Don't Forget Me Tomorrow (Time River, #2)

by A.L. Jackson

Shame locked down my throat. As close as I was to Dakota, there would always be a wall. A place I couldn’t let her see. The fucking last thing in the world I wanted her to know about me.

With the history around us, I was thankful we’d gotten to this place. Where we could be easy together. Friends, even though it was fucking painful being this close to her most of the time. But I would take her any way I could have her.

But touching her was the last thing I could do. I wouldn’t taint her goodness with the sickness of me.

“I already rode in, Cookie, so you might as well let me.” I’d started calling her that years ago. Now there was no way I could stop.

I swallowed hard, doing my best not to ogle my best friend’s baby sister. Dude would fucking gut me if he had an inkling of an idea about the thoughts I had of her. Too bad he was the least of my worries.

“Guess I like you on your knees for me.” A snort left my nose. I’d been for years, and she didn’t have a clue.

“I just care about you, Dakota. About Kayden.” The admission came rough, and the sweat that suddenly slicked my skin didn’t have anything to do with the summer heat. Thinking of Dakota’s son always got me that way. He was two, and the cutest fucking thing I’d ever seen. I didn’t know if it was loyalty or jealousy that hit me hardest, not that I had any right to the last.

“You know I can’t call you every time some little thing goes wrong in my life and expect you to come running, Ryder. You’ve already done enough for me. Too much.” Gratitude tinged with unease infiltrated her tone, her eyes dropping for a beat. I knew exactly where her mind had gone. The money I’d given her to help start her business.

“That’s where you have it wrong, Dakota. You can. I expect you to call me. Whatever you need. And there is no such thing as too much when it comes to you. Do you understand?”

Because I’d wanted to give her everything I had, but the only thing I had been able to do was give her the one gift that I could. She viewed it as a debt. Like something she needed to repay. She could never understand that what I’d given her was my heart.

Blowing out a steadying sigh, I dug into my pocket and thumbed into my phone like it was the most important thing in the world, then my chest clutched with the reminder of why I could never get too close to Dakota. Why she’d hate me if she knew. Dare Where the fuck are you? You’re late.

For a second, we hovered in each other’s space. So close but where we could never belong. Lost to a beat of greed. The kind I could never give into.

The man was lit in a backdrop of vibrant pinks and purples and blues. He was midnight in the middle of it.

I wondered if I was the only one who noticed the disorder that writhed beneath his blasé exterior. If they felt the current of goodness laced with corruption.

I’d been in love with Ryder Nash since I was nineteen, probably earlier than that if I was being honest with myself. I was working on getting over that, though. Moving on. Because I cherished the friendship we had. This closeness that I didn’t share with anyone else.

But there was a bigger part of me that had accepted him as my friend. The guy who was always there, riding in like a dark knight. The part of me that didn’t want to hurt anymore when I looked at him.

But it was the gunmetal eyes staring at me through the fading light that sent chills scattering down my spine. The man midnight at the helm.

He just sat there, waiting on me. Right. I was supposed to be getting in my car.

With the look on Ryder’s face when he’d received that text, I’d figured he’d blaze around me and burn a path back into Time River. Someone was waiting on him. I knew it.

But he didn’t fly around me the way I’d expected. No. He followed.

The whole time I traveled, I could feel the weight of the single headlight of Ryder’s bike covering me in some kind of shield.

I reminded myself it was none of my concern where he was going, or more importantly, who he was running to. Ryder was my friend. And I could rest satisfied in that, even though that friendship was always going to be bittersweet.

“I had it handled. Besides, Ryder happened to be out for a ride, so he stopped and finished the job.” She tsked a sound of surprised disbelief. “That boy always seems to know when you’re in trouble, doesn’t he?” I couldn’t keep from rolling my eyes. “He didn’t know I was in trouble. We just happened to be in the same place at the same time.” It wasn’t like he had some sort of sixth sense about me. “Which you two always seem to be.”

Moving to her side, I wound my arm around her waist and set my head on her shoulder. “Thank you. I hope you know how much I truly appreciate you.” She pressed her cheek to mine. “I know that, Dakota. And I hope you know how much I love you and want the best for you. The only thing I ask in return is that you keep chasing after joy, and don’t you dare ever stop. And I’ll be right here with you every step of the way.” I gulped around the knot that suddenly felt heavy at the base of my throat. “I won’t.”

