If We Dare (Swoon Series Book 6) Read online

  “Of course, cut away. And, of course you have a pocket knife. You’re that kind of guy.”

  I chuckled as I pressed my hand against her hip, just enough to lift it slightly so I could get a better view of where her belt loop was hitched on the hook. In another second, I sliced clean through it. She started to wiggle down, beginning to come down sideways.

  Dropping the knife, I caught her in the nick of time as she stumbled to the ground when one of her cowboy boots struck the pavement. “Easy,” I murmured as I steadied her.

  Jade straightened, lifting a hand and brushing a few locks of hair out of her eyes. She blew a puff of air to send the last errant lock off her forehead. Stepping back, she sighed. “Thank you. I guess I owe you twice now.”

  “You don’t owe me. I did what anyone would do.”

  Jade’s gaze was considering as she stared at me in the parking lot with moonlight gilding her hair in silver. “Actually, that’s not true. That asshole got going in the bar and you were the only person who even noticed. Plus, not everyone carries a pocket knife everywhere,” she said, her tone dry.

  I felt my lips kick up on one side. “I suppose not. Maybe it’s none of my business, but what the hell were you doing climbing into the dumpster anyway?”

  “When I threw the trash bag in, one of my bracelets flew off my wrist,” she explained, gesturing to her now bare wrist.

  I couldn’t say I’d considered it much, but I was aware she usually wore a wide silver bracelet on her wrist. I shouldn’t have known that detail, but then every detail about Jade appeared to be burned into my brain without any effort on my part.

  “Well, then we should find it. Tell me what it looks like.” Without thinking further, I curled a hand on the side of the dumpster and jumped in.

  Jade’s usual guarded expression, for once, subsided. Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. “Tell me what it looks like,” I repeated.

  She snapped her mouth shut, a wondering laugh escaping. There I stood, in the fucking dumpster, mind you, and the sound of her throaty laugh elicited a low pull in my gut. Much as I preferred not to want Jade, I did. As much as I needed air to breathe, my body wanted Jade. Which was why I generally avoided her.

  “It’s silver,” she finally said. “About this wide.” She held up two fingers to demonstrate.

  Glancing down to where my boots were planted amongst garbage bags, I scanned for a glimpse of silver. When the moon and the dim light in the far corner of the parking lot didn’t do me any favors, I slipped my phone out of my pocket and tapped the flashlight button. Once the bright light came on, I moved it in a pattern over the trash bags, my eyes stopping when the light reflected off something.

  I walked a few steps over and reached down into the not-so-pleasant smelling trash. “Got it,” I called, holding the bracelet aloft.

  When I straightened, Jade, who didn’t smile very often, graced me with a beauty. Her lips curled at the corners as her smile unfurled and her eyes tilted. “Wow! You found it.”

  Stepping back to the edge of the dumpster, I handed it to her before resting one hand on the edge and hopping over to land on the pavement beside her. Jade spun the bracelet in a circle in her hands, still smiling. This time when her gaze met mine, it was almost shy. “That was really sweet, Walker.”

  Oh hell. “Sweet” was not an adjective I was usually labeled with. I felt an unbidden smile tugging up the corners of my mouth.

  “Well, now I owe you three times. Don’t argue the point,” she said quickly when I opened my mouth to do exactly that.

  I did the craziest thing next. “Actually, if you insist, I do have a favor I could use some help with.”

  “Anything.”

  “I have to go to a wedding, and I could use a date.” I couldn’t believe I actually said that, but the words were out, so there was no going back.

  For the second time in my experience, Jade’s mouth fell open. After an electrifying moment of silence, she asked, “A date?”

  Maybe I hadn’t thought too much about this, or not at all, but I wasn’t one to back down. “Yep. A date.”

  She rested a hand on her hip. “Is this a joke?”

  I shook my head slowly, a plan materializing in my brain. “Definitely not. Next weekend. A good friend of mine is getting married, and I’d rather not go solo.” Just as I began to think that I didn’t want to have to explain why to Jade, her question sliced through the pause.

