6. Dane
SIX
Dane
I woke to a bucket of melted ice, an unopened champagne bottle, and a very lonely bed.
“Fuck,” I said, staring at the ceiling.
That hadn’t been a bad dream. Ms. Red hadn’t shown. She’d ghosted me. Dashed off like Cinderella about to turn into a pumpkin.
I was sprawled on the mattress, shirtless but still wearing my tuxedo pants for some reason. Maybe because I’d stayed up until the wee hours, sipping mini-bar whiskey and hoping my girl might show, before I finally gave up and passed out. Now I had a mild hangover to show for it.
One-night stands weren’t a typical thing for me. I liked taking my time to get to know someone. But I’d never met anyone that sparked my interest the way she did, and I’d really wanted to spend more time with her. To show her a great time. I wouldn’t have minded if one night turned into several, at least for as long as I stayed in Silver Ridge.
I liked her. Simple as that.
Maybe I should’ve expected this. She’d been skittish. But what exactly had gone wrong? Had she simply gotten cold feet? Was it something I did?
I’d even called down to the front desk to see if she’d left a message for me, or if anything strange had happened. Such as an alien abduction of the gorgeous woman in the red dress and elaborate mask. Nothing .
My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I threw a pillow at it. If it was Kip hoping for a report on his VIP guests, he was shit out of luck.
I padded out to the kitchen, where I stuck the champagne in the fridge and downed some pain relievers for my headache along with a bottle of water. After a shower and a shave, I figured I should check my messages. My mood lifted when I saw Ashford had written.
Ashford
Back from Hartley. How was the party?
Me
I’m hungover.
The good kind or the shitty kind?
The latter. A pretty girl ditched me.
My condolences. Bright sunlight and the loud screams of children will fix you right up. Fall festival in the square today. Want to join us?
I can’t think of anything better.
Except, of course, breakfast in bed and an uninhibited round of morning sex with Ms. Red. But since that wasn’t going to happen…
Ashford
Meet us at Silver Linings on Main. Half an hour? They have breakfast burritos.
Perfect. Breakfast is on me.
Which made me laugh as I thought of my first visit to Silver Linings and my ruined sweater. Those wide amber eyes behind her glasses. That blush. Hell. I wanted to find her. At the very least to ensure she’d made it safely home last night.
Maybe Ashford knew her. It wasn’t that big a town.
After putting on jeans and a long-sleeved Henley, I grabbed the gift bag I’d brought for Ashford’s daughter, then lined up for the shuttle that took hotel guests down to Main Street. The hotel had a Range Rover for me to use if I needed it, but this morning I preferred blending in and hearing what people were saying.
I was still thinking about what Ms. Red had said last night. That I didn’t know what the people of Silver Ridge were about. I wanted to find out. And the first step toward getting there was listening. Especially since Ms. Red herself wasn’t going to give me that insider scoop.
Taking a seat at the back of the shuttle and pulling my ball cap down, I watched the other guests file on from the corner of my eye. Some were VIPs from the party last night. Thankfully they didn’t recognize me. I overheard some comments about the party and the resort grounds, all of them vaguely positive. In other words, unhelpful.
Once we got to Main Street, I tipped the driver and stepped out into the sunshine. The town was bustling this Saturday morning, and the air was bracing and clean. It did make me feel better. I was about to see my closest friend for the first time in years, and that was something to celebrate.
I strolled toward Silver Linings with one hand in my jeans pocket and the small gift bag swinging at my side.
When I was about half a block away, I spotted Ashford, a pretty brunette, and a golden retriever cross the street. They tied the dog to a railing.
A grin broke over my expression like the sunrise.
By the time I reached the coffee shop, Ashford and Emma had already gone inside. The retriever’s tail wagged and she shuffled excitedly on her paws as I approached. “You must be Stella. I’ve heard all about you.” She barked happily, and I took a moment to rub her sides. “I can’t stay long, though. Gotta say hi to your owners.”
Once I got inside, Emma was looking over the used bookshelves while Ashford stood just behind her, their fingers casually tangled together. He glanced over as I walked toward them, his smile growing to match mine.
