Chapter 5
Jesse
“Dude, I let you off Wednesday. This group is small, and it’s only a six-day hunt,” Cody says, standing in my stone driveway outside his truck.
Stress fills me; this is the last thing I feel like arguing about. “All the more reason I don’t need to go along.”
I haven’t been sleeping well the past few days.
When Lexie left after our argument the other night, it felt like we broke up, even though neither of us said it outright.
I just don’t know how we’re going to work through this.
It’s clear we have different views, and I can’t compromise on mine.
It’s up to her, and knowing how stubborn she is, I just don’t see her changing.
Cody huffs. “What’s really going on? It’s our favorite time of year and you’re moping around like someone died.”
“It’s just stuff with Lexie.” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Had a fight the other night. Haven’t talked since,” I say, looking away.
Cody tosses his hands up in the air. “This is why we don’t date during hunting season, we don’t have time for this shit!”
I straighten, watching him as he stands there with his hands on his hips. “I have been single the last ten years, I’m not just going to turn down a girl because I’m busy with work!”
He shakes his head and points a finger. “Well, the right girl wouldn’t be running you ragged, knowing this is your life. If she can’t handle it, you gotta throw her back!” he scolds, and his words cut me, because deep down I know he’s right.
The moment of silence between us feels like hours before he interrupts it.
His voice is surprisingly gentle. “You guys fight every other day. That’s not normal.”
My jaw clenches. “’Cause you would know,” I mutter.
He crosses his arms and his tone tightens again. “I would, actually. Bree and I barely fought—we meshed. You guys clearly don’t.”
I think back to him and his ex-fiancée. Their relationship, how it looked on the outside.
They seemed happy. But she had us all fooled, including him.
They were just minutes away from saying I do when she decided to split.
Although it was almost five years ago, Cody hasn’t been the same.
He’s always been the stubborn, rough-around-the-edges brother, but after that, his opinion on women changed.
He doesn’t trust them, and he has no desire to be with one again.
That one betrayal scarred him for life. He focuses on work, his family, and nothing else.
“Well, that’s for us to decide. I don’t need your opinion or approval, it’s not about you,” I state, pushing my hands into my pockets.
He shakes his head again. “Alright, fine, go figure your crap out with her. I’ll just do all the work around here.” He gets back in his truck and peels out of the driveway.
* * *
The drive to Lexie’s apartment is the opposite of enjoyable. It’s silent, as I refuse to turn on the radio. Worried I’ll hear some love song that could cloud my judgment and steer me away from doing what I’m doing. I know Cody’s right and I’m doing the right thing. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
When I get to her apartment, my stomach knots. I take a deep breath before I pull the key from my ignition and get out. Walking up to her front door, I can practically hear my heart beating faster.
The door swings open and there stands Lexie, wearing gray sweatpants and a black sweatshirt that says, “Beautiful Badass.” Her hair isn’t done, but she still looks good.
“What?” she mutters.
“We need to talk, Lex.”
Sighing, she steps aside to let me in, but I don’t move.
“Out here.” I gesture.
Her eyebrows furrow and her tone changes. “Why?”
“Because it’s easier.” I sigh, taking my hat off to run my hand through my hair before setting it back down. My nerves are in the sky.
She shuts the door behind her and walks toward me. “It’s cold.”
“Then I’ll make it quick.” I clear my throat. “When you left the other night, it felt like we were done.”
She crosses her arms and looks away from me. “Is that what you want?”
“No, but you stormed out. How was I supposed to feel about that?”
“I don’t know.” She scoffs. “You pissed me off.”
“So? You can’t just walk out. We have to work through it.”
“No, I don’t have the patience to. I’ll just yell and say things I don’t mean,” she says matter-of-factly.
“It’s been three days. We could’ve agreed on a timeout, then came back and talked it out.”
“I’m not a toddler. I’m not taking a timeout. That’s stupid.”
Her stubbornness is stirring up more frustration in me, hinting to me that we are not going to work out. “Call it what you want, but your way of handling a fight isn’t how adult relationships work.”
“How would you even know, you haven’t been in one!” she barks.
I take a breath. It’s the only thing I can do to keep my cool. Unlike her with her arms crossed and the smoke coming out of her ears. “Okay … Lexie,”—I pause to gather my thoughts—“if this is what disagreements with you look like, I don’t want any part of it.”
She scoffs. “Wow.”
“It didn’t have to come to this.”
“Oh, I know. If you had just compromised with me, we’d be great,” she says.
“There’s no compromising when it comes to sex. You either do it or you don’t!”
She doesn’t know what to say. Perhaps she knows I have a point. “This just isn’t working,” I confess finally, even though I don’t want to.
Her jaw hangs open. “You’re going to break up with me over this?”
“We can’t compromise, and besides, we fight way too much, Lex.”
“Says who?” She huffs out annoyed.
I raise my eyebrows. “Me.”
“’Cause you’ve had so many girlfriends to base that off of.” She rolls her eyes, and it strikes a nerve inside me that holding back is nearly impossible.
“You know what, you’re right. I don’t have a ton of experience, but I know one thing.
” I take a step closer and focus on keeping my voice steady.
“My future wife will not be this hard for me to please. My future wife will love and appreciate me more than you ever could.” I make my exit down the steps toward my truck without looking back.
She curses at me before slamming the front door. I get in my truck and do the same, anger boiling inside me as I take off back home. That could’ve gone better I suppose, but it’s done now. I feel a small weight lift from my chest that has been there since the night we fought.
When I get home, I’m met with Addison on my front porch. I am not in the mood to see or talk to anyone, but I have to push that aside.
“Hey,” I call out, climbing the steps.
“Can you tell me what’s going on?” she asks.
I reach for the door handle. “With what?”
“Cody’s all pissed off, Mason’s stressed out, Dad’s—”
“Mason? Why the hell’s he stressed?” My tone comes out a little hostile.
Addison’s expression is taken back. We head inside, and she shuts the door behind her.
“Because… Cody made him go along to the airport to pick the clients up after he just worked a ten-hour shift.”
My heart drops slightly. I’m angry at myself for not following through with my job. Instead, I broke up with my girlfriend. Had I known that’s what was going to happen, I definitely could’ve waited.
I reach for a bottle of whiskey on top of my fridge. “I’ll make it up to him.”
“What are you doing?” Addison worries when she sees me bring the entire spout to my lips. “Jesse!” she scolds.
I take a swig and put it away before answering. “Lexie and I broke up.”
The room is silent for a minute until Addison shouts at me, “And?! She was terrible!”
“Well, I really liked her,” I argue.
She shakes her head. “You just liked the idea of a girlfriend,” she mutters and leaves.
I look over at all three dogs lying in the living room, watching me, and huff. “Back to the four musketeers, I suppose.”