by Piper Rayne
“We should go. I don’t want to be late,” I say, wanting desperately to leave this conversation behind.
“You sure we’re okay?” There’s genuine concern in his eyes.
Cade isn’t a bad guy. He didn’t change the rules—I did.
“I’m great. Just wanna make sure we can make it to the dinner and meeting.”
He gives me a chaste kiss. No tongue thankfully. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have the gusto to give him a kiss that wouldn’t make him second-guess my lie that I’m fine.
We walk up the hill toward the big house that is in fact his parents’. He doesn’t ring the doorbell but walks right in, and I hear a lot of voices in what I assume is the kitchen at the back of the house. He takes off my coat and purse and puts them in a room near the entryway.
He lets me walk in first, but I stop upon entering and he runs right into my back.
“Reese stopped in just to say hello,” Mr. Greene says as Marla slams the fridge door closed, turning around with a bottle of white wine in her hands.
This is the fucking cherry on top of the damn sundae of disappointment.
We all end up sitting in the formal dining room, Reese across from Cade, Rylan across from me. Thankfully, no other siblings are here tonight to witness my mounting humiliation and frustration, though it makes it more awkward that it’s just the six of us.
“My mom wanted to make sure I dropped off her famous brownies to Mr. Greene. She always did have a thing for you,” Reese coos.
Marla brings her wine glass to her lips, clearly a fake smile on her face even though I barely know the woman.
“Until Marla snuck into town and snatched your heart away,” Reese adds.
I drop my napkin and it falls to the floor.
“Let me,” Cade says from beside me.
“No, I’ve got it.” I have to pick it up because I’m paranoid her foot is in Cade’s crotch.
It’s not, so I pick up my napkin and place it on my lap, then cut up the chicken Marla made. She’s a great cook. Either that or my taste buds are having a party over the first home-cooked meal I haven’t made for myself in forever. Her salad dressing is awesome, and when I remark about it, Reese helpfully informs me that Marla bottles it and sells it nearby.
Marla looks annoyed that Reese is the one to speak up about her business, so I direct my next question directly to Marla. “How come you never made this bigger?”
“Once Rylan was born, I just didn’t have the energy. I’m happy with what I sell locally.”
“It’s really good.”
“Remember that time I was here, and you had all the kids try out your new flavors?” Reese adds.
“Yes,” Marla says. “If I recall, you weren’t fond of any of them.”
“I was picky when I was a teenager. Oh my God, Cade, remember how we went to homecoming senior year and you took me to that nice restaurant and I only had a salad?”
“And I had to pay for an entire meal you didn’t eat. Yeah.” I can’t tell from Cade’s voice whether he’s annoyed by the memory or not.
She looks at me. “It was supposed to be some sort of chicken, but it looked raw and had this gross sauce.”
I nod and chew my salad. “How’s the leg, Rylan?” I ask to stop Reese from traveling any farther down memory lane.
“It’s good.”
“I saw you had some signatures on it. Can I sign when we’re done eating?”
He nods, eating his chicken. “Yeah. I went to watch one of my team’s games and a bunch of people signed my cast.”
“Calista Bailey was one of them.” Mr. Greene’s gaze works its way from Marla to Cade in a suggestive way.
“Stop it, Dad. We only train together,” Rylan says, but his cheeks fill with a nice shade of pink.
“Oh, Rylan, maybe you and Calista will end up being like Cade and I were. You never know. We started off as friends in elementary school, too.” Reese’s soft eyes land on Cade’s.
I don’t have the energy to look at Cade, so I sip my wine like Marla and concentrate on Rylan. “What’s Calista like? As a teammate, I mean?”
He shrugs. “She’s good. It’s her uncle who’s training us.”
“He was a well-known soccer player. Played in the MLS,” Mr. Greene adds.
“Oh, that’s awesome. I bet he knows his stuff then?” I look to Rylan for confirmation.
“Yeah, and he pits us against one another. She’s good. Like real good.”
“So are you,” Cade says. “When you control your temper.”
Rylan nods as though he knows this lecture by heart.
“Don’t let him fool you. Your brother had a temper when it came to football,” Reese says.
“Christ,” I say and everyone at the table freezes. One quick glimpse at Marla and her wide smile confirms I did just say that out loud. Shit. “Sorry, I just remembered something. I need to call my mom.” I stand from the table and place my napkin on the chair. “I’ll be right back.”
I hide in the bathroom, trying to compose myself. A soft knock lands on the door and I’m expecting it to be Cade, asking me what the problem is. But Marla’s head peeks in after I say to come in.
She shuts the door behind her, squatting down along the wall next to me, and places her hand on my knee. “She’s not a threat, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“What? Oh no, I just hung up with my mom. It’s her birthday. I forgot.”
But her eyes scour my lap and the area around me, not seeing a phone anywhere. She’s got me.
“Well, if you were worried for some reason, don’t be. She’s not the threat.”
I clue into her words. “But you’re suggesting there is one.”
She inhales deeply and looks toward the door then back at me. “Yes. I can see he likes you, but there’s a giant wall you’ll have to break down in order to get him.”
