Broken Beginnings: A High Heat Small Town Romance Suspense (Citrus Cove Book 1)

LAST NIGHT WENT BETTER than I could have expected. My nephews ended up spending the night after we turned Honey’s living room into a pillow fort. I learned all about Jake’s aspirations to be the president of Legoland, and how Davy wanted to learn more about rocks. My nephews were way cooler than I could have ever imagined, and getting to know them more was a little bandaid on my heart.

Honey drove them back home this morning. I’d sent Sarah another text that was left unanswered and spent the rest of the day writing an article on hot locations for trips in Baltimore.

Now, I was pulling my Corvette down a driveway and cursing myself for going to this damn party. It was stupid. I felt stupid. I felt like the outcast again, showing up for whatever fucking reason.

I’m an adult. I’m a badass. I’m a goddamn grown woman.

If I had a bad time, I’d just leave.

Still, my stomach wouldn’t stop twisting. I’d been too nauseous to eat earlier, wishing that Emma was here to be my wingman. She’d always been able to walk into social events without batting an eye, dragging me with her. Even if I wasn’t exactly introverted, Emma was so damn extroverted that it was easy to tag along with her.

But, she wasn’t here.

“Fuck me,” I groaned as I pulled into the grass.

I didn’t see Cam’s truck. Was that a good sign or bad one? I considered putting the car in reverse and getting the hell out of here. What am I doing here? Why am I doing this? Colt appeared in front with a grin and wave.

“Goddamnit,” I mumbled.

I forced a smile as he came to the door and turned off the engine. I got out and he spread his arms, offering me a quick hug.

“Glad you came,” he said. “How are your ankles?”

“Oh. They’re fine,” I said, glancing down. I’d opted for casual and was wearing sneakers with jeans and a yellow babydoll blouse. “I take it you’re the one that put Hello Kitty bandages in the first aid kit?”

Colt winced. “Maybe. Sorry?”

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“Hello Kitty is pretty iconic though.”

“Colt,” I snorted.

He grinned. “I’m sorry that happened the other night,” he said. “We have a fire going in the back. It’s just a few of us. Marco and Tabby couldn’t make it.”

“I mean, it is a Tuesday,” I snorted. “Who’s running the bar?”

“Sammy and Cam,” Colt said. “They’re closing down and joining us. We don’t stay open late on Tuesday usually. Maybe once we get some good help.” He winked.

Bastard. I fought the urge to ask him why he’d made me run into Cam as I followed him around the house and to the backyard, which was just an open plot of land. There was a bonfire going. Katie looked up, waving her hand at me. Her and Anna were both seated with beers.

“Hey,” I said, smiling at them.

“Want anything to drink?” Colt asked.

“A beer is fine,” I said. I went over to Katie and Anna and stole a fold out chair. Crickets chirped in unison around us, the only sound aside from the crackle of the flames.

“How’s it going?” Anna asked.

“Good,” I breathed out.

“Are you okay?” Katie asked. “The other night was kind of crazy with Cam carting you off like that…”

I snorted and shook my head. “I don’t know why he did that. But yeah, I’m fine. The glass got me, but it wasn’t bad. How has your week been so far? I realize I don’t know what either of you do.”

“Katie is a firefighter,” Anna said, giving her a teasing look. “Citrus Cove cheerleader turned lesbian firefighter hero.”

“Honestly, that’s badass,” I laughed. “I’m happy for you.”

Katie smiled. “Thanks. Me too. Anna is a vet and works at the clinic.”

“The only clinic,” she sighed.

“I would cry every day,” I said. “I don’t know if I could work with animals.”

Anna nodded. “It’s tough, but I love what I do. There are tragedies, but there are also good things too.”

The sound of tires on gravel almost made me turn my head, but I was trying very hard not to look. I felt like sprinting away when I heard Cam’s voice, followed by a bark.

He’s not that bad.

“They brought Benny,” Anna said excitedly.

I finally turned my head as a black lab came lopping around the corner straight for us. He paused to give me a sniff and then went to Anna, plopping his head on her knee for pets.

While she was busy calling him a good boy, I found myself turning to look again as Cam and Sammy rounded the corner holding cartons of alcohol.

Colt came out the back door with a beer and snickered. “Look who finally fucking made it.”

“Shut up,” Sammy snorted. He looked up and saw me, his eyes lighting up. “Hey Haley. Hey Anna, Katie.”

