Chapter 4
Brock
“Didn’t realize you missed me so much.” I patted my full belly and pushed away from the giant wooden dining table with a wide smile. “I could get used to a feast like this every night.”
Lee grunted. “Don’t get used to it. This was just the hook to reel you in.”
I laughed. Lee was one of my oldest friends, and he was an ornery bastard who only got away with it because he was a damn good businessman.
“Maybe I’ll add this to our contract terms.” I had money, plenty of money.
I’d grown up with it and a private chef, but as an adult, I didn’t like the idea of having too many people in my home.
So I ate out a lot and ordered in on the nights I didn’t feel like being surrounded by people.
Mac, Lee’s rock star younger brother, laughed. “This town is crazy about two things: holiday festivals and matchmaking. Say the word, and you’ll have more food than you can eat every day of the week.”
I squirmed uncomfortably at those words. “No thanks. I want this food, not casseroles.”
Ryan laughed. “Don’t knock the power of a good casserole,” he warned. “They reheat easily and last for days.” He wore a satisfied smile that was contagious.
“Festivals?” I sipped the top-shelf whiskey and watched as the men’s faces lit up. “I heard something about the Week of Giving Thanks, but what is it?”
“I’ll start,” Ryan said. “I grew up here, so I’ve been going to these things my whole life.
Back then, they were smaller and usually just a few days, but over the years, they’ve all gotten bigger.
” He gestured wide with his arms, his eyes lit with excitement.
“The Week of Giving Thanks officially starts tomorrow with the craft fair, where you’ll find all manner of holiday décor.
But it’s not just a craft fair. There’s also food and drinks, games, and everything else you’d expect. ”
I blinked and looked around at each of them. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Ryan laughed. “That’s the normal part of the week. There’s the pie-making contest and the pie-eating contest, Black Friday tailgating, which is pretty much a town-wide block party, and of course, the Gratitude Carnival, which is a Thanksgiving-themed carnival in the park.”
“Okay, that does sound like a lot. But it doesn’t sound so bad.” I looked at Lee and then Mac for confirmation. They were new to town too, so their perspectives might change my own.
“It’s not,” Mac began with his trademark smile fixed in place. “Kayla and I fell for each other during the St. Patrick’s Day week. Now it’s my favorite holiday.”
Ryan nodded. “Torey and I pretended to be together during Valentine’s Day to keep the matchmakers off our backs. It worked out perfectly.”
“Wow.” I turned to Lee with a skeptical look. “Is there something in the water?”
He nodded as a slow smile formed. “Yeah. Gorgeous women.”
His words immediately brought Sela to mind. Truth was, the woman wasn’t far from my mind since she rushed out of the bakery. “Speaking of, where’s Nix?”
“At Ol’ St. Nick’s with Torey and Hailey.”
My brows dipped. “What does that mean?”
Ryan laughed. “Ol’ St. Nick’s Pub is the best bar in town.”
“And Hailey got Vegas married during my wedding weekend,” Mac added proudly, as though he had something to do with it.
I shook my head. I knew there were small towns, but Holiday Grove was the smallest town in the world, right? “Wow.” There was nothing else I could say to that, so I let my mind wander back to the bombshell blonde I shouldn’t still be thinking about. She wasn’t interested, and neither was I.
Liar.
“What do you say, Brock? Are you up for it?” Lee’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I looked up with a frown.
“Up for what?”
Lee smiled as if he knew something I didn’t. “Nix said there was a spark earlier between you and Sela.”
“Happy fucking couples,” I groaned. “It’s called a conversation.” But I was secretly pleased that Nix had witnessed the chemistry too.
“Come on. We’re headed to the pub.”
Ol’ St. Nick’s looked like any downtown bar in any city in America, except that it also looked like Thanksgiving had thrown up all over the place.
Turkeys were everywhere, made out of construction paper and balloons, and even a turkey pinata.
There was a large cornucopia on the bar with beer cans and bar snacks spilling from it.
Pilgrim hat and buckle centerpieces topped each table. “Interesting.”
Lee laughed and clapped me on the back. “There’s an empty booth in the back,” he said, pointing to Ryan, who stalked toward the back where Nix and Torey huddled together.
The place was packed, which surprised me. It was a small town on a Sunday evening, and this place felt like a Friday. It took three full minutes to get to the booth. Then I was stuck with two happy couples who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.
