Page 7 of Bad For Me (Rock Canyon, Idaho 5)

Everett’s heart skipped a beat as her words sank in, and he realized she was his Callie. The Callie he’d been calling nearly every morning for over a year.

The one who pretty much thought he was a creep.

Justin had said he’d hired one of the Kat Country DJs, just not which one. What if he admitted who he was and she bailed on the wedding? Despite her friendly manner, there was nothing in her demeanor that said, I am so attracted to you that I’ll forgive the fact you freaked me out.

Better to play it cool, at least for now.

“You host the morning show on the Kat?”

“Yeah, Weekdays with Callie Jay.” Her tone was amused, even if her lips barely tilted up at the corners. Though she’d laughed, he wondered why she didn’t smile. Instead, she just watched him with those amber eyes, as if she wasn’t sure what to make of him.

“It’s . . . it’s a good show,” Everett said, his voice sounding squeaky to his ears.

Get a grip, man. She doesn’t know you’re the crazy stalker.

“Thank you. Well, it was nice to meet you, but I’m actually late for something.” Callie folded her ripped paper.

“Let me buy you a new Rock Canyon Press, as an apology for bumping into you,” he said quickly. He wasn’t ready for her to go yet.

“Really, it’s not your fault—”

“It’s fifty cents,” he said, taking her paper and tossing it in a trashcan. “And it will make me feel better.” He slid two quarters into the newspaper dispenser and waited for the click before opening it and grabbing another paper. “Here you go.”

She took it slowly and seemed at a loss for something to say. “Thank you. It wasn’t necessary.”

“Happy to do it,” he said honestly. The wind tossed her curls over her eyes once more, and Everett resisted another urge to brush them back, just so she would look at him again.

God, when was the last time he’d been so taken with a woman he’d only just met? At least, in person. If his desire to be near her was any indication, too long, apparently.

“Well, thank you again,” she said and tucked the paper under her arm. “I guess I’ll see you at the wedding?”

“Yeah, if not before.” Everett wondered why she kept looking away from him. She had been so frank about his scars, yet she hardly met his gaze now.

Except for that first intense meeting of their eyes.

“Bye, then.” She walked past him with her monster dog, those curls dancing around her shoulders like gold and moonlight ribbons.

“See ya.” He was speaking more to himself, though, since she was already several yards away.

Now that he’d met Callie in person, there was no denying that the connection he’d felt had been real.

The question was, had she felt it too?

Chapter Two

“SO HOW ARE the wedding plans coming?” Callie asked Fred as they walked through Twin Falls’s Old Town with Ratchet lumbering beside them. Since Fred had chosen her for his sponsor six months ago, they had taken to getting coffee after the meetings and talking about the stress of their lives. And although they tried to keep the specifics out, it had been inevitable that Fred would tell her his last name.

Silverton.

It had seemed like an incredibly small world when they’d realized they were from the same community, but it hadn’t bothered either of them. There was an understanding that what they said during group and coffee stayed between them; neither wanted personal struggles broadcast back in Rock Canyon.

Callie had to admit, she enjoyed the older man’s company. He reminded her a lot of her grandfather before he’d died, a roughneck cowboy who had given freely of his time and his bear hugs.

“Well, my son’s bride has informed me that they’re going to have a dry wedding.” Fred’s sun-weathered face broke into a smile. “Partly because of her pregnancy and to support my recovery, but also because my future daughter-in-law doesn’t want a bunch of drunk assholes raising hell and causing chaos.”

Callie smiled at Fred’s description. Having met Valerie Willis, she imagined the words were spot on. She knew this wedding was very important to Fred, partially because he felt responsible for some of Justin and Val’s past relationship troubles but ultimately because he just wanted his youngest son to be happy.

Of course, the fact that he was going to be a grandfather had Fred over the moon too.

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