“If we’re greeted as one entity, does that mean we’re official?” Katie snorted.

“More official than my ring?” Anna teased her.

Cam stood still for a moment and then cleared his throat. “Taking these in.”

Colt brought me the beer, which was ice cold, and dragged out more chairs as the fire flickered.

“This is great,” he said. “I can make the fire bigger and if it catches, I got Katie here to take care of it.”

“You will not make this fire bigger,” she said, giving him a short glare. “Don’t make me work on my one night off, Colt, or I’ll cockblock your next date.”

“And how would you do that?”

Anna laughed. “You really want to be on her bad side?”

Colt gave the three of us a boyish grin and then settled in a chair with his own beer. Benny betrayed us and went around the fire pit, plopping at his feet.

Sammy took the other chair on the opposite side, which left one more. The only open one next to me.

Fuck me. What am I doing here again?

I hated the way my pulse shot through the roof as the back door swung open and shut. Cam walked over to us and stood awkwardly, and then we finally made eye contact.

“May I?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said.

Katie leaned over. “Want to swap?”

“No, it’s fine.” I couldn’t help but blush now. I appreciated her asking, but her question was heard by all.

“How was the sleepover?” Cam asked.

All eyes moved to the two of us now. “It was good,” I said. “The boys are…boys? Jake wants to be the president of Legoland. Davy wants to know more about rocks. They’re both cool.”

“They are,” Colt agreed.

“Should I get my guitar?” Sammy asked.

“Yes,” Anna said quickly.

Oh god. This was awkward for all of us. Everyone knew our history. It was a small fucking town and we’d all gone to school together, except for Anna, who still seemed to be filled in.

“Where’s the restroom?” I asked politely.

“I’ll show you,” Colt said.

“No, I’ve got it,” Cam said immediately.

I stood up quickly, clutching my beer. “I’ll find it.”

He hopped up as I passed him, following me to the back door.

“Cameron fucking Harlow,” Katie called.

That did nothing to deter him. I felt a prick of rage as I stepped inside with him in tow. I spun around as soon as the door clicked shut.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I asked.

“I’m just trying to help⁠—”

The tears came up out of nowhere. I bit them back, trying to keep myself under control. “I don’t need your help. It’s a small house.”

He winced, running his fingers through his hair. “Hal, I’m just trying to⁠—”

“I shouldn’t have come,” I sighed, taking a step back from him. “Everyone here knows the high school me and how fucking stupid I was.”

“You weren’t stupid.”

“And how fucking pathetic⁠—”

“Haley,” he growled. “You weren’t the pathetic one. I was. I fucked up. I was so fucking awful to you. None of them should have stayed friends with me, but they did because I’ve changed. But none of them think you are pathetic or stupid. They think I am.”

“You are,” I muttered, glowering.

“I am,” he said. “I hurt you. Repeatedly. I said awful, terrible things to you that anyone would have been harmed by. It pains me to look back at that time because I should have been better. You didn’t deserve the way I treated you.”

“I didn’t,” I whispered, the tears burning again.

I won’t cry. I won’t fucking cry. Not in front of him.

“If there is anything I can do to make it up to you, I’ll do it.”

A heavy silence fell between us. I stared at him, my heart beating so loud I could hear it.

“Anything,” he whispered.

I looked at the beer in my hands and let out a humorless laugh. He caught my gaze and then shocked me by getting down on his knees in front of me.

“Pour it,” he said.

“Cam,” I sighed. “I don’t need to be petty.”

“It would feel kind of good though, right?”

Doing the same thing he’d done to me all those years ago? I turned it over in my head, mulling on it as I held his baby blues.

Yeah.

Well.

There was a time and place to take the highroad, but he was right.

I tipped the beer and poured it over his head. It rushed down his face and dripped down his shirt, glistening as it doused him. I waited until every last drop had been poured out.

He opened one eye, squinting at me.

I couldn’t help but smile. He smiled too.

“You’re a bastard,” I sighed.

“I’m going to wear this beer proudly the rest of the night.”

I let out a hard laugh and shook my head. Fuck. I’d really just done that. “Let me get you a towel,” I said.

“No,” he said, wiping his eyes. “I’m dead serious. Badge of honor.”

I held his gaze a beat longer and I couldn’t fight the grin now. “Alright. Get up and go outside. I’ll be out in a minute.”

He did as I asked and stepped back out. I heard a few snickers and then Katie and Anna laughing at him, and it felt good.

It felt really damn good.