“She hates him Gunner but yet I know she still loves him…. I hate to see her hurting like this. ”
“I’m sorry Ellie but I can tell you that I’m sure Jeff is hurting probably even more. ”
Ellie pushed back away from my chest and just stared at me. She looked confused and pissed at the same time.
“How in the hell do you think he is hurting more then she is Gunner?” Ellie hissed through her teeth.
“He’s in love with her Ellie. ”
Ellie let out a laugh. “Yeah if that is how he shows love than she is better off without him. ”
“Ellie, Jeff told me he loves Ari so much he’s afraid that if they end up together something will happen, something bad and he will lose her forever. He said he would rather have her in his life as a friend than to not have her in his life at all. ”
Ellie just looked at me for the longest time. I knew what she was thinking because I thought the same thing when Jeff spit out that bullshit to me.
“That doesn’t make a lick of fucking sense Gunner. I hope you know that!”
God I loved this girl.
“Ells I told him the same exact thing. I wish I could understand his stupid fucked up way of thinking but I don’t. ”
Ellie let out a sigh and we just sat there in silence. Fuck let this be a lesson for me NOT to fuck things up with Ellie.
Ellie and I spent the rest of the afternoon riding around the ranch. I showed her every square nook of it. Where me and my cousins use to play kings and queens, hide and seek and where in high school we would sneak off to with some of Gramps beer that he hid from Grams. Then I took her out behind the ranch house and showed her how to shoot a . 22 gauge riffle. It was a perfect afternoon.
Dinner…. not so much, Jeff didn’t utter a word while Gramps mostly talked about the plans for fixing up the main barn. Drake and his sons lived there and their quarters needed some fixing up. I told Gramps I would come back the weekend of Thanksgiving and help out. We had a game that Thursday, Thanksgiving Day but, I could plan on getting here Friday after we reviewed the game and staying until Sunday night. Jeff finally spoke and said he would plan on coming also. That led Grams to having Ellie come out also and we would cook up a Thanksgiving feast on Saturday. I thought Ellie was going to jump out of her chair she was so excited.
/> I looked up and saw Ari coming into the dining room. She was dressed in Jeans and a black Hulu Hut t-shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a low pony and she had the fakest smile I’d ever seen plastered on her face.
“Well crap…I see I’m late for dinner!”
I looked over at Jeff. He instantly sat up and looked at Ari. I could tell he wanted nothing more than to grab her and take her somewhere and talk to her. From what Gramps told me about his talk with Jeff, he pretty much told Jeff he just lost the best thing he would ever have, he then called him the stupidest mother fucker on the planet. He also let him know that if he ever wanted another chance with Ari he needed to back off, let her cool down and once she did he better crawl on his goddamn hands and knees and beg her to forgive him.
“You’re never late for dinners in this house my darling girl. ” Grams said as she gave Ari a wink.
Ari never once looked at Jeff. Grams handed her a plate and we all started to pass down the pork chops, mashed potatoes and green beans. I had never in my life seen a girl eat so much as Ari did tonight!
The rest of the night was spent outside on the porch talking, listening to Grams and Gramps tell stories, a couple rounds of dominoes and then we all headed off to bed. Before I went to sleep I let Gramps and Grams know we were leaving the next day. I killed me to leave knowing there was so much work to be done. But I thought it was for the best.
I had pulled Ellie off to the side and asked her if she wanted to go to our tree one more time and watch the stars. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands.
“Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll meet you down at your truck!”
We ended up spending more time kissing and touching each other than we did looking at the stars. I was almost tempted to keep her out all night and make out but I knew we were heading back to Austin and we both needed to get some sleep. I kissed her long and passionately on the porch before I walked her to her room.
“Goodnight Ellie sweetheart. ”
“Goodnight Gunner. Thank you so much for such a magical week. I love you!”
“You are more than welcome baby. Sweet dreams Ellie. ”
After Grams had packed up a picnic basket full of goodies we made our way back to Austin. Ari and Jeff both put their iPods in and never spoke a single word all the way home. It killed me I couldn’t have Ellie in the front seat with me but Ari threw a fit at the idea of the “bastard from hell” sitting next to her.
When we finally pulled up to Ari and Ellie’s house I thought Ari was going to bolt from the truck before I even had it stopped.
Jeff and I carried their suitcases in and then Jeff went back to the truck after saying goodbye to Ellie and Ari disappeared into her room.
“How many more weeks until football is starting back up?” Ellie asked me as she walked me back outside.