don’t get this whole ‘arrangement’ thing,” Aunt Mary said. “Are you allowed to date other people during it? Is he?”
“As far as I know,” Sam said. “I can tell you for certain he is, that’s a fact.”
“Well, then if you don’t mind the advice of an old woman, I suggest you do just that.”
“What do you mean?” Sam asked. Already, Ellie had perked up.
“Go out tonight. Meet some fellows. Have fun, for goodness’ sake. You’re young and beautiful!” Aunt Mary said. “And you,” she said to Ellie. “You be a good wingwoman while our Henry’s gone. You deserve to go out, too. I know he can be a bit of a stick in the mud.”
Ellie blushed and looked away. “Aunt Mary, I didn’t exactly bring any clubbing clothes with me. That wasn’t what I was expecting when we decided I’d stay the week with you.”
“You girls and your excuses. I’m sure Sam has something you can borrow.”
Sam locked eyes with Ellie, who arched an eyebrow at her. “Why not?” Ellie said. “Just because I’m coupled up doesn’t mean I can’t be one hell of a wingwoman.”
“That’s the spirit!” Aunt Mary said. “Just make sure you take a taxi. And don’t worry. I won’t wait up.” She began to clear the plates, and they jumped up to help.
“Where should we go?” Ellie asked her as they scrubbed the plates in the farmhouse sink.
“Ugh, somewhere that doesn’t remind me of him, please,” Sam said. “Wait, I have an idea.” She grabbed the newspaper from the counter and flipped to the arts section. “Here,” she said, and pointed to a half-page ad. “A huge barbecue and beer festival going on today and tomorrow. There’s no way he’d be caught dead there.” However, in the back of her mind, she remembered that killer smokehouse he’d taken her to. But that had just been a one-off oddity, for sure.
Ellie wrinkled her nose. “It doesn’t exactly have a club type of vibe…”
“No, but look! There are horses available. Wouldn’t it be awesome to go on a ride again, like we used to? And afterward, some barbeque. Some beer. Some cowboys…”
Ellie laughed. “Sounds like you have it all figured out,” she said. “I’m in. When’s it start? Three? Let’s do it.”
They raced up the stairs to get ready in Henry’s old room.
“Good girl, Gypsy,” Sam cooed as she patted the rich brown mare with a bright blaze of white on her nose.
“I have to say, this is the first time I’ve been armed with a squirt gun on a ride,” Ellie said beside her as she examined the fluorescent green gun.
Sam shrugged. “Who knows? These kinds of events are always managed by hipsters.”
Whether it was a slow amble or a trot, being in the saddle wore on her thighs and groin. It annoyed her that even out on a ranch, she was reminded of Connor. Sam couldn’t wait until all traces of that shitstorm in Monaco were out of her system.
After two hours on the trail, they were helped off the horses by muscled, middle-aged farmhands. “You lovely ladies have a good time,” one of them said as he eyed Ellie in her skintight jeans.
They dug into the Louisiana-style baby back ribs, creamy coleslaw and buttery cornbread with gusto. “I don’t know what it is about riding,” Sam said. “But it gets my appetite going like no other. I’d weigh three hundred pounds if I ever lived on a ranch.”
“Yeah, right,” Ellie said with a laugh. “And it would all go to your boobs and butt, I’m sure!”
She swatted at her as she wiped her hands on the wet towelettes that came with their paper plates. Sam swallowed the last of her beer and shook the bottle. “I could go for something stronger,” she said.
Ellie pointed to the barn. “They have whiskey and moonshine back there,” she said. “I saw a sign.”
“You want to?” Sam asked with a grin.
Ellie laughed. “Sure. As soon as you wipe that sauce off your cheek.”
They ordered doubles of Jack Daniels on the rocks and walked around the side of the barn. “I can’t believe you did that!” she squealed to Sam.
“I didn’t do anything! They did! I just asked if they’d fill our guns with the moonshine. They didn’t have to. Watch out!”
Ellie barely avoided a sun-baked cow pie. “I wish I’d brought my cowboy boots to Aunt Mary’s,” she grumbled.
Sam rolled her eyes. “You look perfectly fine!” she said.
“Hey, look,” Ellie said, but she didn’t need to tell Sam. A