Page 44 of Right Number, Wrong Man

HAILEY

For my best friend’s sake, I plastered on a smile through the wedding ceremony, the reception, and the dinner.

Everything was super cute and intimate with just family and friends present.

It’s a lovely venue, too. This old horse ranch turned into a country-chic hotel is a great fit for Andrea’s vision.

I’m genuinely happy for her and Steve, but I’m not in a celebratory mood.

Instead of being out in the barn where music plays and alcohol flows, I’ve been hiding in my room since the bride and groom snuck off for some spicy alone time.

Being dateless, I lost my bet with Andrea and I don’t have anyone to dance with, but it’s probably for the best. My mind is a mess.

With a sigh, I flop down on the bouncy bed and stare at the ceiling.

I’m still reeling from the breakup with Jax.

His possessive aggression seemed awfully real.

I know what he’s capable of when he’s playing around, and I’m not keen to find out what he’s like when he’s genuinely furious.

His texts scared me so much that I put the pink revolver in my clutch tonight.

I won’t be caught unprepared for a second time like I was with Justin.

If it wasn’t for Colt, I wouldn’t have broken up with Jax, but it was the right thing to do.

When Jax left me in the hotel and I came down from the high of my orgasms, I fell into an emotional hole. All I wanted was to call Colt, just to hear his voice. Ask him to pick me up, just to see him. That’s when I knew I had to end things with Jax.

I’m still not sure what I feel for Colt, but since he saved my life, everything reminds me of him.

My favorite coffee order. Little dogs in the park.

When I accidentally switched the TV channel to a military movie, my brain cast him in the role of the hero.

When I see a cowboy romance at the bookstore, I imagine him on the cover.

Topless, duh. Yesterday I passed a random guy at the grocery store who wore the same cologne and thought I was having a heart attack!

I get flashbacks of his charming smirk and his slow drawl. The sound of laughter rumbling in his chest. His dimple.

All the things I hate about him.

Used to hate.

This weird obsession is getting out of hand, and I don’t know how to stop it.

Smiling, I clack the heels of my Lucchese boots together. They match the party theme and the red roses on my pastel pink dress, but most importantly, they remind me of Colt.

When I looked up the brand, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Like it’s not a big deal at all, he gave me a thousand-dollar pair of boots for my thirtieth birthday.

It’s not about the price, though .

I’ve learned to love these boots because wearing them is like carrying a piece of Colt with me. It makes me feel safe and that seems crazy. In a few weeks, everything changed so rapidly between us… but has it really? Isn’t this truce sixteen years in the making?

I laugh, but it sounds like a sob. This is too complicated and messed up. Developing feelings other than hate for my dead husband’s brother is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.

I never thought I’d want to see that stupid face of his with that stupidly floppy blond hair and that stupid beard and that stupid grin with the stupid dimples and?—

A knock comes from the door.

I practically catapult off the bed, smoothing over my hair. How long have I been wallowing in my misery in here?

I slap the smile back on and sprint to the door, but when I open it, the fake grin slides off my face.

“What the hell are you doing here, Colt?”

He tips his brown hat at me. “Nice to see you, too, Spitfire.” He smirks, the tilt of his lips tugging on the butterfly bandages over the healing cut on his cheek. “Sorry I’m a lil late. I had to drop Gracie off at my folks first and got stuck in traffic.”

My pulse is in my throat, stopping the words from coming out. “I’m—That’s?—”

“C’mon, I don’t look that bad.” Colt takes a step back and straightens the collar of his chambray shirt. He paired it with a dark blue suit, silver cufflinks, and polished cowboy boots. “I didn’t know the dress code, but I figured Texas Formal should do the trick.”

Texas Formal ? I hold back a giggle. That’s so Colt in a nutshell. He looks the most handsome I’ve ever seen, but I can’t tell him that… or can I ?

I glance at his boots. They seem expensive and brand new. “A-are those alligator?” I ask dumbly just to say something.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And the hat…” I say, fighting down the tingles in my belly. “Is the hat new?”

He touches the brim. “This old thing?”

I squint. It doesn’t look old.

