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  Wilde Times

  An Old Town Country Romance

  Savannah Young

  Wilde Times

  Copyright © 2014 by Savannah Young

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

  This is a work of FICTION.

  Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author's offbeat imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to actual persons living, dead or previously dated by the author, is entirely coincidental.

  “Count on Me” Copyright © 2014 by Dan Patrick Fulton. Lyrics included by permission of the songwriter.

  A SHORT ON TIME BOOK:

  Fast-paced and fun novels for readers on the go!

  For more information, visit the website: www.shortontimebooks.com

  Brave the Light

  NOW YOU CAN PURCHASE THE DAN PATRICK FULTON SONGS FEATURED IN THE OLD TOWN COUNTRY ROMANCE SERIES:

  http://danpatrickfulton.bandcamp.com/album/brave-the-light

  One

  Harley

  There’s a collective gasp in the fitting room when Riley emerges in her wedding dress. It’s a strapless Chantilly lace Vera Wang gown that fits her perfect body like a glove. Her fiancé is going to go absolutely crazy when he sees it.

  “You look beautiful,” Gracie sighs.

  “Stunning,” Patti agrees.

  I shrug. “It’ll do.”

  Riley smiles. “Coming from you, Harley. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  And she should. She really does light up the room. I can tell she’s happy. And who wouldn’t be, marrying Cooper Wilde, the most eligible bachelor to ever come out of Old Town?

  “Do you really think Cooper will like it?” Riley scans the three of our faces. We’re an unlikely trio of bridesmaids. Gracie is dating Cooper’s brother, Tucker. Patti is Riley’s best friend from New York and I’m—well—I’m not sure what I am. I’m in love with Cooper’s oldest brother, Jake, but Jake doesn’t do relationships. He likes to keep his options open, usually spreading the legs of several different girls every week.

  “I think you have a winner,” Patti assures her.

  Riley glances at herself in the mirror. “I hope you’re right.”

  Gracie places a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Cooper loves you. I’m sure he’ll love anything you wear because you’re the one wearing it.”

  I put my hand to my throat. “Please don’t make me gag. We just ate lunch. If our dresses are ready, we should try them on and all stand next to you. Just to see how everything fits together.”

  “Great idea,” Patti agrees. “I also want to see the exact color of the bridesmaids dresses again. I saw the cutest handbag in Neiman Marcus the other day, but I wasn’t sure it was exactly the right shade.”

  Riley picked out the bridesmaid dresses several weeks ago and the shop is having them fitted for us.

  “I’ll ask Rosie if they’re ready,” Riley says.

  “I can go,” Gracie offers. “I don’t want you to have to run all over the store in your gown.”

  Gracie hurries out of the dressing room and returns a few moments later with Rosie, the store manager.

  “I just finished working on the bridesmaids’ dresses. If you give me a minute, I’ll have you try them on. I have no doubt you’ll all look amazing.”

  Riley did a pretty good job picking out our gowns. They’re a little more sophisticated and sexy than the average frou-frou thing you see most bridesmaids wear. Not that I have much experience in that area. Not only do I not have any siblings, I’m currently standing with the only female friends I’ve ever had.

  Rosie returns carrying the three dresses and hands one to each of us.

  We don’t waste any time undressing and getting into our fancy garb. Of course, Patti looks fantastic. She has the body of a runway model, rail thin and legs a mile long. She would look amazing in a garbage bag.

  I fill out my dress just right and imagine what I will look like when I put on some killer pumps with it. I want to look hot enough to hold Jake’s attention for most of the evening.

  When I look over at Gracie, I notice she’s having trouble zipping up her dress. She’s a tiny girl, but I have noticed she’s started to put on a little bit of weight.

  “I know Tucker likes to feed you,” I state. “But what’s going on?”

  Gracie looks at us like a deer caught in headlights.

  Patti’s eyes narrow and I have a feeling she may be thinking the same thing I’m thinking.

  Gracie gulps. “I didn’t want to take anything away from Riley and Cooper’s big day.” Now she’s blinking back tears. “You deserve to be in the spotlight, Riley.”

  “What’s going on?” Riley looks confused.

  As much as I want to interject one of my smartass remarks for some reason I stay quiet. I guess I’d rather have the words come out of Gracie’s mouth.

  Gracie’s now biting her bottom lip. The poor girl is a ball of nerves most of the time. Tucker seems to be the only person on the planet who can calm her down.

  “I’m pregnant,” she admits finally. “Tucker and I are having a baby.”

  Riley’s eyes go wide. “Oh, my God! You’re pregnant!”

  Gracie nods. “It obviously wasn’t something we were planning, but we weren’t careful either. We both really want kids so we’re happy. We didn’t want to announce it until after the wedding. I guess I wasn’t expecting not to fit into my dress this soon.”

  “How far along are you?” Riley asks.

  “Almost four months.”

  Riley’s eyes go wide again and we all reflexively look down at Gracie’s abdomen. She’s gained a bit of weight, but she definitely hasn’t popped yet. But she may in a few more weeks when the wedding takes place. She has such a small frame she can’t hide much.

