Page 39 of Riding the Line (Willow Ridge #2)
Duke
The golden rays of the late evening sunset filter between the city buildings cutting into the darkening skyline made up of strokes of deep fuchsia and amber.
The sunlight catches the strands of Cherry’s black hair next to me, glittering.
I wish I could run my fingers through her hair like I can in the confines of my apartment.
Part of me wants to tuck her into my side, stow her away in my Silverado, and speed back to Willow Ridge, where I can savour her touch.
Where I can make up for all the lost time.
But I owe Cherry this meeting about the bar – she did get back on a horse after all.
‘This is a bad idea,’ I admit, rubbing the back of my neck as I wait outside the empty building to meet Kip.
There’s not even an emerging star in the sky to be seen yet, but the bars around us are already beginning to fill, lines forming outside the doors, chatter filling the streets with people ready to dance and drink away the working day.
‘The bar or bringing me with you?’ Cherry smiles blissfully beside me.
Even though I know it was a risk her being here, having Cherry beside me soothes my frayed nerves.
Like she’s my lucky charm. I’d almost forgotten what it’s like to have someone by your side, what it’s like to let someone in.
And it’s even better when it’s the most beautiful girl in the world.
Besides, I struggled with saying no to her before, but I must have left all my self-control behind when I crossed the line kissing her, because trying to fight her coming with me was futile.
As was stopping myself from whisking her into my office to touch her like last week, while her brother was the other side of the door.
Fuck, what have I gotten myself into?
Can’t say there isn’t a small, protective part of me that relishes the fact that we can make a better memory of her time in the city. This time, I’m here to keep her safe, to watch over her.
‘Firstly, you won’t know if this is a bad idea until you try it, and based on your track record recently of indulging in potential bad ideas—’ Cherry stops to point at herself and grin ‘—I’d say the odds are in your favour of it working out pretty well.
’ I level her a look, making her giggle.
‘And secondly, the chances of anyone from Willow Ridge being in the city right now is so tiny, it’s pointless worrying about it. ’
If all bad ideas ended with Cherry Hensley’s thighs shaking around my head, I’d definitely engage in a lot more of them.
‘Duke!’ Kip’s voice rings out as he heads up the sidewalk towards us, weaving through groups of people walking by. ‘So glad you could make it.’
He thrusts his hand towards me, and we shake, only for him to pull me into a hug and pat my back. Once we’ve gotten through our exchange, he turns to Cherry, eyes flashing. ‘Wait, aren’t you Hensley’s little sister?’
‘Yep – and Duke’s interior designer.’ Cherry beams and shakes Kip’s hand too.
‘Is that so?’ I ask, perking a brow.
‘Mhm.’ She bites down on her bottom lip, and I force my eyes closed to regain the composure that instantly slipped at the sight of such. All the memories of her doing that as she moaned for me flashing in my mind. Cherry chuckles, likely too aware of the effect she has on me.
‘That’s great,’ Kip says, none the wiser. He fishes some keys out his pocket to unlock the bar doors. He tugs open one and gestures for us to go inside. ‘Can’t wait to hear what you think we could do with the place. Bring some of that Willow Ridge charm to the city.’
‘Exactly my thoughts,’ Cherry agrees and follows Kip inside.
Heading in behind them, I’m greeted by the empty bar that is only one signature away from being partially mine, my mind already pinging with hundreds of thoughts and questions.
Cherry’s explaining to Kip how she helped redecorate the bar back home, giving a good backstory as to why she’s here – not just because I’m falling for her.
I should probably join them, but my legs and eyes want to wander.
It’s bigger than the bar back home, as I knew from the specs I already had, but I’m happily surprised to learn that the extra space isn’t too imposing.
This is still a bar, as opposed to the more nightclub-esque haunts Kip owns around the city.
But Duke’s is supposed to be cosy, the place where you know you’ll bump into friends, and can share a drink along with memories and laughter.
A kind of sanctuary, I suppose – maybe sometimes more for me than the customers.
