Rumors: Megan & Vinnie Read online

  Rumors

  Megan & Vinnie

  Rachael Brownell

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Afterword

  Imperfect Love Story

  About the Author

  Also by Rachael Brownell

  Chapter One

  He’s staring at me. He has been most of the night. Not that I haven’t been checking him out as well.

  It started as soon as he took his place next to my ex-husband. He was scanning the crowd as he waited for the ceremony to start. When his eyes found mine, I forced myself to look away. I could feel the intensity of his stare, my cheeks heating. Not from embarrassment but from lust.

  Ally asked who he was, standing up there next to the Dixon brothers, looking suave as hell in his tux. My guess, he’s friends with Tyler. It’s his wedding, after all. Not to mention, I’ve never seen him before in my life, and I know all of Ryder’s friends.

  Any friend of the Dixon brothers is treated as family. This also makes him off limits for me.

  Once you’re out of the inner circle, cast aside, banished from the family… there’s no getting back in. No matter how hard you attempt to prove yourself to them, once a liar, always a liar in their eyes.

  I can’t really blame them. I screwed Ryder over hard. It wasn’t my intention. I was only trying to get his attention, to light the fire between us that had died out over the years.

  My plan backfired. I was the one who got burned.

  Everyone thinks I’m a horrible person because of it. I can see why. Sleeping with your husband’s best friend is a shitty thing to do. The thing is, that’s not really who I am.

  Sure, I let people think I’m a bitch. I pretend to be cold-hearted and standoffish. It’s the perfect cover for how much I’m hurting. There’s only one person who’s ever seen me vulnerable, and you see how well that worked for me.

  He tossed me aside for his secretary.

  That’s a lie. I pushed him straight into her arms, and I know it.

  The sad fact is… I like her. I’ll never admit it to anyone, not even Ally. Emerson is kind and sweet and brings out the best in Ryder. She reminds me of myself when we first got together, before I started to resent him for everything he did.

  Moving us here.

  Working all the time.

  Even spending time with Amara without me pissed me off.

  It shouldn’t have. He’s a great father. If there was ever a time she needed anything, he would drop what he was doing and take care of it. For her. Because he loves her that much.

  And she’s a mini-Ryder. She’s my constant reminder of what I lost. I see so much of him in her that there are days it drives me crazy and other days where it makes me sad.

  Those are the days that I realize she’s part me as well. She can sense when I’m sad. Sense when somethings wrong. She’ll hug me extra tight for no reason. Tell me she loves me and asks to sleep with me at night. She’s my rock, when the situation should be reversed.

  So here I sit, watching Tyler and Angela preparing to exchange vows to love one another until they die, staring into the eyes of someone I shouldn’t. He’s off limits. It can’t happen. I won’t let it.

  If that means spending the rest of the night avoiding him, I’ll find a way.

  Dinner, a few drinks, and I’m out the door.

  As long as Ally doesn’t leave my side, things will be fine. As much as I love that girl, she tends to scare people away. Maybe it’s the tenacity in her stare or just the fact that she stares to begin with, but tonight I’m counting on her to keep me safe from myself. From mistakes that could be made otherwise.

  Ally pulls me to my feet, and I clap along with the rest of the guests.

  Angela is officially a member of the Dixon family. A family I was once a part of. The family that now hates me but is stuck with me until Amara is at least eighteen years old.

  I need a drink.

  As soon as Angela and Tyler are out the door, Ally disappears. Scanning the room, I find her at the bar, talking to Justine. As much as I like her, I’m in a sour mood and ready to go. I have a date with a hot bubble bath and a bottle of wine.

  Downing the last of my gin and tonic, I snatch my purse from the table and head to the bar. There’s only one problem. Ally’s not there anymore. In fact, she’s nowhere in sight.

  Who do I see, though?

  Him. Of course.

  I’m going to kill Ally. She promised not to leave me alone. Not because of him but because of everyone else here. And him. Who am I kidding? I can handle Ryder’s family. I’ve known them for years. They’re polite to a fault. Especially in a public setting.

  But him…

  He’s intriguing and off limits and sexy and headed this way.

  Shit.

  Turning my back to him, I slide up to the bar and order another drink. Maybe I’m imagining things. He could have been looking at Ally earlier. The DJ is to my right. He could be heading over to request a song. There’s no reason to assume he’s coming to talk to me—

  “Hey,” he says, leaning against the bar top. He’s removed his tie and coat, unbuttoned his top button, and rolled the sleeves of his shirt.

  He appears relaxed. There’s a smile on his face that exudes confidence. The same smile I’ve seen on his face most of the night.

  He must not know who I am.

  If he did, he’d never talk to me. I’m the devil’s spawn. Just ask Ryder’s family. They’d warn him about me, tell him to stay away, and because he probably loves and respects the family, he’d listen.

  Looks like I’ll have to clue him in.

