35. Dove #3
“I’m not. Just hear me out,” he continued quickly as my mouth opened to argue.
“We’re what, one or two more trips from being done?
There’s only the field out by the highway left and that’s easy enough since it’s the smallest field.
I’ll call up Eddie and see if he’s willing to help.
He’s been bugging me to hang out, and I know he’s off today. ”
My thumbs hovered over Reverie’s text thread, hesitating.
Josh trudged on, “You’ve been working hard for a long time, even before I got back. You deserve some time off.”
I eyed him skeptically. “You’re only saying that because I gave you an orgasm.”
He smirked, arms crossing as he reclined back against the wall. “Well, it was a damn good one."
My eyes rolled without my consent. I knew that wasn’t really the reason. Josh knew Reverie pretty well, considering we’d been connected at the hip almost since my arrival in Haven. If she was blowing up my phone, it was because she needed me. Even if she wouldn’t outright say it.
I hated pushing off my responsibilities, but wasn’t it also my responsibility to be there for her?
I’d been using the farm as an excuse, throwing myself into it to distract me from the loss of my mom, but in doing so I’d neglected one of the most important people in my life.
And the fact I wasn’t even sure how long Reverie would be home meant I needed to use this time to my advantage.
She’d been gone too long, and I missed her.
“Only if Eddie is off and he’s okay with it,” I relented.
Josh wasted no time in walking over to grab his phone where he'd left it sitting. “You kidding me? Eddie loves anything to do with the farm. I’m sure he’ll jump at the chance to help me.”
I groaned. “Please don’t let him drive the tractor. Remember what happened last time?”
Josh barked a laugh. “Don’t remind me. Gareth nearly skinned us both alive for that stunt.”
Let’s just say Eddie had been banned from operating any heavy machinery on the farm from that point forward. Not that he’d really been given permission in the first place...
Eddie had a “better to ask for forgiveness than permission” mindset.
Josh sent a quick message, but we didn’t have to wait long for a reply. As if waiting, Eddie’s acceptance to the offer came through a minute later.
Josh read the text then looked up at me. “He’s already on his way.”
I laughed. “God, he really was bored.”
“Yeah, I think we’re doing Haven a favor, honestly.”
A bored Eddie was not something you wanted unleashed on the town. People hated to see him coming, and it was one of the reasons his family kept him busy at the restaurant. Eddie was loyal to a fault and funny as hell, but when he was bored...
He made it everyone’s problem and was capable of anything.
But even his family needed a break from him time to time.
And of course, Eddie deserved time off, too.
He was addicted to working, either at the restaurant or doing something around his parents' house. He’d been known to be hit up by local’s who knew Eddie wasn’t likely to say no if they were in a bind and needed his help.
He took any challenge head on and fulfilled it to the best of his abilities, even if he wasn’t always the most qualified to do so.
Josh set his phone down, striding over to me. “Go on! Go get yourself cleaned up and text Rev that you’re free.”
I bit my lip, still unsure and reluctant to leave.
“Now don’t do that.” Josh turned me around, guiding me toward the barns entrance with hands on my shoulders. “No changing your mind. Go have fun with Reverie.”
“I was having fun with you,” I argued, my boots shuffling across the floor as he led me towards the sunny opening.
“Oh, so was I,” Josh agreed, close to my ear. He placed a kiss to my temple. “But right now, Reverie needs you, and Eddie needs me. While it pains me to admit it, I missed that goofball. So, let’s take the rest of the day to hang out with our crazy best friends.”
I spun around, pressing a quick kiss to Josh’s lips. “Thank you.”
The corner of his mouth turned up into a soft smile, his eyes crinkling. “You don't have to thank me, Dove.”
Before I could reply, he spun me and smacked my ass to get me going. I yelped, hands flying to my backside as I darted out of his reach.
“Now get going,” he ordered sternly.
“Yes, sir.” My hand rose in a mocking salute. “Wait, is that something that does it for you?” I teased, walking backward away from him.
“What, the spanking or the brattiness?” he questioned with a raised brow. “Because the answer to both of those is yes .”
My boots tripped over nothing but the shock of his words. He stepped forward, as if to catch me, but I righted my footing just in time before falling. He let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head in amusement at my reaction. “Dove, get to the house in one piece, please.”
I scowled, turning around at the same time I lifted a middle finger to him.
His laughter followed me as I stalked away, but I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. He just had that effect on me.
As I walked across the driveway and toward the house, I sent Reverie the good news, which was replied to quickly with a bunch of surprise-face emoji’s and a “Let’s go bitch!!!”