JEFF
Josh had insisted on coming out with me to make the food rounds this morning. I knew it was only because he didn’t want to be at the house with Ari and Heather. I tried to get him to talk, but I ended up just letting him sulk for about thirty minutes.
A new stud horse, Romeo, had arrived yesterday. I was mucking out his stale, when I saw Josh walking into the barn. He looked like hell.
“What the fuck, Josh? What happened yesterday when you went to talk to Heather?”
“Fuck if I know. I asked her if she still wanted to talk. At first, I thought she was going to, then Lynda called around the corner, asking if we were still on for heading into town for lunch. I’m not even sure where the hell that came from since I didn’t even ask Lynda to lunch. I simply told Lynda that I would talk to her in a minute, and when I turned around, I swear Heather had steam coming from her ears. Then, she accused me of moving on fast. Moving on from what? She was the one who said there was no future for us and that we were just friends. I’m so fucking confused right now. I don’t know which way is up and which way is down for Christ’s sake. ”
I shook my head and closed Romeo’s stall, while he was trying to push his damn way out. Shit, this horse is a feisty bastard. Ari had begged me to let her ride him last night. There was no way in hell I was letting her get on this horse.
“Josh, listen to me, dude. Women are…fuck, I don’t really know how women are. I just know that at least more than half the time, when they say something, they really mean the opposite. I don’t why. God made ‘em that way, and I ain’t about to question God on it. I really think you need to talk to her and get it out there before Gunner’s cousin moves in and tries to eat you alive. ”
Josh started laughing. “Yeah, Lynda is something else. I like her. I mean, if Heather wasn’t in the picture, I could probably see myself dating Lynda. She just moved to Austin to finish school at UT. I don’t know. Maybe I just need to just move on since Heather only wants to be friends. ”
“If you think that’s what she really wants, then maybe you should,” I said, raising my eye-brows at him.
“Well, that’s what she keeps repeating to me so, I guess that means I need to move on. ”
***
By the time we made it back to the house, Josh was in an even worse mood. I was guessing that the idea of walking away from any kind of relationship with Heather just pissed him off. It was either that or it was because Romeo nipped at his hand.
I walked into the kitchen to see Heather and Ari sitting at the kitchen island. Ari looked up at me and gave me that smile that I swore could bring me to my knees every damn time. I smiled back at her and looked down to see she was drinking orange juice and not coffee. That was two days in a row now.
“What’s wrong with the coffee?” I asked as I walked over to pour myself a cup.
Josh followed and poured some into his mug.
I leaned down to give Ari a kiss. She let out a small moan, and I just about grabbed her and hauled her ass into our bedroom. Fuck. She smelled so damn good. I nipped at her bottom lip, and then I pulled away, so I could sit down next to her.
Josh leaned up against the kitchen counter and looked everywhere but at Heather.
Ari just busted out with, “So, what the hell is going on with you two anyway?”
Heather choked on her coffee, and Josh looked like he was about to kill Ari. It took everything out of me not to laugh. Ari never was one to beat around the bush. That was one of the things I loved about her. She was a no-bullshit kind of girl.
“Ari! I can’t believe you,” Heather said giving Ari a go-to-hell look.
Josh seemed to compose himself, but then I saw a look in his eyes. It was that same look he used to get when he was putting on his game face.
“There’s nothing going on but friendship. Ain’t that right, Heather?” Josh said.
Oh fuck.
“Um…I um. ”
“Heather, didn’t you want to talk to Josh about something?” Ari said, her eyes pleading with Heather.
“I, um. ” Heather looked over at Josh.
He actually looked pissed. What the hell?
“I think you made your self clear yesterday as well as the other day. Or is there something else you needed to tell me besides to fuck off?”
Ah, shit. This is going south. I looked at Ari, who was staring at Josh in shock. Then, she glanced at Heather, who also had a shocked look on her face. This seemed to be turning into something I was not used to seeing on Heather.
Suddenly, she appeared to be very pissed-off as her hands were balled up in fists. I tried to decide who I was putting my money on.