“I don’t understand. There isn’t another girl?”
She smiles and shrugs. “Kind of, but not who you think. I have a great feeling about you two and I think you’re the girl who’s finally going to get to him, but only time will tell. I just don’t want you to be jealous of Reese. She might want him, but Cade doesn’t want her.”
She leaves the bathroom before I can ask for more clarification. Thanks for dinner and the cryptic message, Marla.
I walk out of the bathroom to find Cade following Reese out the back door. I think Marla needs to check her notes again.
When did my life become so complicated?
Presley is clearly worried about Reese while Reese is dead-set on making Presley feel like an outsider. The conversation Presley and I had in the alley probably wasn’t the best one to have right before we came to my dad and Marla’s for dinner, but I didn’t want to play her. I wanted to be honest.
“Can I talk to you?” Reese asks.
I glance at my dad and he pretends to be eating, never one to get into my business. I’m not gonna lie, we both thought Reese was the one for me at one point in our lives. But that feeling ended well before I ever left for college.
I wipe my mouth with my napkin and stand, leaving it beside my plate. “Sure.”
She walks to the back door and I follow her onto the patio of what was my grandmother’s house. My grandpa built this house, but my dad put a lot of work into it. The pergola over the porch with lights strung overhead allows us to see one another. The pool is closed up, and since all the outside furniture is still packed away, we have no choice but to stand.
“Is it serious?” she asks.
I stuff my hands in my pockets. “I’m not sure that’s any of your business.”
She turns around slowly. “So if I kissed you right now, what would your reaction be?”
“I’d push you off me, but that’s not because of Presley.”
Her shoulders sag. “It’s been how many years? How are you not over it?” Her raised voice makes me think she still believes she did nothing wrong.
“I am over it, but that doesn�
�t change the trust issue.”
She throws her hands in the air. “Trust? I’ve always been your confidante. Remember I’m the one—”
“Enough with the ‘remember when’ shit. It’s been twelve years since senior year and the only reason you want me now is because your boyfriend cheated on you.”
She balks. “What? Who told you that?”
I say nothing because she’s a Sunrise Bay lifer. She knows how the gossip spreads.
“It might be the reason I’m back, but it’s not the reason I’m here with you now. It’s always been us, Cade. Our story—”
“Our story died when you threw yourself at Jed.”
“He’s a liar.”
During senior year, I broke up with Reese because she was just as intrigued as our classmates about Jed when he arrived in town. After he stole my quarterback position, she cozied up to him. Everyone thought I was being rash in my decision to break up with her. Months later, I thought maybe I had too, but after I got the quarterback position again, she was back at my side. Months later, after Jed and I had become friends and football season was over, he came to me one night and confessed that Reese had approached him earlier in the season. He’d turned her down because she was my girlfriend, but she didn’t let it go until coincidentally, I became the first-string quarterback again.
“He’s my brother.”
“Step.”
I shake my head. “He’s my brother.”
“Just like you said, that was ages ago. We can start over. Whatever you have with her—”
“Presley,” I say.
“It’s temporary. She’s not from around here. She doesn’t know how things work and I doubt she’s sticking around. It’s easy with me. I know your past already, you don’t have to open yourself up to someone new.” She steps forward. “You can just be you and not trudge through all those feelings about your mom. I understand the hurt you went through, because I was here.”
I take her hands before they touch me and lower them. “No, Reese. Whether or not I’m with Presley in the months ahead doesn’t factor in on the fact that there will never be an us again.”
She huffs and drops her arms to her sides. “You have no idea what you’re missing out on. There was a reason we were happy. You’re forgetting all of that because of one stupid thing.”
Convenient how she admits it now, even though I knew all along that Jed was telling the truth.
The back door opens, and Presley slides out. “Hey, I’m going to get to the meeting now. I’ll meet you over there.” She’s got her coat and purse on.
“No.” I step toward her. “I’m coming with you.”
I grab her hand, leading her into the house, and hear Reese’s sigh behind us.
We say our goodbyes as my dad puts on his coat. “You sure you don’t want a ride? Rylan’s coming and he’s not that good on his crutches yet.”
I look at Presley. “I’m good.”
Reese comes in the back door and helps Marla clear the table.
“I’ve got it, Reese, but thank you.” Marla waves to us. “I’ll see you all over there.”
We walk out before Reese leaves, and as soon as we’re outside, Presley whips her hand out of mine.
“What’s that for?” I ask.
“Don’t use me as some sort of toy,” she says.
“What are you talking about?”
“If you want her, have her. If you don’t, then fine. But holding my hand in front of her, when you made it pretty clear before we got here that was a hard pass?”
Maybe that wasn’t my brightest moment.
She walks down the driveway toward downtown. When she reaches the area where we had the conversation on the way to dinner, she circles to face me. “Listen, I’m in this whole friends with benefits situation, but you will not embarrass me publicly.” She pokes me in the chest. “I’m not some plaything. You want this kept a secret? Fine. Then no hand-holding, even when you want to make an ex-girlfriend jealous.”