Is he wearing a whole new outfit? His beard is freshly trimmed and he smells incredible, too. He always does, but I still want to bury my nose in his chest and get high on his scent like a teen sniffing glue.

My heart flips. I have to get a hold of myself before I start swooning. Colt didn’t do all this for me . He just wanted to look wedding-appropriate.

A sharp whistle cuts through the air as his eyes drag along my body. “You look beautiful. I’m tryin’ desperately to find better words, but—Damn.” He bites his lip, his Adam’s apple bobbing with a thick swallow. “You’re just so fuckin’ beautiful, I’m speechless.”

A blush suffuses my cheeks. “Thank you,” I whisper.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to Colt complimenting me, but I don’t want to, either. I love how giddy it makes me.

His gaze drops to my feet, going wide. “You’re wearing the boots I gave you!”

A pang of adrenaline flares through me. Fuck, the boots! I never expected him to turn up tonight and see me in them. How do I explain this without sounding like an obsessed nutcase?

“T-they fit the party theme!” I bring out, twisting a heel into the carpet. “It’s boho and country chic.”

“Oh…” He nods slowly. “Makes sense.”

Awkward silence stretches between us.

“How did you know where the party is?” I ask, suddenly reminded that I never invited him.

“I heard you talking on the phone with Andrea at work. Probably shouldn’t’ve listened in, but you were so excited it was impossible not to. You were shoutin’ through the lobby.”

I shrug. “Ha, sounds like me.”

“And I just thought you could use a friend to dance with tonight,” he adds.

My heart pinches. Ugh. The word friend f eels like a bullet to the chest. And worse, after the shooting lesson, I was the one who suggested it to define our new relationship.

I wish I could travel back in time and smack past Hailey. What a dumb bitch!

Colt sucks on his teeth, rubbing a hand along his jaw. “But if you don’t want me here, I’ll skedaddle.”

“No!” I say too loudly and too quickly. Startled, I clear my throat, lowering my voice to a normal volume. “I mean, you’re already here… Unless you want to go? Is it alright to close the Retro Reel on a Saturday?”

I cringe. Why am I making excuses for him to go when I want the exact opposite?

“I hung up a notice at the front door. Family emergency . True enough.” He winks.

I bite back a triumphant whoop.

Fuck yeah, he’s staying !

Colt holds out his arm, a grin spreading across his face. “Then I’m your date for tonight, ma’am.”

I smile nervously. “You are.”

I check my hair and makeup in the bathroom mirror before grabbing my clutch and stepping out of the room. My pulse goes crazy as I hook my hand around the bend of Colt’s elbow .

With him by my side, my other worries melt away and Jax’s threats seem meaningless now. For tonight, Colt will keep me safe. I won’t need the revolver, but I didn’t have an opportunity to take it out of my purse.

“You and Andrea have been friends a long time, right?” he asks, trying to make conversation.

“For over a decade. While I got my certifications to become a legal secretary, I worked part time at a café. Andrea was a co-worker. One day, she showed up with a Hey Kitty lanyard on her keyring and when I asked her about it, we realized we’re both collectors.”

I speak calmly, but I feel like I’m walking on fluffy pink clouds. Electricity prickles through my nerves and my fingers buzz as I hold on to Colt’s arm.

He’s always warm, but tonight he’s a human torch. Or am I running a fever? I press my other hand to my forehead.

His head tilts toward me. “Are you feeling alright?”

I drop my hand. “Yes! Of course! I’m great! Amazing! Perfect! Never better!” God Hailey, stop being weird. “It’s just hot tonight and I had a few drinks at dinner earlier,” I add.

What a big fat lie! I’m sober as hell.

He gives me a strange look, but he doesn’t say anything more about it. We walk down the swooping stairs to the ground floor and the music from outside gets louder.

“How was the ceremony?” Colt asks, obviously attempting to put me at ease.

“Beautiful! Super intimate and peaceful. It was a small gathering, just family and friends. Same with dinner. Andrea and Steve wanted to go all out with the party instead and invited close to three hundred people.”

