525 Cherry Blossom Ln. (Cherry Falls Romance)

Great. Just great.

8

Linc

I recline back in my chair, watching the waves crash against the sandy shore, feeling like shit. A beer bottle is between my legs, the cold feeling good against my aching balls. One thing about it, Jodie Jones has a hell of a kick on her.

In more ways than one.

“You look like you’re contemplating the universe,” Zeke says, coming up behind me. Zeke Williams hasn’t been in Cherry Falls for a long time. He’s a drifter, I suppose. He surfs and works as a handyman for cash. He’s always moving on to find the next big wave. Besides Jake, he’s probably my only close friend.

“Close. I’m contemplating a woman.”

“Damn, I thought I taught you better than that,” he laughs, settling into a seat beside me. This view of the ocean, the sand beneath my toes, and the salt air is the reason I rent my shit apartment. I take a swig of my drink and shake my head.

“You can’t teach me shit,” I mutter.

“I taught you women are like the waves. You ride it as long as you can, but there’s always a bigger and better one headed your way.”

“Yeah well, this last wave has sent me over the falls, dude,” I tell him without taking my eyes off the shore.

Over the falls is basically a surfer term that says the wave has fucked you up bad and if you survive, you’re definitely going to need medical care. Right now, that feels like it describes Jodie Jones to a fucking T.

“No chick is worth a wipeout,” Zeke says, and I fumble around in the small cooler beside me and grab a cold beer, tossing it to him—all without sparing him a glance.

“I fucked up bad, Zeke.”

“I heard. Dude, you avoid virgins at all costs. You know this.”

“I didn’t know she was a virgin at the time. I didn’t actually find that part out until weeks later when the whole town found out.”

Zeke lets out a whistle and a whispered, “Damn.”

“That’s not the worst part,” I confess.

“What’s the worst part?”

“It wouldn’t have stopped me if I’d known.”

“You like her? Because from the talk in town…”

“I’ve fucked up. Yeah, I know. I thought I could just write her off, but I keep thinking about her. This shit is not passing.”

“I’ve never had a virgin, maybe that’s it. You were the first to get in there, so you have this sense of ownership now,” he reasons.

“You’re an asshole. She hates me. I’m pretty sure if I tell Jodie I own her pussy now she’d hand me my balls on a silver platter.”

Zeke laughs and I take another swig of my beer to keep from grinding my fist into his face.

“Well hell, Linc, if you liked her, why didn’t you make a little effort before kicking her out of your bed the next day?”

“What makes you think I kicked her out of my bed?” I grumble.

“Because that’s your M.O., dude. You bag them and move on,” he says. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him shrug.

“Not lately,” I mutter.

“What’s that mean?”

“I haven’t been with a woman since Jodie,” I admit with a disgusted sigh.

“Whoa. For real? What about Bella Carver? She’s always down for a good time and that chick has a banging body.”

“I haven’t wanted another woman since Jodie—especially not Bella.”

“Why especially not Bella?”

“Because I made the mistake of letting Bella go to my apartment to get some shit she left there.”

“So?”

“Apparently, Jodie was still in my bed when she got there.”

“Oh, damn. You’re one stupid motherfucker, Linc.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to see that,” I admit, releasing a sad breath.

“So, what are you going to do?” Zeke asks after a bit.

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

“And?”

“I don’t think there’s anything I can do. She hates me, and honestly, I’ve acted like an asshole every time I’m around her, so I can’t blame her. I think the only thing I can do is to sit here and watch the waves crash on the shore and get drunk.”

“Getting drunk on beer is going to take a while—especially as slow as you’re nursing the one you have.”

“That’s okay,” I mumble. “I’ve got nothing but time.”

Zeke falls silent after that, but there’s not much else to say.

9

Jodie

I’m pretty sure I’ve had nightmares that ended up like this. Still, the last thing I expected when I walked into the doors of the station this morning was to see Bella Carver.

Bella Carver, the new dispatch trainee.

I really would like to know how I pissed fate off. I mean, seriously, what did I ever do to deserve this?

“You’re the one training me?” Bella chatters excitedly. “That’s awesome!”

“Yeah, awesome,” I respond, not even bothering to hide my disgust. It doesn’t matter. Bella doesn’t pick up on it, which just makes me sigh.

I do the only thing I can, which is train Bella. I’m hoping I can get it over with quickly and then escape. I don’t want to be here—even though the guys are being extra nice to me. The fact that Bella is my trainee just feels like a giant neon sign flashing for me to run away.