I know the vibe will be different here in the city, but I don’t want to lose that completely, and I can already see how we can bring that warmer energy to this place – plenty of corners for booths, beams along the ceiling, a small dancefloor that ensures an abundance of embraces and arms cheerily slung around shoulders.
I run my hands along the smooth wooden surface of the bar, my gaze flicking to each corner, noting how I can keep an eye on everyone from here, and that’s what matters most – being there for my customers.
It’s that knowledge that has my muscles loosening, and I lean my elbows on the bar to admire my new venture. A gentle buzz hovers under my skin as possibilities fill my mind.
Cherry joins me, leaning down against the bar too. A lock of her silky hair tumbles over her cheek as she angles her head at me. God, she’s beautiful. ‘You look happy.’
‘Yeah … I think this could work.’
‘I can definitely see you here.’ Her glistening eyes roam the bar.
She starts pointing around the place, Kip sauntering over and nodding.
‘You’ve got plenty of space for booths – I definitely think you wanna keep the same red and dark wooden vibe from Duke’s, tie it all in with neon signs.
You could even have them surrounding the shelves behind the bar, really add that old school country vibe.
’ Everything she describes comes to life in my imagination, fitting perfectly with my own visions.
Cherry continues, ‘Standing tables in the middle, throw a jukebox by the dancefloor, and – oh! That larger space over there, definitely big enough for a mechanical bull.’
My brows shoot up. ‘A mechanical bull?’
Cherry giggles, then bats those long dark lashes at me.
‘Oh, come on. We gotta be a little cliché with it. I’ve always wanted you to put one in Duke’s, but there was never any space.
’ And man, am I glad there was never any space, because I don’t think I would’ve survived seeing Cherry ride that bull all summer.
I sigh out a laugh and look over to Kip. ‘I guess we gotta get a mechanical bull, then.’
‘I’ll look into it.’ He grins and pulls out his phone to write down a note. ‘So, what do we think? We gonna do this? All that’s left is to just run through some paperwork, sign some dotted lines, and then Duke’s can find its home in the city.’
My gaze drops to the bar, second-guesses and what-ifs clawing their way up my throat. The most important question tumbles out as a whisper when I turn to Cherry, ‘You think the guys would like it?’
Her eyes soften at me, a faint smile gracing her lips.
‘Hell yeah. They’d love it. That’ll be their booth, over there, whenever they come and visit.
’ She points to the nearest corner, which would edge the dancefloor.
And I see it too – no doubt Rory, Fliss, and Sawyer shuffling their boots on the dancefloor, laughter pouring out of them and smiles brightening up the night, while Wyatt and Wolfman shake their heads and grin at their friends, nursing their beers together.
Still here with me.
Just like Cherry is.
My smile spreads out, mirroring Cherry’s now full-on grin. I turn to Kip and hold out my hand. ‘Let’s do this.’
It takes a good couple of hours to run through everything, and Cherry sits happily at the bar with her iPad, sketching out ideas she had for the bar earlier and curating mood boards.
Her soft voice from that night a couple of weeks ago keeps running through my mind every time I start to second-guess my self – when was the last time you did something big just for you?
The memory of her fingers slipping between mine reminds me that I can do this.
That, even if what we have ends when the summer does, there’s no way I can go back to my life before without her now – I need an excuse to be near her somehow. And this bar will do that.
Because Cherry Hensley has imprinted herself on my very soul.
She’s rewritten everything I knew about myself and shone light into the darkest corners of my mind, helping me see that I don’t have to hide.
Even before I got the privilege of touching her, tasting her, she was pulling apart my seams and sewing me back together, weaving her love and laughter into my very being.
That’s what gives me the strength to sign on the final dotted line. It’s nowhere near the final step, with all the work that will need to be done on the bar before opening, but it’s a step in a new direction. It’s letting myself ride past the line I’m always avoiding.
‘This is going to be great, Duke. I promise you.’ Kip’s eyes brighten. ‘You know what? You guys should come check out Haze. See the vibe of another bar here, get a feel for city life. I’ll get you a private booth too, some drinks on the house. As a celebration.’
Cherry chimes in before I can even consider saying no, ‘That sounds perfect.’