“Dane! Holy shit, you’re actually here. In the flesh.”
“I know. It’s taken way too long.” I pulled him into a backslapping hug, then flicked his bearded chin. “You look scruffy as hell.”
“You look tired as shit. How’s the hangover?”
“What hangover?” I hugged him again.
This . This was why I’d come to Silver Ridge. I’d obsessed enough about Ms. Red for one morning. I didn’t intend to think about my family woes either. For now, I was going to put everything else out of my mind and focus on my best friend.
“Dane, this is Emma.” Ashford put a hand on her back, looking down at her with the pure adoration of a guy who’d found exactly what he needed.
“You’re every bit as beautiful as Ashford described you.”
He smacked my arm. “Don’t hit on my fiancée.”
“Me? I would never.” I grinned mischievously.
“It’s great to finally meet you, Dane.” Emma opened her arms, so I gave her a hug too.
“Likewise. I would’ve sent you both tickets to the party last night if you hadn’t been in Hartley. But Ashford would rather go back to boot camp than attend a stuffy black-tie party full of strangers.”
Emma laughed. “It’s like you know him or something.”
“I would’ve braved the rich assholes if you’d wanted to go, baby,” Ashford said to her. Emma kissed him on the nose, and I felt a pang of longing that I played off by rolling my eyes.
Ashford had meaning in his life. Exactly what I was missing. Ashford was far richer than me when it came to the things that counted most.
We got into the line waiting to order. “Where’s Maisie?” I asked, holding up the gift bag I’d brought with me. “I’ve got a present for her.”
“Buying your way in as usual,” my buddy joked.
“Not gonna lie. I’m hoping for honorary uncle status.”
“Maisie is already at the festival with Grace,” Emma said. “They’re helping out at the kids’ craft table. We’re supposed to meet them. Oh, I can’t forget about Grace’s order. She wants an autumn spice latte.”
“Then I’ll be happy to get it for her. Breakfast is my treat.” As we neared the register, I noted that the tall blond was once again not working today.
I almost asked Ashford and Emma if they knew anyone matching Ms. Red’s description. Hair a mix of gold and auburn, eyes that glowed when she smiled. A tendency to blush adorably and study up on spreadsheets.
Damn it, this was getting pathetic.
“What do you think of your investment so far?” Ashford asked. “I heard they’d finished construction on the new hotel finally, but I haven’t been up there.”
“We were waiting for you to give us the insider tour,” Emma added with a cheerful smile.
“It would be my pleasure. I think the hotel looks great, not that I had much to do with that part. I was just thrilled we could step in and get the project finished. But now that I’m here, I plan to get to know the town better. It doesn’t seem like the previous owners of the resort thought about how the property would fit into Silver Ridge, so that’s something I want to focus on.”
“If you want honest opinions, I’ll introduce you to Dixie Haines,” Ashford said. “She’s president of the local business association. But she doesn’t hold back what she’s thinking.”
“Exactly what I need.”
“Then I’ll make it happen. But remember, you asked for it.”
I laughed. “I’d love to get involved with the local charities too.”
“Grace can help you there,” Emma said. “She does a ton of volunteer work.”
“Then I look forward to meeting her. What about your brother, Ashford? How’s Callum?”
“Cal’s at the festival too, but he’s on duty. Sort of.”
I’d met Callum a couple times in our Army days. I knew he was a volunteer firefighter. I hadn’t seen him in years, but Ashford dropped details here and there about his siblings. When it came to Grace, Ashford’s love for his sister was always clear, but I had no idea what she did for work.
I’d also met the oldest O’Neal brother, Grayden, though I certainly didn’t expect Grayden to turn up here in Silver Ridge. Ashford and his other siblings had no contact with him. A difficult relationship with a brother was something I could understand.
Our backgrounds were different aside from our military service, but there were certain things that Ashford and I got about one another without needing to explain. Exactly why his friendship meant so much to me.
We left Silver Linings with a tray of drinks and a bag of food. Outside, Stella pranced with excitement as Emma untied her leash. “Hold on,” I said. “I’ve got something for you too, Stella.” Dipping into my pocket, I pulled out the dog treat I’d bought at the counter. I’d already checked with Emma on which kind Stella liked. Stella gobbled it from my hand, licking her chops.
