Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
T hree weeks later
Annie
We’re on our way to Fair Shot, a new axe throwing bar that opened this year. Cade was nice enough to pick up Briar and me since Briar’s SUV went into the shop for service.
“What are your plans for the holidays?” Cade asks. I’m sitting in the front seat and Briar is in the back.
“I’m heading home to my family’s farm. Nothing too exciting to write home about. There may be some parties in town. Seeing some old friends.”
“That’s sounds nice,” Cade says. “Do you guys sit around a tree and drink eggnog?”
That’s a weird question.
“We do,” I reply and when I look over at Cade, he seems oddly impressed.
Briar doesn’t answer Cade. I wonder if maybe she doesn’t have any plans this year, but I make a note to ask her later.
“How about you?” I ask.
“Going to the Mayan Riviera with my parents. They aren’t really into the whole family sitting around a tree thing,” he explains.
“That sounds like a dream,” I say. “I’ve never left mainland USA.”
“My parents like to travel. It gets kind of old. I’ve been to a lot of places,” he says, which sounds exciting, but the way he describes it is dry and boring.
Cade parks the car outside the axe throwing bar and we head inside. Our friend group is meeting here tonight, since Finn and Charlie are having a little lovefest back at the hockey house and they wanted privacy.
We meet our other friends at the entrance.
“Hey,” Ruby says, walking over and giving each of us hugs.
“It feels like forever since we’ve been here,” I note.
“It has been forever,” Ruby agrees, since we were here months ago with our other friend Charlie. She and Finn got off on the wrong foot and things were tense back then.
We all head inside. The guys booked two lanes. We divide up with Cade, Hayden, Ruby, and Briar on one lane; and me playing with Luc, Aaron, and Macklin in the other.
The waiter comes around and we all order beer.
We start throwing some axes.
Cade looks like he has whiplash and splutters a loud, “What the fuck?”
His odd reaction gets our attention. We all look in the direction he’s zeroed in on. Scarlett is here and her tongue is down some guy’s throat. Scarlett is his longtime girlfriend. Charlie saysshe is a bitch. She is pretty sure she cheats on Cade and looks like she is right on. My stomach twists into knots. I know how it feels to be cheated on. Worse, I know what it’s like for it to happen for everyone to witness. My high school boyfriend, Ford, comes to mind. A shiver runs down my spine. I haven’t told anyone he’s transferring to Riverside this winter. He wanted me to help him find housing, but I texted him back that I was sure he was capable of finding it on his own. He and his father have been helping Daddy with the lawsuit. I’m grateful but I would never get back together with Ford. I now realize how messed up our relationship was. I was partly to blame, in the sense I put up with a lot of the crap he was dishing. I’m not that girl anymore, besides I don’t want a relationship. Watching how dysfunctional my parents are has led me to the conclusion that happy ever afters don’t exist, and given how my only two relationships left me feeling used and cheated on, well, I won’t go down that path again.
Cade stalks away with determined purpose toward Scarlett. Briar gives me a wide-eyed look and my heart hurts for Cade. He is such a sweet guy. He makes his way over to Scarlett, who is sitting on a stool at one of those high bar tables. Her long blond hair is covering her face so she doesn’t notice Cade standing beside her with his arms crossed, his chest heaving.
This is bad. Poor guy.
The guys follow Cade over to the table like each one is his bodyguard.
“What should we do?” I whisper. “I feel bad for him.”
I tilt my head to the side so the girls will follow me. They do because these girls are my ride or die. We get closer to the guys to hear Cade clearing his throat. Finally, Scarlett stops the tonsil hockey she is playing with the other guy and slowly pulls away from him. Her blue eyes turn round as saucers when she takes in Cade beside her. “Honey, this is nothing. It was a dare.” Her laugh sounds like a freaking hyena.
“I’m fucking done, Scarlett. This is bullshit. I don’t know how I’ve put up with your lies this long,” Cade bites out, as tension burst from him in scary waves.
Scarlett quickly gets to her feet and walks over to Cade. “Honey bunch.” She places her palm on his chest. Barf. Her long red fingernails splay across his chest like claws.
“Take your fucking claws off me,” he barks, radiating anger but also hurt and betrayal lace his tone.
Huh, they are claws. I was right.
I need to do something. He must be feeling so humiliated in front of everyone. Old memories come back to bite me in the ass. I will not let Cade drown when I am around. “Cade, there you are, babe,” I say, walking up to his side. I place my palm on his chest, causing Scarlett to take a step back. I move in front of him. I’m not thinking, just acting on impulse, when I lean in, sealing our lips together. I think the kiss is going to be a peck, but his full lips are warm and inviting so I tug on the back of his head, bringing him closer. He deepens the kiss as warmth bursts through my body. Something tightens deep in my belly as he slips me tongue. My tongue comes out to mingle with his and a fire sparks through my body. Cade is a good kisser. No, he’s an amazing kisser. Everything around us blurs into the background as I take all he is giving.
