Chapter Ten
Aasia skimmed the tables at the diner and found Tansy. “I’m needing a good cup of coffee like a cowboy needs sunrise and bad decisions.” Aasia dropped down into the bench seat. “What?” she asked when Tansy’s brows lifted high over her curious stare.
“Rough night?” Tansy’s attention settled on the oversized shirt. “What the hell are you wearing? And holding.” She narrowed her eyes on the kitten.
“A kitten I rescued. I had too much to drink last night.” Aasia waved at the server. “Patty, can I get a cup of coffee?”
The platinum blonde stepped over with the full carafe, turned over the cups in the saucers and poured them rim-full. When she spotted the kitten, she pursed her lips. “This isn’t Colorado, honey. We don’t allow pets in restaurants. Even one as shitty as this place.”
“Sorry. I’m in a bit of a bind. I’ll make it worthwhile with a huge tip,” Aasia said with a wag of her brows.
Patty shot a glance over her shoulder then turned back to lean a few inches closer. “Fine, but don’t let Frankie see that thing. Since that time he saved Ethel Peterson’s cat from a tree and she bit him, he hasn’t liked cats.”
“The cat bit him?”
“No, Ethel did. Apparently, he was handling the furball too roughly and it pissed Ethel off.” Patty sniffed loudly. “You two ordering food?”
“I’ll take the farmer’s delight,” Aasia said.
“Bacon or sausage? Or both?”
“Bacon.” Aasia was so hungry she could eat a horse.
“Want the same, Tansy?” Patty asked.
“I’ll skip the heart attack on a cheap plate and take the cherry cheese danish,” Tansy said smartly.
“Coming right up, ladies.” Patty left the table.
Aasia said to Tansy, “Hold on. I forgot to do something.” She grabbed her phone and blocked Bentley from her phone and social media. She was serious this time. She discarded her phone back into her purse. “Okay. Now where were we?”
“Your car’s not in the parking lot. How’d you get here?” Tansy twirled a piece of her hair around her knuckle.
“Bear.”
“What the hell happened? Why did Bear drop you off?” Tansy said a little too loudly. “And why are you smiling at your coffee like that?”
“I’m not smiling.” Aasia took sugar packets from the metal holder.
“You’re hiding something,” Tansy accused.
“What makes you think I’m hiding something?”
“You’re pouring salt into your cup.”
“Oh shoot!” Aasia exchanged the salt for sugar and stirred in cream.
“You’re also wearing Bear’s shirt.” Tansy clicked her tongue.
“It’s a long story.” Aasia took a long gulp of her coffee, feeling the heat in her stomach.
“Oh my God. Did you two sleep together?”
“Shh. Can we not pass false facts for rumors to the other tables?”
“So, this new anxious vibe doesn’t have anything to do with the cowboy sitting at the bar?” Tansy said quietly.
“I’m not falling for that.”
“You might want to look. He’s sitting with Echo.”
Searching Tansy’s face, there wasn’t even a sliver of teasing in her features. Aasia swung around and there Bear was, he and Echo drinking coffee. She pulled herself together and said to Tansy, “I’m not anxious.”
“I want details. Every dirty, detail or I swear we can’t be friends.”
After more cream to her coffee and taking her time stirring, Aasia sighed. “Nothing happened. I swear.”
“When did you start lying to your best friend? No one spends the night with a cowboy built like a barn door and doesn’t get laid.” Tansy seemed almost offended.
“Bentley and I broke up yesterday. I mean, I think we were already broken up, but yesterday it was final.”
“Sweetie, I’ve heard the word “final” a time or two, or three.” Tansy rolled her eyes.
“Final final. I’m truly done. He fired me. He felt we shouldn’t be working together.” She nuzzled the kitten’s head, and he curled up into her lap, at once starting to purr.
“He can’t do that. There has to be some sort of law against firing a woman you’ve been screwing. I’m going to research that.” Tansy swiped up her phone and started furiously typing.
“Tansy, don’t bother. It’s for the best.”
“For whom? Hon, where are you going to find another job in this town?”
“I don’t want to think about it at this moment.”
“Cowboy’s looking.” Tansy waved.
Against her better judgement, Aasia looked. Bear smiled at her. She focused on her coffee. He seemed to be completely content that his nearness unsettled her. Catching Tansy’s grin, Aasia shook her head. “It’s only a smile.”
“Are you telling me you’re didn’t just drop an egg in response? A man as lethal as Bear could impregnate a woman with just a smile.” Tansy clanked her spoon against the rim of her cup.
“I’m immune.”
“Since when?”
“People evolve.”
“In ten seconds?” Tansy didn’t seem amused.
“Drop it, Tans.” Aasi didn’t want to discuss Bear.
“Patty doesn’t want to drop it. She lit up like a Christmas tree when Bear smiled at her.”
“Patty just wants a good tip.”
“She wants more than the tip, if you know what I mean.” Tansy didn’t own a filter.
“Seriously?” Aasia groaned.
“You’re blushing.”
“It’s warm in here.”
“So, you slept with Bear because to get over someone you must get under someone else? I knew you were my hero.” Tansy ripped the tops off of two white packets and poured the sugar into her coffee. “Is he good in bed? Wait…I would bet my BMW that he is amazing in bed. Am I right?”
“We didn’t have sex.”
“Then why are you being so vague?” Tansy had Aasia cornered. “I bet you did other things, didn’t you. That’s my girl. Find out how good he is with his tongue before—”
“Tansy! Who’s telling the story?”
She slumped back into the seat. “Fine. Have at it.”
