Chapter 16
16
brYCE
We didn’t leave the school until long after the sun had set. Darren’s babysitter needed to be relieved at dinnertime, so he left hours before we did. I wouldn’t say it was awkward per se once he was gone, but there wasn’t a lot of conversation happening.
We went home exhausted and disappeared into our rooms the moment we could. I woke up this morning before I heard Daisy so much as stir in her room and went to the only place I knew she wouldn’t.
Steele Ranch. The guest house, specifically.
My furious knocking on the wide front door lasts for a while before finally, footsteps sound on the other side. The sight of a half-asleep Poppy wrapped in a puffy pink robe doesn’t shock me.
I push past her inside the warm house. “Is Garrison here?”
“He’s in bed. Like I wish I still was,” she croaks.
Good enough for me.
The guest house is bigger than you expect when you first hear about it. It rivals the size of the main ranch house but lacks the same rustic charm. Updated with gleaming gray wood floors, white walls, and appliances that belong in industrial kitchens, it’s the second-newest building on the ranch.
Brody and Anna’s place makes this one look like a ramshackle cottage.
I turn into the living room and collapse on the massive sectional. My back sinks into the cushions as I slap my hands over my face and groan.
“What’s wrong? Not that I don’t love seeing your beautiful face, but I’d prefer not to do it so early in the morning.”
“I shouldn’t have agreed to this,” I say, the words muffled in my palms.
“To what exactly? You’re not prone to always making the best choices.”
I want to glare at her, but that would mean uncovering my face. “I kissed her hand.”
“You kissed her hand?”
“She kissed my cheek.”
“Oh-kay . . .”
“Do you think we should go to Peakside tonight?”
“Who? You need to slow down and look at me.” Suddenly, she’s tugging my hands down my face and sitting beside me, expression open. “Explain what’s going on.”
“Your brother knows and suggested me and Daisy make our couple debut at Peakside.”
“You told my brother?” she asks, nose scrunched.
“This isn’t the time for you to be jealous. He doesn’t know that it’s fake.”
Her entire face lights up. “Okay, he can know that slim bit of info, then.”
“This is serious. Do we go to Peakside or not?”
“Why wouldn’t you? There’s no better place to do it.”
I grip my knees and huff and huff like I’m trying to blow the goddamn house down. “My parents won’t be there. This is supposed to be for them. ”
“They’ll hear about it. I’d be surprised if they don’t already by the time you get home afterward. Are you worried about them finding out, or is this all because you don’t want to lie to everyone?”
I wish that was it. Lying to all of our friends should be what’s making me doubt this plan, not that the longer we continue to act on it, the closer I’m moving into obsession territory.
Finding Daisy attractive was one thing. Watching her from afar and yearning for the right time, if ever , to make a move is another. But having her so close while knowing I’m supposed to make our fake relationship real enough that I can touch her body and kiss her skin . . . I’m completely and utterly fucked.
One taste and I’m contemplating putting a stop to this before I wind up lost and broken.
“You know the truth. The only people I feel guilty lying to are Anna and Darren,” I mutter.
She leans against me, shoulder to shoulder. Her puffy robe is thick and warm, too bulky for my personal preference. It looks expensive, and I’d bet that’s because it is. Garrison isn’t frugal with his billions when it comes to her.
“They’ll forgive you if they ever find out you lied. And I’ve got your back. I think my brother is right. Peakside is the smartest idea. Not to mention, it’ll be loud and busy, so you can always sneak off if you need to,” she says.
“Do you think I can pull it off?”
Her eyes lift to my face, but I don’t turn my head. “Are you finally admitting what I’ve known for years now?”
“What’s that?” I ask, needing her to be the one to say it.
“That you want Daisy Mitchell.”
The statement is like a pipe straight through the chest. I struggle to breathe around the intrusion and instead sound pained when I finally find words.
“I want Daisy Mitchell.”
Poppy’s arm slides below my chest as she hugs me from the side and squeezes tight. “I’m proud of you.”
“It’s not that big of a deal. ”
“It is,” she soothes, pressing her cheek to my arm. “Even if you think it isn’t.”
“After this is over, it won’t matter whether or not I want her. It’s fake in her eyes. Like we agreed it would be. And I feel fucking creepy now.”
“You’re not creepy, Ice.”
I make a deep noise in the back of my throat. “I am. Agreeing to this while having pre-existing feelings for her is fucking creepy. I’m not only lying to everyone else but to her too.”
Poppy twists, leaning over my lap with a hand on the armrest. Her frown is one I’ve seen a million times over the course of our friendship, but it feels different this time. Like she’s disappointed in me or something.
“You’re plenty of things, Bryce Lemieux. Blunt, stubborn, crass, a connoisseur of vibrators and horror documentaries, but you’re absolutely not creepy. It pisses me off when you speak negatively about yourself.”
“Connoisseur of vibrators?”
