“I’m a big girl,” I add. A big girl who shoves her feelings away so she doesn’t have to live in the painful reminder that her mother missed out on so much of her life.

“Just promise me you won’t be alone on the anniversary.”

“Yep. Will do.” I huff out a sigh.

“Chase . . .”

“That’s my name,” I taunt, like the little sister I am and have no shame in doing so. “Besides, maybe I needed a change of venue for a bit. After all, you guys did challenge me with dating someone new.”

“So you fled one of the most populated cities in the country?” She sighs. “Classic Chase deflection.”

Nothing will ever bring Mom back.

Nothing will ever fill the hole her death created.

Nothing.

“Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to check in to this hotel, pray there are no bed bugs, and then find a nice, friendly bar to butter up the bartender for info.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” she murmurs.

“You didn’t.” My smile is tight even though she can’t see it. “You know me, I have my sights set on something—”

“And therefore, nothing else matters.”

“Exactly.”

But when I hang up, I sit back in the driver’s seat and close my eyes.

Is this why I’m so hung up on finding Ryan Camden, who by all accounts could be a complete jerk and undeserving of my time?

Am I desperate to fix his misfortune because I know I can’t fix mine?

CHAPTER FOUR

Gunner

SHE OWNS MY ATTENTION THE minute she walks into the bar. A new face in this bar gets noticed pretty damn quick to say the least. The town is small. The bar patrons are regulars.

She’s not one of them.

I wipe my hands on the towel hanging from my waist, lean my hips back against the counter behind me, and study her across the distance.

Her dark hair falls a little past her shoulders in long waves as she swings her head from side to side to survey the lay of the land. Her lips purse, and I can assume she’s contemplating where to sit. She has an athletic body with curves in all the right places, and yes, I’m noticing. Especially how her red V-neck sweater is snug, her deep-blue jeans hug said curves, and the heels on her feet are more than sexy.

Most women don’t walk into a bar without a gaggle of other women around them. If they do, then they’re meeting someone, and I know almost everyone in here right now. Either that, or they’re looking for one thing.

Maybe I just might want to be of service for her and that one thing.