  “And why not? You’re not exactly the kind of man who can’t handle a wedding on his own.”

  I decided right then and there that I was going to dive into this insanity. I had an itch to scratch, a quite specific itch. She could be my date for the weekend, and we could burn this fire between us to ashes.

  If I had to explain why, then so be it. “Look, it’s one of my best buds. I was going to go without a date and say fuck it all, but my ex is going to be there.”

  “You have an ex?” Jade interjected, arching a brow so high, I was surprised it didn’t fly off her forehead.

  “Yes. I have an ex. We broke up because she screwed around on me with my best friend’s brother. I’m not sure what’s up, but she’s been texting and calling lately. I get the idea she wants another chance. I’d rather her not get any ideas,” I said flatly. I didn’t feel much of anything about it and was more than glad to close the door on that whole mess. It was just I preferred not to have any pitying gazes cast my way during the wedding, and I definitely preferred my ex to consider me off-limits. It would be easier to convey that message if she thought I was dating someone.

  Several things flashed through Jade’s eyes, ending with them narrowing in anger. “Oh, that’s not cool. I’m guessing the brother will be at the wedding.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. It’s his family. I’m well over my ex, before you worry that’s what this is about. But, I’d prefer for her to leave me alone.”

  “I’m your girl,” Jade said, nodding vigorously.

  “Okay then. Sounds like we have a plan. Can you handle a long weekend out of town—three days?”

  “I’ll make sure I can. I’ll be the best date you ever had, and I’ll make her feel like the cheating bitch she is.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Tell me where to pick you up. It’s next weekend.”

  “Here, let me give you my number. Just text me the details. I’ll rearrange my schedule and you’ll have me.” When she said it that way, every cell in my body thought having her would be perfect. “By the way,” Jade continued, her voice cutting through my train of thought. “I would’ve done this even if you hadn’t saved my ass from that fool and then gotten me out of the dumpster and found my bracelet. It’s just the principle, you know?”

  “Oh, I do.”

  After I entered Jade’s number in my phone, I watched as she strolled back into the bar. Her cowboy boots struck on the gravel with each step and her hair swung at her waist. Electricity sizzled up my spine. Three days with Jade was going to be interesting.

  Chapter Three

  Jade

  “You’re what?” Valentina asked from where she sat at the kitchen table in the house she shared with my older brother.

  “I’m going to be Walker’s date for the wedding. His ex screwed around on him with his best friend’s brother. That is so not cool.”

  Reflexively, I glanced over my shoulder to see if Lucas happened to be approaching. Lucas was long over what happened with his late wife. Hell, he hadn’t even found out until after she died, which in a way made it all worse. He was stumbling through grief over her death and found out she’d been screwing around.

  Valentina—the love of his life and as far I was concerned the best woman ever for him—gave me a wide-eyed look. “I can’t imagine pulling that off.”

  “Don’t worry. I took drama in high school, and I am committed to this. It’s personal.”

  “What, did someone screw around on you?” Valentina asked as she leaned forward to snag her cup of coffee.

  “
No, but after what Lucas went through, it’s a sore point for me.”

  “Oh gosh, Lucas is doing fine,” Valentina replied, brushing her curly hair off her shoulders.

  Valentina was almost too beautiful. She had dark red hair that fell in curls around her shoulders and wide blue eyes. She had this ridiculously beautiful skin with freckles scattered like gold glitter on her cheeks. Lucas had fallen for her so hard it was ridiculous. Despite her beauty, that wasn’t what I cared about. Valentina adored Lucas and was loyal to the bone.

  “Of course he’s doing fine. He’s got you,” I said. “He’s no longer in the running to win a gold medal for being a broody asshole. For that, I will forever be grateful. You’re the sunshine in his life, and I’m not even kidding when I say that.”

  Valentina flashed a shy grin. “All right then. I’m just trying to picture anyone spending the weekend with Walker. Walker’s kinda, I don’t know, quiet.”