“What the hell is this, Cade?” Scarlett shrieks. Her hysterical voice brings our surroundings back into focus. I don’t want to stop kissing Cade. I want to give Scarlett a taste of her own medicine.
“Let’s get out of here, Calvin,” Scarlett scoffs. I hear her, but Cade doesn’t pull away. He seems to be enjoying the kiss as much as I am, or maybe he is enjoying the fact he can stick it to Scarlett. I sense her walking away with the guy but Cade doesn’t pull away. He brings me closer with his arms wrapped around my waist. People around us begin to holler and cheer. I know this has to end, but with Cade’s tongue down my throat and the warm feelings inside me, I tune out again and focus on his tongue and the feel of his strong shoulders beneath my hands.
“Show’s over, she’s gone,” Macklin announces. Cade groans into my mouth, but doesn’t pull away right away. That vibrating, animalistic sound coming from the back of his throat causes a little moan to escape me. It scares the shit out of me, so I pull away from him. We are both breathing hard with flushed cheeks as we take each other in. I smile at Cade, feeling kind of shy.
He licks his lips. “What was that?”
“You’re welcome.” I wink, pat his chest, and walk away back to our axe throwing booth. My heart is ricocheting in my chest. That may have been the hottest kiss of my life. My head is spinning, but I plan on keeping my cool. I’m not the girl who falls apart anymore. I’m not the girl who can be walked all over.
Briar and Ruby follow me. I hear the guys asking Cade if he’s okay. He seems to be in shock. I’m in shock too. My lips are swollen in the best way and wetness pools between my thighs. It’s been a long while since I’ve been with a guy. After I swore off my last boyfriend, freshman year, I decided I was never going to be in a relationship again.
“Um, do you want to explain what just happened there?” Ruby asks.
Briar waits expectantly too.
“Come on, the guy was drowning. He needed a lifeline, and that was me.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, when it’s a big freaking deal.
“Um, holy shit. That was hot,” Briar agrees, her eyes popping.
“No big deal,” I repeat, brushing them both off.
“No big deal, my ass,” Ruby adds.
I laugh too because this is so unlike me. “He’s a good kisser. I did a good deed.”
“Annie, you don’t just go around kissing guys,” Ruby reminds. As if I don’t know myself.
“True,” she agrees.
Ruby’s brows pinch together. “What is going on, Annie?”
“My high school boyfriend is transferring to Riverside starting next semester,” I explain, knowing it is a poor explanation. My head is still spinning and, in some way, my erratic reaction to Cade has to do with Ford. He wants me back. I could see it in his eyes Thanksgiving weekend.
“So?” Ruby asks.
“So…” I wince. I’ve never told the girls about Ford because it was so messed up. After what happened freshman year with Chase, I didn’t want them to see the pattern, but now I have to come clean. “We were together for three years and it was a really messed-up relationship.”
“What do you mean?” Briar asks.
“Do you guys remember how things went with Chase?” I ask. My relationship with Chase was a shitshow. He would screw up. I would take him back.
“It’s hard to forget,” Ruby says, and Briar agrees.
“Well, my relationship with Ford was kind of the same. I’m broken. Like I can’t find a good guy.” I frown. “Ford was older and handsome as hell. I just kept taking him back. He was attending Harvard. Who the hell switches out of Harvard Law?”
“Riverside has just as good of a reputation,” Ruby reminds. “And you aren’t broken. You’ve just had bad luck. You shouldn’t talk about yourself that way.”
The guys walk back over to the booths, which are side by side.
Cade walks up to me. “Am I supposed to thank you?” he asks, touching his lips.
“I would say so,” I reply, feeling the apples of my cheeks burning.
“Thank you.” He smiles.
We all get back into our lanes and throw some axes. No one talks about the crazy situation and Cade seems to be doing okay.
I catch him eyeing me a few times. Truth is, I didn’t think the kiss was going to go that far. My initial plan was to peck him on the lips and show Scarlett he was one-upping her, but somehow the plan for a simple kiss deepened. I’ve never made out with someone publicly before and now this whole situation feels hella awkward.
“You good?” Briar leans in whispering.
I blink and nod. I don’t know if I’m okay. Things back home are a mess. The Attorney General has filed the lawsuit. Apparently, Daddy was ignoring suggestions from regulators about the number of cows we had and our waste disposal system for some time, like years. My parents are fighting more than ever. Ford’s dad, William, has assigned one of the lawyers from his firm to the case and is charging my parents a fraction of what the real cost is. I know Ford and his family. They aren’t helping because they care. They want something and I have a feeling what Ford wants is me.
We say goodbye to Ruby and the guys.
“Cade, Briar and I can just call an Uber,” I offer since he brought us here. After the night he’s had I assume he’ll want to be alone. I don’t want to burden him.
“You don’t need to take an Uber when I have a car.” He tilts his chin to the midnight-blue Mercedes.
