Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Town
“You look happy,” Gracie said as she handed me my coffee.
“I am happy. Dad’s coming home from the hospital today,” I said.
“I knew that. But that’s not what I meant. There’s something else.”
“Something else?”
She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “You look like you’ve been getting some. On the regular.”
“You’re crazy. Who would I possibly be having sex with in this town?” I demanded.
The few customers who’d been sitting at tables nearby suddenly went silent.
“I asked that at full volume, didn’t I?” I drawled.
“Hmm. Indeed. And to answer your question, I can think of two people.”
“And they would be?”
“The high school love who never got over you and the handsome bull rider that can never take his eyes off you.”
“Neither,” I lied.
“Okay, I’m just saying, I know you. And you’re never this happy to be home. You’ve got color in your cheeks and you’ve started dressing different.”
“Different? Different how?”
“Different like, you don’t care to style your hair or put on a full face of makeup because you’re not going to an office. Plus, you’re rocking the jeans and boots. Very Idaho style.”
“Seems kind of dumb to dress for Manhattan when you’re on a ranch,” I quipped. “As for the jeans, they’re Mom’s. My old jeans don’t button as easily.”
“Been there,” Gracie said. “I live for the day I can get back into my old jeans. Though I think that’s a pipe dream, what with having a baby and all.”
“That’ll do it,” I said with a laugh. “And on that note, you might as well give me one of those cinnamon rolls. The one in the back with twice the amount of frosting.”
“You got it.”
The door to Sweet Teeth opened and Amber strode inside with Gideon right behind her. She batted her eyelashes at him and thanked him for holding the door for her. Gideon smiled down at her and laughed at something she said.
I turned away in disgust. Not because I was jealous, but because Amber made my stomach queasy. I hadn’t seen her since the night we’d gotten into it.
“I’m not Wade,” Gracie warned me. “I won’t take bets and I will kick you both out of here.”
“I’ll behave, I swear. I haven’t had any bourbon today, so the town is safe.”
“Glad to hear it.” She picked up the tongs and grabbed a cinnamon roll and stuck it into a bag. “Hi, Gideon. Hi, Amber. Be right with you two.”
“Take your time,” Gideon said, his eyes finding mine. “Hey Salem.”
“Hey,” I greeted.
I looked at Amber and the evil part of me was glad to see that the corner of her eye was still a faint yellowish green from the black eye I’d given her.
Hell hath no fury like a protective sister.
I ignored her and she ignored me.
“Anything else for you?” Gracie asked.
“A few of your chocolate chip cookies, please. Thanks.” I took out my card.
Amber’s expression was clearly judgmental and snarky, but she wisely kept her thoughts to herself.
I tapped my credit card on the screen. It beeped and I shoved my credit card in my pocket. “See you guys later.”
I took my coffee and bag of pastries outside and lowered my sunglasses that rested on my head to the bridge of my nose.
The door to Sweet Teeth opened behind me. “Salem,” Gideon called out.
I stopped and turned.
“I didn’t think you could do it,” Gideon said.
“Do what?” I asked.
He grinned. “Ignore Amber.”
“A feat, believe me,” I muttered and took a sip of my coffee. “I guess neither of us has changed that much since high school.”
“I think you’ve changed more than you think you have.”
I nibbled my lip. “I’m sorry, Gideon. I don’t think I’ve ever said that to you before.”
“No. You haven’t,” he said quietly. “It’s okay, Salem. I knew it wasn’t about me.”
“I’m embarrassed, you know? We graduated and I just left. Without a word to you. That was the wrong way to handle our relationship. I know the apology is long overdue, but I really hope you know I mean it.”
“I do know you mean it. That’s the thing about you, Salem. You’re always very honest with your feelings. People know where they stand with you.”
His words should’ve made me feel better, instead they made me feel worse because they only reinforced the fact that I was sneaking around with Cas behind everyone’s back.
A motorcycle rumbled in the near distance, and then a moment later, I saw Cas drive down Silver Street. Our eyes locked and his jaw clenched when his attention focused on Gideon.