She’s right. I’m an idiot. Although I was just trying to get Reese to back off, rather than make her jealous. But Presley’s right, I can’t use her as a pawn.
I cage her to the brick wall, move one hand to her hip, and my other cradles her face as my lips land on hers with a kiss I hope conveys how sorry I am. Like every time we touch, her body melts into mine and a slow moan leaks from deep in her throat. I’ve slowly become addicted, and part of me is scared for the first time we have sex. What if, for some reason, it’s not as great as everything we’ve experienced up until now?
A group walks by and I step back, although they can’t possibly see us in the dark of the alley.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” I say. “But I will say, I wasn’t trying to make her jealous, just see that the two of us wouldn’t ever be together again.”
She nods. “Thank you for apologizing. Now let’s go.” She walks out of the alley.
“That’s it?”
She looks over her shoulder. “Well, yeah.”
Damn, that was easier than I figured it’d be.
My dad, Rylan, and Marla are all here before we arrive. Since Jed is in town, I opt to sit in the audience with Presley while he takes our seat on the panel. According to the flyer, we’re discussing the next duo night, Presley’s grand opening, and the beginning of tourist season.
George bangs the gavel. Clara runs up the aisle and sits next to Presley, Xavier right behind her. It’s nice having him home during the off-season.
“The committee has met privately to discuss the issues and we’ve decided to try something new,” George says.
Presley looks at me and my forehead crinkles. Jed dodges eye contact with me, as does my dad. Not the best sign.
“Since the grand opening of The Story Shop is happening on the first day of tourism season, we’ve decided to hold the duo for the town the night before. And then we’ll continue the duo the day of the grand opening. As always, tourism brings in more money to the duo nights, but since this is Miss Knight’s first one, we’d like to do a soft duo night the night before.”
“Who is she partnered with?” someone asks.
This is an amazing opportunity for any business. The town will advertise, and where masses congregate, people feel as though that’s the place to be. I have no doubt this plan was put into place to make sure The Story Shop has the strongest opening it can.
My hand slides to touch Presley’s knee, but I catch Clara watching, so I retract it, remembering we’re in public. I just wish I could convey how happy I am for her because this is huge.
George bangs his gavel because he loves that damn thing. “We’re sticking to what the town voted, so it’s Truth or Dare Brewery and The Story Shop.”
“Beer and Books,” Jed yells and winks. We’ll have a talk later that he did this all behind my back.
“Or Books and Beer,” Presley says.
Jed shakes his head, but his grin says he appreciates her retort.
Clara grabs Presley’s knee and wiggles it. “This is so awesome for you.”
I’ve never been jealous like I am right now that Clara got to touch her and congratulate her first. Goddamn, what the hell is wrong with me?
“I feel a little overwhelmed right now.” Presley fans her face and turns to me. “How on Earth do we morph books and beer?”
I shrug because I don’t really know, but I’ll help her figure it out. “I’m sure Jed’s got ideas.”
The four of us laugh.
“Then as long as Miss Knight is okay with the plan, it’s a go.” George hovers his gavel above the wooden plaque.
“Yeah, I’m good with it,” Presley says and the room claps.
George bangs the gavel. “Now on to the next thing on the agenda.”
They discuss the beginning of tourism season and what needs to be done. Mandi and a few other inns discuss their booking rates and reservations at restaurants. Chevelle says how many boat tours have been reserved, and Fisher discusses the extra
patrolman we hired for the crowds.
Presley pulls out her phone and opens her notes app, typing things she wants to get done before opening day.
After the meeting is dismissed, Clara hugs Presley, and I catch a few people watching. It’s their slightly opened mouths as they smile, watching the two sisters embrace, that reminds me why I’d never live anywhere else. People in small towns have one another’s backs and want everyone to be happy.
“What do you need me to do?” Clara asks.
“Just get me your recommendation list for the young adult section. And could you be there for duo night? I know nothing of what it’s going to entail, and if I’m pulled away, maybe you could give some people some book recommendations.”
Clara nods. “Absolutely.”
Jed walks over to me. “How mad are you?”
“We’re a partnership for a reason.”
He nods a few times. “I know. I know. You’re just too close to the situation and I didn’t know if you’d have concerns. This is good for us. Especially since we’re going to announce the new flavor for the summer.”
Jed’s right. He’s a great marketer and I don’t blame him. I might’ve thought this was too much for Presley too soon and tried to stop it. But she’s strong and determined. I watch as a few people congratulate her and say if she needs any help to just reach out.
Jed looks on like I am. “She’s really become a member of Sunrise Bay, huh?”
“Seems so.”
“Seems that for the first time in my life, I was wrong. I guess she does fit in a small town.” He elbows me.
All I can do is nod because I can’t take my eyes off of her. Happiness looks beautiful on her.
“I have no idea what to do,” I admit, sitting at a table with Jed and Cade.
“Good thing for the two of you, you have me.” Jed stands and grabs five bottles of beer that he sets on the table.
I pick up a quesadilla that Cade made for lunch. They’re pretty damn good. It’s their signature item, according to him and Jed.