Chapter 45 Dakota
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Dakota
There’s a knock at the door just as I’m sitting down with my second cup of coffee of the evening, and honestly? I almost ignore it.
Charlie’s finally playing quietly with his blocks, I’ve got a rare half-hour of peace, and I’m not ready for whatever is waiting on the other side.
But the knock comes again, firmer this time, impatient, and I already know my peace has been shattered.
“Hi, sweetheart!”
Alice beams at me like she’s been up since dawn baking pies and rescuing stray kittens. She’s holding a big canvas tote bag, and there’s this… look in her eyes. Mischievous. Which is never a good sign.
“Uh-oh,” I say, crossing my arms. “What’s that look for?”
“That look,” she says, brushing past me into the kitchen, “means I’m here to babysit.”
I blink. “Babysit?”
“Yes,” she says, setting her bag down on the counter and giving me one of those all-knowing mom smiles. “You and I both know Charlie could use some Alice time, and you,” she pokes my arm, “could use some time for yourself.”
I stare at her. “Alice, I have work. And laundry. And about ten emails to—”
“Dakota.” She cuts me off with one raised eyebrow. “When’s the last time you did something nice for yourself?”
I open my mouth… and immediately close it again. Because she’s right, of course. The answer is never.
Before I can come up with an excuse, Alice reaches into her tote and pulls out a dress. Not one of mine. This one’s nicer. Flowy. A deep forest green that looks way too pretty.
“Oh no,” I say, backing up a step. “Nope. Whatever this is, I’m not doing it.”
Alice just smirks. “You are doing it. And you’re going to thank me later. Now, go shower, fix that pretty hair of yours, and put this on.”
“Why?” I demand. “Where am I even supposed to go?”
“You’ll see,” she says with a wink that is entirely too smug. “Trust me.”
When I don’t move, she pulls out her phone, dials a number, and holds it out to me. “Here. You can ask Violet yourself.”
I take the phone, sighing. “Violet, please tell me you don’t know what’s happening.”
“Oh, I know,” Violet says, and I can practically hear the grin in her voice. “And I think you should listen to Mom.”
“She’s not my mom.”
“Close enough,” Violet says breezily. “Just go with it. You deserve a night off.”
I groan. “You’re in on this, too?”
“Yup,” Violet says, sounding far too pleased. “Now hang up, go get ready, and let Alice do her thing.”
Alice takes the phone back, still grinning like she’s orchestrated the world’s most secret operation. “See? Even Violet agrees. And between the two of us, when have we ever steered you wrong?”
I open my mouth, but before I can get a word out, she waves a hand, already ushering me toward the stairs.
“Go on,” she says, nudging me. “Take a little time for yourself. Charlie and I will have fun. We’re going to bake cookies and probably get frosting all over the floor.”
“Fine,” I mutter, mostly to myself. “But if he eats too much sugar and won’t sleep tonight, that’s on you.”
Alice just smiles. “I’ll take my chances.”
Upstairs, I hold the dress up in front of the mirror and sigh. It’s simple, but beautiful. Soft fabric, flattering cut. I can already hear Alice downstairs humming to Charlie, and something inside me softens.
Maybe she’s right. Maybe I could use a night where I’m not worrying about deadlines or whether Charlie’s going to adjust to this place.
When I finally come down, dressed and feeling both weirdly nervous and oddly alive, Alice turns and gasps dramatically. “Oh, honey. Look at you.”
I roll my eyes, but a smile tugs at my lips anyway. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously right,” she says, and hands me my purse. “Now go. The world isn’t going to wait for you forever.”
I hesitate at the door, glancing back toward Charlie. He’s sitting at the kitchen table, already covered in flour, laughing as Alice hands him a wooden spoon.
He looks so happy, so at home, that it hits me right in the chest.
“Thank you, Alice. I appreciate this.”
She waves me off. “Go, Dakota Fletcher. Live a little.”
As I stand on the porch, waiting for whatever’s coming next, I hear the low rumble of an engine approaching, and my heart skips a beat.
A truck pulls up—not just any truck, but Clint’s. Though it’s not just Clint behind the wheel. Sawyer’s in the passenger seat, and Reid’s leaning casually against the back seat, his usual grin in place.
I freeze, my breath catching in my throat.
“Clint?” I call, unsure, as they all climb out.
He looks over, a warm, crooked smile lighting up his face as he pushes his hat back just enough to look at me properly. “You look… stunning.”
I blink at him, unsure of whether to laugh or blush. “I… What’s going on?”
Sawyer, ever the calm one, just gives me a soft smile. “We figured it was time for a night out.”
Reid steps forward, giving me a wink. “You like fun, right?”
I glance at each of them. Clint, the way he looks at me like I’m something he can’t quite reach, even though I know he’s trying. Sawyer, his intense gaze that somehow makes me feel safe and seen all at once.
And Reid, the one who always knows how to make me laugh, even when everything else feels too heavy.
All of them. In front of me. Taking me out.
“Ready for a night out?” Clint asks.
I swallow hard, stepping down from the porch. “I didn’t think… I didn’t know you guys were all going to be here. Together, I mean.”