  Which means I should probably say something and not just stand here, staring into his bright-blue eyes. Or resisting the urge to rub my hand over his bald head and find out if it’s as smooth as it looks. Then there’s his beard. I’d love to rub my hands over it and find out if it’s as soft as it looks.

  “Vinnie,” he says, taking my hand without my permission as I reach for my drink. “You’re Megan, right?”

  Shit. He already knows who I am.

  Is this a game?

  Is he coming over here to ask me to leave? Is he the Dixon brother’s pit bull? I can’t really see that aside from the fact his tall, muscular stature could be used to intimidate people. If he wasn’t smiling, that is.

  Slowly removing my hand from his, I pick up my drink and take a long sip, the alcohol burning my throat on its way down. I shouldn’t have asked for a double.

  “So,” he begins while I try not to choke on my drink. “I was hoping you might want to dance with me.”

  And that does it. Laughter tries to erupt from me, gets caught in my throat and I begin coughing.

  Not the best first impression.

  Instead of running away from the crazy girl who refuses to talk to him, Vinnie pats me gently on the back and steps in front of me, shielding me from the party guests.

  Once I’m able to clear my throat, I mumble a thank you to him and turn to leave. There’s no use in talking to him. I’m weak and vulnerable right now. He’s being nice to me, something I thoug
ht was a lost art when it comes to men. Unless they want something, and he can’t possibly want anything from me. Shit, one compliment and I’d probably jump him right here.

  That can’t happen. I won’t allow it.

  “You could have said no. You didn’t have to fake dying to avoid dancing with me.”

  The serious tone of his voice catches me off guard, but when I turn, I find him grinning at me. It’s not a standard ‘look at how sexy I am’ kind of grin either. It’s a megawatt smile. He got the reaction he wanted from me. He knew I would defend myself. I get the feeling he knows a lot more about me than I know about him.

  “No,” I reply, straightening my back and squaring my shoulders. I may not feel confident, but I can put on a front better than anyone.

  “Are you sure about that?” he asks, stepping toward me, leaving only inches between us.

  Holding my posture as strong and tall as I can, I nod once.

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea. Too many prying eyes.”

  “Well then, what if I asked you to go for a walk? We could talk, get to know each other better.”

  “I have a feeling you already know enough about me.”

  “Not as much as I’d like to.”

  Shaking my head, he smirks at me and touches his finger to his lips, tapping a few times, pretending to think. Those lips. Full and lush. Kissable.

  Whoa!

  Back up, sister.

  Keep those thoughts locked away for a little while longer. At least until he’s not standing close enough to reach out and touch. This is dangerous territory, and I’m pretty sure he knows it.

  “Thank you, but I really need to go find my ride. I was just leaving,” I stutter as I take a step back. I need space. Room to breathe. A moment to clear my head.

  “I can give you a ride,” he offers.

  Ha! I bet you could.

  Damn dirty thoughts.

  “Thanks, but I’m good.”

  Nodding, Vinnie goes silent. His eyes, however, tell me a story. One I want to hear more than anything. I can only imagine how interesting it would be. But if there’s one lesson I should have learned in the last year, it’s to avoid the people in life who consume my attention when they shouldn’t. Jared being the number one person. Even if he hadn’t been Ryder’s best friend and I hadn’t been married at the time, we never would have worked out.

  We were two different people filling a need for the other person. He was helping me get Ryder’s attention, and I was his distraction from the broken heart his fiancée left him with.

  Bad situation.

  Bad idea.

  It appears I’ll be adding Vinnie to the list of people I should avoid. Any friend of the Dixon brothers is off limits to me. I’ve traveled this road before. It’s filled with bumps, potholes the size of small vehicles, and at the end, there’s only more turmoil. It’s best to be avoided at all costs.

  Mumbling my way through a half-assed goodbye, I flee the scene like a criminal running from the cops and dart into the bathroom for cover. Resting my hands against the countertop, I stare at myself in the mirror and replay our lack of a conversation over again in my mind.

  I wasn’t rude, but I wasn’t kind. I didn’t even give him a chance to say much. He asked me to dance, and I shot him down by almost laughing in his face.

  I’m a mess.

  Sure, my makeup is still perfectly in place. I could use a touch-up on my lipstick, but otherwise, it’s as flawless as when I put it on hours ago. My hair is as sleek as it was when Ally came to pick me up—

  Ally.

  Where the hell is she?

  Digging through my purse, I can’t find my phone. Where did I have it last?

  At the table.

  Shit.

  I have to go back out there. Hopefully he’s gone by now, moved on to another single woman in the room. Not that I like that idea, but I have no reason not to either.

  Sure, he’s a pretty face and I could stare into his blue eyes all night, but that doesn’t make it a good idea. Nothing would make it a good idea. One conversation could lead to more, and more is out of the question at the moment. Even if he wasn’t Tyler’s friend, I’m not in the market for someone right now. It’s complicated, and I’m doing everything I can to avoid complicated.

