Danielle Cross has spent her whole life running from breakups and troubles. She’s never stayed in the same place for long…until now. The moment she walks through the doors of Logan Dawson’s bar, there’s an attraction between them neither can deny. And when Danielle needs a date to her sister’s wedding, Logan is the man for the job. A cheap trick to fool her family is a small price to pay for a weekend in paradise. Playing pretend is easy. The hard part? Trying to convince yourself the feelings are only fake.
view moreCHEAP TRICK
Book Four in the Dawson Family Series
Copyright 2019
Emily Goodwin
Prologue
One year ago…
Danielle
Someday, I’ll stop lying to myself. When I say I’m going to get my life together, I’m going to actually do it.
Someday…just not today.
I pull PJs out of my suitcase and sit on the bed, looking around the room. It’s been over ten years since I’ve been here, and everything is exactly the same, from the pale yellow wallpaper to the faint smell of lavender that fills the house. Gathering up my PJs and toothbrush, I silently move through the hall and into the bathroom, changing and getting ready for bed.
It’s been one hell of a day, and I’m exhausted. But of course, as soon as I lie down, I’m wide the fuck awake. After tossing and turning for an hour, I get up and go into the kitchen, finding a bottle of wine in the back of the pantry. I uncork the wine and take it onto the back porch, taking solace in the quiet chorus of crickets.
The screen door slowly creaks open, startling me. “Can’t sleep?” Grandpa asks, stepping onto the porch.
I shake my head. “It’s probably the jet lag.”
Grandpa laughs. “I didn’t know you’d get jet lag traveling from Connecticut to Indiana.”
I nod. “There’s like an hour time difference. It might take me weeks to get used to this.”
Grandpa’s eyes go to the bottle of wine in my hand. “Are you sure you’re okay, kiddo?”
I force a smile, trying hard to hold up the front that I’m A-okay. It’s what I always do, but right now, I’m just tired. “Yeah, I am.” My fake smile grows wider.
Leaving’s always been an option, and it’s what I’ve done over the last few years. When Roger and I broke up, I applied to grad school two states away. When grad school got hard, I took time off to work and build my resume. And when I got let go from my job, I spent three months volunteering in Costa Rica.
And here I am in Indiana.
“Really?” Grandpa’s knee cracks as he crosses the porch, sitting on a rocking chair next to me. “Because those who are fine don’t sit alone in the dark drinking cheap wine out of a bottle.”
I let my eyes fall closed for a few seconds before taking a breath and turning to my grandpa. “I wanted to warn Diana and keep her from being disappointed later in life, but I get the blame for Peter being a Grade-A douchebag and it cost me my job…it feels like I failed. And then when I look back at my life, I see there’s been a lot of failure in there.”
“How lucky you are that you get to fail. You can only fail if you’re living, and that’s not something you should ever take for granted.”
Tears burn at the corners of my eyes, and I bring the bottle of wine to my lips, taking another drink.
“And you know what else is good about failure?” Grandpa asks. “After each failure, each fall, you get up and you try again. And you might fail again, but you get back up. Each and every time, you get back up.”
Throat tight, I nod and look out at the farmland. There’s a barn not far from the house, and two of the three horses have their heads hanging out the open Dutch doors. I’ve always considered myself more or less scrappy and have been able to climb and crawl out of some shitty situations. But once I’m standing on my own two feet again, I’m lost. “I don’t know where to go after I get back up.”
Grandpa smiles. “Let’s start with getting you a decent drink.”
“There’s a place open around here?”
“Eastwood is a small town, and every small town has at least one good bar. And I mean one. Getaway is open until three of or four AM some nights,” he says, waving me back into the house.
“Grandpa!” I exclaim, faking shock. “You stay out until three AM? I thought I was going to be the crazy partier rocking the ship here. You’re gonna have me beat.”
“I could drink you under the table, kid.” He gives me a wink. “Go change and meet me in the truck in five minutes.”
