Cole

  A humble smile crossed his face. “That was me.” He handed me a drink. “Glad you could make it tonight, Kensington.”

  Nate tapped my shoulder. “Hey, baby, guess who that cute, little blonde in the steampunk costume standing in the dining room is.”

  A petite, beautiful girl with white blonde bangs sticking out from under a black top hat was standing talking to two other girls with equally stylish steampunk costumes.

  “That’s Nicky King’s daughter, Finley,” Nate blurted before I could take a guess.

  “She’s very cute,” I said.

  “I’ll say,” Nate said nearly drooling the words, as if we were just drinking buddies ogling a girl instead of a couple that had come to the party together.

  I glanced toward her again, and she smiled briefly my direction. A tall, utterly breathtaking man in a black cowboy hat walked into the room and stood next to Finley.

  Denver poured another drink from the blender. “That’s Finley’s boyfriend, Rett.”

  I could feel Nate’s enthusiasm deflate. I patted him on the shoulder. “Sorry about that.”

  He shrugged my hand off. “The guy looks like a loser.”

  A slightly harsh laugh shot from my mouth. “Damn, if that’s what a loser looks like, then I’ve got to stop hanging around winners.”

  Denver lifted his glass in a toast to show his appreciation for my comment.

  I could feel tension radiating off Nate. Our barely there relationship seemed to be coming to a natural end, and I was all right with that. I always knew Nate wasn’t right for me.

  “Speaking of losers,” Nate snarled as he looked in the direction of the patio doors. Cole and Jude were stepping inside. They couldn’t have looked or seemed more opposite, and yet it was easy to see the brotherly connection was strong.

  “I’ll bet that guy, Cole, doesn’t do anything all fucking day. Never had to work to make a living,” Nate continued.

  “You’re wrong,” Denver said. “He’s my boss at Kingston construction.”

  “I’m sure that’s because his daddy owns the damn company.” Nate’s unappealing smirk followed.

  “Yeah, he does, but that’s not the fucking point I was making.” Denver spoke calmly, but it was easy to see he was pissed by Nate’s ignorant assumptions. “Cole is the boss, but he works right alongside his crew, even digging ditches, moving dirt and doing all the other grunt jobs. He’s a fair boss, and he works hard. So your opinion of him is completely wrong. Now, I think Captain Kirk needs to mingle with the other life forms.”

  I winked at Denver as he walked past me to the front room. As my eyes swept around, Cole’s gaze caught hold of mine. We looked at each other for a long time.

  “You know, this party sucks. There’s another one down in San Diego. Why don’t we blow this one off,” Nate suggested.

  I finally pulled my attention away from Cole. “You go ahead. I think I’ll stick it out here for awhile.”

  Nate scowled at me for a cold, angry moment and then stomped away without another word.

  Chapter 7

  Cole

  The party had gone smoothly. Slowly, the guests peeled away with wilted costumes and full of tacos and beer. I was glad to be left with the people who I wanted to hang with most of all. I’d managed a little more alone time with Kensington, which, aside from seeing Finley and Rett and all their friends, turned out to be the highlight of the whole damn party. We’d even exchanged phone numbers. It had taken me awhile to notice that Nate had left without her, mostly because I hadn’t been looking for the guy.

  Without being asked, Kensington had stayed to help with the clean up. She’d spent a lot of the evening talking to Finley and Eden. I’d shot Finley more than one warning look to not embarrass the hell out of me, but I knew that would only add to her quest to do exactly that. And if there was someone who knew every embarrassing and less than stellar moment in my life, it was my sister.

  Kensington walked out of the kitchen. She had tired of the long train on her costume and Taylor had figured a way to sweep it up into a decent knot at the back of the dress. I hadn’t noticed I was holding my breath as I watched her cross the room to me until Jude elbowed me hard.

  “Guess that’s the literal definition of breathtaking,” Jude said from the side of his mouth before walking away.