Nash Metalwork Designs. Disgust pulled so hard at my ribs it was a wonder I didn’t bust apart. I was so fucking proud of what I’d built. Of the beauty I created with my hands. But it was the underbelly of it that made me sick. The chains that held me hostage.

I wanted to tell him to fuck off. Push back. But how the hell did I do that when this bastard had me in chains? When I knew what he would do if I didn’t comply. Visions flashed. Cold. Limp. Lips blue.

Old rage stormed, shockwaves of bitterness and hate. I looked at his face. At the man who had me by more than the balls, because it was my fucking life in his hands. My shame and the chains and this debt that had stolen every good thing from me.

“About finished with this,” I told him, lifting my chin. He chuckled a dark sound as he closed the tailgate and locked it, then moved to the driver’s side of his truck. He looked back at me, a warning lining his face. “Think you know what happened the last time you started spouting shit like that.” Without saying anything else, he climbed in and slammed the door. I watched him pull out. A gnarl of fury burned my insides. A blaze of spite. The second he was gone, I pressed my palms to the table next to me, struggling to take in a breath around the mayhem that battered my insides. Because I meant what I’d said. I was about finished with this bullshit. And it was on me to figure out how to get myself free.

I could hear her warring thoughts. Not even she knew about Kayden’s father, and the one time she’d asked, I’d flat out told her I didn’t want to talk about it. I figured most people thought I’d gotten my heart broken, but the truth was, I’d barely even caught his name.

I sipped at my wine while I fiddled with my phone, heart a little heavy, then I breathed out a short breath when a text buzzed through. I fought the flutter in my chest when I saw who it was. I’m moving on. I’m moving on. I’m moving on. I had to remind myself of it when he got to acting all concerned, which was really often. But he’d always been concerned, ever since I was a little girl. I needed to remember that was because he would forever look at me like a sister.

I let my phone slump to my lap, almost wanting to say more but knowing I couldn’t. But one thing was for sure. I couldn’t keep pining after him my whole life. It was time to let go.

I already had a bright smile pinned on my face when I shifted to look over my shoulder. Caleb and Ezra came in first, Ryder’s cousins who met here for lunch at least once a week. But it was the man who stepped in behind them that tilted the ground a fraction of an inch. Setting me off-kilter. Just barely. But I always felt the wobble of the earth. Gunmetal eyes seemed to find me in a flash, like he already knew I was there.

Midnight in the middle of the day.

His attention traveled to the specials, quick to land on the dessert of the day. Molten Midnight Chocolate Cake. Did I imagine the twitch of his mouth? Did he know?

My heart kicked. You are moving on, Dakota. No more getting all swoony and sweaty every time he comes around.

“I need to have something going for me,” I teased. “Oh, you have something going for you, all right. And every day they just get better. Think half the restaurant is hypnotized by the smell. You just keep doing the good work, and I’ll take care of the rest. Well, except for your man over there. You go take care of him because I don’t think there is anyone else who can do it.” She angled a waggish brow at Ryder’s table, her dark eyes gleaming and her red lips pulled into a massive smirk. I groaned at her. “Don’t you even start.” Beth never failed to give me crap about Ryder. “Don’t you start. That boy is here every other day, hanging around like a puppy dog, nothing but a mutt begging for food.” “Um, yeah, he does come to eat,” I drew out. “Looks to me like you’re feeding him the wrong thing.” I followed her line of sight to catch Ryder staring our way before he turned his head back to something Caleb said. “Hardly.” I scoffed it as I focused on organizing their drinks on a tray because what she was insinuating was totally absurd, all while I fought the tingly sensation that billowed across the room. Picking up the tray, I started around the counter, and she hollered after me, “You keep trying to convince yourself he’s not salivating for a taste of that cute butt of yours.” I cringed. Awesome. She’d announced it to half the restaurant.

Apparently, Ryder agreed with the philosophy, because he groaned and scrubbed an inked palm over his face. “Fuck me. Sounds so good, Dakota.” I had to hold back the whimper that threatened to escape. Why did it always have to come out like sex on his lips? “It seems like you want me to feed you.” So maybe I was going to keep some of those fantasies, and I couldn’t help but play off what Beth had said, loving the way those eyes were taking me in like he didn’t want to look anywhere else. He let go of a rough chuckle. “Thinking that’s exactly what I want.” Tingles spread, prickles that kissed along my flesh. Sometimes he made me think…

Something I caught out of the corner of my eye at the very edge of the windows that ran the far side of the building. A shadow or a shape or a figure. Disquiet washed through me. This penetrating awareness that covered me in a sticky film of dread and sent a cold shiver curling down my spine. One blink later, it was gone. I blinked more, uncertainty filling me as I stared out the window overlooking a grassy area backed by trees. Nothing was there.