  “Yeah, he’s kinda like Lucas used to be after he got screwed over.”

  Chapter Four

  Walker

  “Who did you say you’re bringing with you to that wedding?” Jackson asked, the skepticism evident in his tone.

  “Jade,” I replied before adjusting the air gun I held in my hand and giving the nail a final tap.

  We were in the middle of installing wide plank hardwood flooring in a new guest cabin on the grounds where I worked at Stolen Hearts Lodge. I held my hand out, expecting to feel another piece of wood laid in my palm. When I didn’t, I glanced up to find Jackson staring at me, his mouth slightly open and one hand on his hip.

  I wiggled my fingers. He let out a rough laugh before leaning over and handing me another piece of flooring. I fit the piece of wood into the grooves of the last row before reaching for the air gun and quickly nailing the board into place.

  “Have you lost your damn mind?” Jackson asked.

  “Not that I’m aware of,” I replied as I straightened. “Why do you ask?”

  “You know Jade is Lucas’s sister, right?” Jackson paused to snag a water bottle sitting on the edge of the miter saw stand nearby.

  I took my leather work gloves off and reached for a water bottle on the unfinished windowsill by my elbow. Turning, I leaned my hips against it as I drained the half empty bottle. “Yeah, I know she’s Lucas’s sister,” I replied as I spun the now empty bottle in my palm. “It’s not a real date. It’s a fake date.”

  Jackson lowered his water slowly, running a hand through his shaggy brown curls as he eyed me dubiously. “A fake date? Is that a real thing?”

  “You’re asking me if a fake date is real?” At Jackson’s nod, I couldn’t help but laugh. “In this case, yes, it is.”

  Jackson shook his head slowly. “Dude, that’s fucked up. I have so many questions. For starters, why do you have a fake date? Then, how did this conversation even come about? Does Lucas know?”

  A voice carried from the open doorway. “And how the hell did you get Jade Cole to agree to that date?” Dawson asked as he stepped into the semi-finished cabin.

  Jackson threw his head back with a laugh. “I was about to get to that question.”

  Jackson Stone was my boss at Stolen Hearts Lodge and owned the outdoor adventure lodge. He also happened to be a veterinarian and had a clinic on site, which was handy since there was also a rescue program for animals here. Dawson also worked here and was on the Stolen Hearts Valley Emergency Response crew with both Jackson and me. I’d snapped up this job when I saw it about six months ago.

  For the most part, I liked my job. The lodge was one of those places where everyone was friends with everyone. I didn’t mind that so much. But most everyone here was nosy. Even the guys.

  I looked between Jackson and Dawson and asked, “Where should I start?”

  Dawson’s face broke into a wide smile. He shrugged easily, his eyes glinting with mirth. “Take your pick, man.”

  Jackson chuckled and drained his water before leveling me with his gaze. “What the fuck, dude?”

  “I’ll keep it brief. I needed a favor. Jade offered. Y’all saw when I stepped in the middle of that scene at Lost Deer Bar the other night and got that asshole who’d picked her up off the floor away from her. When Jade said she owed me one, I decided to take her up on it. So yeah, it’s a real fake date. She’s just doing me a favor.”

  “But why the hell do you need a fake date to your friend’s wedding?” Jackson asked.

  Dawson crossed his arms in front of his chest, his lips kicking up in a slight grin. With my friends eyeing me curiously, I shifted my shoulders. “Look, I guess it is a little strange. See, my ex is going to be at the wedding. It’s not that I can’t deal with her. Before you go thinking otherwise, I’m over her. Out of nowhere the last month or so, she started texting and calling me again. She’s dating my friend’s brother, and I’m getting the vibe she’s looking for a way out. I do not want to deal with her bullshit, so it’ll be easier if I have a date.”

  Dawson nodded slowly, cocking his head to the side. “Why the hell is your ex going to be at your best friend’s wedding? I mean, he’s your best friend, right?”

  Jesus. These guys and their fucking questions.

