Say You Love Me (Lovers Lodge #1)

Prologue

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

brOOKE

I can’t believe I hit Macy Summers in the face tonight.

Well, technically, it was the volleyball I spiked over the net to give Lovers High School the win we needed against Wind Valley High, but still, it counts.

Up until her family moved to another town last semester, she was so mean to me during English that I was seriously contemplating skipping class for the first time in my life.

The ball hit hard enough that blood ran down her face.

I even heard people cheering.

Ugh. I’m not like her though, and the guilt is beginning to settle in.

I’ll probably apologize to her in the morning through an Instagram message or something, and she’ll leave my message on “delivered” and never reply.

Oh well—I’ll feel better, and that's what counts.

I blow out a sigh as I turn the corner. The high school is on one end of Main Street, and the police station is at the other.

My destination.

One I'm headed to with a fury I’ve felt too many times before. My blood is pumping, my strides are fast, and I don’t need a mirror to know there is a scowl on my face.

He missed my game. Again.

I get that having a father as the sheriff of a small town comes with cons, but this is just ridiculous. He’s missed more games this year than ever before. Sure, I don’t plan to go pro or do sports of any kind after high school, but I'm really good this year, and it would be nice if he would see it.

See me.

I jog past the last few stores of our small town and swing open the main entrance door so fast that every officer in view looks up.

“Hi, Brooke, how are you? Is everything okay?” Kimmy, who has worked at the reception desk for as long as I can remember, greets me with a smile, clearly ignoring the anger on my face.

I’m a teenage girl, for crying out loud. All of my thoughts can be read on my face.

Yet, when you’re in a room full of people who deal with other people's bullshit all day long, it seems they can look past it.

“I’m okay. Is my dad here?” I stand on my tiptoes to look around her. The entrance I came in and the rest of the department are separated by plexiglass, and if I want to get past her, she’ll have to buzz me in through the door. She’ll do that only if my dad is actually here, though.

“He’s not—”

“I said to close your goddamn mouth, Richford. Your dad isn’t going to get you out of this one.”

My father’s voice booms behind me, and I’d flinch if it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been on the receiving end of that tone a time or two.

My dad walks through the door in his full getup of sheriff attire, and his bushy brows dip down to his nose as soon as he spots me.

“Brooke, go home.”

“You missed my game again, Dad.” I cross my arms and glare at him.

He shakes his head and looks at the boy in front of him. “Blame this kid. Game night seems to be the night he loves to get in trouble.”

My gaze falls to the shaggy head of hair in front of him, blood running down the kid’s face and what is clearly evidence of a bruise forming under his eye.

It doesn't take away from the way they shine bright green, though.

His shirt is ripped, revealing a set of solid abs I can only describe as those belonging to a boy who used to be the high school's star athlete.

Dutton Richford.

“I’m not a kid. I’m almost an adult, and these cuffs fucking hurt, so let’s just take them off already.”

My dad huffs.

“An adult. An adult. I’d buy that line if you acted like it. Instead, you’ve been in so much trouble and in my goddamn station so much these past few months, I’m convinced you just want to see me.”

“How many times in a day do you think you say goddamn?” Dutton mimics my dad, and I swear I see steam blow from my father’s ears.

“Just close your mouth so I can call your father.”

“Sure. He won't care. He’ll just donate some more money, and I’ll be home by dinner.”

My dad lets out a whisper of a swear word and jerks Dutton toward the door. Kimmy presses the buzzer for them to walk through.

I sneak in behind them.

“Damn it, Brooke. Can you just go home and wait for me there?”

“No. As soon as you're done with him, it’s my turn.”

Dad blows out a breath and shoves Dutton down onto a bench, pointing a finger in his face. “Don’t move.”

Dutton rolls his eyes and then glances at me with a smirk. His eyes trail up and down my body so slowly that I have to take a breath at how it makes my stomach flutter.

“Nice shorts,” he says. I instantly regret not putting my sweats on over my spandex. I’d been in such a hurry to get here after the game that I didn’t bother getting fully clothed.

I ignore Dutton’s comment.

“I like knowing someone annoys him as much as he annoys me.”

I cross my arms again and still don’t reply.

“Ah, the silent treatment, huh? That’s fine,” he says and leans back. It’s an awkward movement, considering his hands are cuffed behind his back. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from Sheriff Sloan’s perfect daughter. I bet you’ve never broken a rule before, have you?”

I say nothing.

“It’s tempting though, right? That rush of knowing you could get in trouble. You want it.”

More silence, but he’s not totally wrong. I do hate being such a goody-goody sometimes. My peers love to remind me of it. Doing something risky is tempting.

“Nice uniform. Did you win?”

Since it’s clear my dad will be a moment, I take the seat across from Dutton but still refuse to reply.

“I’ll just ask my sister later, since she’s on your team.”

I love how he says it as if I have no idea who she is.

Grace is so kind and caring, and she’s everything opposite of the boy in front of me.

I’d be her friend if it weren’t for—

“Get up,” Officer Nester says and grabs Dutton under the arm to make him stand. “Your dad said to let you chill here for a while.”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Oh, but he did.”

They move away just as my dad walks up.

“Ready? Nester is taking over for me so I can get you home. I’m sorry I missed your game.”

“Again,” I remind him like a snotty teenager.

He sighs and nods. “Yes, again.”

But then he smiles at me, and I forgive him like always. He wraps me in a hug, the warmth of his embrace relaxing me, and leads me out of the building.

“I’m so lucky to have you as a daughter,” he says, his tone filled with relief, once we are on the sidewalk.

“What’s the alternative?”

“Well, I could have a kid like the one I just brought in.”

I nod slowly.

“What did he do this time?”

Dad throws one arm around me and pulls me close.

“Nothing that you need to worry about. Just remember what I told you earlier this year, okay, and stay far, far, far away from the Richford family. Dutton Richford to be exact. That boy is nothing but trouble.”

I nod. “Okay.”

He pauses and then steps in front of me until I'm giving him my full attention.

“I’m serious, Brooke. Promise me that you’ll never let yourself get mixed up with that boy. Ever.”

“Jeez, Dad, I promise,” I say and walk around him.

I don’t know why he’s so worried.

I mean, come on, I’m the sheriff's daughter and Dutton’s the town bad boy.

He wants nothing to do with me, and I want nothing to do with him.

That’s where our story ends.