Chapter 1
Cade
I stopped by the bar and grill on the way home, it was one of those days. All I wanted was a cold beer, maybe some wings, and to watch the Saturday night football game. I wasn’t planning on working as long as I did, especially on the weekend. But life happens and plans always turn to shit.
I guess that’s what happens when you run a logging company. Between making sure the guys are out doing their daily tasks and keeping up with the books, it’s getting harder and harder to maintain any kind of semblance of a social life. Shit, the only time I see my dad is when he’s in the office helping me get the guys started for the day.
“What can I get you, Cade?” Mary the waitress asks. I’ve grown up in small-town Washington. Everyone usually knows everyone.
“Bud light, bottle. How’s it going?” I respond.
“It’s going. Getting new people moving in more and more. Better business for our town, I guess,” she responds, as she hands me my beer.
“Yeah, may help boost the economy some, too,” I say, with a nod of my head.
“Enjoy, I’ll be here if you’re ready to order more,” she walks away to help the next customer. I turn my bar stool around and look at the patrons. Some are eating, some are playing pool, and some are dancing.
That’s when my gaze stops. There she is. She’s dancing to a country song on the jukebox. Her hips are swaying, her long hair whipping back and forth. She has me riveted. When she turns around and smiles at me, I nod my head in acknowledgement. Her eyes are green in color, as if they are leaves on an oak tree. They’re that dark. Her skin is milky white, and I wonder what my tan and weathered hands would look like up against her.
Her auburn to my dark hair, she’s unbelievably gorgeous. When she goes back to dancing, only then do I turn around, order dinner, and another beer. I’ll only drink a max of two beers. Drunk driving is something I won’t do, or allow anyone else to do, if I can help it.
“Here’s your order, Cade,” Mary says, as she sets down the piping hot wings and French fries I ordered, along with my beer.
“Thanks, Mary. Who’s the new girl?” I ask.
“She’s not that new, she’s been coming here for a while now. She works for Dr. Smith. The doc says she’s the best vet technician he’s ever had. That’s saying something coming from that old geezer,” she says with a laugh.
“Damn, I’m so busy I can barely look up. I’ll have to pay more attention,” I say as I pick up a wing and start eating.
“You do that, we miss seeing you around town.” She says before leaving me to eat.
Chapter 2
Aubrey
It’s Saturday evening. I moved here a couple of months ago and it’s still taking some time adjusting to. But I have to say, I love this town already. When I graduated college, I knew I didn’t want to live in a big city anymore.
When the girls asked if I wanted to go out tonight and have a few drinks, I was excited. What I didn’t expect was them leaving me, and with a town this small, a taxi is going to be hard to find.
I really shouldn’t have had that last Amaretto Sour without really eating anything. I make my way back from the dance floor to the bar. I see the handsome guy who grinned at me when I smiled at him. He’s in a baseball cap, flannel shirt, jeans that are well worn, and a pair of boots that, I’m sure, have seen many long days.
I wanted to be bold and ask him to come out and dance with me, but my shyness won that round.
I plop down on the bar stool, holding my head in my hand, as I prop it up on the bar.
“Hey, Mary, can you call me a cab?” I ask her.
“I would doll, but they quit running an hour ago. Do you have anyone else that can give you a ride?”
“No, that’s okay. Can I have some water? I can walk home instead. I guess this is the downfall of living in a small town,” I mumble out.
It’s going to take me a good thirty minutes to walk and I’m already feeling sluggish.
“Sure thing, Aubrey. I’ll be right back with it.”
“Thank you.” I rest my eyes for just a moment. This will remind me to never go out with this group of girls — well especially without back up in the form of transportation. I guess I can’t really blame them. They’re all married and have kids, not me. I’m twenty-three, single as the day is born, and a virgin. The girls in college used to tease me about not having sex. Ignoring them was easier than having to explain to them that I wasn’t ready to let just anybody inside me. I want to wait until I meant for me and only me.