“You are a kiss-up,” Ashford muttered.
“Can’t help it if I have a way with the ladies. You might want to take some notes.”
He flashed me his middle finger, and we both laughed. Fuck, this was fun. The day couldn’t be more beautiful, and I was here with my best friend and his family. I had no reason to complain.
We set out for the festival, which was being held in the square across from town hall. Meanwhile, I wolfed down a breakfast burrito to absorb the last of the alcohol in my system.
The sidewalks bustled with happy families going the same direction as us. Kids kicked up fallen leaves and jumped in piles of them. The aspens that dotted Main Street were a mix of golden yellow and fiery orange-red. A few blocks ahead, in the square, crowds of people meandered around the white tents set up for the festival.
“You’ll have to come for dinner at our place soon,” Ashford said.
“I’d love to. I’ll return the favor, but at a restaurant. My hotel suite has a kitchen, but you don’t want my cooking.”
“Trust me, dude, I remember. How’s your mom been doing?”
My smile faltered. “Pretty much the same as the last couple months.” I focused on the peaks of the white festival tents. “She would love Silver Ridge. I’m hoping to get her out here at some point. If I can make it work.”
Emma’s blue eyes were sympathetic. “Your mom isn’t well?”
“She has early-onset Alzheimer’s. Diagnosed a couple of years ago. It’s progressed quickly.”
Emma touched my elbow. “Oh, Dane. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.” Whenever I thought about my mom, about how much she’d lost already and how little the treatments were working, it made a furious ache build in my throat and my chest. Money, power, connections—none of that mattered when you were sick and there was no cure and, on the worst days, you couldn’t even recall your own name.
“Let us know if we can help. We’d love to meet her.” Ashford rested a hand briefly between my shoulder blades. A show of solidarity, and it meant a lot.
“I did offer to fly you and your family out to see me in Manhattan. More than once.”
My friend shrugged. “Even you aren’t worth that hassle.”
“Good to know how much I really mean to you.”
We’d reached the festival. At the entrance, we exchanged cash for some tickets, then dove right into the midst of small-town autumn charm. Booths selling spiced apple cider and cider donuts. Lawn games with pumpkin-shaped balls and beanbags. The scents of barbecue and tacos wafted over from the food trucks.
Ashford pointed at a fire engine parked on the street, where kids swarmed around firefighters in full gear. “Callum’s over there somewhere. They’re letting the kids pretend to drive and honk the horn. If Maisie hasn’t stopped by already, I have no doubt that’s on our agenda for later.”
“I wouldn’t miss it. I’ve always wanted to sit in the jump seat.”
“Bet Cal will even let you wear the helmet.”
Suddenly a streak of long hair and bright colors ran toward us. “Daddy, Emma! Stella! You’re here!”
Maisie collided with Ashford, who picked her up and tossed her into the air. His daughter screamed in delight. When he set her down, Maisie got a hug from Emma and took Stella’s leash. “Where’s Aunt Grace?” Ashford asked. “You were supposed to stay with her.”
“She’s still helping some kids at the craft table. I’m seven, Daddy. I don’t need anyone to hold my hand.”
Then Maisie noticed me and took a few steps to the side, ducking behind Emma.
“Maisie, this is my friend,” her dad said. “Remember I told you he was coming to see us?”
“Hi. I’m Dane.” I tried not to look scary, but it didn’t seem to be working. Before I could say anything more, someone else called out Maisie’s name, waving and jogging toward us.
“There’s Grace,” Ashford said. “She must’ve gotten a reprieve from craft duty.”
“Maisie, I asked you to wait for me.” Grace reached us, pushing her auburn hair back from her face and adjusting her glasses.
Fuck . Me .
I could barely make out the shape of her under her baggy sweater and jeans. But I didn’t need to. Her sexy dress last night had accentuated that hourglass shape and practically burned it into my memory.
Ms. Red was Grace O’Neal. Ashford’s little sister.
Then she looked over at me, doing a double take.