Truth or Dare Read online

  He kissed her forehead before getting off her bed.

  “Thank you, Annette. You’ll see. You’re mine. There’s no one else.” Then he let himself out and she was alone again.

  With a quivering body and traitorous thoughts.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Jude was still angry about the thing with Drake and Annette, even though he totally saw where she was coming from. It still pissed him off that she’d chosen Drake over him. He’d known Drake would drop her like a hot potato, and he’d known she was hurting, and his little display last night hadn’t helped a damn thing.

  Except it was a reminder of the incendiary connection they had. He really thought it was more than physical, but he couldn’t convince her of that if all he did was bang her when he saw her and then leave. He’d totally used her, and that was a douchebag move on his part.

  Today was a chance to make it up. He waited at The BeeStro, a little café across from Everly’s gallery, intent on introducing the two women. Everly had sort of a reputation for taking Drake’s leftovers after he’d used them and smashed their self-esteem to bits and then building them back up and showing their work to “real” collectors. She’d made more names come out of this tiny town than Drake ever would with his schmoozy attitude. That was what had initially attracted Jude to her in the first place: her kindness.

  Of course, perceptions weren’t everything. Once she and Jude had gotten involved, she’d used that kindness to try to change him, mold him into what she and her parents wanted, and all the commitment involved had been too much. He’d realized the kindness was a front for her callous thoughts and attitudes and complete gold-digging. The last time they’d hit the lodge, she’d bought him an outfit to wear while they sipped hot chocolate by the fire, and it screamed money, success, and basic Nordic assholishness, which Jude wasn’t. The knitted print sweater was akin to something a politician would wear while he was trying to fit in with constituents in Aspen, complete with a blazer to wear over it and a wool ascot.

  A fucking wool ascot. Not Jude’s snowboarding attire, for sure.

  In fact, she’d hated that he snowboarded. She did everything in her power to squelch that when they went to the slopes, even going so far as to hide his board and pretend the lodge employees had lost it.

  Everly was not his perfect match personally, but professionally, she was a completely different person. Jude hoped this would work. He needed to fix things.

  He sighed as he waited for Everly and Annette to arrive. He could put it all behind him because he wanted Annette to stay. Everly would give her a chance, especially after she heard Annette was Drake’s latest conquest.

  Well, didn’t those words make him want to vomit?

  Did Annette do anything with Drake? Had Drake come back to the cabin to do anything with her?

  Those thoughts wouldn’t do him any good right now.

  When Everly came breezing into the shop, Jude stood and absently kissed her on the cheek, still hoping Annette would show. She’d said she would, but he’d been bad last night, and if she thought about it too much, she might not.

  Everly sat across the table and waved down a waitress before ordering her sugar-free soy Chai latte. Jude just rolled his eyes and sipped his tea.

  “I’m wanting to introduce you to someone. I appreciate you coming.” He set the cup down and twitched his legs out of the way of her wandering foot. “Truly.”

  “Well, I did sort of wonder if maybe you’d had a change of heart.” Her smile was warm, but the warmth didn’t affect him the way it used to. She leaned forward on her elbows conspiratorially and whispered, “I miss us, Jude.”

  She rested her hand on top of his, and to the casual observer they would look like lovers. Of course, that was the moment Annette chose to walk in. As if pulled by magnets, Jude’s eyes snapped to hers as soon as she walked in.

  She froze in her tracks, her eyes going to his and Everly’s hands twined together. Her body rocked back as she clutched her portfolio in front of her like a protective shield.

  Jude jumped up, dropping Everly’s touch as if burned, and strode over to Annette, taking her in his arms for a bear hug.

  “I’m so glad you came. Come meet Everly.”

  As Jude introduced the two women, he felt the frost from both of them, and things quickly swirled out of his control.

  “Can I get you some tea or coffee or anything, Annette?”

  “No, thank you. Water is fine.” Her eyes were narrowed at him, and he could practically hear the questions screaming around in her head.

