“We?” Alex perks up from the truck bed, a massive ice pack strapped to her ankle, her foot a grapey shade of purple. “You mean you’ll run with us again?”
“Why not? I’d hate for this town to think of me as anything but a winner.”
That makes them laugh, but there’s sadness laced through it.
“Oh, hey,” Iris says, nudging me back. “Speaking of winners. Sunny wasn’t sure if you got her message this morning, so she texted and said she’ll meet you at your apartment before the parade.”
Shit. I had seen Sunny’s message this morning, but I’d been a little too preoccupied with making breakfast for my unexpected guest to respond. Unfortunately, when I knocked on my bedroom door, I found the bed made and no sign of Jade. Usually, that sort of thing would be a relief, but it kinda felt like she’d regretted staying over, even though nothing happened between us. Apart from when she just kissed me as if her life depended on it, that is. The back of my neck heats at the memory, until I remember she ditched me the moment her sister came close.
Why do women have to be so fucking confusing?
“That’s fine,” I say about Sunny, ready for the day to be over already.
I glance across the parking lot to where Jade and Ruby stand chatting with Ruby’s boyfriend, catching the youngest Quinn looking in my direction. When I offer her a smile, she tenses up and turns away.
So fucking confusing.
* * *
After the race,I head back to my place to shower before meeting Sunny outside on Main Street for the parade. When the first float comes around the corner, my gaze finds Jade’s braid. Looks like she’s showered and changed as well. Bet she smells like heaven. I wait for her to turn and acknowledge me, but she doesn’t even glance my way. Part of me expects her “tough guy” boyfriend to show up—sorry,ex-boyfriend—but there’s thankfully been no sign of him so far.
Sunny suggests walking around to the bank for a more elevated view, but I convince her to stay here, purely so I can see how Jade reacts when she sees me again. For the next hour, Sunny and I make small talk, and I snap a few photos. Jade doesn’t turn around once.
After the final float carrying the high school football team passes through, everyone packs up their coolers and folding camping chairs for the mass exodus toward the town parking lot.
I expect Sunny to follow them, but instead, she loops her arm through mine and asks if I’ll go with her to the fire hall, where the last of the official festival events are taking place. What I really want to do is follow Jade into Quinn Brothers and ask if she’s been thinking about our kiss as much as I have. Instead, I remind myself that I promised my sisters I’d keep the reporter wooed and tow my charge up the hill along with everyone else.
Country music crackles through the fire station speakers. A bunch of thick logs are set in the driveway in front of the empty bays while men in different shades of flannel line up at a registration table for the wood-chopping competition. That’s right. Wood choppin’.
This must be something new because I don’t remember this being a thing way back when. Dad would’ve gotten a kick out of it. I can imagine him wearing a shirt that said “I heart wood” on it or something equally ridiculous, oblivious to the double entendre.
Sunny squeezes my bicep, her French-tipped nails digging into my arm. “Oh my gosh. This is the best thing ever. You should sign up!”
It’ll be a cold day in hell before I stand in front of these people and chop a piece of wood. Running that mud race was bad enough. “I’m gonna pass.” My body still isn’t right after sleeping on the couch, and hauling Alex to the medical tent earlier didn’t help matters.
Sunny purses her cherry-red lips in a pout that has zero impact. Over her head, my stomach flips when I spot Jade weaving through the crowd with her sister until they halt at the far side of the blocked-off area. I’m about to steer Sunny closer when Jade’s fun little ex comes up behind her. She turns to face him, her expression not nearly as pissed off as it should be.
If someone spoke to me the way Nate had to her, he’d be getting a full-on death glare, not a cute little frown. Surely she’s not going to forgive him, is she? Not that it’s any of my business who Jade wants to go out with. Except it kinda is, though, since my tongue was tangled with hers a few hours ago.
“Come on, Dylan. Please? For me?” Sunny bats her lashes like that’s going to sway me.
Robocop steps away from Jade to join the end of the registration line.
And for some reason, I feel like chopping some fucking wood. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Sunny giggles and wishes me good luck, but I’m already pushing through the crowd and lining up right behind my new best friend.
Shithead Williams’s smile vanishes the second he sees me. “The fuck are you doing here?”
My lips lift. “Chopping wood. You?”
“Look. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you need to back the hell off. I’m not going to let you ruin Jade the way you ruined Miranda.”
We both take a step toward the table. “I guess that’s up to Jade.”
The way his shoulders hunch around his ears makes him look a bit like Quasimodo.
The woman sitting behind the table beams up at him. “Oh, hey, Officer Williams. Back to claim your title?”
