Fifteen years later
Kasey Hunter stared out the backseat window of the Toyota trying to figure out how his life got so fucked up.
Forty-eight hours ago, he wouldn’t have traded his life with anyone.
Now, he’d swap lives with the next person he met.
If only that was possible.
The Uber driver stopped the car in front of the nightclub with a huge brown neon sign in the shape of a boot with Tiny’s flashing in red.
Kasey blew out a breath knowing this was where he needed to be at the moment. The Star Breeze, an entertainment news program, wouldn’t run the piece on what transpired on the set of his reality show yesterday until tomorrow.
If only he wasn’t a public figure, he’d be able to escape the humiliation, but he couldn’t. She’d made certain of that.
He didn’t look forward to being hounded for a statement, or the media circus that would ensue as soon as the news broke.
His Uber driver, Perry, a twenty-something college student, recognized him and had been good company on the drive. Instead of peppering Kasey with questions, he’d talked about studying for finals and how he only had one more semester before he graduated with a computer science degree.
Perry set the car in park and turned in his seat. “Hit me up if you need a ride home or anywhere while you’re in town. If you request me, day or night, I’ll show up.”
“Thanks. I hope you do well on your finals.”
“Thanks, man.”
Kasey slid from the car, punched the app on his phone, and left Perry a hundred-dollar tip. Bouquet of flowers in hand, he headed toward the club. It was around ten, and there was a crowd waiting to get inside. He glanced at the door on his way to join the line. His high school friend Mike Marshall, the owner, stood right inside the door. The club was in Houston, yet only minutes from where he’d grown up in Katy.
Mike spotted him and motioned him forward. Once Kasey got close, the three-hundred-pound man with a bald head and tattoos covering his arms grasped his hand and shook it enthusiastically. “Damn good to see you, Kasey. Of course, I watch you every Monday night on TV, but this is so much better.”
“I was here in the fall, the night of the tornado. You were off.”
“Sorry I missed you.”
“Looks crowded tonight.”
“Everyone’s thirsty.” Mike ushered him inside. “I have to relieve my bouncer for his break. I’ll talk to you a little later.”
“Thanks for getting me in.”
“Least I can do.” Mike’s words and his expression were full of gratitude. They’d talked about being held at gunpoint many times, especially right after the incident, even attended therapy sessions together. Mike had expressed over and over how grateful he was Kasey intervened with the robber, saying he wasn’t sure what would’ve happened otherwise. The unsettled feeling Kasey sometimes got when thinking about what they went through cramped his stomach. Not wanting to give it his attention or energy, he nodded to Mike and continued into the club.
From what he could see with the dim lighting, Mike had done extensive renovations since the last time he was here. Where it used to hold the vibe of a dingy nightclub, now it resembled a barn with a loft in one corner, paneled walls all around, and clear milk jug lights hanging from the ceiling. A bar with stools now took up the left wall and was flanked by swinging doors on each end. Pub tables and chairs surrounded the huge dance floor.
A cute blonde bumped into him. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“Wait, you’re Hunter Kase.”
He smiled tightly. He hated the name the network insisted he use. Well, she insisted he use.
Blondie squealed. “Oh my God! You have to come meet my friends.”
“Actually, I’m late for a birthday party. I’m sure I’ll meet your friends during the night.”
“Oh, it’ll just take a minute.” She latched on to his arm.
He sighed. While he followed her, he searched for Dre. He’d texted his friend an hour ago, and Dre told him to meet them here for Quinn’s birthday party. The two were getting married soon.
Blondie stopped at a bar table where a girl sat with two guys. Kasey saw immediate recognition on the guys’ faces. One shouted, “Hunter Kase!”
A few people around them turned their heads and approached. Luckily, the music was loud and not everyone heard. After five minutes of smiling for pictures and shaking hands, Kasey excused himself. “I’m meeting friends.”
“We’re all friends here,” the blonde said, obviously not ready for him to leave.
Kasey waved and walked away. He usually didn’t mind the notoriety, it was part of his life, but right now it grated on his last nerve. He found Zack and Dre in a quiet corner at the back of the club playing pool.
Zack’s wife, Sadie, rushed forward and threw her arms around him. “How are you? I hope you’re staying in town longer than a day this time.”
Without explaining why he’d returned unexpectedly, he hugged her. “Not sure how long I’ll be here.”
“Well, I’m happy to see you.” She kissed his cheek and disappeared into the crowd.
Zack held out a pool stick. “Your turn.” Zack was the worst pool player he knew and used any excuse not to play.
“What brings you to town?” Dre shook Kasey’s hand and pulled him close to slap his back. “Are you alone?”
