Max laughs. “Saddle Creek is the best. You’re gonna love it. Oh, make sure you stop at Ruthie’s and get a slice of chocolate pie. It’s amazing.”

  “Chocolate pie,” I repeat. “Got it.”

  “Oh, will get you get some stuff from Sugar Bakers?” Charlie asks.

  I blow out a breath. “Just text me what you want.”

  “I’ll do you better than that. I’ll call the bakery myself and just order from them,” Charlie says. “They’ll box it up and you can just grab it on your way out of town. They had these melt-in-your-mouth miniature cinnamon rolls. Seriously, I think maybe they infuse them with angel tears or some illegal substance.”

  I laugh. “Sure. What baby wants, baby gets.”

  “Why are you going to Saddle Creek?” Max asks. He sneers at my sister’s snack, and shakes his head a little.

  “To quit. I’ve been trying to resign and JD has been ignoring all of my efforts. I even considered a singing telegram, but I don’t think they have those anymore.”

  Max laughs. “Go give him hell.”

  chapter

  nine

  JD

  I’m barefoot and wandering through my new house, picking up all of the discarded glasses my friends left everywhere last night. It was great for all of us to be in the same town again. That hasn’t happened in a while. But now three of us are back, living in Saddle Creek.

  We’re just waiting for Donovan to retire and come home. I don’t know about the retirement part, but he should be coming home more often. Now that his dad is back and is remarrying. I’m thinking Donovan hasn’t put two and two together and realized who is about to be his new stepsister.

  In any case, I’m just cleaning up the house because I have nothing else to do on a Saturday morning. My big plan for the weekend is the wedding tonight. Thank fuck Jude will be there, otherwise I’d be the last single man standing. Well, that’s probably not entirely true, but that is what it feels like.

  My phone pings in my pocket and I set the glasses and beer bottles down on the kitchen counter. I pull it out of my pocket to see I have a text from an unknown number.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Is this JD? I hope so.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Anyways, my name is Charlotte and I’m Chelsea’s sister. She gave me your number a long time ago when y’all went on that trip to… somewhere… now I don’t even remember.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Sorry, baby brain. Anyways, can you let me know if this is you? JD?

  My heart is pounding so hard, it feels like it’s crawling up my throat. Immediately my imagination is going to all the worst reasons why Chelsea’s sister would be contacting me.

  ME: Yes, this is JD.

  ME: Is Chelsea okay?

  UNKNOWN CALLER: No, she’s fine. In fact, she’s on her way to see you right now.

  ME: To see me where?

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Your house. Saddle Creek.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Anyways, she would legitimately kill me if she knew I was doing this. But there are things you need to know. Now that things are different between y’all, I’m not sure if she’s ever going to tell you.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: She’s in love with you.

  ME: Sure. She’s made that abundantly clear. Especially when she broke up with her boyfriend and moved over here with me. Like I asked her to.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: You specifically asked her to dump Mike and move WITH you?

  ME: Well, not in those exactly words. But I made it clear to all of the employees that we would offset the moving costs if they wanted to work here in Saddle Creek.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Sure, well that’s the same thing.

  UNKNOWN CALLER:

  UNKNOWN CALLER: I see you’re as effective as a communicator as my sister.

  UNKNOWN CALLER:

  Maybe Chelsea’s sister is just crazy. She’d mentioned that she was recently pregnant and her guy is actually from my hometown too. We do make the best people here. Homegrown in Saddle Creek, Texas.

  But really what is up with the goldendoodle picture? At least I think that’s what that is.

  ME: Uh… thanks?

  UNKNOWN CALLER: That is Mike.

  ME: Sorry? Who is Mike?

  UNKNOWN CALLER:

  ME: I am not following you.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: The dog. That is Mike. The one and only Mike.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: She lied. For reasons which maybe she’ll explain to you. And she’s tried to come clean to you multiple times over the years, but one thing or another got in the way.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: There were the pictures of you and your ex-girlfriend that showed up on social media after the wedding you went to.

  Fucking Stacy. As soon as she posted those pictures of us, I’d untagged myself. I wanted nothing to do with her, which she knew full well.

  ME: I told Chelsea that picture was staged. My ex cornered me for the photo and at the last minute posed herself like that.

  ME: We never got back together.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: I’m just saying that over the years, there have been reasons. Moments that she took as a sign that y’all didn’t belong together.

  I’m trying to wrap my head around what Charlotte is attempting to explain to me. And I’m struggling. First, my body is buzzing with adrenaline to go and find Chelsea, spank her for lying to me, then kiss the hell out of her because she can finally be mine.

