Page 17 of Deception & Daylight (Oak Ridge #3)

“Hey there, little minx.” Maggie’s body stiffens, her face flashing with unfettered anger at my brother’s words.

She shoves out of my hold as if I slapped her, confusion swirling in my head.

I stand from my seat, but before I can stop her, she’s darting towards the bathroom and I’m left standing in front of a deeply satisfied Matty.

“What the fuck do you want?” I snarl.

“I think you already know what I want. Careful brother. Have you forgotten our agreement?”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, dragging me back to that night — the night everything changed.

2 years ago, Cade’s 27th Birthday

“Happy birthday, bro!” Dean, Cara, and I raise our glasses to a sulking Cade.

It’s his 27th birthday and he should be celebrating, but instead, he’s wallowing.

Ever since Paige pulled away from him, he’s been all twisted up.

We’d originally planned a trip to Nashville to celebrate his birthday, but he wasn’t up for it, so we ended up at The Ridge instead. I wish I knew how to help him.

Cade, Dean, and I have been thick as thieves since childhood — more like brothers than friends, really — and I’ve never seen him like this.

Dean gives me a knowing look before he pulls his girlfriend, Cara, onto the dance floor, where they melt into each other, leaving me with my brooding best friend.

“Another drink?” I ask, tapping my empty bottle against Cade’s.

He nods, lost in thought. When he pulls out his phone, I catch a glimpse of Paige on his lock screen.

She’s standing shoulder to shoulder with her best f riend, Maggie, covered in pumpkin guts, making a heart with their hands.

Damn, maybe I need to ask Cade to hook me up.

She’s stunning, even with that shit smeared all over her face and hands.

It’s not the first time I’ve felt drawn to her.

Over the last month, I’ve caught glimpses of her over FaceTime and snippets of their conversations — laughter and inside jokes that linger in my mind.

That laugh…fuck. There’s just something about her; the way her smile lights up a room, the confidence she exudes even in the most casual moments.

It’s magnetic. If it weren’t for the distance, I’d be all over that.

But long-distance isn’t for me if the state of my best friend is any indication.

He’s down bad and all fucked up over a girl he’s not even dating.

I lean over the bar, signaling Liam for another round.

The place is surprisingly empty for a Friday night, but it’s still early.

Just as Liam slides two beers my way, a vaguely familiar blonde takes the stool beside me.

She’s petite and curvy, with bright blue eyes that sparkle even in the dim bar.

If I didn’t have a best friend in distress, I’d be open to taking her home with me.

“Hey Miles,” she says with stunning familiarity, throwing me off balance.

“I’m sorry? Do I know you?”

“Olivia?” Recognition dawns when I look her over again.

Olivia Sullivan. Rosie’s granddaughter. I’ve seen her around, but I don’t think I’ve ever given her a second glance, and we’ve never been formally introduced.

She unlocks her phone, pulling up a dating profile that looks like me, but it can’t be.

Despite my urging Cade to join, I never created my own account.

“I’m sorry. I think there’s been some kind of mistake. I don’t have any dating profiles.” She scans my face for any sign of deception, finding only sincerity. A pang of sympathy courses through me as realization dawns. She’s been catfished and someone used me to do it.

Olivia’s face pales as she searches the room in stunned silence. “I’m such a fucking idiot. I should ’ve known the most eligible bachelor in Oak Ridge wouldn’t be interested in me, of all people.”

“Hold on. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Come on, Miles. You can and have had your pick of any girl in town. I’ve lived here my whole life, and you didn’t even recognize me. I think that speaks for itself, don’t you?”

Feeling adequately humbled and embarrassed, I take a long pull of my beer and turn to face the woman who just publicly shamed me; and rightfully so. “I’m an ass. I’m sorry. It’s not a reflection of you in any way. You’re beautiful.”

She scoffs in disbelief, signaling Liam for a drink. When he takes her order, I tell him to put it on my tab. She opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. “It looks like we’ve both been duped. It’s the least I can do.”

“It’s partially my fault. I could’ve approached you in person at any time in the last month and it would never have gotten this far, but I was intimidated.”

“That’s not on you. People are assholes. But you really don’t need to be intimidated by me. I’m just a guy. A jackass at that.”

“You’re not so bad,” she teases, bumping her shoulder with mine.