  Reapplying my lipstick, I take a deep breath, give myself a much-needed pep talk, and head in search of my phone and Ally. Whichever I find first is fine with me. I need to get out of here, and she’s my ticket to freedom right now.

  Stepping back into the room, I spot Ally with Justine and Devon near the exit.

  “It looks like she’s about to leave,” he says from behind me, the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.

  When I turn, I find Vinnie leaning again the wall, arms crossed over his chest, causing his shirt to tighten in an attempt to accommodate his flexed muscles. Damn. If he wasn’t so sexy, this wouldn’t be as hard. What’s that saying? Built like a brick house?

  “She’s my ride. She wouldn’t leave without me,” I reply, defending Ally for no other reason than I can’t think of anything else to say.

  “Are you sure about that?” he asks, nodding past me. When I look over my shoulder, Ally is disappearing out the doors, her arm locked with Justine’s.

  I’m going to kill her if she leaves me.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll give you a ride,” he says, his voice closer than it was before. Turning back, he’s standing only a few feet from me.

  “I don’t even know you. Why would I get in a car with you? I’m smarter than that.”

  “Vincent Redding, Tyler’s best friend. You can call me Vinnie. And you’re Megan Dixon, Ryder’s ex-wife.”

  “If you know who I am, why are you talking to me? I’m sure you’ve heard more than you’re letting on.”

  There’s a hint of anger in my voice. The reputation that precedes me weighs heavily on my conscience every day. There’s nothing I can do to change that. Still, my actions are not his fault.

  “Honestly, I don’t care what people say. Even if I did, I haven’t heard much. All I know is that you’re single and gorgeous, and I’d like to get to know you better. It’s up to you, though. I’ll give you a ride home either way.”

  Why? Why does he have to be so nice? Does he not realize this makes my decision that much harder?

  He probably does, and that’s part of his plan.

  Make it hard to resist him and he has a fighting chance.

  Well, Vincent Redding, your plan worked.

  Chapter Two

  Before agreeing to leave with Vinnie, I attempt to get in touch with Ally. If she’s still here, or close, she’s going to take me home. That was the plan.

  The plan we made a week ago after the epic failure of a bachelorette party I wasn’t invited to.

  She wouldn’t leave me alone. She’d drive so I could drink as much as I needed to get through the day. In exchange, I’d play nice with everyone.

  Not that I’d do anything to ruin Angela’s day. A wedding isn’t the place to bring up shit that’s old news.

  “Where are you?” I scream into the phone when she answers.

  “Megan, its Justine. Ally’s a little drunk, so we’re dropping her off at home. Where are you?”

  “I’m still at the reception. Ally was my ride.” My emphasis on the word was gives away the fact that I’m irritated if my tone didn’t already get the message across.

  So much for her not drinking too much.

  There’s a long pause. I can hear Justine talking in the background and Ally laughing.

  “Devon and I can come back for you after we drop her off if you can’t find a ride.”

  Looking at Vinnie, who’s been watching me out of the corner of his eye for the last five minutes while he talks to Hunter and Brianna, my shoulders sag as I accept my fate.

  “No, I’ll find a ride. Thanks anyway.”

  Hanging up with Justine, I give myself another pep talk. I need one.

  It’s
just a ride home. This isn’t a date. You’re not even friends. It’s innocent and can remain that way as long as I keep my focus and he doesn’t try and make a move. I doubt I’ll be strong enough to resist him. My skin is crawling with need, and every time he looks at me, my heart speeds up and dirty thoughts creep in.

  Those need to go away.

  Right now.

  They’ll do nothing but get me in trouble. I don’t need a fling. A relationship is out of the question. In fact, I deserve to live the rest of my life alone, miserable and deprived of even the smallest orgasm.

  Nodding toward the door the next time I catch Vinnie’s eye, he smirks. Patting Hunter on the shoulder and hugging Brianna, he excuses himself and walks directly toward the door.

  I guess that’s my cue.

  At least he didn’t make it obvious that we were leaving together. I can only imagine what people would say about that. Innocent or not, come morning, I’d be knocked up and deemed a slut all over again.

  Walking to his car, I thank him for the ride. What I really need to do is apologize for being rude and standoffish. I’ll save that for later when he’s dropping me off. I’ll mix it in with thank you and goodbye.

  “So,” he finally says as I see a set of headlights blink down the aisle. He must have unlocked the car already. “I get why you would think I wouldn’t want to talk to you, but why didn’t you want to talk to me?”

  Shit. I guess I get to apologize right now.

  “I’m sorry about that.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question. Why were you avoiding me?”

  The car’s in sight. I can almost reach out and touch it. Once we’re inside, I’ll busy my time giving him directions to the house. There won’t be time to talk about me or him or this.