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  “You’re a crazy, old white chick,” Kaimbrey exploded. “I don’t want your filthy lucre.”

  Emma simply smiled, not appearing offended at all. “I am … an eccentric, old woman who likes to have fun, and I think you do want my money.” Emma tilted her head. “I know your parents, remember? Jamison and Mary?”

  Kaimbrey nodded; her dark eyes suddenly uneasy. It made Cally wonder if she and Kaimbrey had more in common than she’d thought.

  “And I know you recently achieved your degree in social work, but no one will back up your idea to start a halfway house in Ogden for homeless families, single parents, and vets struggling to get back on their feet. You plan to expect the people to help around the house and yard to earn their keep and have employment and education specialists on staff to help them become self-sufficient.”

  Kaimbrey’s eyes widened. “How did you know about that?”

  “Word gets around when somebody’s trying to get a million dollars in private funding, but the people who should be helping her aren’t. Maybe those people are even asking their friends not to help.”

  Kaimbrey gasped. “They wouldn’t!”

  She gave Kaimbrey a significant look before turning to Cally. “And you, my dear. I know you gave up many wonderful opportunities in Chicago to come back to Utah with the promise of all kinds of work from that snake of an uncle, who turned out to be just as selfish as his sister. But I’ve blackballed the man from construction work in Utah.”

  Cally nodded. Emma didn’t beat around the bush. She’d trusted Uncle Josh, but he’d turned out to be more like her mother than she’d foreseen.

  “I don’t think you want to go back to Chicago. It’s a hard life and too cold, right?”

  Cally didn’t know what else to do, so she simply nodded. She didn’t want to go back, and though her recent boss was a good guy, he had been upset about her leaving. He’d probably welcome her back, but she’d been itching for a change. She’d loved Chicago, it was a beautiful and active city, yet her interior design career had been cutthroat and worse than cold. Maybe Emma was referring to the weather, but Cally shivered thinking about the people she’d trusted who had stabbed her in the back, and the numerous men who’d propositioned her before they would give her more lucrative work or inside jobs. She’d said no every time but still been able to be successful. She’d saved enough money to build a name for herself here. Now she had to start at the bottom and work her way up. She’d assumed she’d have her perfect job working with Uncle Josh and could immediately start her charity. It appeared her dreams of helping others wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

  “A million dollars would be a great start to that charity I’ve heard you want to do.” Emma smiled knowingly, and Cally wondered if she was a mind reader. “Remodeling or building homes for those who have been through rough times without all the pomp of an Instagram account or YouTube channel to brag on.” She smiled. “I love it. I originally thought about working with both of you and your charity ideas, but …” Her grin became positively wicked. “I like this idea better. I’m pretty insightful about my challenges. Ask Colt and Bri about it sometime.”

  Cally’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at that. Emma was behind Colt and Brikelle being together? She reminded herself for the hundredth time that she and Colt were over, and it didn’t matter how Colt and Brikelle got together. They would soon be married, and Cally had no relationship with Colt anymore.

  Her mind swung to Emma’s suggestion. A million dollars? To get Tate Jepson to propose? Cally’s palms were sweaty, but she wouldn’t dare wipe them on this dress.

  “All we have to do is get the proposal?” Kaimbrey asked. “You’re not propositioning us into marrying the losers, correct?”

  Cally thought they were good questions, and she was glad Kaimbrey had asked. She was a bit muddy in the head right now.

  “That’s the best part.” Emma’s blue eyes glinted mischievously. “You’ll dump him right after he proposes and be able to get him back for the way he treated you tonight. Of course, you can’t tell him about the challenge or it becomes null and void.” She wrapped her thin arm around Cally’s waist and squeezed. “What do you think?”

  Cally cast another glance at Tate. He was focused on the petite brunette in front of him. “I think it’s perfect.” She looked to Kaimbrey.

  The beautiful girl grinned. “We’ve got nothing to lose, right?”

  Cally nodded as Emma laughed. She caught Tate’s gaze on her again and the summer evening was suddenly sweltering. Nothing to lose indeed.

