Chapter 1

~ Cat ~

She stood just inside the door of the Birch Bar & Grill on New Year’s Eve and I thought for five or ten seconds—or maybe a whole fucking minute—that she was going to bolt.

But Briana Styles was made of much more resilient stuff than that. Though she did ease inconspicuously into the periphery, gauging the foreign environment in which she’d entered and likely scanning the crowd for a glimpse of me.

"Inconspicuous" was, of course, the least accurate word to use when it came to Bree. She couldn’t possibly go undetected. Ever. She was always so sensationally dressed and had all that long, silky blonde hair and statuesque height working to her advantage. Heads whipped in her direction, but she maintained her ground, despite being an outsider within this tight-knit community crowd.

I hadn’t been the one to issue tonight’s invitation for her to join us. Knox had. He’d insisted on celebrating the cusp of the New Year with his new fiancée—me (still getting used to that term!)—and that meant he had to be here in Birch; obviously, since I ran the bar and this was a huge night for us. He’d also told me it was important for him to be in his hometown for the occasion. To support me and to prove to his friends that he wasn’t abandoning our town for the city up the hill.

I loved him even more for taking that stance.

What had me on edge wasn’t anything related to Knox; it had everything to do with Bree.

I should have driven up to the Heights days ago to see her. To tell her I wasn’t purposely giving her the cold shoulder—regardless of the fact I truly had been giving her the cold shoulder (just not viciously), following Luke’s attack on me. Bree had sent cards and flowers and texts when she’d heard the news. I’d not responded, because I’d been so shaken over the ordeal, certainly. Also because of everything that had unfolded thereafter with Jonathan. And then Knox had proposed and well…you can understand that I was a bit swept away and preoccupied, right?

Question was, could Bree accept that rationality? And not be here at the bar tonight specifically to rip me a new one for being an asshole friend, because I hadn’t even sent a simple text to tell her I was fine.

I mean, naturally, Knox kept her in the loop.

But Bree and I were friends—and friends didn’t ghost each other.

Then again…I had the very real and eerie feeling that Bree feared she was the one wholly in the wrong, after that business dinner debacle up the hill. In fact, she looked apprehensive now as she clutched with both hands the neck of a very expensive bottle of private-reserve Cristal. I recognized the label from Knox’s own wet bar at his golf course house. He stocked that particular brand of bubbly, so Bree knew he preferred it and had brought it as a gift. And perhaps as a mea culpa.

Christ, she gripped it so tight, I was surprised she didn’t snap the neck right off.

A lump of emotion swelled in my throat. She thought she’d done something horrible to me—which thank God, had not ended in epic disaster for me and Knox. I’d been monumentally pissed and betrayed and a dozen other things, but I couldn’t blame it all on her.

She also might be feeling anxious because I’d suffered a harrowing fate over Christmas due to one of her own Heights neighbors, Luke Preston. But I’d been rescued by my Birch friends—and Knox. I knew Bree was relieved I’d survived that incident and also the one with her and Knox and the corporate dinner. I also knew Bree had never meant to deceive me, nor had Knox.

Granted, they’d traveled a path they shouldn’t have, but at the end of the day…it’d been for a good cause. For the Shipleys’ businesses.

For both reasons related to my recent misfortune, I could understand that Bree wasn’t sure whether my Birch friends would welcome a Heights girl into the fold tonight. Nor was she certain, I suspected, whether I’d forgive her for the personal transgressions against me.

Especially when she’d gone out of her way to convince me she wasn’t a Heights B. Yes, there were plenty of them to warrant the stereotype in the affluent community—and the wariness that came with associating with their supreme bitchiness. But I knew Bree didn’t subscribe to the class differences between those up the hill vs. those in the valley of Birch.

A gorgeous peninsula I would defend to the death—and which I still had no intention of ever leaving. I didn’t have to worry about that, though, now that Knox had come up with the ultimate in compromise: our own house on the ridge. We’d have spectacular views of the interior of Birch, filled with lush trees, as well as the perimeter that was lined with a variance of sandy and rocky shores and was surrounded by the lake, the waters of which were frozen around the edges this time of year. The mountain ranges rising in the distance were currently capped with white from the consistent snowfall.

It was all so breathtaking from down here. The scenery would be even more fabulous from the ridge, and I couldn’t wait to wake up to Birch at my feet every morning.

And Knox in our bed.

I rode a bit of a high over that notion, and a tingle of excitement shivered down my spine.

But I had something else to focus on at the moment. Bree.

I suddenly realized how thrilled I was that she was here to see our town and to see what I’d done to the Birch Bar & Grill.

We were friends—to hell with our temporary derailment.

And I couldn’t discount she was the one willing to put herself on the line to break the silence between us. That spoke volumes unto itself.