  “Are you and Tucker going to get married?” Riley asks.

  Gracie nods. “We will. After your wedding. We’re just going to go downtown to the courthouse. Something like that.”

  Riley’s already shaking her head before Gracie stops talking. “You can’t just go to the courthouse. Not when Cooper and I are having a huge wedding. It’s not fair.”

  Gracie looks like she’s blinking back tears again. She’s such a sensitive person. It doesn’t take much to upset her. I should know. I’m a master at upsetting people and she’s one of the easiest people to upset.

  “I don’t have any family. Just my brother, Shane. And you’re my only friends. It doesn’t make sense to have a big wedding. There’s no one to invite.”

  Now Riley looks like she’s going to start crying.

  I suddenly feel like there’s way too much estrogen in this small room. I’m going to need to escape soon.

  “You and Tucker should get married with us. We can have a double wedding.”

  Gracie shakes her head. “No, this is your special day. I don’t want to ruin it.”

  “You wouldn’t be ruining it. You’d be making it even more special.”

  “What will Cooper say?”

  Riley laughs. “Don’t the Wilde brothers do whatever makes their women happy?”

  I know she didn’t mean it, but I feel like Riley’s just slapped me in the face. “Not all of the Wilde brothers,” I practically spit.

  I can see Riley’s face grow red. “Well Cooper and Tucker would do anything to make their women happy.”

  “And Hunter, too,” Patti adds. “He did just move across the country to be with America’s Sweetheart, Katie Lawrence.”

  The youngest Wilde brother is a cop, but he gave up his dream job in New Jersey to move to LA to be with the two time Academy Award winner, Katie Lawrence.

  “Just
say it,” I practically scream. “The Wilde brothers are national treasures and you’re all lucky bitches because you’ve got knights in shining armor. Except for that one brother, Jake. He’s a real dog. God help any girl who falls for that player, because he won’t do anything for her. He won’t make any promises. He won’t even keep his dick in his pants.”

  I can’t get out of the dressing room fast enough. I’m running, but I’m not even sure where I’m running to. I just want to get away from everyone. I want to get as far away from my life as possible, but I could never run far enough.

  For as long as I can remember my dream was to be with Jake Wilde. With his boyish good looks and his killer smile he could charm his way into any girl’s heart. And he charmed his way into mine at an early age. Of course he didn’t think twice about me when we were growing up. And why should he? He was the most popular guy in high school, the star quarterback, and I was the little girl who lived next door.

  I couldn’t wait to grow up and be the kind of girl that Jake Wilde would finally give a second look.

  Too bad now that I am that girl, I’m not the only one he gives second looks to, or tumbles in the back room on a daily basis.

  I only have about two minutes of peace before Riley, Gracie and Patti find me sitting in my Mustang. But at least I’m not crying. I can still maintain my hard-as-nails image for a little while longer, even if I’m falling apart inside.

  “Are you okay?” Riley sounds overly concerned, which is typical. She cares a lot more about other people than I tend to.

  I nod.

  “You don’t look okay.” I’m surprised Gracie is so forthright, but the two of us have become close working together on a daily basis. We’re an unlikely pair. Other than both being blondes, and being in love with Wilde boys, we have little else in common.

  Gracie had a really hard life. She was a victim of abuse and violence at a very young age. I’m an only child from a well-off family who was spoiled beyond belief by both of my parents.

  Gracie is kind and gentle and sweet as pie. She’s as close to an angel as you can have on Earth.

  And I’m none of those things.

  Maybe another reason it’s so difficult for me to come to terms with not getting Jake is because I’m so used to getting everything I want when I want it. I’m not the kind of person who takes no for an answer very easily.

  “I’ll be fine,” I assure them.

  When Patti looks at me she has fire in her eyes. “You can do a lot better than that dick, Jake Wilde.” She looks at Riley and then at Gracie. “No offense to the other Wilde brothers, who are both great guys by the way.” Then she looks back at me. “You’re young and hot as hell. I see the way guys look at you. They salivate like puppy dogs. You could have your pick of the litter. Don’t settle for a dog with fleas.”

  I heave a sigh. If she only knew how many times I tried to tell myself the same thing. How many times I wished I could look at another guy—any guy—and have even a fraction of the feelings I have when I look at Jake.

  “I’ll take that under advisement,” I tell Patti as I start my car. “I should probably get back to work. I’m sure the guys are going a little nuts without us.”

  “You’re too good for him,” Patti yells as I pull out of the driveway.

  ***

  “That’s some ring,” I state loudly enough to get the woman’s attention.

  She flashes the huge solitaire diamond in my face. “Thanks.”

  Why is everyone around me suddenly getting married? It’s really starting to piss me off.

  The woman looks a few years older than me, maybe in her mid-twenties. She’s sitting at the bar with two other young women who look like they could be her sisters. She looks vaguely familiar. We probably attended Old Town High together. I didn’t exactly pay attention to the girls who were older than me. Not that I paid much attention to the girls who were in my own grade either. We were more of a mutual hate society.

  Right now it’s slow at Haymakers, the bar that the Wilde brothers own. It’s been in their family for generations, and to this day it’s the only bar in Old Town.