For some reason, I felt extremely guilty. Like I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t have been. But that was crazy. It wasn’t like I was kissing Gideon and Cas had caught me. Then again, we weren’t technically exclusive. The word exclusive had never been mentioned.
Cas parked his motorcycle and got off just as the door to Sweet Teeth opened and Amber strolled outside, coffee and pastry bag in hand.
“Oh, look, a party,” Amber said with a wide grin. “Bowman, I meant to thank you for rescuing me the other night.”
Cas shoved his motorcycle keys into his jeans pocket. “Glad to be of service.”
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t come along when you did.” She beamed at him and tossed long, glossy hair over her shoulder.
“Hey, man,” Gideon said, holding out his hand to Cas. “Nice bike.”
“Thanks.” Cas shook his hand, but glanced at me. “Didn’t know you were here.”
“Yep.” I popped the p and tried to keep the heat from my cheeks. “What are you doing in town?”
“Muddy, Declan and Hadley went to the hospital to pick up your dad. I thought I’d bring them some lunch so no one has to cook.”
“And where would you put it?” I asked.
He gestured to the plastic case on the rear of his motorcycle.
“You’re so thoughtful,” Amber simpered. “I meant to ask—did I leave my sunglasses in your truck? I can’t find them.”
“I haven’t seen them,” Cas said, gritting out a smile.
“Okay, well, if you do, call me!” She waved, and then sashayed down the street.
“Well, I’d better get going,” Gideon said. “Salem, give your dad my best.”
“I will.”
Gideon nodded at Cas, and then left us alone.
“You gave Amber a ride?” I asked, trying to appear nonchalant and clearly failing as Cas began to grin.
“How’s that jealousy feel on the other end?”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Yeah, right.”
He began walking toward The Diner, forcing me to either stand on the sidewalk or follow him.
“Don’t walk away from me!” I yelled.
He looked at me over his shoulder. “We don’t have a lot of time for this, Salem. Your dad will be home soon and I need to pick up the order. You can yell at me later, if you want.”
“Oh, I’ll yell at you later,” I huffed.
He stalked toward me and said quietly, “Preferably while my tongue is buried inside you.”
My cheeks flamed. “Cas!”
“This fight will keep, right?”
“When did you give Amber a ride home?” I demanded.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he opened the front door of The Diner and held it for me. I went in and took a deep breath of grease and gravy.
Eloise and Lucy were sitting at the counter while Mr. Bixby was putting to-go containers into bags.
“Hey, Bowman,” Eloise chirped.
“Ma’am,” he greeted with a dip of his hat.
I couldn’t stop my eye roll.
“You okay, honey?” Lucy asked me.
I forced a smile. “Fine, thanks.”
Cas handed cash over to Mr. Bixby who tried to refuse, but Cas insisted.
“You let us know what we can do to help,” Lucy said.
“You already did so much,” I said. “You cooked and froze meals for us. And put them in the freezer when we were out of the house.”
“You never lock the door,” Eloise said with a smile. “You make it easy.”
“Seriously. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it. Especially the poutine.”
Lucy frowned. “We didn’t make poutine.”
“You didn’t?” I asked. “Then where did it . . .”
My eyes darted to Cas who took the bags.
He looked at me. “Ready?”
Nodding, I waved to Lucy and Eloise, and then got the door for Cas.
“You ordered all that?” I asked once we were on the sidewalk.
“No, I ordered about half this much. Mr. Bixby added extra. Good thing you drove the truck.”
He followed me to my father’s truck and set the bags down on the passenger floor.
“So it was you,” I said. “You’re responsible for the poutine in the fridge.”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded.
“The same reason you didn’t tell me you’ve been washing my sheets,” he said, looking at me.
We stared at one another, emotion bubbling between us. It was an emotion I didn’t want to feel in the middle of town.
“You’re really not going to tell me about Amber?” I asked in exasperation.
He peered at me, and then he grinned. “I think I’ll make you sweat a bit.”