Give Us a Chance (6 page)

"Sure. I'll be right back." She takes off to where the register is.

I pick up my whiskey sour. The way things are going, I really need this drink. I down half of it in one swig.

"Thirsty?" Jake asks, taking a drink of his Coke.

"Yeah." I down the rest of it. "You ready to go?"

"I'm not sure you should be driving. I know how strong they make the drinks here."

"Shit, I totally forgot that I drove here."

"It's not a big deal. We'll just take mine, and I'll drop you off later to pick up yours."

"Here's your ticket," Shayla says, setting the slip on the table. "Pay whenever you'd like. It was good seeing you, Jake. You too, Ivy."

She leaves and I get my wallet out of my purse.

"What are you doing?" Jake asks.

"Paying so we can leave."

"This is a date. It's on me." He takes his wallet out and drops a twenty on the table. "Ready to go?"

"Don't you want to wait for the change?" I ask, because the bill is less than ten dollars.

"She can have it. I've seen how hard these girls work. They deserve a big tip." He takes another drink of his Coke. "Let's go."

He gets out of the booth and takes my coat, holding it up for me and helping me put it on. Who knew Jake was such a gentleman? Or is he only doing this to impress me, hoping it'll make me sleep with him?

I need to stop thinking that way. Helping me with my coat or buying me drinks doesn't mean he's expecting sex in return. I need to keep an open mind. Maybe I was wrong about Jake. Maybe he's not as shallow as I thought he was. Maybe it's possible for him to want a woman for more than just sex. His reputation would say otherwise, but maybe he's ready to change.

Jake asked me to give him a chance, so that's what I'm going to do. If he's not the guy I thought he was, then maybe we'll date for a week. Maybe longer than that. Dating Jake Wheeler? That might not be so bad.

CHAPTER FIVE

Jake

I have to say I'm kind of pissed about Ivy's little test. Does she really think I'm some asshole who would look at other women while on a date with her? I would never do that, not with
any
woman. If I take a woman out, she gets my full attention, no matter how many other beautiful women are around her.

Just because I don't have relationships doesn't mean I don't respect women. I have never misled a woman just to sleep with her. I've always been upfront about my intentions. I haven't done so with Ivy because I'm not sure what my intentions are yet. Would I like to sleep with her? Hell yeah, but I want more than that. I want to get to know her, spend time with her, and see if this could go somewhere.

Jake Wheeler wants a girlfriend? A relationship? It sounds freaking crazy when I think about it, but I want to try it. For the first time in my life, I want to try being in a relationship with a woman. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or because there's something about Ivy that makes me want that, but whatever it is, I really want to see if I can make this work. But it's never going to if Ivy can't get over my past. Or if she keeps making assumptions about who I am.

I get why Ivy has concerns about me. I know I have a reputation for sleeping around and I'm sure she thinks that's all I want. I haven't bothered telling her I want more than that because she'd just think I was saying it to get her to sleep with me. So instead, I told her I want to get to know her, which is true. I've never been with a girl long enough to get to know her or her family or her background. But I want to know that stuff about Ivy, if she'll let me.

"So where do you want to go?" I ask. We're sitting in my SUV, still in the Hoedowns' parking lot.

"You can pick, since I picked last time."

"I would, but I really have no idea where to take a vegan." I pause. "Now that I think about it, what were you planning to eat at Hoedowns? The whole menu is meat."

She puts her seatbelt on. "I'm not vegan."

"Then why did you say you were?"

"Because I needed an excuse for why I couldn't go to Burger King with you the other day."

"Why didn't you just tell me you didn't want to go?"

"I did, but you wouldn't listen."

I chuckle. "Yeah, I can sometimes be a little persistent."

"Sometimes?" She smiles.

I shrug. "What can I say? I go after what I want."

Her expression suddenly turns angry and her body stiffens. She thought I was talking about sex. Shit. I need to watch what I say around her.

"Hey." I reach over for her hand. "I just meant that I really want to get to know you and I can't do that if you keep refusing to go out with me."