“But I don’t understand why someone would target me.

” Her gaze is downcast, and I’m at a loss for what to do next.

I reach behind the bar, snag a coaster from the top of the stack, and flip it over to the blank side.

Olivia watches as I pull out one of my carpenter pencils from my back pocket and scribble down my number.

“You really don’t have to do that,” she says.

“We can just pretend this never happened.”

“Or we could be friends. And if I find out who orchestrated this whole thing, I want to be able to contact you. You deserve closure. We both do.”

I slide the coaster across the bar, and she reaches out a tentative hand to take it. Without thinking, I squeeze her hand in a reassuring grip. “For what it’s worth, you’re way too good for a dickhead like me.”

Her mouth tips into a slight smile before she takes her drink and the coaster and heads over to one of the tables where she’s greeted by a few other women.

I take solace in knowing she isn’t going to be left alone to deal with the emotional fallout.

Despite my innocence, I still feel partially responsible.

With a nod towards Liam, I turn away from the bar, but I’m stopped dead in my tracks when I spot a familiar face near the door, eyeing me with a guilty expression on his face. Damn it, Matty.

I push through the crowd to catch up with him as he tries to slip away. “What the hell did you do, brother?” My voice is sharper than I intend, but his behavior has been erratic in recent months, and I haven’t been able to get to the bottom of it.

“Not sure what you’re talking about.” His feigned ignorance makes my stomach churn, but I tamp down on my anger, willing myself to stay calm.

Clenching my fists, I let the accusation roll off my tongue, dripping with venom.

“So why the hell did I end up on a date with some random woman I’ve never met? ”

“Look. It’s not what you think,” he replies, his eyes darting towards the exit.

“Did you or did you not catfish an innocent woman?” I seethe.

“Ok, yeah. It looks bad.”

“Bad? It’s downright predatory, Matt! What the hell is wrong with you? You’re 21 now — grow up!”

“You weren’t even supposed to fucking be here.

” He’s pacing on the spot now, growing more agitated the longer we linger.

Just as I’m about to press him further, his phone chimes with a notification.

He pulls it out and swipes over a familiar icon — the dating app where Cade met Paige.

Matty’s eyes widen as he tries to hide the screen from me, but it’s too late.

I see my photo there, and my stomach drops as his finger h overs over the button to delete the profile.

I snatch the phone from his grasp, rage fueling my movements. Swiping through the messages, I see countless profiles he’s been chatting with over the past few months.

Olivia: Whoever you are, I hope your pillow is always warm and your socks are always wet. I hope you accidentally sext your family group chat, and I hope your charger only ever works when you hold it at an awkward angle. You don’t deserve any more of my energy. ??

My lips twitch as I suppress a smile, reading out Olivia’s passive insults, but then my throat tightens as I spot a familiar face amongst the extensive list of names — Maggie, 22, Toronto.

It doesn’t take long for me to make the connection, and the resulting awareness hits me like a punch to the gut.

The girl I’ve been drawn to, the one who makes my heart race, is tangled up in my brother’s mess.

Panic surges through me as I grapple with the implications.

Cade may not see it yet, but he’s head over heels for Paige, and I can’t help but wonder how this will affect our relationship.

The weight of betrayal hangs heavy in the air. My brother’s reckless actions threaten to spiral out of control, dragging everyone I care about into this mess. I push my brother through the exit, resolved to find some way to make this right.

“Admit what you did. Take responsibility or you’re out.

” The words spill out, laced with barely contained anger.

But beneath that anger lies something heavier — betrayal, disappointment, and a pang of sadness.

Matty’s been living with me for nearly a year; every late nigh t conversation, all the laughter — it’s tainted now.

God knows how long this has been going on.

And deeper than that, I protected Matty growing up, taking every blow meant for him — and somehow this one hurts more than anything my father could dish out.

“You always get what you want, Miles. Women are fucking throwing themselves at you left and right. You have a life, friends, people who fucking care about you. And what do I have? Nothing. Only this.” He holds up his phone to show me an illicit photograph of Maggie.

She’s fucking stunning, but I force myself to look away.

I won’t be complicit in his predatory behavior.

“I care about you, Matt. And what about Mom? How do you think she’d feel if she found out about this?”