Chapter 1

Daniel

“ Y ou have a collect call from Grays Harbor County Jail, do you—”

My thumb slammed down on the disconnect button before the message could finish.

It had been months. Fucking months. This asshole couldn’t get the message that I wasn’t interested. I was done. He’d messed up the second he decided he wanted to steal from me. Steal from my damn family.

“You okay?”

My head jerked up as Chase walked into the back room.

He was the only one who knew what happened, but that didn’t make it any easier to talk about. So I simply didn’t.

“I’m fine.”

When my friend stopped and stared at me, his eyebrows raising into his blond hairline, I knew he didn’t believe me.

Chase and I grew up at Ocean Shores and relocated to Seattle when summer ended. Him so that he could be with his boyfriend and me so I could get away from the toxicity that came with being lifelong friends with bad people in a small town. Which was what I was currently dealing with while dodging phone calls.

“So we’re lying to each other now?”

I wanted to laugh.

Fuck. This was the last guy I should lie to about what was going on. If he knew Art was still trying to call me and drag me back home, he’d give him a piece of his mind. Maybe that was why I wasn’t saying anything. Chase finally had something good going for him here and I wouldn’t drag him backward.

“Never lying. It’s just not something you need to worry about.” Chase shook his head as he grabbed a fresh bottle of Kettle One Vodka from the shelf and took it back out front. I let out a breath and shoved my phone back into my pocket. It was always worse when these calls came while I was at work, but they were happening less and less now.

Art had been my best friend since we were in elementary school. Part of the reason we were so attached was because there were so few kids in our hometown. He’d been trouble from the second we hit puberty. All he ever wanted to do was party and hit on girls.

Then there was Tilly.

If questioned, she belonged to Art, as much as anyone can truly belong to another. In truth... Another factor made their relationship complicated.

Me. I was the other factor.

To anyone looking in, we looked like any normal group of friends. I was the awkward third wheel who tagged along when, in reality, I was begging for any scrap of attention they would give me.

And it wasn’t just her.

I had a secret, and it was another reason that I still wouldn’t take the calls from the Grays Harbor County Jail.

While Art and Tilly were out stealing from homes in the community, my dumb ass was at home pining over the idiots. Both of them. Not that Art ever knew it. And I had planned on keeping it that way.

Did we fuck around? Lots. But Tilly was always there. And Art never touched me and I never touched him, no matter how much I wished she wasn’t between us.

Betrayed didn’t cover it when things started disappearing from my parents’ house while they’d stayed with us. I hadn’t even questioned the money Art gave me for “rent.”

But there was no more time to sit and stew. I was at work. A job I was thankful for after I’d had to disclose to the owner about being involved in a theft ring investigation. It didn’t matter that you were unaware. If you harbored the people who were doing the crime, you could be just as guilty for a bit.

Thankfully, the cops had caught Art and Tilly in the act and knew I wasn’t involved. I’d gotten off easy, but it was still on my record. They had to serve a year, and I got to walk free.

Music filtered through the overhead speaker system as I straightened out my vest walking out of the back room.

“The hell were you doing back there?”

The hair on my arms stood on end.

While I was thankful for the job, it also meant Shawn. The owner’s son.

The guy walked around this place like he shit gold. He couldn’t do anything wrong, and it drove me nuts. Every day, I felt like one false move could see me being escorted out the door while he could get away with murder. It didn’t help that I found him attractive. His hair was dark, buzzed so short it was barely visible, and all it did was make his hazel eyes pop more. Fuck.

Shawn didn’t deserve my answer. I grabbed a damp cloth from under the counter and headed out into the restaurant. “I’m going to go wipe down the tables.”

He scoffed at my obvious dismissal. Whatever. He was so damn entitled.

Must be nice not to have to worry about anything.

Chase was setting out wine glasses and utensils, and he watched me move around the dining room. When he got closer to where I was cleaning, he leaned in.

“What was that all about?”

I looked up at him and shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

There was a loud clatter as Chase set down the stack of silverware he was carrying on the table next to him. “You’ve been in a pissy mood since I found you in the back room.”