  “This is Everly Barton. She owns the gallery across the street. I brought her here to help you guys connect. I think she could help you.” He smiled across at Everly, who was looking at him with a mixture of hurt and anger. “Everly, this is Annette. She’s an aspiring artist who came to town and has already met Drake.” He threw that last part in and used air quotes so she would understand what had happened with Annette. Drake’s shenanigans were almost a folklore amongst the locals. Shameful, but everyone knew how he treated women.

  “Pleasure to meet you.” Everly held out her hand limply for Annette to take, but her words were frosty as if it were anything but a pleasure.

  “Likewise.” Annette’s Texas twang came out, and Jude wondered if it was nerves. He reached under the table to give her knee a reassuring squeeze, which made her jump.

  “Sorry.” He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable and tried to smile at her, but she wasn’t looking at him, her eyes raking over Everly in her sharp business attire Jude knew cost more than what he made in a month. “Here.” He grabbed at Annette’s portfolio and passed it across to Everly, trying to distract the women from whatever he was doing that was pissing them off so much.

  Everly flipped through it lazily, not really looking at anything. With every flippant perusal of a page, Jude felt Annette tense more under his touch. Finally, she slipped the portfolio back to her before turning to him.

  “Jude, did you really bring your girlfriend in to meet me?” Everly looked at him, her mouth downturned in anger, her eyes shooting sparks. “Really?”

  Annette was looking at him too, her eyebrows raised in question.

  “Well, yes.” He didn’t understand. “You’re in the art industry. Annette’s trying to get a show. It seemed like a no-brainer. I thought you guys would enjoy the networking opportunity.”

  Everly stood, towering over them as they sat there. “You honestly thought introducing the woman you’re currently fucking to your ex-girlfriend, the woman you almost proposed to, was a good idea?”

  Jude stood, holding out his hands. “Now, wait just a minute. We’re not fucking. And I didn’t almost propose to you. We broke up long before that.”

  Annette rose as well, clutching her portfolio to her chest. “I think I need to go.” To Everly, she tried to smile, jutting out her chin in defiance. “I’m sorry we met under these circumstances. I hope to see you again under different ones.”

  The move just made Jude want to bundle her into his arms and whisk her away. She wasn’t about to cry or anything, thank God. He hated when women cried, but she was clearly upset, and Jude didn’t know what was going on. How had he fucked this up so royally?

  “Look, I don’t know what the big damn deal is. Annette is my friend. I thought you were my friend.”

  “We aren’t friends, Jude,” Everly sneered. “We are ex-lovers,” she said under her breath. “Remember all the nights of hot, fiery, sweaty sex? That’s what we had.” Jude heard the sharp intake of air from Annette next to him. “And I thought you were inviting me here today to rekindle some of that.” Her voice rose in triumph as she continued, “Because we were damn good together.” Cutting her eyes to Annette, Jude braced himself for whatever cutting remark would come next. “Clearly, you’re good. Very good. Sleeping your way to your shows and ba
tting your long, hickville eyelashes at everyone, playing the innocent who doesn’t have a clue what you’re doing, but I can see it, princess. I see it.”

  With those parting words, she stormed out of the café, elegant legs eating up the floor as she crossed it in her designer snow boots she’d put on to cross the street.

  Jude exhaled. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  Annette turned on him. “What exactly were you expecting? That we’d compare the size of your dick and which holes you’d put it in? We’d laugh over our tea and designer coffees and make a plan for slumber parties and movie night? Did you honestly think your ex would help me? That I’d even want to meet your ex? And then work with her?” She inhaled deeply, clearly trying to hold it together. “And what are we exactly, Jude? If we’re not fucking, but we’re friends, what exactly happened last night?”

  He could see she was angry. So angry. The twangy edge of her voice could cut steel. It hurt that she was so mad at him, and he was desperate to make things right.

  “I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.”

