“Like a rock star in disguise.” I laughed.

He smiled crookedly. “Come on, it totally works.”

“Yeah, it kind of does,” I agreed.

The baseball cap kept most of his sandy hair hidden from view and the dark sunglasses obscured his blue eyes. But if someone were observant he’d still be easy to spot.

“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?” He frowned.

“No.” I shook my head.

He rubbed his hands together before reaching for the door handle. “Picnic time! I’m starving!”

I rolled my eyes as I got out of the car and met him on the other side of the truck. “You guys are always hungry.”

He laughed and nodded his head in agreement, reaching inside to grab a blanket and the basket. Once he had both secured in his hands we started in the direction of the grassy area. There were picnic tables, but Hayes chose a spot beneath a large tree that was shaded by the sun.

He set the basket down and shook out the blanket. We sat down and he opened the basket. He handed me a sandwich and smiled sheepishly. “I asked Emma what your favorite was. I hope that’s okay.”

My mouth fell open as I unfolded the saran wrap. “You made this?”

He shrugged like it was no big deal. “It’s only a sandwich.”

“Which you made…with your hands…by yourself?”

He snorted. “Is it really that surprising to you?”

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.

He ducked his head. “You don’t know me at all.”

“You’ve never given me the chance to know you,” I countered, “over the years you’ve kept yourself pretty separate from the rest of us.”

He sighed, pulling out a bag of chips and bottles of water from the basket before closing it. “Yeah, I guess I have…I feel like I’ve always struggled to fit in with the band.”

“Why is that?” My brows furrowed in confusion. Hayes was a confident guy that wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, so I was surprised that he’d feel that way.

He unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite. Once he’d swallowed he finally answered me. “Don’t get me wrong, I consider all three of those guys as my friends…but they’ve known each other since they were kids. They’re like brothers while I’m the outsider.”

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “I have to admit, Maddox and Ezra have one hell of a bromance going on.”

Hayes laughed to. “You’ve got that right.” He shrugged and took a sip of water. “I guess Mathias is a bit of an outsider too, but he’s been changing since he married Remy and now he’s having a fucking kid.” He shook his head and his whole body shuddered with a sigh. “It’s too weird to think about him being a dad.”

“Yeah, I have to agree with that.”

Mathias was the last guy in the band I ever pictured settling down so early, but people change.

I bit into my sandwich, surprised by how good it tasted. “Hey, this is delicious.” I told him.

He chuckled. “It’s just a sandwich.”

“It’s a yummy one,” I countered.

“So, I did okay?” He asked, motioning to our set up and lunch.

“You did great.” I smiled at him. I was actually having a really nice time with him, which surprised me completely.

“How are things with your store?” He popped a chip into his mouth.

“Good,” I answered vaguely.

He raised a brow. “That’s all I get.”

“There’s not much to tell.” I shrugged. “It’s just a store.”

“It’s what you love, though, right?”

“Yeah.”

He cracked a small, half smile. “That’s good to hear. Too many people these days are miserable.”

“Are you miserable?” I asked.

I expected an immediate answer, but he surprised me by pausing and mulling over my question.

“Not miserable, per se,” his lips pursed, “but sometimes I feel like something is missing from my life.”

“Is that why you asked me on a date?” I questioned. “You’ve always…uh…gotten around.” I frowned, hating to sound so blunt, but it couldn’t be avoided.

He chuckled. His laugh was deep and husky sounding. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He hung his head, hiding a smile. “I love women and I’m not ashamed of that. But I guess…the meaningless hookups have gotten a little old. Is it stupid that I see Maddox and Mathias with their girls and I want that?”

“Not stupid at all.” I finished my sandwich and wiped my hands on a napkin that he’d so thoughtfully packed. “But why ask me? You’ve never acted interested in me before. Even when I was single,” I added.

He shrugged. “You’re different, Sadie. You’re not like the girls that throw themselves at us when we’re on the road. Besides, I might not know you well, but I do know you’d never be with me because of my money and status.”

He leaned towards me and I held my breath as the distance between us lessened. My heart thundered in my chest—not because I was excited by the thought of Hayes kissing me, but because I couldn’t decide whether I wanted him to or not.

His fingers tangled in my hair and his breath fanned over my lips, waiting.

I closed my eyes, my thoughts and feelings a raging inferno inside me.

I was promised to no one, but my heart didn’t know that.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, turning my head away.

His hand fell and he sighed, not in disgust but resigned. I felt bad, because Hayes truly was a nice guy and I believed him when he said he wanted more than a meaningless hookup, but I couldn’t see myself with him.

“Is it Ezra?” He asked. He didn’t sound angry.

I winced and reluctantly raised my head to look at him. “I know it’s stupid, he doesn’t even like me like that,” I winced, hating the fact that I sounded like I was in elementary school, “but yeah…I can’t feel this way towards him and kiss you. It’s wrong and I won’t use you like that.”

“I can respect that.” He sat back, putting distance between us. He surprised me by holding out a hand to me. “Friends?”

“No,” I put my hand in his, “family.”

He grinned—the smile lighting up his whole face. “The Willow Creek family.”

“Exactly.”

“Thanks for…uh, giving me a shot, I guess.” Hayes said with a laugh when he parked his truck in Ezra’s driveway.

I laughed too. “Hayes, you’re going to find the girl for you someday, it’s just not me.”

He nodded. “I know.”

He leaned over and kissed my cheek before I slipped out of the truck.

He waited in the driveway until I had the door unlocked and then he turned the truck around to leave.

I stepped inside and locked the door behind me.

A small squeal left my lips when I turned around to find Ezra standing behind me.

“You have got to stop sneaking up on me like that.” I put a hand over my racing heart and moved to drop my purse and keys on the kitchen counter.

“Sadie?” He swallowed thickly.

“What?” I looked at him curiously. He didn’t look right, slightly sweaty and pale. His fists opened and closed at his sides.

I was about to ask him if he was sick when he threw his hands in the air in defeat, cried, “Fuck it,” and stormed towards me.

I stood frozen, completely transfixed as he closed the space between us in three powerful strides.

He cupped the back of my neck and my back hit the wall beside the refrigerator as he towered above me. Before I could blink his lips were on mine.

Let’s face it, I’d fantasized about kissing Ezra. He was hot, and I had an unrequited crush so it was bound to happen.

In those fantasies he’d always been sweet and tender.

But I would never use those two words to describe this kiss.

His lips were rough and demanding.

There was something feral about the way he moved—how he consumed me.

He growled low in his throat and my own moan captured the sound.

Holy shit, I was kissing Ezra.

Actually, he was kissing me and I was just along for the ride, but oh what a fun ride it was.