“Hey, guys. What can I get you to drink?” Sela appeared at the table looking like a wet fucking dream in her red cropped sweater that showed off a strip of midriff and hung off one shoulder.
Her jeans molded to every curve, highlighting strong legs and a flat stomach.
Her red stilettos matched her lips, and I couldn’t look away.
Her gaze met mine and widened for a fraction of a second before she put her fake-as-fuck smile back in place. “I’ll have a whiskey neat, please. Unless there’s something you recommend?”
“Spicy apple cider margarita is really good.” She spared me a quick glance and then made a big show of looking away.
Interesting. “I’ll have that, then.” I kept my eyes on her as the rest of the table placed their orders, and when she walked away, my eyes went with her.
Sela was a woman with secrets. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes that stuck with me.
She smiled and joked with customers, sidestepped handsy patrons with an admonishing grin, and flirted outrageously with a table of silver-haired men.
None of her smiles were real, though, not like the ones I’d gotten this morning.
Careful, Brock. Remember the last time you let a pretty face derail your plans.
Yeah, my ex-wife Christina was a real piece of work.
I was sure she loved me at some point, but she always loved my money and the fact that my business kept me away from home, leaving her to do whatever she wanted, including every single man who smiled her way.
After that betrayal and a contentious divorce, I kept my interactions with women simple.
I didn’t do complicated, and I didn’t do long-term.
And I didn’t look into a pair of sad blue eyes and wonder who or what put the sadness there.
“Man, you’ve got it bad,” Nix whispered in my ear.
I opened my mouth to deny it, but the denial wouldn’t form. I was definitely intrigued by her, and not just her looks. It was a recipe for disaster, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Not yet.
After two drinks, I was ready to crash, to wash the day off and fall into the semi-comfortable bed at the B&B and sleep for the next ten hours. “I think I’m going to head out.” I finished my drink and stood. “Drinks on me.”
A round of thanks went around the table, which was already so unlike my last city, where it was always expected that someone else would pick up the tab. So far, Holiday Grove was an unexpected delight.
I made my way to the bar to pay the tab, scanning the area for one last look at Sela.
She was deep in conversation with a man, and it didn’t look like a happy conversation.
She was shrinking in on herself and searching for rescue, but the bar was packed, and the other waitress was halfway across the room.
Don’t do it.
He grabbed her arm, and she cried out in pain. “Just hear me out!”
“Let me go,” she shouted, her eyes welling with tears.
My feet moved before I could second-guess myself. “Sela, you all right?” It was a dumb question, but it distracted them both just long enough for her to put some distance between her and the man.
“I’m fine,” she said in a strained voice. “Adam was just leaving.”
“Not without a conversation. You owe me that much.”
She let out a bitter laugh. “I don’t owe you anything. You left, Adam. Remember? I’ve moved on.”
The jerk stepped forward, and I slid easily between them. “Pretty sure she said you were leaving.”
“And I’m pretty sure this is none of your fucking business,” he growled and put his hand on my shoulder.
I grabbed his wrist and twisted until I had his arm behind his back, which was easy enough since I had about five inches on him. “Now I’m making it my business.” I pushed him against the bar, drawing a shocked expression from the bartender. “You have a tab to pay?”
“Five beers,” the bartender answered.
“Pay the fucking tab. Now.” I twisted his arm until he cried out.
“Okay, man, jeez. She’s not even worth all this.”
“Good. Then this is the last you’ll see of her, or I will make it my mission to ruin you. Got me?”
He pulled a few bills from his wallet and angrily tossed them on the bar. “Whatever.”
I twisted his arm again. “That’s not an answer. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I got it. Don’t worry, man. I am out of here.” He glared at Sela. “Never to return.”
I dragged him to the door and tossed him out. “Good. Remember that.”
He fell to his knees before he got up and took off at a full run.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Sela’s voice was soft at my side. “But thank you.”
I turned to face her and felt my breath catch in my throat. “Anytime, Sela.”
She let out a sharp laugh. “Let’s hope I don’t need you to do that more than once.” She grabbed my bicep and squeezed. “Have a good night.”
I wanted to say more. Hell, what I really wanted was to grab her arm and yank those curves against my body before devouring her mouth until she moaned and begged for more than a kiss. But I didn’t. I smiled, squeezed her shoulder, and walked out into the cool night air.
Distance. That’s what I needed. Distance from Sela.
And a long, cold shower.