Her frown breaks, flipping up into a slight smile. “That is all you would pay attention to.”
“Don’t act innocent.”
“I prefer dildos. Vibrators are plain.”
“You have a living dildo in your bed right now,” I point out.
Leaning back, she settles beside me once again and laughs. “The best one on the market too.”
“Fuck off.” I jostle her with my arm and tip my head back to stare at the ceiling, exhaling. “What do I do here, Poppy?”
“Stick to the plan while opening yourself up to her. Give her the chance to learn who you really are. Once she does, that’s when you’ll have a chance to convince her to be yours for real.”
Goosebumps explode over my arms and legs, followed by a dull voice in my head that tells me to listen to her.
“You’ve gotten wise,” I say.
“Love does that to you, I think. Makes you see the world a little brighter. ”
“Sounds . . .”
“Fun?”
“Terrifying,” I correct her.
Her eyebrows jump up quickly. “You’re not wrong. Relationships are terrifying. Especially after one like you went through. I don’t blame you for being extra guarded when it comes to letting people in. You’ve always kept most things close to your chest, but it’s been worse since you and Vic broke up.”
“She’s marrying that guy, you know?” I mutter.
“Good. I hope they have a terrible life together. They deserve each other.”
“Yeah.”
“Hey,” she says, a bite in her tone. I meet her waiting stare, somewhat comforted by the fierceness of it. “Don’t. She wasn’t meant for you. It’s time that you found out if you’re close to finding the person who is.”
It sounds easy enough. But if it was, I wouldn’t be in the situation I am right now.
Daisy didn’t need to be convinced to come with me to Peakside.
The moment I asked, she was agreeing and heading off to her room to get ready. I went to the basement, an itch beneath my skin that I knew I needed to ease before attempting to go out tonight.
When I turn my tattoo gun off and look at the clock, it’s been over an hour since I’ve been down here. A buzzing sensation lingers in my bones as I set down the gun and pick up the paper towel to wipe my ankle free of ink.
My back aches, and there are pinpricks in my calf as I stretch it out and blink the daze from my eyes. The flower on my ankle is small, hidden beneath a veil of black vines. I didn’t even realize I’d begun inking it until I got to the fifth petal. By then, it was too late to change course with the time I had. So, I hid it beneath the vines and hoped like hell nobody would get close enough to my feet to tell.
And Poppy said I wasn’t creepy.
The floor creaks above me, and I start to clean up my mess. We need to leave in an hour to be on time, and I’ve just created an open wound on a part of my body that’s going to be rubbing against a pair of cowboy boots all night. Even with the wrap I stick on, it’s sensitive and will be that way for at least another day. Fucking incredible thinking that was.
An hour later, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. After showering with my foot held out of the tub, I’ve already had to replace the wrap around the new tattoo and clean up a giant puddle from the floor before I slipped on my ass.
It kept me busy. Helped keep my mind off tonight and what’s going to happen the minute I step out of my room and head to Peakside with Daisy at my side.
The sock on my left foot is folded once at the top to keep from rubbing my tattoo, but the moment I slip my boot on, it’ll be going up and over it. I’m not going to risk wearing anything else just in case someone notices the new design. Especially Daisy.
After shrugging my black leather jacket on, I untuck my hair from the collar and linger with my hand on the door handle. Fake or not, this is my first date in a long time. I’m not a nervous person by nature, but the last few days have proved that I’m not immune to that feeling. It’s been one of the only things I’ve managed to feel at all.
With a shake of my head, I open the door and stride down the hall.
I don’t make it far before Daisy’s door opens. She sounds breathless when she says, “I’m ready! Are we leaving now?”
Any type of mental preparation I’ve done prior to this moment goes out the window the moment I turn around. Poppy’s speech about my worthiness is shoved to the back of my mind, replaced with an incredibly striking sensation of incredible un worthiness. It has nothing to do with me and all to do with Daisy, though.
I doubt a single living person would ever be worthy of her right now.
She’s pulled her deep auburn hair up into space buns, leaving loose curls draping both of her cheeks. Her skin glows, lips painted a bubble-gum pink that matches the flowy romper she’s wearing. Bare legs that go on for miles despite her slightly shorter frame have my mouth filling with cotton. White tennis shoes are on her feet without a stain in sight.
I’m underdressed despite the simplicity of her outfit.
This is me. The black jeans and boots, cropped shirt that’s a size too big, and tonight, a leather jacket instead of the jean one that was hung beside it because I knew Poppy would hate the jean on jean. I’m confident in my style, and I won’t change it.
“Yeah,” I say on a loose breath. My throat is clogged, something thick stuck inside of it. “We’re leaving.”
Her soft blue eyes roam over my body, and I stand frozen in place. The flush on her cheeks is from her makeup. I wish it was because of me.
“You look beautiful, Frosty,” she says, a soft smile playing with her lips.
