Page 59 of Take The Risk

I scrambled out of my seat and all but threw myself into his arms without thinking about the attention we would draw. His big arms closed around me, and I let the feelings of calm and safety surround me as they always did when I was with him. To everyone who saw him, he was a big, mean military captain without a sense of humor. To me, he was the big teddy bear who kept the bullies away when I was a kid, letting me sit and daydream about my stories without ever getting upset when I wouldn’t speak for hours.

“What are you doing here?” Peeling back, I smiled up at him. A smile that caught a few people’s attention. “I thought you were still deployed?”

Unlike my brother, Aaron was in the part of the military you weren’t allowed to talk about. The only thing anyone was ever allowed to know was when he was deployed and when he wasn’t. That was it.

“Things change,” he said cryptically, his eye crinkling.

I understood immediately, reading the code we’d established over a lifetime of friendship.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Helen poked me in the arm, leaning all the way forward in her seat.

“Oh, yeah.” I blushed, tucking closer to Aaron. He was huge, and his size was a very good shield against onlookers. “Everyone, this is my friend Captain Aaron Wyndham. Aaron, this is…” I introduced everyone.

They all greeted Aaron pleasantly, looks of curiosity and appreciation for his service flowing. Everyone except Ty. He gave Aaron a curt nod, and his welcome was anything but friendly.

Aaron raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged. I was too exhausted to deal with any of this. Besides, Aaron was so rarely here, I wanted to focus on him and not the soap opera my life had become.

“So what brings you to Maplehurst, Captain?” Helen lifted the plate of cookies, offering it to Aaron.

“Just Aaron, ma’am. I heard a certain cookie maker”—Aaron snagged a cookie, holding it up—“put down roots in these parts and thought I’d come check it out.” He threw an arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his side and slightly behind him. I was surprised by the move, and suddenly very alert. The only time Aaron ever did it was when his protective instincts were fully engaged.

For the next couple of minutes, the standard questions were asked: How long have you known each other? When did you meet? Yada. Yada. Yada.

I could feel the agitation flow off Aaron and wondered at it.

“I don’t mean to interrupt you all, but would you mind if I stole Phoebe for a bit?” Aaron asked this in the way he was asking but wasn’t, even as he remained polite.

They were all happy to let me go, which I tried not to take personally. Louise insisted on getting Aaron a coffee and a sandwich, which meant we couldn’t just leave.

Fortunately, a booth across the room became available, and Aaron pulled me into it. So whatever it was he needed wasn’t top secret.

While we waited for Louise to bring his coffee and food, I questioned him. “So…” Yes, I was aware nothing good ever started with that and I was being a hypocrite. “Why are you actually here?”

Aaron didn’t do random drop-ins.

“I need a favor.”

Chapter 23

​“You know what? I do want to dance.”

​I clenched my fist, resisting the urge to punch the asshole. I swear to God, if his hands dip any lower…I clenched my beer in my hand so hard I was seconds away from smashing the glass.

​On the dance floor, Phoebe swayed with Prescott. What a pretentious name. Beside her, Alex twirled with Erik, ignoring her boyfriend, the brother of the fucker with his hands on Phoebe, Preston. The music was some slow country ballad, and I was going to kick the DJ’s ass if he put on another.

​After the week I’d had, the last thing I wanted to do was come out tonight. Mom had insisted and then I somehow found myself picking Olivia up. She finally decided I was shitty company and had moved to the other end of the table to sit with Mom, Helen, and Octavia.

​I swear to fucking God…

​One more inch and I was going to demolish the son of a bitch where he stood.

​If it wasn’t for the fact Phoebe was here tonight, I would have stayed at home.

​I needed to talk to her.

​This week had been the single most fucked up week of my life, and she was at the center of it, even if she hadn’t known it. I cursed last weekend to hell and back.

​Now, I was sitting at a table, watching Phoebe dance with the preppy asshole, and my only solace was this was my dad’s bar, and I could have all the liquor I wanted. The knife in my gut was the way she gave Prescott the attention I wanted. In fact, she’d barely acknowledged me all night, and it was starting to piss me off.