"I'm out with you right now," she says, yanking her hand from mine. She stares straight ahead. "You get one date. That's all I'm agreeing to, so you better make it a good one."

She's pissed. That one comment I made got her back to thinking about the Jake everyone talks about. The one who only wants sex and nothing more. If I'm going to convince her I'm not that guy anymore, I'm going to have to change how I do things. I'm used to flirting with a girl, then kissing her, touching her, and taking her back to my place. Those moves worked when the goal was sex, but if the goal is to get Ivy to go out with me again, I need to change my game. I can still flirt with her, but I need to withhold the kissing and touching and everything that comes after that. I need to leave her wanting more.

"Do you have cowboy boots?" I ask.

Her brows rise. "Cowboy boots? Are you serious?"

"So I'm guessing the answer is no." I pull out of the parking lot. "How about a hat?"

"A cowboy hat?" She laughs, and I feel her mood instantly lighten. "No, I don't have a cowboy hat. People in Chicago don't wear cowboy hats."

"Sure they do. My brothers and I all have one. But since you don't, you'll have to borrow one."

"Wait—what? Why? Where are we going?"

"Well, first we're going to find you some boots and a hat and then we're going to Rodeo Freddy's."

"We're going to a rodeo? In January?"

"It's a restaurant and dance hall. Obviously you've never been there. You're in for a treat." I find Nash's number and call him, putting it in hands-free mode.

He picks up right away, his voice filling the car. "Hey, what's up?"

"Are you at home?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'm in the car with Ivy and we're heading over to Rodeo Freddy's." I didn't tell him I was going out with her tonight so I hope he doesn't say something stupid, like how shocked he is that she agreed to go out with me. I don't think he will. We all know the brother code. Don't interfere when your brother's trying to get a girl, even if you don't approve of that girl, which was the case with Marissa, Nash's ex. My brothers and I hated her, but we didn't say anything because Nash said he loved her and wanted to marry her. Thank God that relationship ended. "I called to see if Callie would loan Ivy some cowboy boots and a hat." I look over at Ivy. "What size shoe do you wear?"

"Seven and a half," she says, "but I don't think I—"

"What size does Callie wear?" I ask Nash.

"Same," he says, then holds the phone away and yells, "Callie, come here a minute." I hear them mumbling in the distance and then Nash talks into the phone again. "She's going to get them. You guys stopping by?"

"Yeah, we're on our way. You and Callie want to come with us?"

"I don't know. I'll ask her. I know she has homework but I don't know how much."

"Okay, we'll see you soon." I end the call and smile at Ivy. "Hope you like to dance."

She shakes her head. "I don't dance. Like not at all. I didn't even dance at prom."

"Then why'd you go?"

She hesitates. "This sounds really bad, but I went so I could make out with my boyfriend and have my dad think I was at the dance."

"So you didn't go?"

"We went for like an hour, in case my dad asked one of the chaperones if I was there. But then my boyfriend and I snuck out and went to his parents' cabin."

For some reason, the thought of her doing shit with this idiot from her high school irritates me. Why would that bother me? It was years ago, and besides, she's not mine. I've been on one date with her.

"How long did you date him?"

"A couple months. He still lives in Chicago. Works downtown at a bank."

"You ever see him?"

"We've met for a coffee a couple times, but not recently. Why do you care?" She asks in a tone that says she thinks I'm jealous. I'm not jealous. There's nothing to be jealous about. Just because I never want this guy near her ever again doesn't make me jealous.

"I was just making conversation." I turn down the road that goes to Nash's apartment. He lives in a new complex that just opened last summer. The rent is high but he didn't care about the price. He wanted a safe neighborhood and a building with good security so that Callie feels safe when he has to work late.

I live a few miles away in an old building that was converted into lofts. It has an industrial feel, which is what I like. The exposed pipes and beams make me feel like I'm on a construction site, which some people might find cold and stark, but to me it's comforting. I grew up hanging out at construction sites with my dad and brothers. Whenever my mom needed a break from us boys, she'd send us to work with Dad.

"This is it," I say as I pull into the parking lot. "Wait there." I get out and go around and open her door.