It wasn’t fair to take things out on him. I dropped the rag and ran a hand through my shaggy hair. “Just... stuff from home.”

Chase frowned because he understood all too well what I meant.

“You’re still having trouble with that?”

“Yes, and no. I mean, my parents are finally talking to me again.” I sighed as I looked to make sure that Shawn was still behind the bar and out of earshot. Him knowing the sordid details of my past was the last thing I needed.

“But that’s not what’s bugging you.”

I shook my head. Chase stared at me for a moment, waiting for me to say anything else, but I had no more to say about it.

He sighed and picked back up the pile of silverware. “I get it, man. That shit was terrible, but if you need anyone to vent to, you know I’m here.”

My stomach twisted as he walked away.

Things had been lonely over the last few months. Starting over from scratch was fine in theory, but after something so horrible? Not so easy in practice.

I needed to get with the picture. I finished the half of the dining room that Chase hadn’t set before heading back to the bar. By the time I got there, Mr. Stevens was standing there with the schedule. Shawn was nowhere in sight and go figure that he’d dip out as soon as his father showed up.

“Here are the assignments for the next two weeks. I’m not changing anything. If you don’t like who you’re working with, that’s too fucking bad. Get a job somewhere else.” He set the schedule on the bar and walked away.

Most nights I was in the bar, which was fine. It was busy and kept my mind off things. I enjoyed mixing different cocktails and talking to customers. Most of them had problems that were far larger than my own.

The problem? I was working with Shawn. Of course, it was because the golden child didn’t work anywhere else. Did he even know how to work in any other part of the restaurant? Maybe that was the biggest perk of being the owner’s child. Also, why was he never present when Mr. Stevens put out the schedule? What was the point if you already knew what you were going to do?

I didn’t have time to stew over the assignments as dinner guests filed in the front doors. I looked at my watch and it was just after four-thirty. Right on time.

“ G od, I’m tired.”

An arm draped over my shoulder, and I yanked my body out of the embrace.

Why did this fucker always think it was okay to touch me?

“Fuck off, Shawn.”

He clicked his tongue as he watched me disappear into the back to grab my jacket, and he was still standing there when I came back out. When I looked out the windows, I cursed.

“Fucking seriously?”

“What’s the matter, Daniel? Can’t handle a little snow?”

Snow was fine. And it was the beginning of December, but I didn’t particularly care for it when I had to walk home in it.

“I can handle it just fine.”

I tossed my jacket over my shoulders, zipping it up to my chin and shoving my hands in the pockets. God, this was going to suck donkey balls.

As I headed for the door, Shawn grabbed my elbow. I wanted to yank my arm away. It was something I always did each time he touched me. It wasn’t only that I hated it, but there was always an electric spark I tried to fight. I didn’t need this with him. I’d had enough of assholes in my life, and I didn’t need to let another one in.

“You’re not walking, are you?”

I laughed. “Unless a car miraculously materializes, that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

When Shawn let go of my elbow, I had to fight the urge to shake off the sparks that still shot up and down my arm. He chewed at his lip, looking me up and down.

“I’m giving you a ride.”

I rolled my eyes. “No, thanks.”

I didn’t give him a chance to answer or argue. My feet carried me as fast as possible out the front door.

Little puffs of steam escaped my lips as I huffed as the cool air hit me. Goddamn, it was cold. I stuffed my hands deeper into my pockets and looked down, trying to keep my face out of the wind. It didn’t seem to help. The air bit at my cheeks as snowflakes slapped at my cheeks the faster I walked.

I didn’t live far, and I’d somehow lucked out finding my shitty studio apartment, but it still cost a small fortune. Work and home. That was all I had time for. It was all I had the money for.

I’d had a car when I’d moved out here, but parking in Seattle was expensive as hell. I’d given it up to pay for some things to furnish my apartment, and there wasn’t a day that I didn’t miss that piece of shit. It broke down frequently and it was probably a blessing in disguise that I didn’t have it anymore.

My apartment building came into view, and I broke into a run. I was so over today.