Roll the Dice: Part Two. A Second Chance Romance Novella. (Between the Rescued Series Book 2) Read online

  Christ. If I ever wanted to know the definition of mixed signals, all I had to do was look her up.

  Her physical traits and scent might not have changed, but she had a whole lot of sass that was new to me. Truth be told, I kinda liked ‘em a little feisty.

  Challenge accepted.

  I wedged myself behind the wheel of my car, thankful to finally be on the move. We’d almost made it to the interstate before Katie broke the heavy silence that filled my car. “Thanks for picking us up. Any idea why Rowan didn’t do it herself?”

  “From what I know, she and Wes had a meeting with the building tenant about securing the rooftop for the wedding or something. She didn’t go into a whole lot of detail, and to be honest, I lost interest in what she was saying when she handed me that sign.”

  “Ah. I figured it was wedding related. I cannot believe she sent you with that ridiculous thing. I mean, I can, but wow. How’d she get you to agree to go along with her shenanigans?”

  Ridiculous was an understatement. “Trust me. The last thing I wanted was to hold it up for everyone at O’Hare to see. Initially Wes threatened to remove me from the wedding party if I didn’t do it. Even though I knew he wouldn’t. It wasn’t until Rowan threatened to kick my ass. And judging from her moodiness as of late, it wasn’t worth the risk.”

  “That sounds about right.”

  “Yeah, and she refused to tell me anything about who I was picking up. I didn’t exactly have a choice but to hold it up. I guess that was all part of her master plan.”

  “Who knows anymore with her. She can be a real mean-ass when she wants to, but I’ve never known her to actually hurt a fly.” Katie practically turned all the way around to Chloe in the back seat. “You’re awfully quiet back there.”

  When Chloe responded, her voice barely reached to the front. “Guess I don’t have a lot to say.”

  “How are you not as excited as me to be here and finally see Rowan? You’ve barely said a word since we left Memphis.”

  “I already told you once, I am excited.”

  “Well, you don’t act excited. You’re off the plane now. So there’s that excuse. What else you got?”

  “Just got a lot on my mind. That’s all.”

  “Okay, well, pull that stick out of your ass.” Katie looked at me. “Excuse my friend here. She’s apparently going through a life crisis or some shit.”

  I knew exactly what Chloe was going through, at least in the last twenty minutes or so, and it wasn’t some life crisis. Well, maybe it was to her. “No worries. I get that way sometimes around new people. I’m sure it’s nothing a glass of pink champagne or shot of top-shelf Patrón can’t take care of.” I snuck a peek in the rearview mirror at Chloe. She stared out the window, her elbow propped up on the door, hand over her mouth. She cut her eyes at me for a split second and tried her damnedest to hide a smile.

  Yeah, I’m onto you and your game.

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Katie said. “Actually, a shot sounds like a really good idea, except that one back there”—she pointed to Chloe—“apparently doesn’t seem to want to drink much anymore.”

  I didn’t look this time, but I could sense Chloe rolling her eyes. “Huh, is that so? Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. But we might have to convince her to change her mind.”

  “Good luck with that. She’s damned hardheaded. Anyway, enough about Debbie Downer—how far are we from Rowan’s? I could really use that drink.”

  Katie had no idea just how much I agreed with her. “Hmm. We’re not too far. Traffic is light, so maybe less than ten minutes? I’m not a hundred percent sure they’ll have Patrón, specifically. But I don’t live far from them. If you want, I can drop you guys off and run over to my place and grab a bottle if that’s your drink of choice. I know for a fact I have it.” I’d had the same bottle sitting in my liquor cabinet, unopened since I was in Vegas. I’d bought it on my way to the airport as sort of a souvenir.

  Now, by the grace of God, act of good Karma, and all the stars aligning, I had the one and only souvenir from Las Vegas I’d ever need sitting in the back seat of my car.

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHLOE

  My life could be summed up in three words: what, the, and fuck. I never thought I’d see Dan, well, Daniel, ever again. Not because I didn’t want to, but given our circumstances when we’d met and the way he’d left me, reuniting with him would be damned near impossible…or so I’d thought.

