“Trust me. I’m doing you a solid. You’re going to want to take this one.” He shrugged on his jacket and turned to go.
“What the fuck does that mean?” I followed him down the hall, pissed that he’d brushed me off.
He turned around right before he reached the door. “It means there’s a certain someone who’s back in town that you probably need to talk to and wrap up some unfinished business.”
I didn’t have a goddamn clue what the hell he was talking about. The only person I’d ever cared about who’d moved away was the one woman I’d never be able to have.
We’d been friends in high school. She was the only person I’d ever opened up to, the only one who’d ever seen the real me. We’d even made a pact that if neither one of us were married by the time we turned thirty, that we’d tie the knot together.
But like most people who’d left Mustang Mountain behind, she’d lost touch. Last I heard, she was engaged.
“Why the hell do you look so confused?” Thunder reached out and fake punched me on the shoulder. “You’ve gotta know I’m talking about Marlowe.”
My stomach wrenched itself into a pretzel just hearing her name. “Marlowe’s long gone. Moved to Chicago and married some financial planner prick.”
“Yeah, she moved to Chicago.” Thunder’s lips curled up into a shit-eating grin. “Then she broke off her engagement and just came back to Mustang Mountain. She’s got some free time and is working on the Friendsgiving stuff. Still want to go freeze your ass off in a tent next week?”
Too stunned to reply, I just stood there wondering what the fuck Marlowe Henson was doing back in town and if I had big enough balls to go find out.
CHAPTER 2
MARLOWE
I pulleda garland of fall leaves from one of the big boxes Orville had dropped off earlier. Decorating the Community Center for the upcoming Friendsgiving celebration gave me something to do, but it was so odd being back in Mustang Mountain. I’d been to events in this building too many times to count over the years. From holiday parties to school fundraisers, the Community Center had always provided a central gathering place in town.
It had been years since I’d been inside, but not much had changed. If I closed my eyes, I could pull up the memories of hunting for Easter eggs on the front lawn and playing Bingo for books with my grandmother. Mustang Mountain was the last place I thought I’d be this Thanksgiving, but a part of me was glad to be home.
“How’s it going?” Ruby bustled in, her arms full of cornucopia-shaped baskets.
“So far, so good.” I climbed down from the stepladder I’d been using to hang garlands around the edges of the room and took some of them from her before they ended up on the floor.
She set the baskets down on a nearby table and let out a loud sigh. “That should be the last of it. Now all we need to do is finish the room decor. One or two of the Mustang Mountain Ridersshould be stopping by this afternoon to set up the tables. They’re so good about pitching in when we need some muscle.”
My back stiffened at the mention of the local motorcycle club. “Oh. Any idea who got stuck with that job?”
“Not a clue.” Ruby pulled another garland out of the box. Seemed like they were multiplying inside. I’d already been at the center for a couple of hours and hadn’t made much of a dent. “You don’t have to worry about them, though. Every single one has been a godsend to this town over the past year.”
“I’m not worried.” I offered her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Inside, my heart ricocheted around the walls of my chest. I hadn’t stayed in touch with many people when I blew out of town right after graduation, but last I’d heard, my best friend from high school had joined the Mustang Mountain Riders. We hadn’t had a chance to connect yet, and based on how we left things between us, I wasn’t even sure if he’d be interested in seeing me.
Ruby winked at me. “I bet you’re thinking about Viper, aren’t you?”
My jaw dropped open, but I slammed it shut. “We lost touch. I don’t even know if he still lives around here.”
“Mmm hmm.” Ruby picked up another garland and followed me over to the ladder. “The two of you used to be close, weren’t you?”
Distracted by her comment, I almost taped my finger to the wall instead of the edge of the garland. It had never been a secret that Viper and I were good friends. We even worked at the Sweet Addictions ice cream shop during the summer together and rode our bikes around town before either of us got a license. Though we’d never moved beyond friendship, we’d been inseparable during the last few years of school.
“Well?” Ruby prodded.
“Yeah. We used to be pretty close, but we lost touch several years ago.” I shrugged, hoping she didn’t notice how bringing up his name rattled me to my core.
“Well, he’s definitely still around. In fact, I saw him at the Merc the other day. Still single, in case you were wondering.”
I chuckled. “Thanks for the update, but it makes no difference to me whether or not he’s single.”
“Whether who’s single?” A deep voice came from the front of the room. Rougher than I remembered, but still familiar, I knew it was Viper before I turned around.
Ruby’s earrings jingled as she walked over and wrapped him up in a hug. “Don’t you give it any mind. The two of us were just engaging in a little girl talk.”
