1. Asa

CHAPTER 1

ASA

“Asa, you asshole!”

“Shit,” I growl, ducking just in time to miss the breadstick sailing across the diner, aimed directly at my head. It whips end over end, smacking into the back of the booth where my head was before landing on the cracked vinyl beside me.

“Jesus Christ.” Jeremy throws his head back, howling with laughter as my baby sister, Caroline, marches toward us with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face, mad as a fucking hornet. Why? I’m me, so who fucking knows? I piss her off at least once a day, twice on weekends.

She loves the fuck out of me anyway.

“Whatever you’re mad about, can it wait?” I mutter, tossing the breadstick onto the center of the table. “My fucking head hurts, baby sis.”

“Good.” She sniffs, sliding in beside my best friend and her fiancé. About damn time they figured that shit out. Frankly, they were starting to piss me off. She shoots me a dirty glare, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. “If you hadn’t been at the bar all night, you wouldn’t be hungover now.”

“I was working,” I protest. It’s not a lie. Whenever there’s an event, I help with security. Is it my fault if half the town plies me with free drinks to keep me occupied? No. Do I pass them up? Also no. But that’s beside the point. “I’m not hungover. Some chick keeps blowing up my goddamn phone.”

“Why?” Caroline asks. “It’s not like you’re civilized enough to date.”

“That’s what I said,” Jeremy mutters, earning a giggle from my sister.

“Uh, fuck you both. I’m plenty civilized.”

They exchange a look that says they think I’m full of shit. Which may or may not be an accurate assessment. The simple fact is that I can be civilized. But my motto was always Why bother ?

Women were problems I didn’t need when I was in the military.

Don’t get me wrong. They’re magical, wonderful, beautiful, worthy creations deserving of adoration and all the best things in life. They just didn’t need to be saddled with a motherfucker who was gone more often than not, on missions he couldn’t talk about.

I was a pain in the ass, set in my ways. I liked what I liked, and what I liked was to be left the fuck alone to my own devices. It’s the sole reason I didn’t date. And believe me, plenty tried.

For years, they tried. And then they got offended when I shot them down. I felt like an asshole for saying no when I wouldn’t have had to say it in the first place if they would have just left me alone. Easy enough solution, right?

Clearly the fuck not, because no one in this part of Texas would leave me be. It drove me up the fucking wall.

Was a little peace too much to ask for when I was home?

Apparently so.

Every woman over the age of fifty tried to hook me up.

Every woman under the age of fifty batted her lashes at me.

I finally wised up to the game. I started annoying the fuck out of everyone. No mama wants her daughter dating a man everyone in town eyes sideways. My plan worked like a fucking charm. Women finally left me alone.

The problem is that it may have worked a little too well.

Because I’m now out of the Army, and it’s been fucking years since I’ve been on a date. Which is precisely what I thought I wanted. Right up until the asshole seated across from me started dating my baby sister. Now, I’m not so sure anymore.

The thought of spending the rest of my life alone suddenly feels… fucking lonely.

“You can’t even spell civilized, Asa.” Caroline snorts, stealing a fry from Jeremy’s plate. She pops it into her mouth, smirking at me. “Clearly, if this girl has a thing for you, she hasn’t met you.”

“She doesn’t have a thing for me,” I growl. “She’s a matchmaker.”

Caroline and Jeremy exchange a look.

I narrow my eyes at them. “Is this going to be a thing now?”

“What?” Caroline’s brows furrow.

“The two of you and those looks. It’s goddamn annoying.”

“He’s cranky as fuck today,” Jeremy murmurs.

“I noticed.”

“You probably shouldn’t have launched a breadstick at his head.”

“Sorry, not sorry,” she says, shrugging.

“I know what the two of you are doing,” I growl, pointing at them. “You’re trying to distract me, but it isn’t working because you’re so full of shit the stench is pouring off you. What do you know? And don’t lie because you both suck at that.”

“I’m a damn good liar,” Jeremy protests. Which is true. No one knows he’s a fucking millionaire. I don’t know how, considering his brother owns a damn aviation company. But he drives a beat-up truck, lives in a modest house, and doesn’t advertise his wealth. Which isn’t the point. The point is… they’re fucking lying. That look says they know exactly who she is and why she won’t leave me alone. I’m guessing she’s the same matchmaker who helped–or didn’t help, depending on who you ask–get the two of them together.