“Deal,” I say with a laugh. Normally, I’d do my hair and makeup to go to a bar, but tonight I don’t give a damn. I throw on jeans, a black top, and red heels. I cave and put on mascara and lip gloss, but I’m still ready in just about five minutes. I comb my hair with my fingers as I walk through the old farmhouse and outside, getting in the passenger side of my grandpa’s old pickup truck.
“Lucky for us, the bar isn’t far from here,” he says and pulls down the driveway.
“Isn’t everything ten minutes from anything? The town is small, right?”
“Small in the sense of population, but we have a lot of farmland.”
“Yeah. I forgot how peaceful it is out here.”
“I still don’t understand how your mother could leave all this behind,” Grandpa says ruefully. He turns on the radio right after that, flipping through stations. Only country music comes in.
The bar is crowded for a Thursday night. I feel like I’m walking through a movie set or something with all the pickup trucks parked in a gravel parking lot. Music drifts from the bar, and people sit on tailgates, talking and laughing. I hate that I love it so much.
Grandpa goes right up to the bar, and the bartender knows his name.
“Hey, Fred,” he says. “What are you doing here so late?”
“I’m taking my granddaughter out for a night on the town. She just got in from the east coast,” Grandpa tells him.
I turn around, taking it all in. This place is pretty damn neat, actually, and is filled with a lot of people my age and not the rednecks and truckers I thought would be here. I’m stereotyping, I know, and I feel bad about it.
“Ellie,” Grandpa says, and I don’t have the heart to tell him I don’t go by that anymore. “This is Logan. He owns the joint.”
“Co-owns,” someone else says, coming up behind me. I turn, and dammit, my heart skips a beat. Because this man is all sorts of gorgeous. Tall and muscular. Deep hazel eyes. The perfect amount of stubble covers his chiseled jaw. “Right?” He looks at the guy Grandpa is talking to. I take a step to the side so I can see him and do a double-take.
Because that man looks just like the hottie who’s behind me. I look back. Holy shit. They’re identical twins.
“Hey,” the one my grandpa introduced as Logan says. His eyes meet mine and I recognize something in them. A distance, maybe? A longing for the thing that will finally make his empty heart feel full? I only know because I feel the same way. It’s a strange moment, one I can’t fully explain, and one I’m blaming on the old bottle of cheap wine. But I see something in him, something that differs him from his twin, and I know from that moment on, I’ll always be able to tell the two apart. “Welcome to Eastwood. First drink’s on the house.”
“Thanks,” I tell him, feeling a bit of color rush to my cheeks. Grandpa gets two guys at the bar to give up their stools. We sit and he orders me a bourbon on the rocks. I’ve been a cheap wine drinker my whole adult life. I’m a lightweight when it comes to the hard stuff.
I sip my whiskey faster than I intended and am drunk by the time I finish my drink. Grandpa gets up to throw darts with someone he knows, and I tell him I’m going to stay at the bar, happy to just people watch.
Logan sets another bourbon on the bar top, switching it out for my empty glass. “Second one’s on the house too. You look like you’ve had a night.”
I cock an eyebrow, not sure if I should take it as an insult or not. “What gave that away? It couldn’t possibly be the fact that I came to a bar at one AM on a Thursday with my grandpa.”
Logan laughs and my God that man is gorgeous. I slide the whiskey over and take a sip, trying to look seductive but end up clipping the glass against my teeth and sloshing it down my face.
“Are you going to be in town long?” Logan asks, grabbing empty glasses from the bar.
“I don’t know,” I reply after I take another drink. Really, I have nowhere else to go. Eastwood was a last resort, and I’m tired of running from my problems. They tend to find me no matter where I go. But I have no reason to stay. Logan gets busy and I turn around, drink in hand, and notice a now hiring sign hanging in the window by the door.
I bite the inside of my cheek, mind going a million miles an hour. Before I have a chance to actually think this through, I spin back around in my barstool and set my drink down.
“Hey,” I say, getting Logan’s attention. “You’re hiring?”
