I glanced up at the castle-like rock from my bedroom window and a tight breath left my chest. The town namesake, the towering outcropping of rock, jutted up from north of old Main Street, Castle Rock.
It was like a lighthouse in a storm for sailors. It meant home. To think I’d let her chase me out of my hometown for almost three years. The job offer had been a great opportunity and now the supervisory project manager position graced the top of my resume—likely what had gotten me my new higher paying job back home in Colorado.
The northwest was beautiful, and I’d hiked some amazing waterfalls while living there, never really getting over how green everything was. But Colorado was home and after a couple of winters of not seeing the sun for weeks on end, I couldn’t take it anymore. The three hundred plus days of sunshine per year beckoned me back.
I dropped the curtain and paced around the small bedroom. This happened every time I went out. Castle Rock wasn’t a tiny town, and it was getting bigger by the day with people moving in. But it was small enough that you ran into people all the time. Eventually I’d run into her.
It shouldn’t hurt so much. Who was I kidding? I hadn’t even dated since she’d dumped me at the altar—literally—on Christmas day, no less. Sure, a few flings, but nothing remotely serious. That part of me died when Sara told me in no uncertain terms that she didn’t love me anymore.
My phone buzzed and I answered. “Hey, Jeremy. What’s up?”
“You coming out for beers tonight?”
“Ah,” I hedged. “What about if we go up to Denver?”
“Man, come on.” I could hear the eye roll. Being friends since grade school had its drawbacks. The main one being he knew me too well. “You can’t avoid going out forever. You’ve been back for months and all we do is hang out watching football at my place.”
“You’ve got a big TV.” It wasn’t really manly to admit that I still didn’t think I could face my ex. Guys were supposed to shove those feelings down and act fine. Not something I’d ever excelled at.
“Just come out to the brewery on Wilcox. I’m sure Sara wouldn’t show her face there.”
I sighed. “Okay. I’ve got to run some errands, but then I’ll meet you over there.”
“Good to hear you’re not cooped up in your apartment with the curtains drawn.”
I glanced at the closed curtains. “Nope, got to get some stuff from the hardware store to fix this closet.”
“See you later.” Jeremy disconnected.
Straightening my back like I was preparing for way more than a trip to the hardware store, I headed out to my truck. Since I’d moved back, I’d avoided any place Sara might frequent, even shopped at off hours to avoid the chance of running into her at the grocery store. This is ridiculous. If I see her, no big deal.
My optimism lasted all the way to the big box store off I-25 and I actually felt half-way normal as I pushed my cart through the aisles until I came face to face with a twelve-foot Santa. Christmas blow-up decorations and light displays filled the front of the store. It’s barely November. My teeth ground together. If I could skip the next two months, life would be a million times better. At least this year I wouldn’t be alone on Christmas.
Pushing past the garish displays, I grabbed a tube of caulk, a new paintbrush, and some brackets for shelves. Barking turned my head as a puppy, a shepherd mix from the coloring, dragged a woman down the aisle by her wrist.
“Gunner. No,” the woman said without enthusiasm or conviction. “Come.”
Completely ignoring the commands, the pup dashed toward me. Without thinking, I stepped in front of the animal and held up a hand.
“Sit,” I ordered, not leaving any room for interpretation.
Brown eyes met mine, and a furry butt hit the concrete with a thump. He stared up at me, as if waiting for his next instruction.
“How did you do that?” a vaguely familiar voice gasped.
I looked up as the woman pushed her long brown hair out of her face.
“Remi?” I asked and stared at my best friends’ sister.
She blinked, then really looked at me. “Cade?”
The pup picked up on the excitement in her voice and his whapping tail merged into a full-on butt wiggle. He was about to break. “Stay,” I ordered.
He calmed immediately and I returned my attention to Remi. She’d changed in the last few years. There was no sign of the kid I’d grown up with. Instead, stood a beautiful woman, hair to her waist and a touch of sadness around her tired green eyes.
She flashed a genuine smile and there was the Remi I’d known.
“Jeremy said you were back.” Being about a foot shorter than me, she reached to wrap me in a hug. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around. This one has been keeping me busy.” She motioned to the dog when she released me. “How did you get him to listen?”
