Falling for the Wingman (The Kelly Brothers Book 3) Read online

  “Yeah, I know—girly beer. But at least it goes down easily.” As though to prove her point, she opened another bottle for herself and took another long drink. “So, tell me the real reason why you’re here.”

  The anger drained from his shoulders, and he slid back in his chair. It had been bad enough to come home and find the woman he’d come to love gone, but now he was reeling from the shock that she’d moved on so quickly. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me.” She gave him that relaxed smile that reminded him how easy she was to talk to.

  “What’s the use? She’s marrying that prick in a week.”

  Alex snorted with a laugh. “You’re dead-on about Ryan. And technically, it’s less than a week since the wedding is Saturday.”

  Caleb groaned and pressed his palms to his face, dragging the heels of his hand from his eyes to his temples. “This is not the homecoming I was expecting.”

  “What were you expecting?” she asked, her voice unusually serious.

  “Kourtney, waiting for me at the airfield with the other families, ready to welcome me back by wrapping her arms around me and giving me a kiss that would help me forget about all the shit I’d gone through during the last nine months.”

  Alex nodded, her gaze sympathetic. “I’m sorry she did this to you.”

  “Not as sorry as I am. I knew she didn’t like the idea of me being gone for so long, but I figured she’d at least wait for me to come home, especially since each letter she’d sent me seemed to imply that.”

  “Shit,” Alex whispered under her breath before gulping her beer. “Would it help if I told you you’d be better off without her?”

  He snorted. “I know you don’t get along well with your sister—”

  “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “But you don’t know her like I do.”

  Another snort, this time without the mirth. “That’s where you’re wrong. I know her far better than you ever will, and as much as I hate to say it, I’m not surprised she did what she did.”

  He stiffened like she’d just drenched him with cold water. “Why?”

  “Because Kourtney has always needed to be the center of attention. Your deployment left her alone with no one to worship her, so she came back here and found a new dumbass who was wowed enough by her cleavage to tolerate her behavior.”

  It would be all too easy to accept Alex’s explanation and walk away, but he couldn’t forget the woman who’d written those emails.

  Courage is doing what you know is right, even when you’re afraid. Hope is what gets us through the dark moments when we doubt ourselves. And love is what makes the impossible possible.

  He closed his eyes and let her words ease the doubt in his soul. That was the Kourtney he wanted to know. She was more than just a pretty face. She also had a beautiful heart that spoke to him in a way no other woman had.

  “I just want a chance to talk to her.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I know if I get her alone and let her know how much she means to me, she’d come back.”

  “She really has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?”

  “Maybe,” he said with a half smile and ran his hand over the good luck charm in his pocket. “Do you think you can help me win her back?”

  Alex choked on her beer. “Me?”

  “Yeah. After all, you said you know her better than anyone else.”

  “I think you need your head examined.”

  “Come on, Alex. Who would you rather have as a brother-in-law? Me or that prick?”

  She banged her empty bottle on the table. “Holy crap! You weren’t thinking of marrying her, were you?”

  “Should I show you the ring I bought her?”

  “No, no, no, no!” Alex massaged her fingertips into her forehead. “Why are guys so fucking stupid?”

  “And you were the one telling me to watch my language.” He took a sip of the raspberry-flavored beer, his mood lightening. He was wearing her down, and if he could get Alex on board, she’d help him find a way to get Kourtney back. “So, would you be willing to be my wingman?”

  “Give me one good reason why you’re so head-over-heels stupid for my Barbie-doll sister.” She reached for the last bottle in the bucket.

  “Are you going to be okay to drive?”

  “I live two blocks down the road. I walked over here.” She opened the bottle, catching the edge of the top against the table and smacking it firmly with her hand. She draped her arm across the back of her chair and crossed her boot-clad legs, doubt written all over face. “If you want my help, you need to convince me that you love Kourtney for more than just her double-Ds.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair, unsure how much he should reveal from those deeply personal letters. “Can’t you just take my word for it?”

