1. Greer Rowan

CHAPTER 1

GREER ROWAN

"Have you figured out a way to get out of going to the wedding?"

I smiled at Carter's question during our daily video call. Ever since I'd been in Portland for the last thirteen years, we talked at least once a day. His life in Chicago centered around his wife and Wentworth Oil, while mine revolved around my team. The Portland Pirates had become my world, and sometimes it was lonely.

"Why would I want to do that?" We both knew the answer, but my longtime best friend wasted no time giving me his opinion. He was just like his younger brother, or maybe Austin was like him.

"Hurricane Katherine would be enough to keep me from going. Not to mention the herd of women she's bringing in for you. Mary Ellen said she's invited enough for you to have a different date every night. Why is she so damn determined to get you married off again?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his assessment of my sister. Katherine Rowan-Rothington was my know-it-all, nosy-as-hell, matchmaking younger sister who had it out for me. And what that meant was she was determined to find me another spouse, since the first one didn't stick.

"I don't know. But hopefully, she'll focus on Elizabeth and the wedding. Besides, Costa Rica has lots of places where I can disappear..."

"Greer, are you listening to me? Your sister said she's inviting enough women to keep you busy every day you're there. You could literally bed a different one every night if you wanted to. Do you really want to be hosting your very own harem of silver fox-seeking bachelorettes on a show starring yourself?"

I huffed out a laugh. Carter never failed to be entertaining. "Can't say that I do. But you and I both know she's going to do whatever she wants. I'll just smile and nod, then stay hidden."

He shook his head at me. "Why don't you just tell her to fuck off and leave your love life to you?"

"You know that's not who I am." I rubbed my temples, hoping he'd get the message I didn't want to talk about that subject anymore. While my best friend knew me better than anyone, there were still things I kept from him. Things I kept to myself. Including the biggest regret in my life.

"Are you going to go along with her, setting you up on a revolving dating game with the next socialite bachelorette from her country club? Or are you finally going to put your foot down?"

"This trip isn't about me, Carter. If it wasn't for Elizabeth and Daniel's wedding, I wouldn't be going. I won't disappoint my niece like that."

"Then take a date," he suggested. "You've got two months to figure it out. But whatever you do, don't go alone. The man-eater has plans for you."

I laughed again. But even though the idea of taking someone had crossed my mind, there was only one person I'd want to take away to Costa Rica for a week. But that wasn't happening, because he hated my guts. And I couldn't blame him. I'd tanked us before we got started, and my punishment was knowing he wanted nothing to do with me.

"Like whom? There's no one I feel amorous toward like that. And I'm shit at faking things. You know that. The last time I ended up hurting someone—and myself—and I won't do that again."

Carter sighed. "I know. You let ‘the one' get away."

No matter how many times I tried to forget the look on his face that night, I never could. And now, whenever he stood in front of me or walked into my office, I was right back there when I destroyed it all.

"I'd go with you if Katherine didn't already know me. Don't you have a friend you could take? For fuck's sake, Greer. You're a fucking billionaire. There has to be at least one woman you could take as a date."

"No." He was killing me. "I'll just keep myself busy. I need to train anyway. And if she can't find me, then she can't set me up with one of the ‘herd,' as you call them."

Good lord, his Texas was showing. At least he didn't call them heifers.

"Why are you so concerned about this, Carter? It's one week out of my life." I deserved to be lonely after fucking up all our lives like that. Innocent people who didn't deserve the pain I'd inflicted on all of us.

"It's not safe for you to train alone. At least take a trainer. Hell, maybe you should take a bodyguard who can run interference."

I laughed. "Carter..."

"Take Austin. I bet he'd go, or Jesse could convince him. He hasn't taken any time off in I don't know how long. And the two of you both do the Iron Man thing. Want me to call him?"

Carter didn't know ‘the one who got away' was the very man he was talking about. And there was no fucking way I'd let him call him for me like we were in middle school. But he also didn't know we had a history.

I straightened in my chair and rubbed my hand over my beard. "That's a good idea. I'll look into it."

Silence filled the space between us until Carter spoke again. "You're one of the best people I know, Greer. You always sacrifice yourself for the sake of others. But you deserve to be happy. Maybe you should try to find ‘the one' you refuse to talk about."

I smiled through the pain in my chest as Austin's face filled my mind. "I think it's too late for that."

"It's never too late when you love someone, buddy."

I'd never wanted to be wrong so badly in all my life.

When we ended the call, I sat back in my chair and thought about what he'd said. As I looked around my posh office, I came to a decision.

I'd made a million mistakes in my life, some circumstantial, some because I hadn't followed my heart. Yet Austin and I both living in Portland had to be a sign that I needed to fix this thing between us. At the very least, maybe we could be friends. And if he started dating, or god forbid, got involved or married, I'd die knowing I tried.

So I took my best friend's advice and called Jesse. I knew I was going to have to tell him everything. And I was okay with that if it got me another chance with Austin. I couldn't live the rest of my life with regret. I had to try.