  I’m now the only person who works here who isn’t a blood relation, or soon to be related by marriage.

  “Celebrating?” I ask.

  She shoves the ring in my face. “I just got engaged.” She is all smiles.

  “Congratulations. What can I get you?”

  “Is Jake around?” She scans the nearly empty bar. It’s not even four in the afternoon yet. The place won’t pick-up for at least another hour.

  “He’s in the back room.” I have no idea what she wants with Jake. She doesn’t look like the type who he usually hooks up with. She’s much too prim and proper. She looks more like someone Cooper would go for.

  But he’s engaged too. The best ones are always taken

  The woman’s eyes narrow and she says, “I really wanted to share my good news with him.”

  It looks to me like she wants to shove the ring in his face and I have an idea why. Jake has a reputation for humping and dumping and she was probably one of his casualties. What she doesn’t realize is that even if being with him meant the world to her, chances are it most likely meant nothing to him. He probably won’t even remember sticking his dick in her. And I can guarantee he won’t remember her name.

  “He’ll probably be out a little later,” I say. “If you want to stick around.”

  The woman gives me a huge grin. “Oh, I’m going to stick around. Thanks.”

  “Can I get you something to drink while you’re waiting?”

  “We’ll have three beers,” the woman says. “Whatever you have on draft.”

  “Budweiser okay?”

  The three women all nod. They don’t look like heavy drinkers. I’m willing to bet they’re two-drink-max kind of girls. There are three types of females who normally come into Haymakers. The regulars: most of them are older folks, my parents’ age or older, who’ve been coming to the bar for years. They usually have a few beers while they eat lunch or dinner. Then there are the packs: groups of girls who come in the celebrate weddings or sometimes even divorces. They’re usually two-drink-maxers, especially if they’re with a group of girls from work. Then there are the girls who come in to get drunk and laid. They’re usually in pairs, or sometimes trios. They usually drink until they get loaded enough for any guy in the bar to look good enough to screw.

  After they finish their beers the women are a lot chattier than when they entered the place.

  “Another round?” I ask.

  The woman frowns. “I was hoping Jake would be around by now.”

  Me too, I think, because I can’t wait to see what this woman has to say to him. I’m pretty sure that whatever it is, it’ll be a show.

  The woman leans down close to me and whispers, “He took my virginity.”

  I can’t help but smile. “Join the club.”

  She points a swaying finger at me. “You too?”

  I nod.

  She gives me a puzzled look. “Were you twelve?”

  “Nineteen,” I admit, but I’m not sure why. I’ve never actually told anyone I was a virgin until I was an adult and that I lost my virginity to a man-whore who didn’t even know it was my first time. But I feel insulted by her insinuations that I look like a slut.

  “You were nineteen?” She sounds like she doesn’t believe me.

  I place my hands on my hips and stare at her. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

  She opens her mouth, but no words come out. Then she stammers a few times with some, “Well, ums.”

  “You’re kind of dressed a little provocatively,” her friend says.

  I lean in so the three women will hear me. “Did you see a brand new Mustang convertible in the parking lot when you came in?”

  “The cherry red one?” the friend asks.

  I nod.

  “We saw it,” the woman says.

  “I work in a bar. I was able to buy that car becau
se I dress like this. Big tits and a tight ass earn large tips.”

  The women are all staring at me with eyes as wide as pie plates.

  “Did someone say big tits and a tight ass?” a man’s voice booms.

  All of us turn at the same time to see Jake Wilde approach. He’s almost thirty, but he’s still got the good looks and charm of the guy who everyone adored in high school. He was the star football player and the most popular guy on campus. All the guys wanted to be him and all the girls wanted to date him, including me. People at Old Town High still talk about Jake Wilde even more than ten years after he graduated. Of course I was just a kid when Jake was in high school. He treated me more like the pesky little girl next door until I finally graduated and started working at Haymakers.

  After their parents died and left them the family bar, the Wilde boys voted to have Jake manage the place. He’s good at getting people into Haymakers and making sure they have a good time. Unfortunately he’s not quite as good at the day-to-day operations, like bookkeeping and accounting. Fortunately, Cooper is a Wall Street financial wiz and has gotten Jake out of jams on more than a few occasions.

  I’d help him, if he asked, but he never has. I was a straight A student in high school and even got full scholarships to several Ivy League universities. Math was my best subject. And I’m a wiz with computers. I could easily handle the books. But the only thing Jake sees me as is a waitress and his personal plaything that he can use when he wants to scratch a certain itch. I know I shouldn’t let him use me, but he’s the only man I’ve ever loved. I’ve been in love with him since I was a kid, and I can’t imagine ever being with anyone else. So having a piece of Jake, when he feels like screwing me, is better than having no Jake at all.

  He smiles at the three women seated at the bar. The one wearing the rock on her hand just sneers in response.

  Not a response Jake is used to getting. He’s sexy as hell and he knows it. Girls usually throw themselves at him.

  This girl, however, girl pushes the diamond ring in Jake’s face. “I’m engaged.”

  He gives her his celebrated winning smile. “Congratulations.”