  “Nope.” She grinned before raising the fresh bottle to her lips.

  “Fine, you win.” He took a drink to steel his courage before spilling his guts. “Afghanistan wasn’t a fun place to be, especially in the middle of a war.”

  “No shit. My friend J.T. still has nightmares about that place.”

  “Then you have some idea how it was over there. I saw things I never want to see again. But no matter how dark it got, your sister always had something to say to bring me back into the light. Whenever I felt like there was nothing good left in this world, I’d always find an email from her that reminded me that things weren’t as bleak as I imagined them to be. That’s why I fell in love with her.”

  Alex’s face blanched, making her freckles stand out more than before. She finished off her bottle like a college student trying to set a funneling speed record and squeezed her eyes shut afterward. Her face tightened in pain, drawing her shoulders up toward her ears. A full minute ticked by before she finally said, “Damn it. I wish you hadn’t said that.”

  “Now you know why I want her back.”

  When Alex opened her eyes, a mixture of grief and pity shimmered from their brown depths. “But what if she doesn’t want you anymore?”

  Caleb swallowed hard. It wasn’t something he was ready to consider. Not yet. “All I need is a chance to speak with her alone, to find out what changed while I was gone.”

  Alex stared at the floor and chewed her bottom lip, the empty bottle in her hands rocking from side to side. “I think I’m going to need another drink.”

  He eyed the collection of empty bottles on the table. “I think you’ve had enough, Alex.”

  She shook her head. “If you’ve had the day I’ve had, you’d need a six pack, too.”

  But she set the bottle on the table and smoothed her dress over her lap. “So, all you want is a chance to talk to Kourtney alone?”

  “Are you agreeing to help me?”

  She finally met his gaze, her eyes sharp and clever as though she hadn’t had a single drop of beer. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe?” he asked, arching a brow.

  “I’ll need a favor from you in exchange, as well as your complete cooperation with my plan.”

  He crossed his arms and leaned back. “What are your terms?”

  A mischievous smile curled her lips. “First off, if I’m going to be your wingman, you will never, ever, refer to me as ‘Goose.’”

  For the first time since he’d left home, a full-bodied laugh erupted from his chest. “Agreed. We’ll have to come up with a unique call sign for you.”

  “Second, how long can you stay in town? If my plan is going to work, we’ll need a few days.”

  This sounded promising. “I can stay until Sunday morning. Even though I’m on my post-deployment R&R, I have to report back to Eglin so I can meet the movers Monday morning.”

  “Plenty of time. Where are you staying?”

  Uh-oh—the first hiccup in his hastily thrown together plan just revealed itself. He’d been so certain he’d be able to coax Kourtney back that he hadn’t even thought about overnight accommodations. Hell, he hadn’t even
packed a suitcase.

  And Alex knew it, judging by the “I thought so” expression on her face. “Let me make a phone call.”

  She pulled out her cell and punched in a number. “Hello, Miss Martha, how are you this evening?” After a few uh-huhs and a “You’re so sweet,” she continued. “Do you have any rooms available at your B&B? My date for the wedding just got into town, and he needs a place to stay.”

  Her date for the wedding? A moment of panic kicked his heart into high gear, but Alex just kept on going as though nothing was wrong with this scenario.

  “Well, I would invite him to stay with me—once you get a look at him, you’ll understand why—but I don’t want to set tongues wagging.”

  Oh, she’d definitely have one wagging tongue—his. Not to mention her sister’s.

  “You only have a room available until Wednesday morning, huh?” She slid her gaze back to him, her drawl becoming more syrupy by the second as she twirled her hair around her finger. “That should be fine. Perhaps by then, I won’t care about my reputation.”

  He could almost hear the other woman on the line giggling with Alex.