  ME: Was there ever a boyfriend?

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Like in her life? Yes, she’s had a few.

  ME: But not when she first started to work for me?

  UNKNOWN CALLER: No. She had heard a story that a woman got fired after sleeping with you.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: It freaked her out because she was instantly attracted to you.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Has she told you about Elliot Stabler?

  ME: The TV detective. Yeah, I’ve watched a few episodes.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: She’s had the hots for him since she hit puberty. You are the epitome of catnip to her.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Man-nip, if you will.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Nope. Max says I cannot use that term. Whatever. You know what I’m saying.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: She walks into this new job, sees you, wants you, and then hears that horror story.

  ME: She was protecting herself.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Exactly.

  ME: But three years.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Yep. She was going to tell you. After that night when she almost kissed you. She planned to tell you that following Monday.

  ME: But then I announced I was moving.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Yes, you did. And you didn’t tell her privately. You let her find out with everyone else.

  ME: I did that on purpose.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: I figured as much.

  ME: She’s coming to my house now? Why?

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Because you’ve been ignoring her attempts at resignation.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: She’s trying to make a clean cut.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: In any case, I wouldn’t be a very good big sister if I didn’t do everything in my power to give my girl a chance at the kind of happiness I’ve found.

  UNKNOWN CALLER: Do not make me regret telling you.

  ME: Understood.

  ME: Thank you, Charlotte.

  CHARLOTTE: Anytime.

  chapter

  ten

  Chelsea

  By the time I hit the city limits of Saddle Creek, Texas, I’m hungry, pissed off and I have to pee. I could stop somewhere in town to take care of two of those problems, instead I just follow the directions straight to JD’s address.

  Unlike his condo in Austin, which was modern and luxurious, this house looks like a proper home.

  It has the bones of an old arts and crafts bungalow, but someone must have renovated it in the past decade. From the outside, it feels well loved and cared for. It feels settled.

  From the street, I can see an extension built on the back that extends into the big backyard. Mike would love it.

  It’s lovely, but seeing it kind of breaks my heart. This is the house of a man who has come home to make a place for himself. One that doesn’t include me.

  I pull up to the curb and put my car in park, then just stare out the front windshield. I’m doing this. I’m really doing this. It’s time.

  I can’t keep working for him and pretending that I don’t miss him like I’d miss gravity or oxygen and every other necessity that keeps me safe and alive. Telling him the truth about Mike seems irrelevant now.

  He’s been gone for two months and we’ve barely had any contact outside of work-related emails. And my heart is completely broken.

  I know it’s my own damn fault too. I’m not stupid. Doesn’t make it any easier though.

  Just then my phone pings with a text.

  CHARLIE: You’ve got this.

  I smile. My sister is the very best.

  CHARLIE: Now get in there. Tell him the truth and bone your man.

  BRENDAN: For fuck’s sake, Charlie!

  BRENDAN: I’m going to have to get a new number and not tell y’all.

  ME: Love y’all.

  I silence my phone and drop it in my purse and then get out of my car. It’s now or never. And I’m pretty sure if you park in front of someone’s house in a town this small, people will notice if you don’t get out.

  I just need to do it. Quickly, like pulling off a waxing strip. It’ll still hurt, but maybe not as long.

  I knock on the door.

  JD pulls it open and holy shit. Is he trying to kill me?

  He stands there, holding the door open with one arm. He’s shirtless and barefoot, wearing nothing but low-slung blue jeans that look like they were tailored just for his long, long legs.

  I can see the full sleeve tat in all its glory. It’s stunning and comes up over his shoulder onto one pectoral. I gotta admit though, while the ink is attractive, I’m completely focused on his chest. The skin. The dark hair. The muscles. So many muscles.

  Please don’t let me be drooling.

  “Chelsea? You okay?” he asks.

  His deep voice slides over my skin. I don’t understand how such an innocuous question can soak my panties. But here we are, me fully aroused and staring at my shirtless boss like I’ve forgotten how to use words.

  He takes a step back, opening the door wider. And I step inside.

  The door has barely closed behind me and I’m steeling myself for what I’ve come to say.

  But I’m not given a chance. Instead, that tall, muscular, hairy chest presses to my body, flattening my back against the door.

  I stare up at his face. Those mesmerizing eyes of his look right back at me. His hands go around to my bottom and lift me. Instinctively, I wrap my legs around his waist.

  “Fuck it,” he murmurs. Then he devours my mouth.

  I don’t actually know what’s happening, but we’re kissing and frankly, I don’t even care about anything else. I gasp and he takes the opportunity of my opened mouth to slick his tongue inside. He growls when I slide my tongue against his.