  It had been a long night but Kensington still glittered like a true princess. “Thanks again for having me, Cole. I had a great time.”

  “How are you getting home?” I asked.

  “My pumpkin coach hightailed it back to the pumpkin patch. I thought I might just leave through your back gate and hike across the trail in my plexi-glass slippers.”

  “No, there are all kinds of man-eating critters out there, coyotes and tarantulas and shit.”

  “I’m not afraid of coyotes. Now, if I run into a man-eating tarantula, then that’s a whole different thing.”

  “Kensington, really, let me give you a ride home.”

  “No. You’ve still got guests.”

  I waved my hand. “That’s just Rett and the guys. No biggie.”

  Dray had left the coat on but it hung open. The alien head still bobbing through the hole in his shirt. He put his hand hard on my shoulder. “Thanks for the kind words, bro. Hey, we’re heading out to the foam pit. It was nice meeting you, Cinderella. And let me say, you’ve given me a whole new appreciation for fairy tales.” He walked outside to join the others.

  “If you want to stick around and watch, I guarantee it will be entertaining,” I said. “Then I’ll give you a ride home.”

  Finley was adjusting the leather holster slung around her hips as she stepped out of the kitchen. “Yes, Kensie, please stay, and I’ll finish telling you that story.”

  My face shot toward Finley. “What story? Shit, Fin, did you tell her about that time when I screwed up in the sixth grade winter play?”

  Finley’s face lit up underneath her black top hat. “Oh my gosh, I forgot that one. See, now you have to stay.” She headed outside.

  “I guess I could stick around,” Kensington said. “And now that you’ve put the idea of man-eating tarantulas in my head, that trek across the ravine doesn’t sound so appealing. A ride home would be nice.”

  Dray, who tended to hang onto an idea once he had one, wasn’t going to let the evening end without jumping into the foam pit. The women had parked themselves comfortably along the spectator benches adjacent to the ramp. Eden had carried out the pitcher of margaritas, and she sat next to Finley. Eden and Finley had been best friends ever since Dad had hired Eden as Finley’s companion when Finley’s anxiety disorder had made it impossible for her to leave the house. They’d quickly grown inseparable. Eden was amazing. She could easily be credited with saving Finley from the suffocating walls of her panic disorder, and Jude, from his one true enemy, himself.

  Rodeo and Denver pulled the BMX bikes out of the shed. Rodeo rode one and carried another on his shoulder. Denver followed on his.

  Dray moaned in disappointment. “Thought we were bringing out the big guns, the dirt bikes.”

  “Since this is your first time at the foam pit and since you’ve had plenty of beer, you should probably start on two wheels with no motor,” I suggested. “Besides, I’d have to set the Bobcat up to pull a motorcycle out of the foam.”

  “Shit. Now I’m going to have to pedal to launch myself.” Dray took off his coat and almost seemed surprised by the alien head prop sticking out of the hole in his shirt.

  Nix took the bike off Rodeo’s arm and hopped on it. “Dray, are you gonna lose your rubbery friend there or is he jumping with you?”

  Dray stroked the ugly rubber head like a pet rabbit. “I’ve been wanting rid of this thing for hours. However—” He lifted his shirt to reveal the layers of duct tape he’d used to ta
pe on the alien.

  Clutch was sitting on the stepladder leaning against the outside of the pit. His laughter boomed across the yard. “Is that fucking duct tape? You might just lose some skin.” He stood up and headed toward Dray. “Which means I need to get a better view.”

  With some effort, Dray pulled his shirt off. He stared down at the tape pieces as if he was developing a plan of attack. An amused silence fell over the yard. From what I’d seen of Dray in the octagon, he was pretty immune to pain. But everyone had their limits. No matter how he went about removing the tape, it was going to hurt like hell. Dray picked at the edge of his tape mess like a little kid trying to work up courage to give the bandage a yank.

  “Night’s not getting any younger, bro.” Rett walked over and took the second bike from Denver. “Maybe you should keep wearing the thing until it falls off naturally. You know like in the shower or swimming pool.”