I watched as she dropped one hand to her side, so it didn’t appear as though she was holding onto the champagne for dear life. She took a few deep breaths and lifted her chin. She was Briana Styles, after all. It wasn’t like her to ever hang around the fringes or be unnerved by partygoers. She always stood out in a crowd—whether it was her crowd or not. And I could see she was determined to get her bearings tonight. On my turf.

I extracted myself from a group of people and took several steps toward her as she still lingered in the shadows.

Not at all where she belonged.

In fact, I simply said, “You cannot be serious,” over the din of animated conversations and the music.

She sucked in a sharp breath, which looked as though it pained her a bit, like perhaps her chest was as tight with emotion as mine was.

She gaped slightly and a tear sprang to her eye. Causing tears to prickle mine—telling me how critical it was for us both to clear up this misunderstanding between us. To forgive each other for going radio silent when we should have worked this all out days ago.

Again, difficult to do considering everything I’d been going through and yet… All I’d had to do was call Bree and she would have been here for me. I was certain of it.

“You are way too glammed to be hanging in the periphery,” I insisted as I approached her. “And, Bree… I am so glad you came tonight.”

“I’m not trying to crash the party,” she was quick to say. “I just wanted to wish you a Happy New Year and give you this.” She thrust the champagne toward me. “To congratulate you and Derek on your engagement. I’m so thrilled for you both, Cat. Really, I am. You’re so—”

I stepped into what had become Bree’s opened arms and hugged her tight.

So unexpected, I knew—causing her to gasp.

It was a genuine gesture on my part, though, and she immediately grasped that.

“Oh, God, Cat…” she said on a broken breath. “I’m so sorry. I had no intention of hurting you. Please believe me. I didn’t think about how you might misconstrue Derek and I having dinner that night and—”

“Bree,” I said as I released her and inched away. “It’s okay. Knox explained the whole thing—so did Jonathan. No one was trying to maneuver anything, I know that, Bree. I believe in that. You wanted to help Knox, who was trying to help his father with a client who wants to be sure he’s doing business with ‘serious businessmen’—not two billionaire bachelors.”

“Exactly!” Bree exclaimed.

“I totally get it,” I assured her.

“No one wanted Knox looking like a playboy in front of this family-oriented CEO and his wife and kids,” Bree reasoned, even though I’d clearly let her off the hook. “He needed a date but it was your big reopening night at the bar and you couldn’t be on his arm so—”

“So they appealed to you.”

“Only because it was so crucial, Cat,” she imploringly explained. “And because, of course, there’s nothing between me and Derek and never could be or would be or—oh, Jesus Christ!”

Tears crested the rims of her eyes.

I impulsively hugged her again, then gripped her upper arms. “Bree. Breathe.”

She inhaled deeply.

“While I will admit you are the most gorgeous woman in the Pacific Northwest—for sure covering even more territory than that,” I said with a self-deprecating laugh, “and I initially feared Knox might wake up one morning and suddenly realize how beautiful you are, I know there’s nothing between the two of you.”

I released her and flashed the huge diamond ring on my left hand.

Bree squealed with delight, as I knew she would.

Diamonds united all women, was my thinking.

“Good Lord!” She grabbed my hand with her free one and very quickly—expertly—deduced, “That’s at least six carats!”

“I know—so over-the-top. But that’s Knox.”

Bree admired the pear-shaped jewel a few moments more. Then I presented her with my right hand, and the platinum band of heart-shaped bezel diamonds I wore on that ring finger. “This is the one I wear when I’m actually working.”

“Equally stunning,” she said on a sigh.

I beamed. “How could a girl say no to two diamond rings?”

Bree laughed. Both our tension slipped away. “You would have said yes if he’d put a twist-tie around your finger, Cat.”

“So true,” I sing-songed, feeling a hint of warmth and giddiness ribbon through me.

“I’m ecstatic for you,” Bree said. “Really and truly.” She squeezed my hand.

More emotion crept in on me. “And I’m so glad you came tonight,” I told her. “I urged Knox to invite you, though he said you were likely ‘indisposed.’ ” My brow quirked. “What did he mean by that?”

The tension visibly returned to Bree. “I’d mentioned to Derek a couple of weeks ago that I intended to spend New Year’s Eve in Vienna with Konstantin. But his plans recently changed and therefore…so did mine.”

“Oh, crap, Bree…” I stared at her, trying to gauge in what direction this new development had gone.

Fearing the answer was *south*.

AUTHOR NOTE: Welcome to a new chapter in Cat and Knox's journey! There are sexy times ahead, but of course, these two need to ensure they're on the same page... ever after. My other Gigi Templeton books are CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK STAR AND A HARDBOY (an erotic love triangle with a sequel in the works), and the rest of the HARD KNOX 4-book series. You can also find me on Amazon. If you love spicy stories with heart and heat, check out the SPICED RIGHT series (SPICED RIGHT and FIRED UP are the first two that are currently available in KindleUnlimited). Hugs, Gigi (spicedrightblogspot.com | Twitter.com/ggtbooks | Facebook.com/ggtbooks)