Chapter 17
Ricky
“Is their knowing one of those instances I’m supposed to apologize for or not? I’m trying to keep up.”
“Not,” Marilyn says. “In a way, I’m glad the secret is out.”
“What about last night?”
“And this morning,” she says with a sexy grin.
I reach back and tug the hair tie from her long brown locks, watching as it cascades down her back and over her shoulders. “We could go for twice this morning.”
She gathers her hair and twists it before flipping it over her shoulder. “I promised Devan I’d take off in the morning.”
“Funny story.”
Marilyn’s blue eyes open wide. “What’s funny?”
“Remember the backpack Kyla handed me last night? I was planning a trip to Riverbend. Justin asked me to come down to talk about his plans for the farms…I guess it’s only one farm now—his.”
“And Devan’s.”
I nod.
It’s just weird after my whole life of my family owning our land that it is now part of the Sheers’s farm. Knowing that my sister is still there makes it easier to take. An idea comes to life. “Do you want to ride down together?”
Marilyn coughs, choking on her coffee. “Together? Don’t you think everyone will notice?”
“Yeah, but when we share a room at Devan’s house, they’ll probably notice that too.”
Her head is shaking. “Whoa. I think you’re moving a little fast.”
Turning her barstool, I angle Marilyn until she’s facing me. Stepping down to the floor, I spread her knees and move closer. “Let’s scream it from the rooftops. Riverbend didn’t implode when Justin and Devan announced their relationship. I think it can survive ours too.”
“Ours.”
Her cheeks have paled.
“Is this—” I motion between us “—not a relationship? I mean, if we were still in Riverbend, would you not want me to walk the stands before a softball game and kiss you?”
“Can we please go slower?”
“Slower, as in no more sex?”
She lays her hand on my chest. “Slower, as in telling our friends and family.”
“Are you ashamed?” I ask.
“No,” she answers quickly. “I’m confused.”
I take a step back. “What are you confused about?”
“You.”
“Can you be more specific?”
Marilyn hops down from the stool and paces to the sink and back with her lips pressed together. “What are you doing, Ricky Dunn?”
“I’m watching the most beautiful woman I know prance around in a sexy robe. I also just ate breakfast. It’s not confusing.”
“It is. Last night…this morning…I have no regrets.”
“Fuck, that’s encouraging.”
She reaches for my arm. “Ricky, please. I’m not throwing it in your face, but you hurt me. I’m not even talking about your phone.”
“I’ve changed that.”
“You’ve heard the saying, hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice, shame on me?”
Swallowing, I nod. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Did you want to seven years ago?”
“Intentionally, no.”
“I don’t want to hurt you either. Let’s see where this goes. We can drive separately to Riverbend and sleep in separate rooms. Think of it as the opposite of last night. Instead of pretending we’re a couple, let’s pretend we’re not. Just while we’re in Riverbend.”
“I don’t like it.”
Marilyn tilts her head and pouts her adorable lips, melting my resolve.
“Okay, but if I find you alone, I get to kiss you.”
“If you find me alone, you can do more than that.”
“Deal.”
By early afternoon, I’m looking around the old barn, seeing that not much has changed. Devan and Justin have done so much with the house, the barn is probably not high on their priority list. Justin walks to the back tool bench and slides a wooden partition to the side, revealing a small refrigerator. He opens the door, takes out two beers, and slams the door shut. “Here.” He tosses the beer my direction.
I’m lucky enough to catch it. “It’s barely noon.”
Justin hikes himself up on top of the workbench and opens his can. The shoosh fills the air. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.” Instead of taking a drink, he sets the can at his side and crosses his arms over his chest. “You slept with one of Devan’s best friends and then made her mad again. I feel alcohol is appropriate.”
Shrugging, I open my can. “It’s light beer. Almost like drinking water.” I take a drink.
“I’m waiting.”
I look at my friend. “I told you what happened on the phone. Devan’s graduation party. Everything was consensual, but after I realized she’d never…” Saying the words brings back my feelings of self-loathing.
“You ran like a little girl.”
Pressing my lips together, I give that a thought. “No, the little girl didn’t run. She faced me every time with a smart remark or a sassy smirk. I ran like a coward. I didn’t see that then, but I do now.”
Justin picks up his beer and takes a slug. “Better late than never. I can’t believe she came through for you on the partner dinner.”
I feel the way my cheeks rise, but I can’t seem to stop them. “Not as shocked as I was when I opened my apartment door. It was like a fucking angel descended from heaven to save my sorry ass. And she did too. She introduced me to everyone. I even have a telephone meeting with one of the partners on Monday. He wants to pick my brain about managing agricultural wealth.”
“There’s wealth in agriculture?”
“When you don’t spend all your available cash on home renovations.”
Justin shrugs. “It makes Devan happy. It makes me happy to live in a real home, not one of those McMansions.”
“It looks great. You two worked your asses off.”
“Speaking of ass, are you going to tell me when you last got some?”
My eyes bug out as I cough. “Fuck, no. And don’t go sharing your sex life. Devan’s still my sister, and I haven’t completely ruled out that punch I offered years ago.”
“Statute of limitations. I should kick your ass for Marcus.”
That makes me laugh. “Marcus James. I don’t think you will go out of your way for him.”
Marcus is three years younger than us and a real conceited ass. On the football team, he thought he was the GOAT. One day after practice, Justin and I may have been involved in a prank to make him eat grass. The memory makes me smile as I take another drink of my beer.
“It was Devan’s idea for us to invite you both here,” Justin says, “assuming you didn’t kill each other last night.”
“Nope,” I say, knowing that if I would have died last night, it would have been from my increased blood pressure while fucking a beautiful, sassy brunette.
“Do you think Marilyn will turn around and go home when she realizes you’re here?”
“I hope not.”
Justin’s brow furrows. “You hope not?”
My smile breaks free. “I was an ass before, but now, ten years difference in age doesn’t matter. Hell, she’s accomplished more than I have. I’m amazed by her knowledge and am growing fond of her smart mouth. Of course” —this is the part Marilyn and I discussed— “she would rather never see me again. Maybe this is fate.”
“Do you think the two of you could…?”
“The world beyond Riverbend is lonely. I said it. I’m a pansy.”
Justin jumps down from the workbench. “You’re not. Riverbend was lonely before Devan. I can’t imagine being out with total strangers. At least here is here.”
“I don’t mind the strangers. I’d just also wouldn’t mind a friendly—beautiful smile.”
“Fuck.” He comes closer and downs the rest of his beer. “You’ve got it bad.”
“That’s what Kyla said.”
“Who the hell is Kyla?”
“My roommate’s sister. She was at our apartment yesterday. I was floundering, so I asked her for advice.” Something occurs to me. “I seem to remember when there was this asshole who kissed a girl at a hog roast and went on about her for weeks. Didn’t he have it bad?”
“He did, but he also was at a disadvantage. He didn’t know the name of the BK—best kiss. You know Marilyn’s name.”
“I don’t want to fuck this up.”
Justin nods. “That’s good. Maybe you won’t this time.” He looks out the dusty window. “I see Marilyn’s car. Let’s head into the house.”
“Or we could have another beer.”
Justin reaches for my arm. “Man up.”
“Wait? Are you hiding beer from my sister? Let’s talk about who’s a man.”
“Not hiding it. She knows about it. Some evenings, we come out here, grab a beer, climb up into the hayloft?—”
“Stop,” I interrupt. “TMI.”
Justin laughs as we walk toward the back door of the house.