  “Hell no, I’m not sleeping in the same bed with that thing.” Cassie hopped off the bench and walked with enthusiasm toward Dray. She stopped in front of him. His eyes widened with something I rarely saw in Dray’s expression—fear.

  Cassie leaned forward to get a better look at the mosaic of duct tape. She straightened and tapped her chin in thought. “Remember when you strongly suggested I try one of those Brazilian bikini waxes? Well, I want you to rethink that suggestion.”

  Dray scrunched his face tight as Cassie reached for the end of the tape. She braced herself and gave it sharp yank.

  “Fuuuck!” Dray’s groan echoed off the house as he clutched his stomach and crouched down for a few seconds to catch his breath.

  The rest of us had to catch our breath from laughing. Kensington seemed to be having a great time. It was probably stupid to form an opinion so quickly, but so far she was turning out to be nothing like the other girls I’d dated. She was a real, two feet on the ground type, and I liked her. A lot.

  Rodeo was still laughing as he rode off on the bike. “Let’s get this fucking jump party started.” He circled around and raced toward the ramp. The front tire shot up. He pulled a backflip, landing almost perfectly upright in the pit.

  Dray had mostly recovered. He pointed toward Rodeo. “That’s what I want to try.”

  “Hey, Denver, let me borrow that bike.” I climbed on it. “Uh, I think you should stick with a three-sixty for now, Dray. Watch this and prepare to be impressed.” I’d tired of the crown fast but my red prince cape flew behind me as I pedaled hard toward the ramp. It whipped around in a flurry as I spun the bike around midair and then dropped into the foam. I lifted my arms up for applause. The women were just drunk enough to be a very appreciative audience.

  I lifted the bike up and over the side of the pit. Dray walked over to take the bike from me and I climbed out behind it.

  Dray stared down at the bike, then looked at me. He held out his hand. “I need the cape too. It adds another layer of cool to the whole thing.” He hadn’t put his shirt back on and the skin around his stomach was still bright red from the tape.

  I handed him my cape. “Here, it sort of matches your skin. Make sure you ride back far enough to get some decent—”

  Dray waved me off. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve got this.” He was a little wobbly but determined. He rode hard toward the ramp but didn’t get enough lift. He had plenty of spin though. The bike twirled into the foam pieces like the blades in a blender, popping them up in every direction and burying the rider deep.

  Rett was laughing hard as he ran to the pit and hopped up on the stepladder. He looked down into the foam. “All I see is the red cape.” He paused. “Nope, there he is.” He gave the audience a thumbs up. “He’s alive.”

  Clutch got on a bike. “Where the hell is the ignition on this thing?”

  “Dude, you look just like one of those circus clowns on the mini bicycle,” Jude called to him. Again, we all dissolved into laughter. The party had been a blast, but we were all having more fun just hanging out together.

  Clutch, undeterred by Jude’s comment and our guffaws, raised his middle finger to all of us as he pedaled toward the ramp. As expected, the bike made a small chirp jump. Giant and bike dove face first into the foam. The girls were leaning on each other trying to catch their breath. Kensington was right there with them, her face a pink glow from laughing so hard. And it occurred to me how perfectly she fit in with the other girls, confident, beautiful and likable in every way. Something told me winning her heart would be a challenge, but that same something was telling me she was totally worth the effort.

  Chapter 8

  Kensington

  “I know I’ve said this twice already, but I love your friends. Just let me say that. There. I said it. I’m done. And your sister is adorable. There, I’ve said that twice too, but now that’s it.”

  I smiled over at Kensington and thought how perfectly right she looked sitting in the passenger seat of my truck. “I guess you were really downing those margaritas at the end there.”

  “I had one or two more, and I think it was mostly the sour mix stuff. But I’m a total lightweight. I think I’m just lightheaded from laughing so hard because—” She paused. “Well, you know, as I mentioned, your friends are great.”