“Are you sure?” I ask. I don’t mean to be annoying but he’s been keeping his cool all night. If that were me and my boyfriend was kissing someone in public, right in front of me, I would hold in my tears—just like I have in the past—and wait until I was alone to break down.
“I’m driving you both home,” he insists.
“Thanks.” I grin. I get into the passenger side and Briar gets into the back seat.
The car ride to drop off Briar is awkwardly silent. I keep trying to think of something to say to break it, but nothing comes to mind.
We stop in front of Briar’s house. “Have a good night. Thanks,” she says before leaving the car.
Cade nods and waves and then it’s just me and him in the car. The air in the car feels dense now and it almost seems hard to breathe.
“Thanks, Annie,” he says, finally breaking the silence. “Everyone must think I’m a big fool, but you helped me save face.”
“It’s not on you, Cade. Scarlett is the one who looked bad tonight,” I say, looking out the window. We really don’t know each other very well. We just have friends in common who are dating.
“Trust me when I say, it’s on me. I had a feeling she was cheating. I just buried it under the rug instead of dealing with it,” he confesses, which seems odd.
I turn to finally look at him. He’s a very handsome guy, with high sharp cheekbones and a slight slant to his hazel eyes, which have an inner ring that’s a golden hue. His mother is Korean, and his father is Caucasian, and Cade must have taken the best of both worlds.
“I’m not sure I understand. Were you trying to avoid conflict?” I ask.
“Maybe. . .I don’t know,” he replies. “Things with Scarlett were complicated.”
I could understand complication.
“I’m not judging, Cade. I’m sure seeing her making out with another guy felt like a sword going through your heart.”
He grips the steering wheel tighter. I watch his jaw pulse.
“She isn’t going to give up on me. Even after I caught her red-handed,” he says. He pulls in front of my house and places the car in park. “That kiss. . .”
My cheeks heat, the memory of his lips on mine still feeling fresh.
“I was helping out a friend,” I assure.
“Well, friend, if I can ever repay the favor, please let me know,” he offers with a slight tilt to his lips.
Damn, he’s hot.
I reach for the door handle and open the door to the cool night air, when an idea strikes.
“Actually. . .” I get back in the car and close the door. Cade looks confused. “There is something you can help me with.”
“There is?” he asks, seeming surprised. Maybe he didn’t think I would call in the favor so fast.
“Yes.” I bite my lip. “This is a little out there but I’m feeling desperate. . .”
“Oh, Annie, sex is probably not a good idea right now.”
My eyes bulge. “Oh, no . . . that’s not what I meant. Like at all.”
“Oh, sorry.” He squeezes his eyes shut. “Tonight is not my night.”
“It’s fine. I, um, was going to make you an offer. We both seem to be in a bit of a predicament.”
I think I’ve caught his attention by the way his dark brows pinch, and his forehead is creasing. He looks a little worried too. “What did you need help with?”
“My ex from high school cheated on me and treated me like shit, and I kept taking him back. I don’t want to get into any of it, I just. . .” How the hell do I ask this?
Cade is watching me like I am some loose cannon, not that I can blame him. “I’m not sure where this is going.”
“Right.” I tap my lip with my index finger. Just spit it out, Annie. “Ford, that’s my ex. He recently waltzed his way back into my life. It’s a whole complicated story but the point is, I think he wants me back. There is no way I want to go back to him, but he isn’t the type of guy to walk away when he wants something. He’s going to try and break down my defenses.”
“Are you scared of him? Because I can kick his ass,” Cade offers. I don’t know much about hockey, but Ruby and Charlie have explained that Cade is the guy to throw down on the ice for his teammates. He doesn’t seem like a fighter but on the ice, he’s known to throw fists.
“No, not that kind of help,” I clarify. “Ford is transferring to Riverside. I wouldn’t mind sending him the message that I’m in a committed relationship,” I splutter. “And you, well, it seems like Scarlett still thinks she has a chance with you. She may still try to convince you to take her back.”
“I don’t know where this is going, but I’m slightly worried right now,” he replies. The confuzzled look on his face causes a burst of laughter to escape me. Really, I think it’s just my nerves.
“Just relax, Cade. All I’m proposing is that you become my fake boyfriend. That way I deter Ford, and you can keep Scarlett at a distance.”
I wait for a response from Cade. He looks frozen. I watch the wheels turning in his mind. I’m proud of my brilliant plan. Ford’s father will help Daddy. Ford will keep his distance from me, and Scarlett will have the message driven home that Cade isn’t on the market. It’s a win-win.
“Cade?” I ask when he’s been silent too long.
“We would just be faking it?” he asks.
“I mean, we will have to make it look real, but obviously it isn’t. You wouldn’t be able to see other people because of the risk if word gets out,” I explain.
“No, I get what you mean. That is a good idea. Scarlett knows I’m not a cheater, which will send her the message we are over,” he says, almost like he is convincing himself by repeating the words.
“So, are you in?” I ask.
He turns to me and extends his hand. “It’s a deal.”