“You need to mean what you say.” I cocked my head to the side and considered the shadows under her eyes. She appeared tired, and not just from lack of sleep. “You doing okay?”
Her eyes glistened with moisture, but she threw on another smile and waved me off. “I’m great. Tons going on at work and getting lots of exercise because he needs like three walks a day.”
I wasn’t buying it. I’d have to ask Jeremy what was going on when I saw him.
“How are you doing?” she asked. “I haven’t seen you since the day after…”
She stopped herself before she said the wedding.
“…since Christmas three years ago. We missed having you at the house the last couple years,” she recovered. “Will you be over this year?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Genuine warmth enveloped me at the memories of so many years of holidays spent with Remi and Jeremy’s family. Someone knocking into me from behind evaporated the warmth like mist.
I turned, an apology already on my lips, and my muscles froze. I stared gape-mouthed at my worst nightmare in the flesh. Sara.
“Oh, excuse me,” she said without looking up.
In a second flat, I took in the changes from the last couple years. She’d cut her blonde hair from mid-back to chin length and her make-up—always having to be perfect before—was now minimal. She glanced up and her expression mirrored mine as recognition set in.
“Cade,” she gasped. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”
I snapped my mouth shut, moving about as far away as I could manage in the aisle, and stepped closer to Remi. “Got back a few months ago.”
A forced smile graced her lips. “Well, I’m so glad you’re back in Colorado.”
I didn’t believe that for a second. But I nodded and wondered how long you were expected to stand and talk to an ex that left you at the altar. One minute? Two? How long to prove you were over them? And I really needed her to believe that I was over her.
Her gaze rested on Remi, and she smiled. “We’ve met before.”
“At the wedding,” Remi said without mincing words. “Right before you made your speech and left.”
Sara’s face hardened, and her smile fell.
God. That speech. In front of everyone. Detailing why she didn’t love me and couldn’t marry me. My skin pricked with sweat. Was it hot in here? I unzipped my jacket. The pup, forgotten at my feet for too long, broke and wrapped the leash around my legs as he explored the many toxic substances he was considering chewing on.
I took the leash from Remi’s hand and tugged up to get his attention. “Sit,” I said again, thankful to look away from Sara. He thumped down and waited. “Good sit.”
Sara’s gaze darted between Remi and me. “I didn’t realize you two had gotten together.”
Without a second thought, my arm wrapped around Remi and pulled her to my side like she was my anchor in a hurricane. “Why else would I come back here?” I heard the words leave my mouth.
Remi glanced up at me, stiff at first, eyes wide, then her body softened against mine in a way that loosened some of the mess of knots inside me, and she winked. “Quit being so modest. You couldn’t turn down the job.” She put a hand on my chest as if we’d been together for years. “They offered him an obscene raise to poach him from his last company.”
Remi obviously remembered the details of Sara’s wedding speech as well. She’d said she needed to be with someone who could provide for her the way she wanted to live—and any construction job would never pay well enough. I’d seen that she’d moved in with a lawyer when I was totally not stalking her on Facebook in the lonely year after the wedding.
Sara chewed on her lower lip. “What are you doing now?”
“Same thing,” I said, and let my hand run up and down Remi’s arm. “But I’m a field supervisor now.”
“Geez, too modest again,” Remi laughed. “You know the four cranes down off I-25 and 225?”
Sara nodded. The enormous job site was hard to miss with the four high-rises going in.
“He’s in charge of the entire job.” Remi lifted her gaze back to mine and I spotted a familiar devilishness.
How did she know that was my job? Again, without thinking, I leaned down and kissed her forehead—surprising even myself. I didn’t miss the tremor that shot through Remi. Don’t push your luck.
“Well, good to see you, Sara,” I said. “We should get this little man out of here.” I motioned to the dog.
“Oh,” Sara gasped, and dug into her purse. “You’ll of course have to come to the holiday party. Everyone will want to see you…both.” She handed me a rectangle of crisp pressboard tastefully decorated in holiday colors.
“Oh, I’m not sure we can make it.” I glanced at Remi.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Remi said with enthusiasm that made me give her a second look.
She’s really putting on a good show.