Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
JOEY
Walking toward The Dusty Spur, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Considering I just left home and it’s my dad, worry surges through me.
“Is everything okay?” I answer immediately.
“Why would you assume everything isn’t okay?” He laughs.
“I left home only a few minutes ago,” I say.
“Max wanted to say good night to you.”
I smile, stopping in front of the bar. “Put him on.”
I hear the shuffling over the line before his sweet voice greets me. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Hi, Baby. Are you being good for Grandma and Grandpa?”
“Yes. I got a treat before bed.”
“You weren’t supposed to tell,” Dad says over Max’s laughs.
“They always sneak you treats.” I shake my head. There’s no point in denying it. They have a soft spot for him.
“It was yummy.”
“Good. Are you going to bed now?”
“After we read books,” he tells me.
“Okay, well, sleep tight and I’ll see you in the morning. I love you so much.”
“I love you, Mommy. Don’t let the spiders bite.”
“Hey now.” I laugh.
“You started that one, Joey,” Dad says, coming back on the phone.
“What can I say; I’m terrified of the damn things.”
“Tell the girls I said hi,” Dad says.
“I will. Thanks for watching Max again.”
“You know, you’ve been seeing a lot of them lately.”
“It’s hard to get any time with Presley since she’s so wrapped up in Kade again.” The lie comes too easily.
I can’t tell him that I’ve been sneaking off with his best friend. It’s easier to say I’m with the girls. And as often as we do see each other, it’s an easy lie for him to believe.
“Maybe you’ll find someone soon.”
“One can hope,” I sigh. “I should get going. I’m here now.”
“Okay. Have fun.”
“You too. Thanks for watching Max.”
“Anytime, Joey. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I end the call and suck in a deep breath.
I hate lying to my parents and friends, but I have no choice.
I don’t think anyone would understand my relationship with Sam.
How he’s the perfect guy for me. Maybe one of these days I’ll figure out a way to break the news to them in a way that won’t devastate everyone around me.
Stuffing my phone into my bag, I head inside.
“She’s alive!” Rylee says, wrapping me in a hug as I work my way through the crowd to get to our table at The Dusty Spur.
“I was only sick for a day,” I say, returning the hug.
“Not what she means,” Georgia says, sucking on her drink, no doubt the new drink Chase has created—the Tequila Tumbleweed.
The perfect amount of fruitiness with tequila topped off with a dash of cinnamon simple syrup.
It’s delicious, and being that my friends are amazing, there’s already one waiting for me.
“Oh?” I sip on my drink, casting each of them a side-eye.
“We’ve hardly seen you around,” Presley says. “I only see you at work.”
“Which means I never see you,” Rylee agrees.
“Time to spill the beans,” Georgia says.
I choke around my drink. “There are no beans to spill.”
“Then why do you look so happy?” Rylee points a finger in my face. “No one looks that happy unless they are having sex regularly.”
“Ugh,” Georgia whines. “Am I the only one not having sex then?”
“Gross.” I wince. “I do not want to think about who Rylee has sex with.”
“Hey, I made no mention of who I’m having sex with. Only that happy people look like you when they are having sex,” Rylee clarifies.
“What they’re saying,” Presley interjects, “is we want to know who you’re seeing.”
“I told you, I can’t say anything about it. It’s new and I don’t want to jinx things.”
“That’s a cop-out,” Rylee says.
“No. I just…”
What, I’m dating my dad’s best friend and if anyone knew, things would come crashing down around us? That I’m probably falling in love with him? Hell, that I’m probably already in love with him? No, they wouldn’t understand.
“I’ve never had a good guy before. Between all the guys in high school and Max’s dad running out on us, I don’t want to make anything a bigger deal than it needs to be.”
It’s not a lie. I don’t know why I’ve never dated anyone who was worth it. I always settled, never demanding what I wanted. I let guys walk all over me.
It feels like the first time I’m in a real adult relationship. A man showing up when he says he will and taking care of me when I’m sick. Hell, he even won a stuffed tomato for my kid.
“If you don’t tell us now, you’re going to have to tell us soon, okay?” Presley insists. “As long as you’re happy and he treats you right.”
“He does,” I answer a little too quickly.
“Ugh. Don’t sound so happy about it.”
I throw my head back in laughter, taking another sip of my drink. “You know, there are plenty of eligible men here. We could always find one for you.”
Georgia rolls her eyes. “Just because I want good sex doesn’t mean I need a man.”
“A little hard to have it without one,” Rylee says.
“I mean I don’t need a relationship to have good sex.”
“But it does make it more fun,” Presley says. “God, I forgot how great sex is when you’re with someone you love.”
A dreamy look washes over her face. I’m happy she and Kade got back together. I’ve never seen her happier than she is now.
I wonder if that’s what I look like. It’s hard to remember a time when I felt this good.
“The only people here are people we went to high school with. No, thank you.”
“You could always go into Thistle Creek and see what’s out there,” Rylee says.
“And what would happen with my horses? I can’t leave them.”
“Georgia, if you’re more worried about your horses,” Rylee starts, “then that’s a problem.”
“So sue me. I love what I do.”
Georgia loves her job—being able to train the horses out at the ranch and run a therapy program for young kids. She’s amazing. She never likes to tell anyone she has her doctorate, but she’s a badass. Probably why no man stands a chance. They’re intimidated by her.
“I’m going to hate life this week,” I say.
“It’ll be fine,” Presley says. “We’re ready for them.”
“A baseball team?” I say. “Do you remember us as teenagers? And we’ll have over a dozen of them.”
“Kade is excited about the idea with the Loggers bringing all the teams to town now.”
“As long as they don’t wreak havoc.”
“Enough talk about teenagers.” Rylee slaps her hands down on the table. “Let’s do a shot and then go hit the dance floor.”
Presley and I exchange a look. “I’ll wait here. I don’t know if I can do all the dancing after being sick.”
“You’re no fun.”
Rylee grabs Georgia’s hand and heads to the bar.
“You know, I’m okay being no fun,” Presley says.
“Same. A fun night for me is staying up until nine now.”
Presley smiles. “When did we get so old?”
“We have kids. At least you have Kade now.”
Presley leans across the table and squeezes my forearm. “And you have…”
I smile. “Nice try.”
“Damn. I thought I might be able to get it out of you.”
I love my friends, and I hate keeping secrets from them, but it’s not like I can tell them who I’m dating. If Rylee knew, Chase would know. And I don’t want my brother’s judgment. Or for him to accidentally let it slip around our parents.
Nope, no way.
Except…I can’t imagine any way to tell my dad about our relationship. That’s the part I can’t get past. That I know Sam can’t get past.
It’s not like we can date in secret. I doubt it’s even really dating when we’ve gone out once together. I don’t want stolen moments with Sam. I don’t want to hide in the dark with him.
I want to walk through town holding his hand. I want to kiss him in front of everyone I love. I want a life with him.
A real one.
If only I knew how to make that happen.