattered around the shore, and we were lucky enough to have one.
“The donuts have arrived,” I called as Taylor followed me down the dock.
Noah jumped, shooting a fist in the air. “Yes! Donuts! I want a chocolate one with sprinkles!”
I grinned at my nephew. “I got extra sprinkle ones just for you.”
“You’re the best, Uncle Walker!”
Jensen strode up, taking one of the boxes of donuts. “Just for that, you can put him to bed tonight when he’s bouncing off the walls on a sugar high.”
I ruffled her hair, and she elbowed me in the side. “Do you see what I have to put up with?” she called to Taylor.
“It’s a travesty,” Taylor answered.
Jensen pulled her into a hug. “Glad you came.” I saw Taylor stiffen slightly but then relax. I felt a swell of pride. My family was good for Taylor.
“He didn’t really give me a choice.”
Jensen threw her head back in a laugh. “Us Coles are stubborn you-know-whats, aren’t we?”
“Understatement of the century.”
Jensen linked arms with Taylor. “Don’t worry, we grow on you. Now, let’s eat some donuts and catch some rays.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I watched Taylor’s pert little ass stroll down the dock, Daisy Duke shorts mocking me with every sway of her hips. It was going to be a long day.
22
Taylor
The lake glimmered in the late summer sunlight, sending sunbursts across the surface. This place really was magic: serene water surrounded by forests, a
nd mountains that seemed to spring up from the lake’s edge. I was determined to enjoy this day. I wasn’t going to let my mind obsess over this attraction I had to Walker anymore.
I nearly choked on my water as the subject of my inner vow peeled off his t-shirt. A feast of bronzed skin greeted me. He was ripped. Not in a bodybuilder kind of way. In a real way. In a way that said he earned the muscles from hard work, not hours on end spent at the gym. He had a dusting of chest hair that perfectly completed the picture.
I wanted to trace the ridges with my fingertips. Feel that dusting of hair tickle my skin. I gulped, forcing myself to avert my eyes. I needed a distraction. I stood, pulled off my tank, and quickly shucked my shorts. “Who wants to go swimming?”
Noah bounded up immediately. “Me! Grandpa, can you take me and Tay Tay out on the tube?”
“Tube?” I asked.
Jensen grinned. “It’s Noah’s favorite thing in the whole world. We have a double tube that my dad tows behind the boat. It’s pretty fun.”
Cold water and an adrenaline rush. This was just the ticket to distraction. “I’m in.”
“Yes!” Noah cheered. “Can we, Grandpa? Can we?”
Andrew smiled indulgently at his grandson. “You got it. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Andrew guided the boat away from the dock and far enough from shore that we could set the tubes in the water. Noah was already in a life vest, but before I could jump into the deep blue depths of Sutter Lake, a voice sounded from right next to my ear.
“Let me put this on you.”
I turned to see Walker standing all too close and looking way too tempting. I took a half step back to gain some distance. “I don’t need one. You know I’m a strong swimmer.”
His jaw hardened. “Being a strong swimmer won’t help you if you get knocked unconscious.”
I rolled my eyes. Always such an alarmist. First, I was going to get mauled by a cougar while on a run. Now, I was about to sink to the bottom of the lake because I didn’t have a life jacket on. Geez. “All right. Gimme.” I reached out a hand. He didn’t pass it off to me.
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