  “That’s so sweet of you. I’ll send him over in a bit. Thank you again.” She ended the call and set her phone on the table. “I’ve got you a room at the Honey Bee Bed and Breakfast for the next three nights. Miss Martha’s a great cook, so you’re in for a treat.”

  “Back up a minute, Alex. What’s this about me being your date for the wedding?”

  “That’s where my plan comes into action. Mama and Kourtney have been harping on me for weeks because I don’t have a date for the wedding, so if you pose as my date, that gets them off my back for a few seconds.”

  “Just one problem—I’m here to convince your sister to marry me, not sit beside you as she marries that asshole.”

  She reached for his half-drunk bottle of Purple Haze and helped herself to a drink from it. “Just hear me out. As my date for the wedding, you’re automatically invited to all the pre-wedding bullshit, meaning you’ll have more access to my sister.”

  His jaw fell lax. He hadn’t considered that.

  “Furthermore, I know my sister, remember? I know for a fact she always wants what she can’t have. If she sees the two of us together, she’ll want you even more, especially if she thinks you’ve moved on to me of all people.”

  “Are you sure of that?”

  “Do I look like I’m trying to pull a fast one on you?”

  No, Alex had never been one to beat around the bush. She was frank and direct, more one of the guys than some girl who got off on playing head games with men. And as crazy as her plan sounded, it might actually work. “What’s the rest of your plan?”

  She dragged her chair to his side of the table and beckoned for him to lean in closer as she dropped her voice. “Starting tonight, we’ll show up in places where I know the town gossips will be and act like we can’t keep our hands off of each other. It’ll get back to Kourtney, and when we show up at Mama’s house on Wednesday afternoon to help with the reception favors, Kourtney will be so crazy with jealousy that you’ll have her in the palm of your hand.”

  It almost seemed too easy, except for one small problem. He’d have to pretend to be crazy about Alex when all he could think about was her sister. “And you’re okay with me using you like this?”

  He didn’t miss the flicker of pain in her eyes or the way her smile tightened. “It’s not like guys haven’t done it before. I’m used to them pretending to like me only to get closer to Kourtney.”

  That was the only hitch in her otherwise perfect plan. Alex was a nice girl, one he’d consider introducing to his brothers. She was fun, no-nonsense, always grinning. Hell, if he hadn’t met Kourtney first, he might have considered dating her. “Listen, Alex, I don’t want to hurt you—”

  “Who said anything about me getting hurt? This is my idea, after all. And I know going into it that you have your heart set on my sister, so there’s no deception or anything on your part. Just do me one favor, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Just don’t call me by her name.”

  He forced a chuckle to bust up the awkwardness of her request. “I doubt we’ll find ourselves in a situation where I’d mistake you for her.”

  “Maybe not, but I’m finally feeling those beers kicking in so I won’t be responsible for my behavior in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Then perhaps we should get your plan in motion before you pass out and I have to carry you home.”

  She giggled. “That definitely would set the town talking.”

  The door to the crimson and white side of the bar opened, and a couple strolled in. He recognized the woman as one of Kourtney’s friends, but he couldn’t remember her name. And judging by the narrow-eyed look of suspicion that she gave him and Alex, she probably recognized him, too.

  Alex grabbed his T-shirt and pulled his attention back to her. “Kiss me,” she whispered.

  “What?”

  She answered him by pressing her lips to his. He stiffened from the initial shock of it, his mind still reeling that another woman was kissing him. Then the next shock hit him—he was enjoying it. Alex ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth, begging for entry to his mouth, and like a stunned fool, he gave it to her.

  Kourtney’s kiss had been sharp and electric, a bolt of lightning that surged through him and in a matter of seconds left him harder than a horny teenager. Alex’s kiss was more like a fire on a cold day or a cup of morning coffee. It spread through his veins with the same easygoing nature she embodied. He followed her lead, his tongue twirling around hers until he almost forgot why he was in this small town in the first place. His mind screamed at him to stop, but his body refused to listen. He longed for the warmth and comfort her kiss offered, for the sense of coming home he’d desired when he stepped off the plane. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer until she was practically sitting in his lap, eager to enjoy everything she so willingly offered.