He nods. “You interested?”
I smile. “Yeah. I am.”
EpilogueDanielleAbout a year later…“I finalized the menu for the bakery,” I tell Logan, watching him put another log on the fire. He comes back to the couch, picking up the papers from the coffee table, and sits next to me.“Are you warm enough?” he asks, reaching for another blanket.“I’m fine,” I tell him, though I know he’s going to keep pampering me like crazy. He’s been at it all week, and I don’t think he’s going to stop any time soon. “The temperature did plummet fast today.”“Yeah. But it’s supposed to warm back up soon.”“I’d like that.”“Gotta love the spring weather in the Midwest. It was hot two days ago and back down to freezing today.” Logan pulls my legs into his lap and starts rubbing my feet. I lean back, closing my eyes. “That feels good.”We got married in October, much to my own mother’s dismay. It wasn’t enough time to plan a big fancy wedding, but that’s not what we wanted anyway. Just a week or so after Logan proposed, we started looking around for places to
Chapter Thirty-OneDanielleLogan puts his lips to mine again, and I wrap my arms around his shoulders. I love this man so much. He is the best friend I could ask for, and the best relationships are built on a foundation of respect and friendship. We just fit together, and I know I’ll never find another person in the whole world who gets me better than Logan Dawson.Things feel the same between us, and yet everything has changed.“Do you need to go to the lawyer now?” he asks between kisses.“I should.”“Want me to come with you?”“You’ll be bored.” His lips go to my neck, and I start to melt against him. “Hell, I’ll be bored. But it would be nice to have you with me.”Logan pulls me into a tight embrace, and I rest my head against his chest and listen to his heart beating. My eyes fall shut, and for the first time since we left Hawaii, I don’t feel like I’m spiraling out of control.Things are still messy. Things are still going to hurt for a while. But that’s life, isn’t it? It’s no
Chapter ThirtyLoganI sit in the driveway, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. I just left Danielle’s house and got home, but I haven’t gone inside yet. My mind is racing, and my heart is beating fast right along with it.I love her.I don’t want her to leave, even if it’s just for a few weeks. But I don’t want to be selfish, because she’s going through a hard time right now, and if getting away from Eastwood is what she needs, then she should go.But will she come back?She came here because her grandpa was here, and now that he’s gone…what’s going to keep her here?Me.Maybe. Maybe not.“Fuck,” I swear under my breath. For the last year I’ve wanted to tell her that I love her. We finally made love, and it was incredible. She’s incredible.We are incredible together.I close my eyes and lean my head back against the seat.And then Owen knocks on the window. “Dude, what the hell are you doing?” he asks, opening the passenger side door.“Trying to decide if I should tell Daniel
Chapter Twenty-NineDanielleI lean against the metal gate, watching the horses run around the pasture. The chickens are already fed, and the goats are grazing near the barn. It’s a little after eight in the morning, which is still early for me but not as early as Grandpa got up to feed the animals.I can handle eight AM. Well, when the weather is nice, that is. I’m already dreading having to trudge out here in the rain and snow.Logan was still asleep on the couch when I came out here, and I silently go back into the house, not wanting to wake him. He’s been my rock the last few days, and I really don’t think I could have gotten through this without him.I’m making breakfast when my phone rings, and I hurry to silence the call. It’s a local number, but since I don’t know who it is, I don’t answer. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message. And I really don’t feel like talking to anyone right now anyway.Looking around the kitchen, I feel an emptiness in my heart. I want it to go awa