  Last time I saw him, we’d just gotten married.

  The beginning of the end of our time together started out with one hell of a superhot make-out session—the one I’d waited on bated breath for all night long—that’d kicked-off as soon as we went barreling through the exit doors of that little pink wedding chapel. It continued all the way down the street, into the elevator lobby at the Bellagio.

  Our celebration was cut short when Daniel was interrupted by a string of phone calls and texts from one of his friends, which had turned out to be an emergency and he’d needed to go. He said he would be in touch. Then he turned and jogged away before either one of us had realized we didn’t get to swap contact information. I was left standing alone, confused, and hornier than I’d ever been in my entire life.

  After he took off, I hung out in the main lobby for a while until I dozed off on a sofa by the elevators and a bellhop woke me up. Confused and with a pounding head, I dragged ass back to the suite. Rowan and Kat were passed out in their king-sized bed, probably long before I’d ever thought of how their night had gone.

  When I’d finally woken from the dead, Kat and I talked over a cup of coffee. It wasn’t until then that I’d found out how their night had really gone. She caught me up on everything she’d known, which was bits and pieces from what Rowan had told her. I felt like a shitty friend for not being there, but I had no way of knowing about what had happened with them; I didn’t have my phone on me the entire night. They did the race together, and they’d made it back to our suite long before me.

  Once Kat had finished telling me about their night, she asked me about the rest of mine. My first thought was how much fun I’d had, most of it still a drunken blur. But the memory of how Dan had made me feel was very real and very present—then and now. The way each one of his touches had sent shock waves of lust through me, his brilliant smile that could light up an entire room and liquefied my insides. Or how we’d gotten married.

  Panic set in as she and I talked.

  I got married? I looked down at my left hand. No ring. That was a relief. But I had to find him. It was later in the morning than I would have preferred, but I’d hoped it was still early enough I still had time to find him because I had no idea where his room was or when his flight was leaving.

  So, I gave her a sugar-coated story about hanging out by the pool until it had finally closed, then I lied and told her I’d gone back to the karaoke bar for a few drinks by myself with no luck of getting laid. She didn’t ask what time I made it in, and I didn’t offer her the information.

  When I was done telling her about my night, I gave her quick a hug and told her I loved her and I was going back to the pool if she needed me.

  Eventually she and Rowan did make their way down to the indoor pool, but only to tell me that they were going to the hospital to see the man whose life Rowan had saved. I declined their offer to go because my hope was Dan would still show up. He never did.

  Now, seeing Daniel again all this time later, every one of those feelings I’d felt then—those in-the-moment feelings—were back with a vengeance.

  Who would have guessed it? The one time I’d taken someone up on a dare—because I am not one to turn down a good challenge—I did the craziest, and quite possibly the stupidest thing I could have ever done in my lifetime. And out of all the people to have done it with, I find out he’s in my best friend's wedding. Literally one of the groom’s best friends. I had no idea anytime Rowan mentioned Wesley’s friend Daniel she was talking about Dan. My Dan.

&
nbsp; The. Entire. Time.

  As the pieces started falling together and I’d learned it was him, I wanted to scream and rip every strand of hair on my head out by the root. How would I have known? There’s no way I could have. I didn’t think to ask her to send me pictures of who she was talking about, and she didn’t offer. It wasn’t important. All I knew was he was a friend of Wesley and Warren’s, and now hers.

  My one saving grace in this massive clusterfuck of epic proportions was knowing Daniel and I were never legally married.

  Yup, that’s right. It was all just for show. Seemed like we were told that as we signed paperwork to walk down the aisle, but neither of us, more specifically me, had paid attention to that one minor detail. I could only assume he knew too, after all this time, since he was the one who was supposed to take care of things whenever he got home. How in the hell I thought or trusted that he was going to do that on his own was beyond me.

  I blamed those sexy shots of top-shelf Patrón we’d taken.