"Thanks," she says as I help her out. "Do I really need to wear cowboy boots to this place?"

"If you don't, people will stare. You'll look out of place."

"I'm not someone who cares what people think."

"Then wear them for me." I take her hand and walk her to the door. "I love a girl who isn't afraid to let her inner cowgirl come out."

"I'm pretty sure I don't have an inner cowgirl."

"You do. Every girl does. You just gotta let her out." I open the door for her.

"I didn't know you turned into a cowboy at night."

"I don't every night. Depends on the night. My cowboy side tends to come out more when I'm around Nash. He's the one who got me interested in country music. When I was a kid, I wanted to be just like Nash because he was older and I wanted to do everything he did. So when he started wearing cowboy boots and listening to country music, so did I."

We take the elevator up to the fourth floor.

"That's cool that you and your brothers get along so well."

"As kids, we used to fight all the time, but now that we're older, we get along really well."

As I knock on Nash's door, Ivy pulls her hand from mine.

"Something wrong?" I ask.

"I don't want Nash seeing us holding hands. He's my boss."

"He's also my brother. And he knows we're on a date."

"I know, but still. It's weird."

The door swings open and Nash is there. "Hey, Ivy. Jake. Come on in."

I wait for Ivy to walk in, then give Nash a look that says I'll punch him if he makes any jokes about my being with Ivy. He gives me a grin that tells me we'll be talking about this later.

"So Rodeo Freddy's," Nash says to Ivy. "You ever been there?"

"No. This will be the first time."

Callie comes into the room, holding a pair of black cowboy boots. "Hi, Ivy." She hands her the boots. "Try them on. Make sure they fit." She takes her to a chair in the living room to sit down.

"Are you sure you're okay with me wearing these?"

"Totally. Nash bought me several pairs. Before that, I'd never had a pair. I wasn't into country music or anything country until I met Nash."

"And now she's my little cowgirl," Nash says coming up behind her and hugging her into his chest.

"Rodeo Freddy's is awesome," Callie says. "The people there are really friendly, and if you don't know how to do the dances, they'll show you how. When I first went there, I was totally lost but you pick it up quickly."

"Are you guys coming with us?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to ask," Nash says to Callie. "Jake invited us to go with him but I wasn't sure if you had to do homework."

"I already did it. I'd be up for going if you are."

"I'm always up for it." He kisses her head and pats her ass. "Go change into your cowgirl gear."

She laughs as she hurries off to their bedroom. When I first met Callie last summer, she seemed really quiet and sad and depressed. Found out later it was because her whole family died in a car crash the year before and she'd told almost no one. Nash helped her move on and get better, and now it's like she's a different person. I gotta hand it to my brother. He changed her life. He stuck by her side as she finally dealt with her grief. If it weren't for him, she'd probably still be struggling, not moving forward, not going to school. And Callie helped Nash as well. She was there when he found out his real mom was no longer alive, and she's helped him get over the fact that his mom never wanted him. His whole life, she lived just a few hours away but never even came to see him.
 

It's no wonder Nash and Callie are so close. They've been through real shit together. They have a real relationship, like my dad had with my mom when she was alive. As for me? I've never had that. I didn't want it. Part of me still doesn't. Honestly, I'm scared shitless to get that close to someone. So what am I doing with Ivy? Why am I trying so hard with her?

"Okay, I'm ready." Callie comes out wearing dark jeans, a red cowboy shirt, brown boots, and a brown cowboy hat. She's holding a black cowboy hat and brings it over to Ivy.

"I really have to wear this?" she asks, then sees Callie wearing hers and looks like she regrets what she said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it was a bad thing. I've just never worn one. I'm not used to it."

"Let your hair down," I say, taking the hat from her. She slides the elastic band out of her hair and shakes it out, her long, dark, silky strands falling down past her shoulders. Damn, she's beautiful. I've never seen her with her hair down like this.

I place the hat on her head, adjusting it to sit right, and holy shit, she might've just got even hotter. The black cowboy hat combined with that gorgeous face of hers, that olive skin, those soft pink lips, her dark hair.