  And that was when she pulled away. Her bottom lip trembled, and her breaths came fast and deep. “Not bad, flyboy.”

  Oh, shit, what have I done?

  Alex clamped her hands around his cheeks and held his gaze on her. “Don’t think about it, Caleb. Remember our plan.”

  Easy for her to say. She isn’t the one getting caught in a compromising position.

  “Just look at me and listen,” she continued in a low, calm voice. “The woman who just walked in—what is she doing?”

  He glanced over her shoulder at the couple. “She’s pulling out her phone and texting.”

  “Good. Now, we’re going to leave here hand in hand and go to your car. Understand?”

  He nodded, offering a silent prayer he hadn’t royally fucked things up by agreeing to Alex’s plan.

  “Arm around my waist,” she murmured. “Remember, we want everyone to think you’re all into me.”

  He continued the ruse until they were safely shielded by his car. Then, he released her and leaned on the hood of his Camaro, staring at his reflection and wondering when everything went to hell. “That wasn’t what I was expecting.”

  Alex leaned against the car next to him and crossed her arms, not displaying an ounce of his worry. “Really? I thought it went quite well.”

  “What are you talking about? I was groping you in front of one of Kourtney’s friends.”

  “Just as I’d expected you to do. Lynette’s probably telling my sister all about the very believable performance you just gave.” She tilted his chin up. “Relax, Caleb. Everything is going according to plan.”

  He wished he could share her confidence. Instead, all he felt was disgust at his behavior. It was one thing to fake a kiss. It was an entirely different matter to lose himself in it, especially when his heart belonged to another woman. “I feel like I’m cheating on her.”

  “Bullshit. Besides, it’s not like she wasn’t cheating on you while you were gone.”

&n
bsp; “Way to twist the knife in my gut. While you’re at it, care to slide a few hundred splinters into my skin and set them on fire?”

  “Ooh, I never suspected you were the kinky type.” She took his hands and turned him around so he was sitting on the edge of the hood. “Listen, Caleb, don’t beat yourself up. Remember, I’m in on this, too, and I know the only reason why you even pretended to enjoy kissing me was because of our agreement to help you get my sister back.”

  That was the problem—he hadn’t been pretending.

  “I know I’m Kourtney’s hideous little sister—”

  “You’re not hideous.”

  “I’m not her.”

  “No,” he agreed. Kourtney screamed sex, from her pale blond hair to the generous cleavage and hourglass curves that made him the envy of every man in his unit. Alex was tall and slender, her boyish figure complimenting her tomboyish disposition. “But you’re cute.”

  She groaned. “Now it’s my turn to have a knife twist in my gut. Calling a girl cute is the equivalent of telling her she has a nice personality.”

  “You do have a nice personality.”

  “Stop it!” she teased, her laughter infecting him and driving away his guilt. “And I suppose you’d love to introduce me to one of your friends, but they’re already all in relationships, right?”

  “Actually, I was thinking one of my brothers…”

  “Enough!” She released his hands and wrapped her arms around his neck. “A girl can only take so much.”

  Before he realized what he was doing, his hands were back around her waist, and they were leaning against his car like a happy couple. It surprised him how easily it happened, as though they’d been out on a real date rather than setting a plan in motion to deceive everyone around them.

  “So you’re not mad at me for jumping the gun and kissing you in front of Lynette?”

  “No, I’m not.” He stared at her, wondering why he hadn’t noticed how well her thick lashes framed her warm brown eyes before. “And I was wrong about the cute thing—you’re actually kind of pretty.”

  “Keep it up, flyboy, and you may be battling your baby brother for the best acting performance of the year.” A wave of color rose into her cheeks, and her attention shifted to the Camaro. “You know, I’m seriously in love with your car.”