  Chapter Two

  Tate kept an eye on Cally as he made his rounds at Colt and Bri’s engagement party. It wasn’t that he was interested in the gorgeous blonde, it was that he didn’t trust her. The now-snotty brat who they all used to adore had betrayed the brothers’ trust, ditched them all for her career, and almost succeeded in ruining his older brother’s happiness. How could Tate possibly want to be close to her, touch her long, blonde hair, listen to her deceptively sweet voice? Sure he’d be a fool not to notice that she was the most beautiful woman in existence. She definitely knew how to wield a pair of high heels, a flattering dress, high-dollar mascara, and some pink lipstick, but that wasn’t why his gaze kept straying to her. He was only checking to make sure she didn’t cause a scene and hurt Colt or Bri. Right?

  He wasn’t captivated by Cally, not at all. He’d dated plenty of beautiful women, and he wanted one who used her heart for more than just pumping oxygen and nutrients to her extremities. The Cally he used to love was now cold, vindictive, didn’t know the meaning of the word loyal, and … she met his gaze and his stomach swirled with heat. Her pale blue eyes framed by long, black lashes, and her delicate cheek bones and perfect rosebud lips all drew him in. He found himself unconsciously walking toward her, captured like a bone spur on his scalpel during surgery.

  “Where are you going?” the blonde on his left pouted. She was here with his friend Ally who he’d known in high school, but he couldn’t remember her name.

  “Excuse me,” he murmured, giving her a smile. “I need to talk to someone.”

  He nodded to the group of women. They shouldn’t miss him, Brody was there to entertain and awe. His younger brother was a natural tease whom everybody loved, most especially the female everybodys.

  “Bro,” Brody was right at his elbow, interrupting him from striding up to Cally. She was standing off to the side with Brikelle’s college friend, and Tate might be insane, but there was a come-hither kind of look in her eyes. He didn’t like the thought of her saying she despised him again, and he knew he couldn’t let himself worship her like he used to, but it was fun to spar and tease with her. A pang washed through him. He’d idolized Cally, but that was in the past, and now he simply needed to make sure she didn’t try to hurt Colt or Bri.

  “What’s up?” Tate directed Brody behind the dessert table so they could have a little privacy. There was a pleading note in that “bro” that he couldn’t write off.

  Brody folded his broad arms across his even broader chest and glowered like a little boy who’d had his best knife confiscated. “Bri’s friend? Kaimbrey.”

  Tate nodded. He’d met the dark-skinned beauty who was now standing next to the woman he wanted to talk to. Kaimbrey had a lot of attitude. He liked her. “Yeah?”

  “What’d you think of her?”

  Tate shrugged. “Beautiful, funny, lots of spice. Perfect for you. Why?”

  Brody threw his hands in the air. “Exactly. That’s exactly what I thought. So, we were flirting, getting along great. I was about ready to ask her to have my babies.”

  “Brody,” Tate warned.

  “I know, I know. I’m not trying to be crude. I’m saying, I thought she was amazing. I really thought I’d met my woman, you know?”

  Tate shook his head, despairing of ever teaching Brody how to be politically correct. His younger brother was highly successful as a financial consultant, because he was not only brilliant with inves
ting, but he’d played football at Weber State, and many of the alumni had been captured by his charm. He had many wealthy clients who loved the way he talked and trusted him with their fortunes. Luckily he was also an expert with numbers and reading the stock market.

  “Please don’t say you called her ‘my woman’ like some caveman.”

  Brody gave him a brief smile before his glower returned. He glanced over at the spot where Cally and Kaimbrey were talking. Tate followed his gaze, and his lungs felt tight as he met Cally’s gaze. Why did she have to be so … intriguing to him? That’s all it was, intriguing. Because she’d grown into a gorgeous woman, every bit as perfect as he knew she would someday be. He’d loved her as a child and young teen, and she’d chosen his brother instead.