His friends knew what he’d planned yesterday, and he hadn’t filled them in on the details of what happened yet. This wasn’t the place to discuss that clusterfuck. “I’ll explain later.”
Dre, who had an uncanny ability to read people, immediately said, “Nine ball. Kasey, you rack.”
Half an hour later, Quinn approached them. She was as bright as sunshine with her golden blonde hair and beaming smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t miss your party.” Kasey grabbed the bouquet he’d brought and handed it to her. “Happy Birthday.”
“Oh, how sweet.” She embraced him. “Come. I want to introduce you to my friends.”
Kasey picked up his beer. Dre did the same, and they followed her. Since Dre played in the NFL, and Kasey’s show had been on for four seasons, many people called their names and wanted them to stop. Quinn made excuses, claiming she needed them right now.
When Dre stopped to talk to Mike, Kasey continued on with Quinn. She introduced him to her friends standing at the edge of the dance floor. Then she gripped his arm and led him to a table with tons of drinks scattered around with a woman sitting at it. He could only make out her profile. She did not look happy.
“Amanda Crane,” Quinn called.
The lady spun around in her chair.
“Nice to see you again, Kasey.”
See me again? Damn. Although he didn’t recall her, he liked that she didn’t call him Hunter or Hunter Kase.
His confusion must have showed, because she continued, “At Quinn and Dre’s engagement party I was a blonde.” She pointed at her raven black hair.
“Amanda.” He remembered her now. Her hair was cut in the same short precise style. She wore jeans and the same Lemur shirt as Quinn and some of the others.
A new tune started, and Quinn excitedly waved. “I love this song. I’m going to find Dre.”
She left Kasey standing there.
“You want to sit?” Amanda motioned to the empty chair next to her. “I helped Sadie plan this surprise party for Quinn. We went over the guest list, and she didn’t mention you were going to be here.”
He pulled out the chair and sat. “You think I’m crashing the party?”
“Maybe.” Amanda brushed her bangs out of her eyes.
“You’d be right. I texted Dre a couple of hours ago to tell him I was in town, and he invited me to join the birthday celebration.”
“I met your girlfriend at the engagement party. Is she with you?”
“We’re not together anymore.” It was the first time he’d said the words out loud.
All the sudden, a hand snaked around his shoulder.
He stiffened and turned his head to find a gorgeous redhead standing close. He took a breath and centered himself. Right after the holdup, someone surprising him from behind would send him into a panic. Now he could control the fear.
The woman’s flowery perfume clouded the air. “Hunter Kase, how about a dance?”
“I’m in the middle of a conversation so I can’t right now.”
She rubbed his shoulder. “I’m sure your friend won’t mind.”
He frowned. “I can’t be rude. You understand.”
Pout on her red lips, the woman walked off.
“Is that normal? Women coming on to you?” Amanda asked.
He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve taken a vow of celibacy.”
“Becoming a priest?”
“Oh, hell no.”
She laughed, which made her eyes sparkle. He couldn’t tell the color in this lighting and didn’t remember from the time they’d met. “So why have you sworn off sex?”
“I need time to recalibrate.”
“I get it. I swore off sex following my divorce.”
“How long were you married?”
“Four years.” She flicked a speck of something off the table.
“Is he a prick? Do I need to kick his ass?”
“He’s a great guy. My first real boyfriend.”
“Your high school sweetheart?”
She shook her head. “High school came too early in my development. At least, as far as my body was concerned. I didn’t develop until my twenties.”
He held up his beer bottle like toasting. “Well, your twenties did a hell of a job.”
“Kind of you to say.” Even in the shadows, he noticed her skin brightened at his words. “Especially, since I didn’t get a chance to change after work and wash off the day. We took Quinn out to dinner as camouflage and came straight here for the surprise party.”
He pointed to her shirt. “You teach, right?”
“I’m a counselor.”
Dr. Youst came to his mind. Following the gun fiasco, Dre and Zack had stayed up with him all night and brought him to her office for his appointment the next day. He’d been a wreck when he walked into her office, but by the time he’d left, he felt so much better, so much calmer. He’d met with her weekly until he left for college and even drove in for appointments once a month. They still had sessions over Zoom every three months. With what happened yesterday, he should probably make an appointment with Dr. Youst and talk about it.
He cracked his neck.
Amanda studied him. “Which Jane Austen character are you?”
“You’ve heard about my mom’s obsession.”
“I’m in a book club with her. She told me how she named all her boys after characters in Jane Austen’s books.”
“All except for me,” he clarified. “My name is Austen, spelled with an E as Jane spelled it. Austen Kastor Hunter.”
“Kastor?”
“My great grandfather’s name.”
“What are your brother’s names?”