“Figured as much. The barn and the courtyard were already busy when I got here. Everybody’s havin’ fun without us.” He gestures at the deserted lobby and the elderly lady behind the front desk gives us a smile.

We walk outside and pause at the edge of the courtyard where some guests sit at round tables, enjoying food from the cold buffet. String lights and flower garlands crisscross above, forming a glimmering roof of colors. It’s stunning, but all I can look at is Colt.

Beneath the twinkling lights, the hair sticking out from his hat looks like spun gold and his tanned skin has a bronze glow. His blue eyes turn to me and their shine makes me want to dive into their depths like the calm sea on a hot beach day.

“How about a drink?” I suggest and point at the barn across the yard. The doors stand wide open and the dance floor is packed. “There’s a bar in there. I’m sure they have a nice bourbon for you.”

“Only if they’ll make a raspberry daiquiri for you,” he responds instantly.

I laugh. “Do you know everything about me? I’m starting to think you’ve been stalking me.”

His brows rise and my throat tightens. Nice going, me . We’re five minutes into the night and I’ve already insulted him and accused him of a crime.

“There you are, Hails!” a familiar voice screeches.

It belongs to a very drunk Andrea, walking arm in arm with a grinning, only slightly less drunk Steve. His flower-print shirt has pink lipstick on the collar and is half unbuttoned, his glasses skewed on his nose.

Andrea breaks free and bursts into a stumbling sprint. Her flowy white skirt flutters around her legs and her drink spills over the rim of her glass with every step. She bumps into me, wrapping an arm around me as her curly red hair tickles my cheek. I hug her back and she squeals.

“I thought you’d fallen asleep in your room,” she slurs and flicks the tip of my nose. “You need to check out the sunflower field behind the main house! It’s suuuuper private, if you know what I mean. Steve and I went there to—” Her eyes land on Colt and her mouth gapes.

I giggle. She’s seriously shitfaced if she didn’t see the tall guy next to me until now. What a throwback to girls’ night in our twenties.

Andrea smirks, clumsily adjusting the flower crown on her head.

“If that isn’t the handsome Colt Walker!

Oh my God, he looks so ruggedly charming with that cut on his cheek…

And the fancy hat! And the boots! Look at him, Hails!

Look!” She grabs my chin and makes me look at him.

“Good for you!” she whispers too loudly. It’s more of a shout.

I turn as red as my boots and Colt flushes, too, but he keeps his composure like a true Southern gentleman. He takes off his hat and hair falls into his face as he dips his chin.

So cute .

“Congratulations on your marriage,” he says, giving Andrea and Steve a broad smile.

“Thank you so much!” she squeaks enthusiastically like she hasn’t heard the same words five hundred times today.

Colt puts his hat back on before he reaches into his jacket and pulls out an envelope.

“Tonight was kinda last-minute for me, so I hope y’all forgive me for not checkin’ the gift registry.

My momma would give me a whippin’ if she knew I turned up with something as impersonal as a gift card, but it’s better than nothing. ”

“Thank you! You really shouldn’t have,” Andrea says.

Steve takes the envelope. “Thanks, dude.”

“You’re welcome,” Colt responds warmly.

Andrea puts a hand on her hip, eyes ping-ponging between Colt and me.

“What are you two still standing around for? Go and enjoy yourselves! Hails gave her big speech during dinner and I hereby relieve her of all maid of honor duties. Have some fun together—bride’s orders!

” She waggles a finger in my face. “And dance with your handsome cowboy! You make such a cute couple!” She nudges Steve in the ribs. “Aren’t they cute?”

Steve hums. “Very cute!” he echoes, but I think he isn’t listening. He’s too busy admiring his new wife.

Colt and I exchange a glance and I give him an apologetic smile, but he shrugs. He doesn’t seem mad or uncomfortable at all.

“I think we’ll get a drink to loosen up before dancing,” I say diplomatically.

“Good, good!” Andrea sways, chugging the rest of her cocktail. “Now if you’ll excuse us, my husband owes me a few dances, too!” She giggles and drags Steve toward the barn.

“So… alcohol?” Colt asks, smirking.

Ugh, that dimple is killing me.

I nod. “Yes. Lots of it.”