Chapter 14 – Ainsleigh #2
Right before the one-hour mark was up, I was done with diffusing my hair and putting on a minimal amount of makeup I usually wore. Mascara and lip gloss.
Aspen and I checked ourselves in the mirror one more time as a knock sounded at the door.
“You girls ready?” Dylan called from the other side.
He knew better than to just walk in on us. He walked in on me in a towel once, and he never made that mistake again.
Aspen pulled the door open, and I was so glad that I was behind her to take in the look on Dylan’s face.
His eyes looked her up and down, not once but twice. Twice. That man had it bad for our friend.
Dylan gulped before he came to his senses.
“You ladies look beautiful as always,” he said as he briefly looked at me, then his eyes were back on Aspen.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She deserved a man like Dylan, and hopefully before long, he’d spill the beans.
Because I knew my friend, and she loved him just as much as he loved her. She just wanted him to make the first move.
Maybe after tonight he would.
The three of us walked down the stairs to make a quick bite to eat.
As we walked into the kitchen, I pointed to the island barstools for Dylan and Aspen to take a seat as I walked over to the fridge to grab the ingredients to make us each a sub with a side of fruit.
There was no way I was going out tonight without food in my stomach.
Been there, done that. Didn’t want the T-shirt.
Gentry walked into the kitchen just as I placed meat, cheeses, condiments, and a fruit tray on the island.
His steps faltered for just a beat. I looked up at his face, but he masked his features, before he continued making his way over to the island.
“Want some help?” Gentry asked as he stopped right beside me.
“Did you want a sub and fruit? That’s what we’re making before we go out tonight,” I asked, because Aspen and Dylan didn’t need to see how hard it was for me to be around Gentry. That would lead to questions, and I didn’t have the energy to explain myself.
“Sounds good to me. Y’all goin’ out to Whiskey On The Rocks tonight with your brothers?” Gentry asked as he washed his hands and grabbed the sub rolls, cutting them in half.
“Yeah,” I managed to choke out.
Why did he have to smell so good?
He smelled just like he used to. The scent of Curve hit my senses, and the smell of him brought back so many memories.
Every time I caught a whiff of that scent, memories of our time together would assault my mind.
And I caught a whiff nightly because I kept a bottle packed away and when the scent faded, I sprayed my pillow so I could have the comfort of his smell with me always.
“What would y’all like on yours?” I asked Dylan and Aspen, already knowing that Gentry preferred turkey and cheese with mayo, no mustard.
Absentmindedly, after he handed over the sub roll, I made it without even thinking. So many afternoons when we were growing up we made subs and went out back by the pool to enjoy a day in the sun. Oh, to be that young and carefree again.
“I want ham and cheese with mustard,” Aspen replied.
I took a second to look up at her as I handed over Gentry’s sub and grabbed another roll from him, and she had the biggest grin on her face, no doubt conjuring up another romantic notion in her mind, as if a damn turkey sub could cause us to fall hopelessly in love again.
“I want bologna and cheese with mayo,” Dylan replied, and I set out to make everyone’s subs.
Every time Gentry would pass me a sub roll, our fingers would gently graze, and I had to hide the way my breathing would hitch or my body would get goosebumps from just a mere touch of his finger.
My body needed to get the same memo as my mind. Gentry was off-limits.
Gentry put a variety of melon in bowls for everyone and passed them out just as I finished plating the last sub.
Everyone carried their plate and bowl over to the kitchen table in silence. I walked back over to the fridge and grabbed four waters and passed them around before I sat down to dig into my dinner.
“We get to meet the infamous brothers tonight?” Aspen asked before she took a bite of her sub.
“Yeah,” I replied through trying to chew a bite of my food.
Hopefully she wouldn’t say too much while sitting here. She knew girl code, but sometimes an excited Aspen would forget who we were around.
I looked over at her and tried to subtly shake my head without alerting Dylan or Gentry, and she slightly nodded in understanding. Whew. Crisis diverted. I told her some things I didn’t feel like explaining to Gentry, and I didn’t want her to accidentally bring them up.
“It’s Brooks, Leo, and Holden, right?” Dylan asked.
“Yes, and in the correct order too.” I laughed.
“Are you going to the bar tonight, Gentry?” Aspen asked.
I pursed my lips at her question. I thought we’d agreed with our head shakes.
“Nah, I’m stayin’ in tonight.”
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“Come on. Don’t be a party pooper. It’ll be fun,” Aspen said as she took another bite of her sub.
I took a chance and glanced over at Gentry.
Sure enough he was looking at me for confirmation.
I couldn’t deny him going now without Aspen and Dylan asking why.
“You should come,” I replied. While being around him was hard, he was an important part of my life, my best friend, and I missed him.
“You drinking tonight?” Gentry asked, but I didn’t know who he was questioning.
“I’m the designated driver tonight. I’ll have one beer when we first arrive, but that’s it,” I responded, even though I just wanted to down a few shots after finding out he was going.
“Oh, since you’re going too, Gentry, you should just ride with us,” Aspen insisted, and damn if I didn’t want to kick her under the table.
She looked at me with a smirk and had the audacity to wink. I inwardly laughed at how she thought she was sneaky. Only I knew her too well.
Gentry nodded in agreement and looked over at me, and I gave him a genuine smile. Maybe after tonight we’d break some of the tension between us, and I’d have the courage to talk to him.
We finished our dinner just making small talk about ranch life and how many horses we had. All the while all I could think about was the fact that Gentry would be with us tonight, and I didn’t know if my heart could take it.