Just Once (14 page)

“You two have fun,” I say.

“Thanks,” Cassidy replies, her voice dripping with insincerity.

I’m squeezing past them to get outside for fresh air—which I definitely need—when once again the door opens before I can get to it. A tiny brush of cool night air wafts in, but it’s limited since Shane’s big body is blocking the way. He steps into the hall, and the door closes behind him.

“Hey,” he says, eyes on my face.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Shane,” says a voice from over my shoulder. A stupid, skanky voice.

“Hey, Cass.”

Almost immediately I feel my spine stiffen. I suppose it’s not crazy that the two of them might know each other, but
Cass?
An abbreviation? That’s not something two barely acquainted people would use, is it?

“Thought I might find you here.” Summer Skank sidles past me and slips her arms around Shane’s neck, pressing her breasts into his chest and her nose into his neck. Even with her heels she has to lift onto her tiptoes, and I watch, unimpressed, as his hands briefly squeeze her tiny waist in return.

I’m doing my best to hide what I know is my bitch face, but it’s clear I’m not succeeding when my eyes meet Shane’s. He watches me with that calm, knowing steadiness that’s starting to find its way under my skin. The man is a rock, unmoved by anything.

Anything except Cassidy Reyes, that is, because when she finally pries herself off of him I notice his eyes drop to her massive cleavage and linger three seconds too long. I dart a look at Mark, who’s nursing his beer and pretending not to witness the display. He’s a decent-looking guy, but there’s no way he can compete with Shane, and it’s become obvious that Cassidy used his invite to have access to the rest of the staff, not him in particular.

“Want to dance?” she asks, running her painted nails up Shane’s bicep. He watches her nails on his skin and glances at me before looking back at her. She raises onto her tiptoes again to whisper in his ear, her voice loud for my benefit. “It’s been too long since you’ve touched me, baby.”

Ugh. I nearly gag.
Baby?

And Shane—what is his problem? He doesn’t look quite as pathetic as the devoted, slathering men from the night before, but he doesn’t look put off by her blatant come-ons, either. It’s clear these two have a history, and the knowledge is akin to having a bucket of ice water thrown on my head. I know without question that I do not, under any circumstances, want Summer Skank’s sloppy seconds.

“Have fun,
baby
,” I say, pushing past them and out the door.

Shane starts to say something, but I let the door slam shut and hurry around to the side of the lodge, darting through the gate to the back kitchen access. This is where the garbage is kept, so I feel pretty confident no one else will be dropping by.

I sink onto the steps and put my head in my hands.
What is wrong with me?
I ask again and again. Why do I let skanky Cassidy Reyes get under my skin? I’m not up for a replay of last night. Though my instincts urge me to get back in there and pull her hair out by her dark roots, I know the best thing to do, the mature thing to do, is keep my distance. From both of them. I’ll let Mark be the mooning idiot who watches the pair of them mate on the dance floor. I’m don’t care. I won’t.

“Kate?” comes a whisper. I recognize Hailey’s voice and sigh. I want to be alone, but I don’t.

“In here,” I whisper back.

Moments later the gate swings open and she steps through, shutting it behind her. “I saw the summer skank,” she says. “She was drooling all over Shane.”

“No ‘the,’” I correct her. “It’s just Summer Skank, a proper name.”

“Summer Skank. Got it.”

“What is she even doing here?” I ask, trying to keep the whiny note out of my voice. “I thought she thought I wanted Mark, but the second she saw Shane she put on this disgusting show, and he totally fell for it.”

“Is she even wearing a bra?” Hailey demands. “Who wears flesh-colored shirts?”

“Skanks.”

“Skanks, indeed.”

We sigh in unison.

“Did you dance with Brandon?”

“No. After I saw Cass—Summer Skank and Shane, I spotted Mark, who told me what happened. It was just as well. The way Brandon was looking at me I knew I couldn’t hold out much longer.”

“I wonder what changed.”

“Probably three days without feeling any breasts.”

I laugh out loud. “Poor guy.”

Hailey smirks. “Yeah. Let’s feel sorry for him.”

We’re silent for a moment.

“I owe you an apology,” she says after a moment.

I look at her in surprise. “You do?”

“I’m the one who told Summer Skank you and Shane kinda sorta had a thing.”

“We don’t have a thing.”

“I know. But I sort of implied that you did.”

“What? How?”

Hailey runs a hand through her hair. “Um, by saying you were a couple.”

“What?!”

“Last night after you left she came over and was gloating about how you took off and left your boyfriend behind—meaning Mark—and how he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. I said Mark wasn’t your boyfriend, you hardly knew him, and she said, ‘So who
is
Kate’s boyfriend?’ and I kind of…”

“Hailey!”

“I don’t know. She was trying to make it sound like you were going home to cry your eyes out, and I just thought it would be better if you were going home to be ravished by a hot guy.”

I snort with laughter. If only she knew. “Well, thanks for trying.”

“So much for good intentions. Now she’s over here getting her claws into him any way she can.”

I shake my head. “Any guy that finds someone like that attractive is not the man for me.”

“I hear you. You’d have to dip his dick in bleach.”

“Hailey!”

She laughs. “Sorry, I may have made a few trips to the bar in my efforts to avoid Brandon.”

“All in the name of duty.”

She hiccups. “Yep.”

We’re silent again.

“He’s so pretty,” she sighs.

“It’s not fair,” I agree.