  “Well, if this is your idea of helping me, I don’t need your help.” With that, she spun around and stomped out of the restaurant in all of her inappropriate winter wear.

  “Wait, Annette!” Jude heard the despair in his voice, even as his legs tangled in the stupid wiry chair that didn’t look like it could hold grown people. He went down in a tangle of metal, nearly taking a table with him. She stopped and turned to see him sprawled on the floor.

  “I’m going home, Jude. Back to Frankston for the holiday. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving.” With that, she left. Left him wondering how he’d managed to fuck everything up when he was only trying to help.

  Jude closed his eyes and rested his head on the chilled tile floor. He’d royally fucked up. He didn’t even know if he could make it right.

  “You did what?” Joey asked loudly. Jude could barely hear his words over Zane’s belly laugh and Logan’s silent recrimination.

  “It seemed like a great idea at the time.” Jude shrugged, suddenly not wanting advice at all and just wanting the attention off of him. Zane was still laughing like he’d heard the funniest joke ever, and the joke was him. “Dude, shut up.” Jude threw a card at his head from the deck they were playing with.

  “What in the hell made you think a girl you’re trying to get with wants to meet an ex? Everly? She’s so …” Joey was trying to come up with a word, but Logan helped him out.

  “She’s a mean girl sometimes. She can be one of those women who does everything she can to make other women feel inadequate. Especially when they threaten her. Didn’t you think about that?”

  Jude blinked at his friend, who never showed this much empathy and compassion toward women. Ever. He didn’t know his buddy had it in him.

  “But all the shit she does to get Drake back when he screws over the women he uses? I was thinking about that. I thought Everly would want to help her out.”

  “Dude, you are totally clueless. I pity you, man.” Zane had finally gotten his breath and wheezed out the words around some chuckles.

  “So how do I fix it? She said she was going home, but I don’t know if she’s coming back. What if she’s gone for good?” The thought upset him more than he thought it would. A gnawing ache took hold in his gut and wouldn’t let loose. It was like a puppy with a favorite shoe, chewing and worrying leather. Jude felt like he was going to throw up.

  “You wait for her to come back, take her flowers, and apologize for being a douche. If that doesn’t work, move on. There are plenty of women in Pamona Gulch, dude.” Logan was collecting the cards nobody was playing and shuffled to deal again.

  Joey nodded his agreement. “How serious are you about her?”

  “More serious than I would like to be. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have done all this. I would have just let her walk away the first time, but I seem to care about her.”

  “Ah …” Logan’s sudden seriousness made Jude nervous.

  “What do you mean, ah?”

  “Well, you fucked up, and you need to make it right. Sorry. I can’t help you there. That’s hard to combat.” Logan started dealing the cards to an apathetic Jude. He no longer cared about the cards.

  Chapter Twenty

  Annette was having a lovely morning with her family. Her dad was watching the Macy’s parade with her brother and uncles, and she and her mother were cooking. She loved cooking with her mom. Cooking was one thing she missed about Pamona Gulch, but her one room with a hot plate in the corner wouldn’t last forever. Besides, if she had the time, she could get creative with her one cooking element. There were videos of delicious-looking meals all over the internet.

  The cornbread dressing was already made, the turkey was in the oven, and they were working on the sweet potatoes and the other side dishes that made Thanksgiving dinner special. Pies had been made the day before and were sitting on the sideboard, ready for cutting into.

  Everything was perfect.

  Until it wasn’t.

  “I forgot to mention, since Mr. Hawkins died this summer, the holidays are hard for Luke and his mama, so I invited them to eat with us this year.” Her mother was stirring the green beans on the stove and kept her back to Annette, who was smoothing the tablecloth on the table. She purposely kept her back to Annette so she couldn’t see the guilt there. Annette just knew it.

  “Luke’s coming for Thanksgiving?” Her voice held a harder edge than Annette wanted. Luke had taken his father’s passing pretty hard, and it was only natural her mama would invite them over. The families had been friends forever, so it made sense.