  “Yeah,” I replied with a sigh, pausing to toss my empty water bottle into the recycling bin we had in the corner. “She screwed around on me with his brother. His brother is a fucking dick. If Dave had his way, his brother wouldn’t even be at his wedding, but you know how that shit goes with family.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Jackson muttered. “Now that’s a bunch of bullshit. Under those circumstances, I get finding yourself a fake date.”

  “But how the hell did you get Jade to say yes?” Dawson interjected, looping back to his original question when he entered the room.

  I shrugged. “I asked her. She said yes, probably because I helped her out the other night. Is that so surprising?”

  Dawson arched a brow, nodding slowly. Jackson nodded right along with him, prompting me to ask, “What’s the big deal?”

  “Jade doesn’t date.” Jackson made that comment firmly.

  “Maybe she said yes because it’s not a real date,” I offered, wanting to ask more about exactly why Jade didn’t date. I kept my mouth shut with those questions because I didn’t want to drag them further into my business than they already were.

  “I guess so,” Dawson said with a light shrug. “But you never did tell us, does Lucas know?”

  “I don’t know. I suppose I should tell him.” God help me. All of this was starting to seem complicated. I hated complications.

  “Well, yeah, you gotta tell him,” Jackson said, as if this was obvious.

  “Jade is his little sister,” Dawson added.

  My impulsive invitation for Jade to join me at the wedding was snowballing with complications. “Fuck. Do I need to worry about Lucas getting pissed off? It’s not a real date.”

  Jackson shrugged. “Don’t think so. I would just let him know you have a fake date. Otherwise, maybe he’ll think it’s real,” he said with a slow grin.

  “Okay, fill me in on why the hell Jade doesn’t date,” I said, giving into some of my curiosity.

  Jackson and Dawson shrugged in unison. “Hell if I know,” Dawson offered. “All I know is one of the other bartenders tried to ask her out and she told him to fuck off, that she didn’t date. She’s kind of private.”

  “Like you,” Jackson offered with a chuckle.

  “For fuck’s sake. I might have to cancel the fake date if I’m gonna have to deal with all this crap.”

  Dawson clapped me on the shoulder. “Too late. Plus, this is a good story. I can’t wait to hear how the wedding goes.”

  “Fine, fine,” I muttered as I turned and picked up my work gloves from where I’d set them on the windowsill. “What are you doing out here anyway? I didn’t think you were working today.”

  “Oh right. Came out to check with you guys about the schedule for the crew. I need to go out of town in two week
s. Can one of you cover for me?”

  “I got it,” I replied quickly. “You can cover for me when I’m at the wedding.”

  “When’s that?”

  “Next weekend.”

  “You’ve got a deal, man,” Dawson replied with a nod. “Just so you know, I’d cover for you anyway.” He pushed away from the doorframe with another grin and a wink. “Catch y’all later.” He stepped back through the open doorway with a wave.

  Jackson and I got back to work, and I resisted the urge to ask any further questions about Jade. My curiosity about her was steadfast and rising. I made a mental note to check on the room situation at the hotel.

  Chapter Five

  Jade

  “What?” Lucas asked. My older brother punctuated his question with a whip of his head in my direction and one of his dark brows slashing up.

  Shocked was the only way to describe his one-word question. I picked up a slice of apple covered in peanut butter—my niece’s afternoon snack—and popped it in my mouth as I nodded.

  “You’re going to a wedding with Walker?” Lucas asked slowly. He slid his hand over the counter, brushing away crumbs from the sandwiches he’d been assembling for Rylie, his daughter and my adorable niece. Turning, he dusted his hands over the trashcan and leaned his hips against the counter as he surveyed me.

  “Yeah, that’s what I said. Is that a problem? And why are you looking at me like that?”

  Lucas cocked his head to the side, his green eyes, so similar to mine, narrowing. “Uh, maybe because I can’t remember the last time you went on a date. Not to mention, a wedding seems kind of like a big event. I’m guessing you left out the fact that you and Walker have been dating for a while. I’m so confused I’m not even sure if I should be pissed off at him.”