  His fingers dig into the flesh of my ass and I moan. With no space between our bodies and everything lined up just right, I have no problem feeling the ride of his erection up against my core. Damn, he feels enormous. And so, so good.

  But wait, what are we doing? What am I doing?

  He thinks I’m still with my imaginary boyfriend.

  I pull away from the kiss and push at his chest.

  “JD,” I say his name and it’s breathless. “We can’t do that.”

  He smirks at me. “I’m glad you’re wearing a skirt. We don’t have to go buy you something. I’ve got to finish getting dressed, then we’ll go.”

  “Uh… what? I feel like I walked in on the middle of conversation we weren’t actually having. Where are we going?”

  “A wedding. Don’t worry, it’s not formal. It’s a country wedding.” He points as his legs. “Thus the jeans. But I know you’d freak out if you were wearing jeans.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t understand what’s happening right now.”

  “Give me ten minutes,” he says. He points to a door off to the right. “Bathroom is in there.”

  It’s annoying he knows I need to use the bathroom. I don’t bother asking him any more questions because I’ve evidently entered an entirely different timeline. One where JD kisses me senseless and bosses me around.

  And we’re going to a wedding? Maybe I’m being punked.

  Or maybe I had a horrible car accident on the way here and I’m in a coma. Or worse, dead.

  Bummer my subconscious couldn’t have gone right to the sex instead of just a panty-melting kiss.

  I take care of my business and wash my hands. Then I’m wandering around his house, looking at pictures on the walls. Pictures of him and his younger, twin sisters. His smile with them is blinding, it’s so bright. I’ve never actually met them in person, but Emmy works for the company so I’ve seen her in video meetings.

  I feel JD come and stand behind me. The warmth of his nearness peaks my nipples into hardened points. I close my eyes for a brief moment and inhale his woodsy, masculine scent. God, I’ve missed him.

  He drops a kiss on my exposed neck. “Ready to go?”

  “I think I might be dead,” I say as I turn to face him. “Like on the side of the road or something.”

  His brows rise. “I really thought I was a better kisser than that.” He grabs my hand, then pulls me in a different direction than the front door and we step into a darkened garage.

  The overhead flickers on and there’s his electric truck. Still a Texas boy at heart, but you can’t live in Austin for any length of time and not become an environmentalist.

  “Seriously, where are we going?”

  “A wedding.”

  chapter

  eleven

  JD

  She’s freaking out.

  I’m not even going to pretend that I’m not enjoying that. Do I wish we could skip this wedding and just stay at my place and I could lose myself in her body? Yes, that is exactly what I wish. But that’ll have to wait a little while longer.

  I still have the taste of her kiss on my lips and I know I will never get enough of her.

  Before she arrived, I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle the situation with her. Yell at her for lying to me for so long? For robbing us of the time we could have been together?

  Then I saw her standing at my door. Her gaze greedily devouring my body. I knew right then what I needed to do. The perfect plan to show her that none of that matters. What matters is she’s here now. And I’m never going to let her go.

  “So, uh, whose wedding is this?” she asks.

  “Buddy from growing up. Dane Whitmore. He actually runs this amazing place called Great Dane’s Dog Sanctuary where they take in dogs from kill shelters. He’s got a huge piece of land so the pups can all roam safely.”

  “That does sound amazing. Do you, uh, do you like dogs?”

  “Love them. Cats too, actually. My sisters always had cats.” I smile at her, reach over and cover her hand with mine. I want to blurt it all out now. Tell her how much I love her, more than cats and dogs combined. But I need to be patient and play this out.

  “Are you sure I’m dressed okay?” she asks. “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere tonight.”

  “You look gorgeous.” I squeeze her hand. “Dane and his soon-to-be wife asked that in lieu of wedding gifts, people make a donation to the Great Dane nonprofit. Evidently, several of his former military buddies are moving down here to run it with him. Train some of the dogs to help with PTSD. Hayes and I made a donation in the company’s name.”

  “Wow.”

  “That’s actually where the wedding is. Which is why it’s more casual. Outside in Texas in the not quite fall, the weather can be temperamental.”

  “A single day of weather in the state of Texas can go through all four seasons,” she says.

  “Precisely.”

  “I’m sorry if I’m crashing your friend’s wedding.”

  “You’re not. You’re my plus-one.”

  Now and for the rest of our lives, you’ll be my plus-one.

  I pull my truck down the dirt road that leads to Dane’s property.

  I can see the large white tent set up in the closest field. White folding chairs form rows beneath the covering.

 

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