My heartbeat is in my ears. “You too.”
“Thank you,” she chimes. “Shall we go?”
Her hand hangs between us once she’s extended it toward me. I take it, my middle tightening at the contact as I shove down a shiver.
“Do you want to bring a jacket?” I ask.
The house is silent, and every clap of her shoes on the floor echoes. Silence has never bothered me so much before. Usually, I like it. It means I’m not being forced to speak with someone I don’t want to. Yet, with Daisy, I’d speak about anything if it meant it was her voice I was hearing .
“If I did, then you wouldn’t get to offer yours to me when we leave Peakside tonight,” she teases.
We move into the front room, and I bend to slip on my right boot. “So you want me to freeze instead?”
Her laugh is bright and clear, taking my question as the joke I intended it to be despite the poor execution. I swallow a whimper of pain when I roll my sock up over my tattoo and shove my foot into the other boot. The boots are well broken in, but I’ve never worn them with a fresh ankle tattoo before.
“It’s not my fault your jacket looks so warm and inviting,” she says, opening the front door for me to walk through first.
“I hardly ever wear it.”
“Well, then it can be like a letterman jacket. I’ve always wanted to wear one of those.”
I stand beside her on the porch and lock up before we start our walk. “They smell like sweat. You haven’t missed much.”
“Let me guess—you dated a jock in high school?”
My laugh comes out of my nose. “Fat fucking chance. I messed around with one, though. Wore the jacket once with nothing beneath it.”
“So you went for jocks, and I went for their cheerleaders.”
“I didn’t think Cherry Peak even had cheerleaders,” I say.
Daisy swings her arms at her sides, every bit of her appearing as joyful as usual. That sates me, somehow. Knowing that her time with me this past week hasn’t caused her to act any differently.
“Has Johnny ever told you that I used to do track and field?”
I glance at her, surprised. “No.”
“I did a lot of high jump and hurdles and went with the school team to regionals in twelfth grade. Calgary cares a bit more about sports than we do here, and that’s where I met the cheerleaders,” she explains, the humour in her voice also lining her lips with a devilish smile.
“You used the school trip to get laid, then.”
A slight pain blooms in my side when she leans over and jabs me with her fingers. “Don’t say it like that. It makes me sound dirty!”
“Who knew innocent Daisy Mitchell was such a perv.” I cluck my tongue and watch as her neck pinkens. “We’ve got a real Cherry Peak scandal on our hands.”
“I’m not that innocent, just for your information,” she clarifies.
“Apparently not. Tell me something else to help your case.”
“Help my case? Am I being graded on my perv level right now? Are you approving of my actions after all?”
“I never said that, Sunshine.”
Daisy licks her lips, and I watch the entire motion of her tongue as it slips over every pink inch of them.
“But you’re thinking it,” she counters.
I lift a coy brow. “And if I am?”
“I’d say not to get your hopes up for more juicy details. The cheerleaders are my dirtiest secret.”
She quickens her step, like she’s trying to leave me behind, and I huff a silent laugh while matching her pace.
“I don’t believe that.”
The setting sun casts a glow over her face, reflecting the soft sense of longing in her eyes. “Johnny is the twin that got the risk-taker trait. I sat back and let him run loose most of the time. Majority of the stories from my teen years are the ones I told our moms to cover for him when he got home late or not at all.”
“You don’t have to do those things for him anymore. There’s time for you to make some stories of your own,” I state.
Daisy’s steps falter, the curled pieces of hair framing her face whipping when a gust of wind drags over us. “Why does that matter?”
I stall. The idea that slammed into my subconscious just seconds ago refuses to flutter away. We’re close to the bar, and any minute now, we won’t be alone. Someone will pop up, and we’ll have to drop this conversation. I’ll be let off the hook .
I speak anyway. “Is there anything that you’ve always wanted to do but never did?”
“Of course. Most of them are small and kind of stupid, though.”
Doubtful. “Like what?”
She tucks the loose hairs behind her ears. “I’ve never gotten the chance to hike up the side of a mountain and dip my toe in a glacial runoff.”
“That’s not stupid.”
“Have you forgotten where we live? There are mountains everywhere.”
To emphasize her point, she reaches out and points at the peaks towering over the edge of town. They’re snow-capped right now, but in a couple of months, they’ll be painted white from the narrow tops to the thickly treed bottoms.
“I’ll hike with you,” I offer, launching the words off my tongue. “I told you that you didn’t owe me anything more than rent money for letting you stay with me. So, if you insist on helping me with my parents, then I’m going to help you with this to make us even.”
“What?”
“Just say yes so we can go inside.”
She stares at me, looking from one eye to the next, as if she’s searching for the hidden meaning behind my impulse offer. Frustration lines her face when she doesn’t find it. I like the sight of her pouting.
“You’ll really go hiking with me?” she asks softly.
“I will.”
“Then you have yourself a deal, Frosty.”