Reid chuckles, a playful glint in his eyes. “Well, you’ve got three of us here, Dakota. No backing out now.”
I don’t know what’s more overwhelming: the fact that this is happening at all, or the fact that I’m trying to figure out what this is. But before I can dwell on it too much, Clint steps forward, holding the door open for me.
“After you,” he says, and I feel that familiar flutter in my chest.
Clint’s truck hums down the road, the guys all relaxed and chatty, and I’m caught between wanting to pinch myself and bursting out laughing.
They’re acting like this is just another evening of hanging out, but I can tell something’s different. As if they’ve collectively decided this night’s going to be amazing.
“So, Dakota,” Reid says, leaning in from the back seat, “have you ever heard of Colter Creek’s world-famous taco truck?”
I raise an eyebrow. “World famous, huh?”
“Okay, fine,” Reid says with a dramatic sigh, “maybe not world famous. But it’s the best-kept secret in town. You can’t say no to the tacos here.”
“Wait, a secret taco truck?” I’m already laughing, but I don’t even know why.
“Yep,” he says, eyes sparkling, “It’s a rite of passage. And let me tell you, their salsa? It’s so spicy it’ll have you questioning your life choices.”
I glance over at Clint, who looks like he’s trying not to laugh. “Is that true?”
He shrugs with a grin. “Reid exaggerates. But it’s really good. You’ll see.”
I can’t help it. I roll my eyes and laugh. “What’s next? A secret underground dance club?”
“You wish,” Reid chimes in. “But tacos first. Let’s go!”
This feels like the start of a movie. The kind where everything is just perfectly quirky.
When we pull up to the taco truck, I’m immediately hit with the smell of sizzling meat and definitely too much spice. Reid goes into full tour-guide mode, ordering for me before I can protest.
“You’re gonna love it,” he says, practically bouncing on his heels. “And if it kills you, I’ll be there with the milk. I promise.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re insane.”
Clint is clearly amused. “Reid’s not wrong. It’s spicy, but it’s worth it.”
“I can handle spice,” I mutter, though I’m not entirely sure I can.
We dig into our tacos at a little picnic table nearby, and Reid launches into more random trivia about the town’s history, like the fact that the mayor once tried to pass a law making it illegal to wear cowboy hats to church.
I snort. “Wait, what?”
“Yep,” Reid says with a grin. “And when they tried to vote on it, the whole town showed up to protest. All wearing cowboy hats.”
Clint chuckles. “Reid, Dakota grew up here. She knows more about this town than you. Stop making shit up.”
Sawyer laughs and shakes his head. “Reid, is that how you flirt? I’m surprised anyone has ever taken a second look at you.”
I burst out laughing, feeling that lightness I hadn’t realized I’d been missing. “Okay, okay, this is the best first date I’ve ever had.”
Reid holds his hands up in mock surrender, his grin widening. “Hey, I’m just trying to keep it interesting.”
Clint raises an eyebrow, looking at me from the corner of his eye. “Better than talking about the weather.”
“True,” I agree.
The light from the taco truck casts a soft glow around us, and I realize something I hadn’t fully grasped before: This is what I’ve been missing.
Connection. Laughter. People who are here because they want to be, and not because they have to.
“Honestly,” I say, glancing around at them all, “this is perfect. I didn’t think I needed a night off, but now? I’m… I’m glad I’m here. With you guys.”
Clint’s smile softens, his gaze on me warm but powerful. “You deserve more nights like this, Dakota. You work hard. You never let anyone else do the heavy lifting.”
I shrug, trying to wave off the compliment. “What can I say? I’m used to doing things on my own.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to,” Sawyer chimes in. “You’ve got people here now, Dakota.”
Reid jumps in with a grin. “And we love going on dates with you and spoiling you. So get used to it.”
I roll my eyes, but the smile I’m fighting to hold back slips free. “Spoiling me? What, with tacos and fake history lessons?”
“Exactly,” Reid says, deadpan. “Best. Night. Ever.”
I glance around at the three of them. Each one so different, yet somehow all looking at me as if I’m part of something real.
And as much as it terrifies me, it’s also… beautiful. To be part of something that’s messy and full and imperfect. Just like this night.
“You guys… you make me feel like I belong here.”
Clint’s expression softens, too. He doesn’t say anything, just watches me as if he’s seeing me in a way he hasn’t before. There’s some sort of understanding passing between us.
“Colter Creek has always had a place for you,” Clint says quietly, “and we’re not going anywhere.”
Sawyer smiles, his eyes bright but full of meaning. “None of us are.”
The simple sincerity of it hits me harder than I expect. It’s like a weight lifting off my chest, one I didn’t even realize I’d been carrying.
The idea that I can actually belong. Not just here in Colter Creek, but with them. That maybe I’m not as alone as I’ve spent most of my life believing.
Reid suddenly picks up the empty taco bag, tossing it into the nearby trash can with a dramatic flair. “Okay, team, now that we’ve fueled up, time for the next adventure?”
I glance at Clint, who looks at me with that quiet, fond smile.
“You’re in for a surprise. We’ve got something planned.”