“Those shorts are too short, Ari. ” I tried to hide my smile when she raised her eyebrows at me.
“Um, no, they’re not. Sorry, I’m gonna wear the shit out of this stuff until I can’t fit into it anymore. ” She gave me a wink and came over to sit on my lap.
I looked into the kitchen and saw Heather getting out a Diet Coke from the fridge. Then, I glanced over at Josh, who must have seen her the same time I did.
I almost felt like I should walk over and shut his mouth for him. Heather had on a white tank top, blue jean shorts, and a pair of pink cowboy boots. How two girls can wear just simple shirts and shorts and look so good was beyond me.
“Close your mouth, Josh, unless you want to catch flies,” Ari said.
Josh snapped his head over to Ari and looked dazed for a moment or two. Just then, his cell phone went off. Ah, the bitch must have some kind of radar, she sensed him looking at Heather.
Josh pulled out his phone and looked at it, frowning
There was no way in hell he was happy with Lynda. I could tell just by his reaction to her call. She was fucking nuts, jealous as hell, and I had a funny feeling she was playing around behind Josh’s back.
He got up and walked outside before he answered it. I looked at Ari who, was also frowning. She stood up when Heather walked into the living room.
“Y’all ready to go?” I am so in the mood to go to a barn dance,” Heather said as she smiled at Ari and me.
“Well then, let’s go. I talked to Gunner a little bit ago, and he and Ellie will just meet us there. ”
***
By the time we got to the barn dance, Heather and Josh seemed to be getting along as friends. I even heard them laugh a few times. Ari looked over at me and smiled. I knew what she was thinking, and I was a little less optimistic.
As we walked toward the barn, I saw Garrett and Jack were talking to a couple of older guys, and Emma and Grace were laughing with a group of women. Gunner came walking out of the barn with three beers in his hand while Ellie carried two. Gunner handed me one first and then gave on to Josh. Ellie tried to hand to Heather.
“No, thanks. I’m only drinking Diet Coke tonight,” Heather said.
Ari let out a laugh and looked at Heather.
“You’re such a good friend to only drink soda because I can’t drink!”
Heather smiled just a little. “Not really, sweets. I stopped drinking last summer. ”
Josh’s head snapped up to look at Heather, who was now looking down at the ground.
Garrett walked up and slapped Gunner on the back. “I can tell you that if I had all these beautiful women standing around me, I sure as shit wouldn’t be standing out here, all just staring at each other. ”
“You heard the man. Take me in there and swing me around that dance floor, Jeff, before I find me another cowboy to do it,” Ari said with a wink.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said as I took Ari’s hand and led her into the barn.
Just as we walked in, Jason Aldean’s “When She Says Baby” started up. I spun Ari around before we took off two-steppin’. I’d never been with a girl who could dance to every kind of music out there. Girl sure as hell knows how to two-step.
I looked over to see Gunner and Ellie laughing as they danced right by us. Gunner gave me a wink and then he leaned down and kissed the shit out of my baby sister. Bastard.
Then, I saw Jack and Grace. I smiled when I thought about how happy Gunner was to have his parents living on the ranch. The plan was for Gunner and Ellie to finish building their house, and the
n Jack and Grace were going to move into the cabin. Jack seemed so happy and at peace, and I knew he loved working with Gunner on the ranch.
“Do you see Garrett and Emma dancing?” Ari shouted.
I shook my head and looked around. Just as I spotted them, Garrett was spinning Emma around. They looked so damn happy. I glanced down at Ari, and she smiled. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was.
“Do you think they still keep a quilt in their truck?” Ari asked before she started to laugh.
I threw my head back and laughed along with her. “I bet they do, baby. I bet they do!”