  He could still remember the day. He was almost fourteen and already over six feet tall. He knew she and Colt were close, but in Tate’s mind she secretly loved him and was only friends with his brother. He’d thought it was finally time to declare his devotion to the girl of his dreams. He’d raced home from the bus stop that late May day. Cally and Colt got out of high school half an hour earlier, and since it was a Friday and game day, Colt wouldn’t have football practice. He knew they would already be in the lake, playing before the boys had to do chores so they could make it to the game.

  Tate had changed into his swimsuit, sprinted to the dock, and saw Colt and Cally kissing in the chest-deep water. He’d skulked away, and they hadn’t even noticed him. Not long after that, Colt and Cally had told him of their pledge to marry each other when they graduated college and got their careers established. It had ripped his heart out, but he’d been happy for his brother. At least his big brother could have the girl of both of their dreams. He swore he’d never come between them, and Colt and Cally would never know how he felt.

  Throughout high school Colt and Cally were inseparable and the sweethearts of Weber High. They went to different universities but from all appearances were still destined to end up happily together. Colt went north to Utah State, but Cally had gone south to the University of Utah. Tate followed her, just to be her friend and watch out for his brother’s future wife. Tate dated but had never found someone to equal Cally in his mind.

  Colt and Cally had stayed close and on target to be together, but something went haywire a few years after they graduated college. Colt started his cabinet business while Cally got her master’s degree, but then Cally deserted all of them and moved to Chicago, pursuing her dreams of being a nationally-acclaimed interior designer. Colt had chased after her but came home shortly after. He’d never shared with Tate how the breakup had gone, but it must’ve been vicious.

  From what Tate had heard, Cally reached her goals, but she’d lost her man in the process. Served her right. You didn’t go over five years without a text or a phone call and just expect someone to wait for you. He’d hated watching Colt in pain and lonely these past five years, and he was thrilled his brother found Brikelle. The fact that Cally had shown up the very moment Colt finally fell in love was more than suspicious.

  Why did it tug at him that Cally looked so lonely?

  “I was teasing her that it must be destiny my brother had married her best friend, and that we should definitely hook up,” Brody interrupted his musings.

  “Hook up?” Tate pushed his hand through his hair. “You didn’t.”

  Brody splayed his hands innocently. “She was into me, like really into me, and she’s so funny and feisty and perfect, but then …” He shook his head and blew out a breath. “I went to get her a drink and Jill Timberline came running up, grabbed me, and kissed me hello. You know it meant nothing. Jill kisses everybody, but holy cow, it ticked Kaimbrey off. She cussed me up one side and down the other. I couldn’t even get a word in. Then she stormed away. Man, I love me some Southern spice.”

  Tate arched an eyebrow.

  “I’m not kidding. I seriously, desperately love her. What do I do, bro?”

  Tate doubted Brody knew what serious, desperate love even felt like. He wondered how Brody would feel about thirteen years of loving a woman who thought of him as her little brother. Brody had no clue how seriously, desperately Tate wanted Cally, or at least used to. Kaimbrey would be perfect for him, if his brother could ever settle down. He glanced at the two women again. An idea came into his mind. “Well, I guess you need a wingman.”

  Brody’s eyes lit up. “You’d do that for me? I know you don’t like Cally anymore.”

  He and Cally’s gazes were all tangled up. Didn’t like her. Yes, he definitely didn’t like her, and he absolutely didn’t trust her, but spending a little time teasing her wouldn’t be … unpleasant.

  He clapped Brody on the shoulder. “I’d do anything for you, bro.”

  “I love you man, truly I do.”

  Tate smiled at the two women who were both sneaking glances at him and Brody, and then searched for his sister Jaynee’s oldest son, his favorite nephew. In a few minutes, Cally and Kaimbrey would be smitten. They wouldn’t even know what had hit them.

  Chapter Three

  Cally enjoyed chatting with Kaimbrey while they ate some desserts and tried to avoid staring at the Jepson boys. It was mind-boggling to think they each needed to get a proposal in less than two weeks so they could start their charities. Crazy and exciting and terrifying.

  “So, what’s your plan of attack?” she asked Kaimbrey.