But I hadn’t missed the shift in the air. The way she’d stumbled and froze a beat. But when I’d looked behind me, I couldn’t find anything amiss. I shouldn’t worry so much, but I guessed I’d spent so much time in that role, thinking I needed to watch over her, that it came as second nature.

recently. Custom pieces I was proud to create. A burning need had lit inside me to turn all my focus to that. To end this sentence. This penalty. My mind spinning with possibilities on how to break the bonds. But I knew what it would take. It would be the fight of my life. That I’d be putting it all on the line. Risking everything. Likely signing my own death certificate. But I couldn’t go on this way.

“Hey, man, it’s a good fucking movie,” I told him. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about.” Ezra laughed an incredulous sound, and he roughed a hand over his short hair as he sat back and challenged, “And you’ve seen it?” Of course, I’d seen it. “It’s one of Kayden’s favorites.” “Right.” Caleb shared a look with Ezra. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?” It came out a scoff undercut with a warning. Knowing exactly where they were going to take this. Too bad my mind was already there, or maybe my subconscious had made the leap.

My stomach twisted, and I had to force myself to look away. Too bad my gaze tangled with Caleb’s when I did. He smirked. “As you were saying…” My head shook, voice low. “Dakota and I are just friends. Hell, she’s like a fucking sister to me.” “That’s some kind of fucked up sisterly relationship you have then.” Pure insinuation rolled out of Ezra. I sent him a glare. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You want her?” I shrugged like the thought of it didn’t make me want to puke. “Go for it.” Laughing, he clapped me on the shoulder, squeezing tight and shaking me. “You are so full of shit, Ryder. You’re literally about to levitate off your seat, head spinning around. Demon-possessed. I’m actually scared.”

Twenty minutes later, I was swiping a napkin over my mouth and slumping back in the booth. Knocked the fuck out from everything that was Dakota Cooper.

I turned over the slip, pulse catching when I read what was on the other side, her swirly handwriting woven deep into the paper. I shouldn’t be surprised. Shouldn’t take it as something it was not. But it never failed to stab me in the guts. Love is on the house.

“Yeah, we are. But that doesn’t mean you need to be tossing out what you have to offer for free. You worked hard for this place, and I want to support it.” He hesitated for a beat before he muttered, “I want to support you.” Did he have any idea how much he’d already done that? That I could never ask him for more?

“You’ve always liked feeding me, haven’t you? Taking care of me?” “I thought that’s what we do for each other.” It came out a rasp. A breath. Air that stirred and danced. An entrancing vapor that I’d gotten sucked into.

Cody’s grin turned smug. “That’s because you don’t count, my friend. Hell, this place wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for me. Who was it that Dakota continually baked for when she was a little girl, testing her recipes out on? Who encouraged her to step out and take the chance and make it happen when she got older? Who tells her every damned day she’s the best baker who ever lived?” I bit down on my lip. Ryder, Cody. It had always been Ryder. Because Cody might have always supported me, but it was Ryder who’d given me the courage to chase my dreams.

Then Cody’s friend inhaled a big breath and his chest puffed out. “Did someone make chocolate chip cookies?” He pushed his shaggy black hair from his eyes. Eyes that were the same color as the night went wide when he saw the plate of them. “Can I have some?” he asked their momma. “You’ll have to ask Dakota. She’s the one who baked them.” Dakota’s mother’s smile was crooked when she looked between them. “Can I have one, Dakota? They smell better than anything I’ve ever smelled before.” Dakota’s chest filled with pride, something like feathers that tickled in her heart and floated in her belly. Her shoulders went up to her ears. “I made ’em for you. You like the chocolates the best.” He smiled even bigger.

Ryder took his to the table and sat down, slowly eating each one, like he wanted the taste of them to last forever. Dakota couldn’t help but watch. “Was it good?” she finally asked because they needed to be if she was going to be the best baker in the world. Ryder grinned with his big red lips. “That was my favorite thing I ever ate.”