The question is how they’re involved with her blowing up my phone.

“What do you know?” I grit out, scowling daggers at them. “Stop pissing me off. My head hurts. Why is she calling and texting me?”

“Okay, so,” Caroline starts, grimacing. “Don’t be mad.”

“Too late,” I say, my tone dark.

“Jeremy agreed to convince you to be her next client.” Caroline smiles brightly. “It’ll be a good thing for you, Asa. You need someone in your life.”

I stay silent for a full five count, processing. And then I glance at my ex-best friend. “We aren’t friends anymore.”

“Fair.”

“I’m not talking to you anymore,” I say to Caroline, earning a pout. “And, fuck no, I’m not agreeing to this bullshit.”

“Asa!” she cries, launching a fry at me. “Why not? Be reasonable!”

“Reasonable? How the fuck is letting some mystery woman hook me up with some woman I’ve never met reasonable?”

“Uh, have you met you?” she asks, eyeing me like I’m the crazy one here. “If you’re ever going to get married, it’s going to have to be a blind date. Everyone in town thinks you’re the devil.”

“No, they don’t.”

She arches a brow at me.

“They don’t.”

“Okay, fine. They think you’re his assistant. Same difference.”

I smile at that because it’s not far off. I like to raise a little hell and cause a my share of trouble. Sue me. It keeps things interesting around here. And it solved my problem when I had one. Shit, maybe this will, too. But trusting my fate to a woman I’ve never met? There’s no fucking way it’ll work.

People in this town know me too goddamn well. As soon as my blind date realizes that she's been saddled with me, she's going to haul ass out of there and never look back.

“Give it a chance,” Jeremy says. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Uh, do you remember making my sister cry, asshole?”

He pales slightly at the reminder.

“Exactly,” I say, sliding from the booth. “There’s no way I’m agreeing to this. Never going to happen.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” I growl later that night, scowling at my phone when it lights up with yet another message from the matchmaker. She is relentless; I’ll give her that much. I’ve met soldiers with less brass than she’s got. Jesus.

Unknown

Have you thought about my offer yet?

Me

Fuck no.

Well, that’s direct enough. I grin, tossing my phone back on the treadmill’s tray. I barely hit the damn button to increase the incline before it dings again.

Unknown

I already have the perfect woman in mind for you. Just give me one chance.

Me

Fuck that.

Unknown

She’s excited to meet you.

“Oh, fuck this,” I growl, stabbing the button to stop the treadmill. I hop off, grabbing my towel to mop sweat from my forehead. How the fuck has she possibly already found a woman who wants to meet me in a town of women I’ve been rejecting—bluntly—for years? Who is she?

“Oh, damn it to hell,” I mutter, scowling at my phone. She’s good. And I’m a sucker. Because now I’m curious, which is exactly what she wanted. I should tell her to fuck off. Surely, that’d get the point across. Except, I may be a pain in the ass, but I’m not a complete asshole. I don’t want to be a dick to this woman.

I hesitate for a long moment, considering my options here. Is there a chance in hell of her matchmaking working? Probably fucking not. But I am curious. I dug myself into a hole. If I want to get out of it and find someone, maybe this is how I start.

Jesus Christ. I’m probably going to live long enough to regret this.

Me

I have questions.

Unknown

Ask away.

Me

Why me?

Unknown

Why not you?

“Ha!” I smirk. “I’m not buying that bullshit.” I could list about eighty reasons why I'm a terrible fucking option here.

Me

You’re going to have to do better than that.

Unknown

Fine. She specifically requested you.

“Well, that’s fucking new,” I mutter, staring at my phone in shock. It’s been years since a woman in this town even tried. So… who the fuck is this one?

Me

Who is she?

Unknown

Plan a date, and you’ll find out.

And make it good, Asa. She deserves it.

“Why does everyone doubt me?” I mutter, scowling. I may be a pain in the ass, but I’m not a complete idiot. If this girl wants a date to remember, I’ll give her the best goddamn date of her life.

Ah, goddammit. This woman is good.