  “I agree. I hadn’t seen them in awhile, and I haven’t laughed like that in a long time.” I pulled around the corner and headed up the long, tree-lined driveway to her house. “This was such a short drive home. I’m wishing that you lived a little farther.”

  I stopped in front of the ornate iron gates. A sign reading Modante Vineyard arched over the gate. Kensington hopped out and punched in a code. The gates parted and opened. She climbed back in and we drove up toward the house. It was a colonial type mansion with a lot of used brick and white columns. Trimmed hedges lined the front of the house. I parked on the circular driveway, stopping in front of the steps leading to the massive front doors. The entire facade of the house was lit up but it looked dark inside.

  I shut off the engine. “I’ll walk you to the door. I am, after all, a prince.”

  She looked over at me. “I had a great time tonight.”

  “I’m glad. And I’m sorry your date took off so quickly.”

  “I’m not sorry. The thing between Nate and me was sort of crumbling away anyhow. That’s me, a crumbler. I crumble things, on purpose, mostly. I just can’t seem to meet the right guy.” She lifted a long, thin finger. “But I am a pro at picking the wrong ones. I’ve got that down to an art.” She sat back. “Shit, I’m rambling. Maybe there was a lot of tequila in those drinks.”

  “You’re not rambling, and I like listening to you. And I don’t say that about too many people.”

  She unfastened her seatbelt. I was disappointed thinking she was ready to hop out already. Instead she turned to face me. “I don’t know why it’s so hard. I don’t even have a tall order when it comes to the right guy. I want someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Someone, who, if I’m crying, can just listen with a sympathetic ear and who can make me laugh through my tears. I want someone who makes my knees wobble when he takes my hand or caresses my arm. See, not a big list, but so far, that person has eluded me.” She pressed her fingers to her mouth. “Oh my gosh, I am just babbling like a chattering bird. Stop me. No, I’ll stop myself. That’ll make more sense. Tell me—what it is you’re looking for, Cole? Or maybe you’re not looking for anyone.”

  “Sometimes I think I’ll just stay single and have a good time and see where the future takes me, but whenever I hang out with Rett and Finley or Jude and Eden and all the others, I feel a little twinge of loneliness, like I’m missing out on some big secret that they know but that I won’t ever hear until I find someone. I don’t have a tall order either. I want to find that girl who’s on my mind all the time, whether I’ve had a shitty day or a great day or just an ordinary and boring day, I want to be thinking about
her. Oh, and before you praise me for being deep and thoughtful, I will add that a great pair of legs is a bonus.”

  She nodded a little more enthusiastically than she’d intended and she pitched forward. I reached over and took hold of her arm to keep her from slipping off the seat.

  “Oh my gosh,” she laughed, “I don’t think I’ve been this drunk since college. I should probably go inside before I do something completely embarrassing, or worse, throw up the tequila.”

  I hopped out of the truck, walked around and opened the passenger door. She struggled some to get out of the seat and had to yank hard to get the train of her dress out of the truck. Again she tottered forward. This time I caught her against my chest.

  She peered up at me from beneath heavy black lashes. “I’m a disgrace to the princess uniform. But you are every bit the prince.” She steadied herself and stepped away from me. Total disappointment. She braced one hand against me as she yanked off her plastic slippers.

  We walked up the steps to the front door. I faced her, and she closed her eyes for a kiss. There was nothing I wanted more than to kiss her, but this wasn’t the night. I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She looked up at me with round green eyes. Her luscious mouth turned down in a frown.

  I gazed down at her and brushed my thumb across her bottom lip. “I’m dying to kiss you, and I will kiss you . . . soon, but I want you to remember it. Is it all right if I call you?”

  “I think I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.” She walked to the door and pressed the keypad. She glanced back at me over her shoulder and flashed a smile that I’d already memorized. “Later, Charming.” She slipped inside.

  I pulled out my phone on the way to the truck and dialed her number.

  It took her a few rings to answer. “Hello?”