  Eventually, after a few very long months of not hearing a word from him or anyone, for that matter, I’d taken it upon myself to find that little pink church on Google Maps and gave them a call. Their receptionist immediately redirected me to the county courthouse for marriage and divorce records. So, I looked them up, and after spending almost a half hour on the phone with them, getting bounced around from person to person, I ended up back on the phone with the church, who’d then dug through their records and informed me that Daniel’s and my wedding was all just for fun. It was one of those extra services they offered––all the experience without the hassle and headache.

  Who the hell knew that was even a thing? I sure didn’t. But that explained why, when I’d called the courthouse, they had no records of our marriage. Hindsight, I probably could have confided in Rowan or Kat or even Mia, but I’d been so embarrassed for what I did, I still to this day couldn’t bring myself to tell them the truth about that night.

  One day.

  Maybe.

  “We’re almost there.” Daniel’s sexy voice broke into my wandering thoughts. Sexy? I’d been around that man less than a half an hour and already my brain was trying to disconnect from my heart, thinking with only one organ—and it wasn’t in my chest.

  Kat was right about one thing—I needed to pull the stick out of my ass. It wasn’t anyone’s fault but my own for what I’d been through between Vegas and Tanner and now unexpectedly reuniting with my fake ex-husband. But if I didn’t get my shit together, Kat and Rowan would eventually drag it all out of me before I was ready to spill the beans.

  “I’m so excited.” Kat bounced in her seat in front of me. “Thank you again for picking us up. Sorry you had to hold up that stupid sign.”

  Daniel smiled. It was just as I remembered. That panty-burning, blinging-white-toothed, dimple-showing smile. I sighed and wondered if he’d thought of me as much as I did him.

  “It was nothing,” he said. “If either of you needs anything while you’re in town, just let me know. I’m more than happy to help since Wes and Rowan are going to be busy.”

  If he only knew the things I’d ask him to help me with.

  A few minutes later we were in downtown Chicago, parked in an underground parking garage. We unloaded Daniel’s car and stuffed ourselves in an elevator. The car ride here wasn’t nearly as uneasy as the one on the elevator. What could have been one of those sexy scenarios in a steamy romance book where the guy takes the girl against the wall and makes dirty promises to her, turned out to be crammed, hotter than necessary—and not in a good way—and Daniel was nowhere near in a position to pin me up against a wall.

  We barely stepped foot into the hallway when Rowan came flying out of nowhere, practically tackling me and Katie to the ground. My mood instantly lifted. Turned out I just needed my best friend.

  “Ohmigod! Y’all are finally here!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around us. Katie jumped and screamed. Rowan bounced and laughed. I was sandwiched between them, being shook back and forth, my ears ringing from the high-pitched noises coming out of both of their mouths.

  “Okay, okay,” I said, wiggling my way out. “Easy on the girls. Y’all can’t just go squishing me up like that. You’ll hurt something.”

  Rowan stood back and reached forward with both hands and gave my boobs a lift. “I’ve missed you, and these,’” she said, grabbing her own boobs. “Can’t wait for mine to be that big one day.”

  I heard a moan from somewhere behind Rowan, who I assumed was Wesley. “They’re just fine the way they are.”

  Rowan rolled her eyes. “Come inside. We have lots to talk about and catch up on.” She led us into her condo, Wesley and Daniel following behind us with Kat’s and my luggage in tow.

  We piled into their condo. “Y’all feel free to make yourselves at home,” Rowan said. “I’m gonna grab some drinks. Wesley, will y’all put their stuff in the guest room?”

  He bowed dramatically then carted our stuff away, disappearing down a hallway.

  “Rowan, y’all’s place is gorgeous!” Kat said, making her way to the massive open living room.

  I followed behind her and plopped down on the huge sectional.

  Rowan joined us with an arm full of bottled water. We each took one. “Thank you. I’m so damn happy y’all are here and can finally see it.”

