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“You’re lying. Everyone was scared of this house.”

“Not me.”

“Oh, because you’re so big and strong?” she teased.

“You know damn well I am both big and strong.”

She giggled. Melodie was twenty-eight and worked at Sinful but Sweet. After Dial told me she didn’t see a future together and Fancy’s recommendation I bring a date to her party, I ran into Melodie at Hot Doodle Dawgs. This time when she flirted with me, I flirted back and invited her to this party in the hopes of turning a page. If Dial was done with me, then seeing Melodie on my arm wouldn’t faze her.

What I didn’t expect was for Dial to claim she was coming with Shelton. It was an obvious lie. But I knew if she batted her eyelashes, it would take very little for him to agree to be her date. This was a game we’d played for years. I’d do something to hurt her, and she’d do something to spite me. We were both masters at this dance. The only reason I’d brought Melodie here was to make Dial jealous. I knew it was a shitty thing for me to do, using one woman to get under the skin of another, and I was about to suggest we leave and head to the Tipsy Owl when I was distracted by a commotion near the entry.

Fancy squealed from across the room, and when Dial came into view, I knew why. She was wearing the shortest ruffled skirt. A stiff breeze or a bend-and-snap and her goodies would be on display. Her sepia legs were already causing my temperature to rise at the memory of them wrapped around my waist or my face. Her top was a brown suede halter laced in the back.

A disgruntled groan tripped up my throat, because she wasn’t playing fair. She’d known I was bringing a date and decided to put shit on that would have my dick wanting to salute for the entire night.

Melodie flipped her long braids over her shoulder. “Dial looks nice. I rarely ever see her out of those dirt-stained overalls.”

“That’s the thing about us country folk—we tend to clean up real good.”

Melodie smiled at me sweetly, but her words were missing that affection. “I like you, Oz, but I’m not gonna fight for you.”

I smirked and nodded. If Dial wanted me, there wouldn’t be a fight. She could just walk up and take me. “You don’t have to worry about Dial, or me.”

“I’m fully aware she’s your dream girl and I’m the rebound, but if you’re gonna be here with me tonight, you need to be present and attentive. Got me?”

Tipping my cowboy hat, I agreed. “I got you, Mel.” Melodie was my date, and I still planned to show her a good time.

I wasn’t opposed to dating. I’d dated a quarter of the women in this room. What I wasn’t going to do was fall in love. Because my heart wasn’t up for grabs. So, I kept interactions light and easy. This was about having a good time, not sticking around for a long time, and I appreciated Mel for recognizing that.

As the party ramped up, Melodie danced in the backyard with a gaggle of women. I observed from the sidelines as she twirled with a beer in hand. It was clear the moves were meant to entice me, but my attention was divided—off to the side of the yard, Dial and Shelton were in conversation, and occasionally my eyes would land in their direction. Shelton’s hand was resting just above the swell of her ass. My blood raced through my veins, and I clenched my teeth to prevent myself from yelling out obscenities. If I let the scene of Dial laughing at Shelton’s lame jokes move me, I’d be liable to do what I swore I wouldn’t: cause another scene at her expense.

Melodie called for me in an attempt to regain my attention. She was gyrating her hips, and I smiled big, pretending to like the show. This had all seemed like a good idea in the planning phase, but now that I was here, and Dial was playing the game better than me, I was ready to make a swift exit. But I couldn’t do that, because then she’d know she had won. I’d rather sit here stewing than give her any type of satisfaction.

From the corner of my eye, I spied Shelton hug Dial before heading to the front of the house with some other guys. Was he leaving? If so, good riddance, Shelly.

Dial made her way back inside.

Approaching Mel, I said, “I’ma get a drink. Do you want another?”

“Yes, please,” she shouted with a spin.

Weaving my way through the crowd bottlenecking at the back door, I poked my head into rooms looking for Dial. Fancy was in a corner talking with animated hands about the state of the home when Edison purchased it and all the time her man had invested to clear out Mr. Castle’s entire life. Continuing my pursuit of Dial, I finally found her in the kitchen mixing up a drink.

“What are you making?” I asked.

She glanced at me and fidgeted with her skirt. “Cranberry ginger ale and vodka. What about you?”

“Melodie wants a Twisted Lemonade.”

“And what Melodie wants, Melodie gets.” Her smile was candied but the words held a bite.

“Where’s Shelton? Shouldn’t he be up your ass?”

“Charlie bought a new truck and Shelton’s out front checking it out.”

I glanced around and everyone was engrossed in their own mini discussions, so I stepped closer. “Doesn’t he know it’s dangerous to leave Dial Birch unattended?”

She fingered the initial necklace around her neck. “Why, what could happen?”