“Dammit.” Then she pats my knee, stands up, and leaves.

I watch her go, smiling ruefully. Lisa and Pete, Hailey and Brandon…Cassidy and Shane. Matches made in summer-fling heaven, I guess. I give myself a mental slap in the face. I didn’t come here to fool around. I came here to feel safe and comfortable, to get back to being myself. And I can feel it working. I can’t let those plans be derailed by hurt feelings over some imagined connection to a guy I know next to nothing about.

“How long are you planning to hide?”

I sit up straight as Shane comes through the gate. This is the worst hiding place ever.

“I’m just getting some air.”

“Next to the garbage?” he asks.

“So?” It’s on the tip of my tongue to add, “I thought you liked trash,” but I keep it to myself. Just barely.

“Come back inside.”

“No, thanks. I think I’m done.”

“I thought you loved dancing, Eight-Shot Kate.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Okay.”

He comes forward and sits next to me on the steps. I try not to move, but I can’t help it. It’s like I can see her skanky germs oozing over his skin. I jump up and take a few steps away. When I turn back Shane is looking at me. He looks pissed.

“What was that for?”

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb, Kate.”

“What do you want me to say? I didn’t feel like sitting.”

“You didn’t feel like sitting next to me.”

“So?”

“So last night I had my hands all over you, and today I can’t sit beside you?”

I shrug but don’t speak.

“What changed?” he demands.

He must know I have a problem with Cassidy. I didn’t launch into the story last night, but tonight’s awkward encounter should have told him enough.

“Cassidy?” he guesses.

“Don’t play dumb, Shane.” A mocking note creeps into my voice.

He stands up, and I take a step back. I have to look up to see his face—he’s got to be at least six foot three. He dressed up for tonight: dark pants and a white button-up, the top buttons undone to reveal a swath of tanned chest. He looks so damn dangerous—sexy and strong. And contaminated.

“You’re not mad about her, are you? Some girl I dated years ago?”

“You dated?”

“You didn’t know?”

“How could you date her? She’s so gross and desperate!”

His face tightens. “Don’t insult her.”

“Oh God. Spare me. This—this is why I’m getting some fresh air.”

“What?”

“To get away from her! I knew her years ago, and we didn’t get along. Nothing has changed. She’s a disgusting slut and if you—you
fucked
her, then you’re disgusting too.”

He takes a menacing step forward. I back up again. I don’t have much farther to go until I’m at the fence.

“I’m disgusting?”

“Don’t take it personally.”

The faint porch light is at his back, casting his face in shadows, but there’s a full moon, and I can see it glint in his furious dark eyes.

“Which part? The part where you call me disgusting or dumb?”

“You know what? Take everything personally. Or don’t. I don’t care. We don’t know each other, and we’re not going to.”

“You realize you’re overreacting, right? You’re acting like the spoiled bitch everyone says you are.”

I look at him sharply. “I beg your pardon?”

“I’m supposed to apologize for dating someone years before you ever showed up? What business of it is yours?”

“I didn’t make it my business! You two did when you groped her in the hallway!”

“No one groped anyone!”

“Please. I know what I saw.
Baby
.”

Shane heaves an exasperated sigh and runs a hand through his thick hair, leaving it standing on end. It only makes him sexier.
Dammit
.

“It was two years ago,” he says.

“It was ten minutes ago,” I counter.

“I don’t even know why I’m explaining anything to you.”

I shrug. “Don’t expect me to guess. You followed me.”

“What do you want, Kate?”

“I wanted to be left alone.”

“You want Mark? That’s your type?”

I scoff. “Mark can have Cassidy too. Assuming he hasn’t already.”

Shane takes another step forward. This time I don’t back up. I can smell the faint scent of his aftershave and realize this is the first time he’s worn any. He cleans up nice. And he fucks Cassidy Reyes.

“I’m not like her,” I say finally.

“I know you’re not.” He steps forward again, but I hold up a hand and he stops.

“I used to be,” I say, flashing back to last night, to her grinding away on the dance floor. “I used to be that girl. But I’m not anymore.”

“Okay.”

“And I can’t—I know it’s unfair, but I can’t see myself being with someone who could ever be with someone like that.”

“Like you? Like you were?”

“I know you don’t get it—”

“No,” Shane interrupts, stepping close, then pushing past me to the gate. “I get it. You’re too good for this place—”

“That’s not what I—”

“And for the people in it. Don’t worry, it’s crystal clear, Kate.”

And then he disappears through the gate, slamming the door so hard behind him that the entire structure shakes. I hear his footsteps fade in the darkness and can’t tell if it’s guilt or regret that makes my chest ache.

Chapter Nine

“S
O
T
HE
D
AY
S
TARTED
with someone running away from you…”

“And ended the same,” I confirm, slumping onto the overturned milk crate in the ranch phone booth. “It’s been two weeks, and he hasn’t spoken to me since.”

“That’s rough,” Stanley says.

“Rough doesn’t cut it,” I moan. “Everybody hates me.”

“I thought you said the redhead and the girl with the broken face—”

“Don’t call her that! Her nose has healed. And okay, they don’t hate me, but I’m their boss so they—”

“Hey, self-pity called. It found your pride and wants to trade.”

“Stanley!”

“If it’s that bad, why don’t you leave? I’m never going to understand why a girl with your money and resources is cleaning toilets for a living.”

“I told you. I’m helping Hank and Mary.”