  “Hmm.” Kaimbrey popped a cake bite in her mouth and wrinkled her nose. “I guess, first of all, I’m going to have to actually apologize for reaming him after he kissed that girl. That will bite the big one.”

  Cally laughed. “Brody’s a really great and easy-going guy. He’ll take it well.”

  “Oh, good, then I’ll just have to use my sneaky lures to trap him and make him fall in love with all this sass.” She swirled her hands as if to showcase the perfect curves displayed in her fitted yellow lace dress and laughed. “My only question is, do I get a bonus if he proposes tonight?”

  Cally laughed harder, but she was a little concerned. Brody could definitely hold his own with any woman, but even after all this time, he was still like a little brother to her. She didn’t want him hurt. “Oh, my. Brody better watch out.”

  “You got it, sister. What about you?”

  Cally looked around but couldn’t see Tate. Despair settled in her chest. “I don’t think it’s going to be quite so easy for me. He hates me.”

  “Hmm. All those lingering glances he’s been gifting you with? Doesn’t look like hate to me.”

  She crossed her fingers. “Here’s hoping. I really want to fund my charity and stay in Utah.”

  “I’m with you,” Kaimbrey said. “There are so many people trying to get back on their feet. If only my mother wasn’t a hard-hearted harbinger of haggis.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “She’s a snot, my mother. She spoiled me rotten my entire life, and so I wrongly assumed she was generous. Then, when I pursued a career in social work, her benevolent mask slipped off and her true, witchy-self appeared.” She made her voice more high-pitched. “‘To think of my only daughter not working in the family business but associating with people who are beneath her social status. To dream of sharing your daddy’s hard-earned money with those in need.’” Her eyes widened mockingly. “‘Those people are just lazy and brought their trouble on themselves,’” she quoted in a snooty voice. “I pretty much despise her. My daddy would help, I know he would, but she’s forbidden me from asking again, and from what Emma said, it sounds like she’s calling her friends off from helping also.”

  “We both scored in the mother department, eh?”

  Kaimbrey’s dark gaze held empathy. “Your mama’s a piece of work too?”

  “Yes. But I haven’t seen her much since I was eight, so it doesn’t bother me anymore.” It was a lie. She ached for a mother figure; someone to give her a hug, give her approval, even tell her to smudge her blush or that she had lipstick on her teeth. Anything. Her parents had been
absent for much of her life. She’d actually preferred that to the times her mother had been around to belittle, berate, and abuse her.

  “Excuse me,” a voice piped up from Cally’s waist level.

  She glanced down. The cutest little boy was smiling up at the two of them. He had strawberry-blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a dusting of freckles across his nose. He held up a white rose for each of them. Cally was pretty sure the roses had been confiscated from one of the floral arrangements, but he was so adorable that nobody would censure him for it.

  “Hiya, baby dolls,” he said.

  Cally’s eyes widened.

  “Oh, my goodness,” Kaimbrey squealed. “You are the most adorable thing ever!”

  He winked and handed over their flowers. Then he did an about-face and held up a hand to each of them. “If you beautiful ladies will come with me, please.”

  Kaimbrey grinned at Cally over his head. “How do we resist him?”

  Cally took the hand he offered. “Not possible.”

  He grinned up at her and squeezed her hand. “I like the black-a-haired lady a lot, but you with the yellow hairs? You’re my favorite.”

  Cally and Kaimbrey were both laughing now. They let him lead them away from the engagement party and down the sloping lawn, toward the water. The sun had set while they were chatting, but it was still light enough with the dusky sky and the tiki lamps to see the path to the dock. The two men standing on the dock had Cally clinging to the little boy’s hand and glancing at Kaimbrey over his head. Kaimbrey was too focused on the men to even notice Cally’s stare.

  “Kaimbrey,” she hissed. “Do you think Emma bribed them too?”

  That got her attention. She scowled. “She wouldn’t do that to us, would she?”

  Cally shrugged. “Maybe. I mean, why would they both …”

  They were getting too close to say any more.