“Wait. How do you know she’s on a date? She just left a few hours ago. ”
“I called her. I wanted to make sure she got to Austin okay, and she told me she was on a date. I even heard her talk to the guy. ”
“You don’t think she might have just been saying that to get you fired up?”
“Why the hell would she do that? Listen, she’s moved on, and now, I am, too. I gotta go, Jeff. Lynda is waiting for me. ”
“Oh fuck, dude. You’re gonna sleep with Gunner’s cousin? The man code, bro. ”
“It’s his cousin, not his damn sister. Fuck the man code. ”
***
I packed up my shit and headed back into the kitchen. Ari was sitting at the table while Jeff was pouring her some tea. I walked over and kissed her on the head.
“How are you doing, babe?”
“Fine, thank you. Why are you leaving? You don’t have to leave, Josh. Please know that. ”
“I know, hon. I need to get back to Austin. My dad is making some office furniture for a lawyer’s office, and I really want to help him with it. I can’t waste my whole summer away. Time to get a real job, ya know?”
“Okay, come back this weekend if you want. ”
“Thanks, y’all. Take it easy and let me know if you need anything. ”
***
By the time I picked up Lynda and we headed into Austin, my head was pounding, and my heart was racing. Lynda was talking away like a nervous Nellie. She didn’t even hesitate when I asked if she wanted to go back to my place.
The sooner I fucked her, the better I would be…. .
And the faster I would get over Heather.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
HEATHER
Jerry just kept talking and talking until he finally asked if I was even listening to him.
“Oh yeah, I’m so sorry, Jer. One of my best friends lost her baby yesterday, and I guess I just have her on my mind. I kind of walked out left her. Not the best thing for a friend to do, but. ”
“No worries at all, Heather. You’ve seemed a little upset since you took that call. Was that her?”
The moment I ran into Jerry at Starbucks, and he asked if I wanted to grab a late dinner, I knew I was doing the wrong thing. I needed to get Josh out of my head though. Then he called, and I’d just blurted out that I was on a date. I guess having dinner with your cousin’s best friend wasn’t really a date, but Josh didn’t need to know that.
“No, it wasn’t her. It was a guy. A friend who just wanted to make sure I got back to Austin okay. ”
“Do you call all your guy friends assholes, Heather?” Jerry asked with a smile.
I let out a laugh and shook my head. Jerry went back to eating his burger while I took a good look at him. He had blond hair and green eyes. They were nothing like Josh’s eyes though. His height was about five-eleven and he was built. He played baseball for UT, and he was dressed in a UT T. shirt and shorts. He was wearing his UT baseball cap backwards. If Ari were here, she would probably say he looked very fuckable. She loved it when guys wore their caps backward. I hated to admit it, but I loved it, too, especially when Josh did it which was damn near all the time.
I let my eyes travel up and down Jerry. He sure was attractive, and he had a killer smile that made my stomach drop.
Jerry wasn’t as good-looking as Josh, he was damn near close to it.
We talked for a few hours about nothing and everything. It was nice having a simple conversation. I also didn’t have to worry about if he was going to check out the waitress or if she was going to slip him her number. Josh had never done that though. At least, I’d never noticed it.
Josh. I wondered if he was with Lynda. I decided I needed to check up on Ari. I looked at the time, and it was almost ten.