“I went to Oscar’s last night. Bear just happened to be there with the crew.” Aasia swirled her finger through spilled sugar on the table.
“Just happened to be or did you go there to see him?” Tansy said through the furling steam from her cup.
“Can you allow me to tell the story?”
“Sure. Carry on.”
“I got tipsy and he was kind enough to take me to the bunkhouse and let me sleep it off. You know how Pedora is. I couldn’t go home. Nothing happened outside of my complete and utter humiliation.”
Tansy’s brow creased. “Wait. Let me get the facts straight. You were drunk, ended up in Bear’s bed where you slept, all night long, and you didn’t take the rare opportunity, the Universe’s supreme gift, to jump his bones?
No that’s not possible. I’ve known you most of my life and not once would I have ever thought you’re crazy or a prude. ”
“My relationship with Bentley just ended.”
“Unless you were involved with Prince Harry, which you were not, you’d be given a free pass from the powers that be to experience a night with Bear. So, what was the problem?”
“No problem at all.” Aasia stared through the window, trying to refrain from glancing at Bear.
“You’re not telling me everything.”
How was it possible that Tansy had some uncanny way of seeing straight through Aasia? She leaned over the table. “We did make out.”
“Ahh, I knew it,” Tansy blurted.
“Can we keep it down?” Aasia scanned the room to make sure no one—especially Bear—wasn’t listening. He and Echo seemed to be in a deep discussion.
“If you two made out, why didn’t you hit the homerun?”
“Because I was drunk.” She’d leave out the part where she hurled. “Bear slept on the couch like a complete gentleman.”
“I know there must be a story behind the fact that you’re wearing his shirt.” Tansy drummed her fingers on the table, burning a hole through Aasia as if trying to read her mind.
“Fine. I vomited all over mine,” she admitted reluctantly. “Bear and I were kissing and I couldn’t help myself. I threw up in the bushes.”
Tansy sunk deeper into the cushion of the seat then she burst into laughter. “Just when I thought I’d heard it all.”
“What about this story is so funny?” Aasia’s splitting headache was coming back. She took a long drink of the coffee, burning her tongue and not caring one iota.
Patty brought their food and Aasia dug in. Maybe the protein would help.
“Honey, I think you and Bentley breaking up is worth celebrating, and at the same time I’m very disappointed that you were in Bear’s bed and didn’t tap that. The little vomiting fiasco and all wouldn’t have stopped me.”
“Is it always about sex to you?” Aasia said bitterly.
“Yes, it is. Try going four months without it.” Tansy said unapologetically.
Attempting to massage her temples to alleviate the pain, Aasia braced her elbows on the edge of the table. Thankfully the kitten was sound asleep. “I’m sure that’s by choice and not circumstances.”
“Let’s just say if I had a chance like you did, I wouldn’t have slept a wink,” she said sarcastically. “What happened with Bentley this time? Did you finally realize he’s a ball of dung and dump his ass?”
“No, he dumped mine.” She ran her finger around the rim of the cup. “At least I think so.”
Tansy’s eyes widened. “There’s something seriously wrong with him.”
“Well, apparently, he couldn’t handle the fact that I sold foot pics on that cowboy site back when I was in college. Remember? You helped me post them.”
“That’s why he broke things off?” Tansy sighed. “That shows you how petty he actually is.”
“He was looking for a reason. It doesn’t even matter anymore. I deserve better. I’m tired of competing against his mom. She’ll never think I’m the right fit for her perfect son. It was bound to happen. She even paid me a visit.”
“That hoity-toity witch came to see you?”
“I don’t want to rehash her words, but I can tell you without any doubt that this time I’m finished with the entire Fletcher family.”
Tansy reached across the table and covered Aasia’s hand. “Girl, you do deserve much better. Being Bentley’s wife would have been a prison sentence. You’re free now. Free to find out if Bear is a bear.” She wagged her brows suggestively.
Aasia couldn’t help but smile. “Why is it you make perfectly good sense. He certainly can kiss.” She smiled.
Tansy pulled back. “See. The twinkle is returning in your eyes. I like this new and improved Aasia. It’s a miracle what losing a deadbeat boyfriend can do to a person. Oh shit. Don’t look. Bear is heading this direction.”
“You are joking—”
“Hi, Aasia,” Bear said, stepping beside the table. “You dropped something.”
She looked down at the napkin clenched in his fist. She couldn’t find any words as their fingers brushed.
“She sure did,” Tansy said with a wide grin. “Would you like to join us, Bear?”
Aasia kicked Tansy under the table.
His smile could practically make a woman pregnant. Good thing Aasia was on the pill.
“Thanks for the invite, but I’ve got some business back at the ranch to tend to.” He swiped a piece of bacon off Aasia’s plate and took a bite. “You ladies have a good breakfast.” He touched the brim of his hat.
She shouldn’t have stared, but Lord help her, she couldn’t turn away.
He walked out of the diner as if he knew she was watching.
Slow, easy, confidence was embedded in every step.
His boots struck the pavement with lazy purpose.
Broad shoulders shifted underneath the soft material of his sun faded cotton shirt and the Wranglers cupped his firm bottom.
He lowered his Stetson, maybe to keep the sun off his face, or to keep the mystery alive.
There was strength in the solid line of his back, a danger in the sway of his stride.
It should be illegal for a man to exude that much sexiness simply by walking.
She watched until he climbed into his truck.
Tansy was watching her. “Yeah, you’re going to get some of that before the week is up.” She pulled a napkin out of the holder and passed it across the table. “Now wipe the drool, honey.”