“Bennet James, Darcy Henry, Oliver Collins, and Ethan Knightly. Darcy and Bennet are the only ones who go by their Austen names.”
“It’s interesting.”
“It gives people something to talk about.” He’d lived with the oddity his whole life and only the people in town knew about it. “Why did you look miserable earlier?”
She leaned over and murmured, “Country music is not my favorite.”
He laughed. “That’d explain it.”
“You know, as a licensed counselor, if you’d like to share why you’ve chosen to take a celibacy vow, I am beholden to keep it confidential.”
“Beholden? Who says beholden?”
“Blame it on the historical books I read.”
“It’s a torrid, messy tale. You sure you want to hear it?”
“Of course. Torrid is always exciting.” She lifted what appeared to be a strawberry daiquiri to her lips.
He hadn’t told anyone the story and was surprised the press hadn’t leaked it to the public. He glanced around. His friends were busy, each giving their soulmates their undivided attention. Tennessee Whisky came on, and Amanda swayed in her seat. It was the first time he’d seen her slightly move to the music.
“You like this song?” he asked.
“It’s one of the few country songs I like.”
“Let’s dance.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Trying to get out of telling your torrid tale?”
“No. I like this song too.” He stood. “Come on, we’re going to miss it.”
“Why, yes, Kasey, I’d love to dance. Thanks for ordering me to do it.”
Her sarcasm was well placed. “Sorry. Amanda, would you like to dance?”
“Better.”
Once on the dance floor, he faced her, and clasped one of her hands. His other found her lower back, and he swept her across the floor. He’d learned long ago most girls liked a guy who danced, so he’d had his girlfriends in high school and college teach him. For some reason, girls loved to teach guys to dance, and he’d always been a willing student.
Amanda’s perfume was an inviting hint of cinnamon and vanilla. So inviting, he wanted to press his nose to her throat and smell it full force. A rebound reaction to the last twenty-four hours for sure. His life was too fucked up to have such a thought, yet there it was. Long ago, Dr. Youst explained that people didn’t have control over what they thought, only what energy they gave to it or how they reacted to it.
The song was what his dad called belly-rubbing music. Slow, with a beat that urged a couple to snuggle up to each other.
As they turned, Amanda stepped too quickly. He squeezed her hand. “Let me lead.”
She frowned. “I don’t dance to country.”
“Which is why you should let me lead.”
Still frowning, she shrugged. “I’ll try.”
He gently pulled her closer and applied pressure on her hand and hip as he encouraged her. At her hesitancy, he rubbed her lower back. “Small steps—move with me.”
She stared up at him. Desire flashed in her eyes an instant before she blinked, and it was gone. Tempted to pull her closer, he didn’t. He kept everything respectable, and her body eventually relaxed in his hold. The song ended and a fast song came on.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. I’ll get us drinks and meet you in the back by the dart boards. It’s less noisy back there. A strawberry daiquiri, right?”
“A virgin.”
“Well, your virgin pairs nicely with my celibacy.”
She let out a low, sexy chuckle and headed toward a table.
Was he fixing to spill his guts to a woman he’d met one time? Although she’d promised not to talk about whatever he told her, he had no idea if he should trust her. But she was Quinn’s friend and something about her put him at ease.
Twenty minutes later, he’d told her everything. Every last sorted detail. She’d listened, her eyes never wandering from his face. She picked up her drink and clinked it to the beer in his hand. “That, my friend, is fucked up.”
And how.
“Nothing like waiting for a bomb to go off.”
“I know.” He sipped his beer.
She pulled out her phone to check the time. “T minus fifteen hours.” As he set the bottle down, Amanda reached over and patted his hand. “Her mistake.”
“Thanks. I don’t pretend to be perfect. I’d never—” He gazed across the dance floor and his heart plunged to his gut. There she was, looking absolutely beautiful with his brothers behind her. “Shit.”
Amanda glanced to where he stared, stood, and pulled on his arm. “Let’s get you out of here.”
He followed her as she stayed by the wall and darted behind and around people. They moved as fast as possible while trying not to look conspicuous. “I need to tell Dre I’m leaving and call an Uber.”
“I’ll tell him,” Amanda assured him. “And you can call once you’re outside.”
The music stopped.
“Where are you, Hunter Kase?” Mike’s voice boomed over the speakers.
Amanda didn’t stop. She motioned him in front of her. If he made it to the hallway, he might be able to sneak out.
“He’s right there,” the blonde from earlier shouted.
“Damn,” he uttered in surrender as he turned and frowned at Amanda.
She laced her fingers through his and tugged him along while the woman started toward them from across the room, his brothers behind her.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” his betrayer said.