  Except it would be awkward. And sort of felt like a betrayal by her mom. Now that she and Luke weren’t together anymore, Annette didn’t want to hang out with him. This type of stuff was exactly why she’d moved. It was like nobody listened to her wants and desires and didn’t understand when she was hurt by that.

  “Yes, I hope that’s all right. I’m not sure what happened between you two, but they’re still very nice people, and they’re our friends. Ida took y’all’s breakup almost harder than Hank’s death.”

  No guilt there. “Yeah, Mom. It’s fine.” Annette sighed and got down two more plates to rinse from the china cabinet, trying not to think too hard about things.

  An hour later, when Luke got there, things were exactly as she’d predicted. Ida came bustling in holding out a pumpkin pie, along with a tub of Cool Whip, Luke’s favorite, and he followed her, head down, casserole dish in hand.

  “Mama made Brussel sprouts and a pie,” he muttered to Annette, holding out the dish like a peace offering but refusing to look her in the eye. She was glad for that. He’d been hurt when she’d broken up with him and left town completely. This dinner couldn’t be any easier on him than it was on her.

  With it being the first holiday meal without his dad, she just felt guilty for making everything about her.

  She took the dish and the pie, stacking the Cool Whip on top of her forearm, and took them into the kitchen, thankful her arms were full, so she didn’t have to hug anyone. Luke, thankfully, sank into an armchair in the living room to watch TV, while Ida bustled into the kitchen to help Barbara with the last-minute preparations.

  Lunch was boisterous and loud, with Annette’s aunt and uncle monopolizing the conversation with tales of a recent trip to Aruba, promising to show their albums of pictures after lunch. Annette’s parents, Barbara and Ed, nodded and made the appropriate comments, while her brother, Alex, asked all sorts of questions about what they ate while they were there.

  Her stomach in knots at the awkwardness, Annette managed to eat half her plate. She pushed around the rest of her food into a disgusting-looking mess while avoiding looking at Luke. He was sitting across from her, and the one time she looked up at him, he’d been staring at
her balefully.

  Annette sighed as she rolled a Brussel sprout around her plate, dragging it through cranberry sauce to make a festive-looking thing she had no intention of eating. Luke was wearing jeans and a denim shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He’d recently had a birthday, and the shirt had probably been a gift from Ida, but she wouldn’t ask how his birthday had been. It would just bring back the fact she wasn’t there for it.

  Last year, for Luke’s birthday, he’d come home from the feed store and she’d been waiting for him wearing nothing but one of those shirts. They’d made love, and he’d opened his presents from her, professing his love and the desire to spend the rest of his life with her. At the time, she’d agreed, but something had niggled in the back of her mind even then, something that only grew louder as time wore on. Annette could no longer ignore the voice in her head telling her to get out of this town and go far, far away.

  Ida was now talking about the feed store and how business was booming, especially with the deer hunters in town for the season. It just reinforced why Annette didn’t fit in here. The idea of the deer hunters disgusted her on a primal level, and her future livelihood would have depended on their business during the fall and winter months. She sighed, apparently a little loudly because all eyes were on her.

  “What?”

  “How’s Pamona Gulch? Do you like it there? Are you famous yet?” Ida asked, her eyes twinkling with good humor, and a titter of patronizing laughter came from Annette’s aunt.

  She offered a tight smile. Sure, everyone would expect she’d be running back home once she sowed her oats or whatever. “Pamona Gulch is beautiful, and I’ve already had several meetings with some gallery owners who really liked my work. I had one show scheduled already, but it fell through. Some business thing with investors,” she lied. “But I’m selling my artwork at the market, and any day now, I’ll get a show.” She forced the cheer into her voice, not believing herself for a minute.

  “Are the people there nice at least?” Her mother was more concerned she would fall into a pit of sin in some foreign city where she couldn’t keep an eye on her baby.