I stare at the half-empty glass in front of me, the condensation running down the sides. Then I push it aside, grab my hat, and follow him out into the cold night.
The drive to Dakota’s house feels longer than it should. The cold wind whips through the cracked window, and the headlights of Red’s truck slice through the darkness.
The only sounds are the hum of the engine and the occasional rustling of Red tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. The tension in my chest doesn’t let up for a second.
I should’ve come here sooner. I should’ve said something, anything, to make things right. Even when I finally found the courage to kiss her, I backed down again. Doubt and fear have been holding me back for far too long.
“Do you ever stop talking?” I mutter, glancing over at Red.
He’s been giving me this damn pep talk the entire drive.
“Hey, you need what I’m giving you,” Red says, glancing at me with a grin that’s just too damn satisfied for this moment.
I roll my eyes. “You don’t need to be a damn life coach, Red. I’m not one of your projects.”
“You’re welcome, by the way,” he says, a little too smug for my liking. “Now get your ass together. We’re here.”
The truck pulls up in front of the house. My stomach tightens, and I’m sure I might choke. The house looks quiet, peaceful, just as I remember it. But everything inside me feels anything but peaceful.
I hesitate when I step out of the truck, my boots crunching the gravel beneath me. I stand there, feeling foolish, wondering if this was a huge mistake. What the hell am I even going to say to her?
Before I can overthink it too much, Red shoves me forward with a hand on my back. “Go on, cowboy. You’ll figure it out.”
I grunt, but I don’t fight him. I’m already halfway to the porch before I can even decide if I’m ready. I lift my hand to knock, but then I freeze.
From inside the house, I can hear voices. Not just Dakota’s.
There are two men’s voices, raised a little in argument, but still… tense. It takes a beat for my mind to process what that means. Reid and Sawyer.
Why the hell are they here?
And am I going to let that stop me?
I stand there, my hand still hovering above the door, frozen in place. Should I turn around? Should I walk away?
I knock, before I can second-guess myself any longer, and the door swings open.
There she is.
Dakota.
Her hair falls in soft waves around her face, and I lose track of everything else. All the words I’ve been rehearsing in my head dissolve. There’s only her, standing there in front of me, looking so damn beautiful that it hurts.
But something in her expression falters when she sees the tension in my face. Her eyes dart over my shoulder, noticing Red standing there, and then the two men just behind her in the entryway.
Sawyer and Reid both stand there, arms crossed, both looking at me with that mix of suspicion and wariness that immediately puts me on edge.
Dakota steps back instinctively, and I follow, the door clicking shut behind me.
“Clint,” Dakota says. “What’s going on?”
I swallow hard, trying to get my bearings. The last thing I expected was to walk into a damn standoff between the three of us.
Reid’s and Sawyer’s stares are sharp, almost as if they’re sizing me up. The way they’re standing, blocking the doorway, it’s clear this isn’t some casual visit.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, forcing myself to stay calm.
But the second the words leave my mouth, the atmosphere shifts, and it’s not just the cold from outside. Sawyer clears his throat, stepping forward a little.