Chapter Twenty-EightLogan“How’s Danielle doing?” Owen asks, moving an empty casserole dish from the counter to the sink. We’re at her house, and the service for her grandpa just ended. A few people are still at the house, sharing stories and memories. Her grandpa was respected by the town, and we are all feeling his loss. I think half the town turned up today, bringing flowers and food and giving their condolences. That’s the thing with small towns. When you know most everyone, you care for most everyone.“She’s trying to keep it together.” I open the fridge, trying to find a place to put the bowl of taco salad someone brought. It won’t fit, and I’m pretty sure the extra fridge in the basement is full already too.The last few days passed in a blur. Danielle cried, slept, and drank a lot, and then when the rest of her family came into town, the time was spent reflecting on her grandpa’s life and looking through scrapbooks. Now everything is over, and people are leaving.Stacking the
Chapter Twenty-SevenDanielleI open my eyes and roll over. I don’t know what time it is. Or what day it is. All I know is Logan is in bed next to me, and his slow and steady breathing is the only thing keeping me from falling apart. Everything happened so fast.We got to the hospital. Grandpa seemed like he was going to pull through. And then he was gone.I slowly get out of bed, needing to use the bathroom. Logan hasn’t even gone home yet since he got back to Eastwood. Everything was so perfect before, and I would give anything to go back to our last night in Hawaii.After using the bathroom, I go downstairs, following the sound of the TV. Mom is in the living room, drinking wine and watching a baking show. It’s almost four in the morning.“Mom?”“Oh, Danielle, honey. You’re up.”“So are you. Did you get any sleep?”“A bit here and there.”I cross my arms over my chest, chilled even though it’s warm in the house. Usually, we’d turn the air conditioning up before going to bed. I hate
Chapter Twenty-SixLoganDanielle is sitting in the waiting room. Her legs are curled up under her and her head is resting against the wall. She’s wearing black leggings and my sweatshirt, and my heart swells in my chest when I see her through the glass doors. I have to get buzzed into the ICU waiting area, and Danielle gets up as soon as she sees me.I take her in my arms, hugging her tight and holding her close.“How is he?”“Um,” she starts, letting out a shaky breath. “Stable for now. He was in really bad shape, and he’s so lucky the paramedics got him here in time.”“That sounds promising.”She nods. “I thought so too, but the doctor isn’t as optimistic.”“And how are you?”“I’m…shaken but okay. And I’m still just shocked to hear that he was so sick. I had no idea. I mean…I saw some changes but wrote it off as him aging. You slow down when you get old.”“He was acting just fine before we left.”“I know, and that’s what scares me.” Danielle rubs her forehead. “The doctor said he’s
Chapter Twenty-FiveDanielle“Mom.” I gently nudge her. “We’re landing.”She sits up, blinking rapidly, and looks around. Maybe she took more Xanax when I wasn’t looking, because she slept nearly that entire flight. I don’t know the last time I slept for a solid eight hours, and I know that’s entirely my fault. I stay up too late doing non-important things, like binging TV shows or finishing a book.My phone is in my hands, waiting to get the all clear to turn it off airplane mode. It’s early in the morning here in Chicago, and I’m terrified for the news I’ll get once I get service again. I pack up my bag and look out the window, feeling an odd sense of relief to see Lake Michigan and the flat, green Midwest land below us.Using my feet, I push the bag under the seat in front of me and grip the armrests. Landing always makes me a little nervous, and I don’t have Logan’s hand to hold this time.I turn my phone back on the second we’re on the ground and check for updates. A text comes t
Chapter Twenty-FourDanielleI look at myself in the mirror as I wash my hands, and for the first time in a long time, I don’t pick apart my appearance. Having my hair and makeup professionally done helps, but mostly…I look happy.Because I am.So incredibly fucking happy, and nothing can dampen my mood. Want and desire swell inside of me, and I’m going to go find Logan and take him up to our room. He said he was going to take his time with me, but I want to do the same to him.Tie him up. Tease him. Make him beg for more.I dry my hands, smooth out my dress, and go back to the reception hall. Logan is at the table, with his back to me. A smile pulls up my lips, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop smiling.Logan turns around, almost like he can sense me coming. He’s on the phone, and something isn’t right.“What’s wrong?” I ask, rushing over to him.“I’ll call you back,” Logan says to whoever he’s talking to.“Logan?” I’m getting a little freaked out. “What’s wrong?”“That was
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