  “Are you ladies hungry?” Wesley asked, entering the room. “Or should I say, I hope you’re hungry. I’m making lasagna for dinner here shortly.”

  “I could eat,” Kat said.

  “Me too, for sure. Especially if I’m not the one cooking it.”

  Wesley wrapped his arms around Rowan and planted a kiss on her temple. They were ridiculously cute, and borderline disgustingly happy. I couldn’t even be mad at her. She deserved happiness after everything she’d been through. Hell, we all did, but I was glad to see her in such a good place.

  “I’m so sorry, y’all. I didn’t do formal or reintroductions. Y’all already know Wesley.” We’d met him once when he’d showed up in Memphis to get Rowan to move with him. “And you met Daniel on the way here.”

  Daniel half-ass waved to everyone in the room, his gaze pointed directly at me. He cleared his throat. “Hi, everyone.”

  “Hey,” Kat and I said in unison. It took everything in my power not to stare at him. Just his presence had a way of drawing me in.

  “Gotta watch out for this one,” Rowan said, turning toward Daniel. And I couldn’t agree more with her statement. “Are you gonna stick around for dinner? You know we’ll have plenty.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets, standing front and center of the room, looking uncomfortable having been called out. “I’m not entirely sure yet. I need to get with Warren and see if he still wants to get together later.”

  Rowan rolled her eyes. “Typical. Well, he’s supposed to stop by in a bit. Maybe y’all can cancel your Friday night plans for a change and hang out with us?”

  He shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHLOE

  Thankfully, the rest of the afternoon had gone by without a hitch. I’d managed to get a few minutes to myself, away from the chaos, to take a shower and change into what Rowan called my “socially acceptable” pajamas including a bra, per her request, before rejoining everyone back in the kitchen / living area.

  I took a seat at the bar next to Katie, who was picking apart a piece of garlic bread. “It smells amazing in here.”

  Wesley stood at the stove mixing something in a pot, as steam billowed around him. “Thank you,” he said over his shoulder. “It’s a family recipe. Shouldn’t be too much longer; it’ll all be ready. Help yourself to some garlic bread.”

  Watching him, I knew exactly why Rowan had just packed up her life and moved across the country. I probably would have too.

  I swiped a chunk of bread off the plate in front of Katie. “So, Rowan, what’s the game plan for the next two weeks? I know you have a spreadshe
et somewhere with every day plotted out from now until the end of the wedding.”

  “Ugh, actually, I don’t. Well, I did, but I can’t find it. I have some ideas and I think I’ve just about got everything picked out that we’re gonna need. I just need y’all with me to make sure everything looks good together.”

  “Pushing it to the last minute? That doesn’t sound like you,” Kat said. “Both of y’all have been out of character lately. Is there something going on here that I don’t know about?”

  Rowan and I looked at each other and said, “Nope.”

  The doorbell rang, and it sounded like everyone in the entire room yelled, “Come in,” at the same time. I swung around in the barstool to see who it was, not that I’d even recognize anyone.

  As the door opened, a very tall, handsome man walked in, with another fine piece of ass following right behind him.

  The words “holy shit” slipped out of my mouth and a hand smacked my arm.

  “Shut your filthy mouth,” Katie said under her breath.

  Hell, I couldn’t help it. I’d never seen a better-looking group of men all in the same room before.

  Rowan ran up to the first man and gave him a hug, introducing him to us as her future brother-in-law.

  Ooooh…that’s him? Wowza. I mean, she did say he was a hunk, but I wasn’t ready for that. And the more I looked at him, the more I saw the resemblance between him and his brother.

  Wesley rounded the bar and grabbed and hugged the second man. “Shane, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you said—.”

  “Yeah, I know what I said. Change of plans.”

  Rowan hugged Shane next and introduced herself. “Nice to finally meet you in person.” She looked around then introduced Shane to me and Kat as Wesley and Warren’s childhood best friend. “This is a huge surprise for all of us.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it,” Warren said. “He was in the elevator when I got on to come up here. Surprised the hell out of me.”