is broken.
“I have nothing to say to you right now JT.” I turn to Kip and smile. “Nice to see you.”
“Hi honey. Why don’t you join us?” Gesturing to a chair he’s pulled out he waves me over.
“Okay, but just for a bit. I don’t want to impose on you boys. Besides, I might clean you all out and then what would you do?” They all laugh or smirk.
“You all laugh now,” Kip tells them about the time Gramps showed me how to play poker then turned me loose during one of their poker nights. Call it luck, call it skill, but I became a rich pre-teen that night. Suffice it to say, my parents were not pleased. They didn’t ban me from poker night but let’s just say I received a stern warning about little girls winning money from drunk cowboys.
Just as Kip predicted a few games had come and gone and I was the overall winner. I decided to quit while I was ahead. I’m not one to boast about my achievements and I certainly won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. So, I give everyone a small portion of my winnings as a thank you.
“Thank you for a lovely evening. I’m off to check on the horses before turning in.” I give Kip one last hug and wave my goodbyes. I’m half way out of the barn when I feel a warm hand on my shoulder.
“Sugar.” I shrug my shoulder out of his grip. “Baby, we need to talk.” His endearments are touching but I’m sure he uses them on the women. I put my hand to my chest. It aches at the thought of JT with another woman.
“What do you want JT?”
“Just to talk, about us. I don’t know what to say to you except I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? Which part? About keeping such important information from me? The part where made me think you actually liked me? Or how about the parts where you took advantage of my vulnerability with your kisses and meaningless words?” As soon as I say that I realize my mistake. His face scowls. It was a low blow but I’m so furious I’m not about to take it back.
JT puts his hands on both of my shoulders now. I’m walking backward until my back hits the door of a stall. His hands move from my shoulders to the sides of my body, caging me in. His face is so close to mine. I think he’s going to kiss me. My mouth parts slightly.
“Meaningless huh? Vulnerable, not likely. Not like you? I’m fucking obsessed with you! You’re like a light shining through every dark part of my being. I’m drawn to you. You’re a beacon for a lost ship. A last meal for a starving man. You are my last meal, my last. Do you understand me? Do these words sound meaningless to you?” He’s right. They aren’t meaningless but I’m scared. I can’t let JT give up everything because of me. What if he’s wrong? What if I’m not his last and he’s just saying this out of a sense of duty or legal obligation.
My hands reach his chest. My eyes lock onto his lips. My head and heart are frantically out of sync. Instead of letting myself drift to his lips I shove him as hard as I can. He stumbles backwards with a look of shock in his face.
“I’m not ready to talk about this JT. I need time.” His hand rakes through his hair. He nods.
“What about tomorrow.”
“I have things to do.”
“Tomorrow night then?”
“I’m going out.”
“With who?” I don’t answer. I just stare at him. “With Kenny?” He pauses. Suddenly his fist connects with the wood part of the gate. The gate rattles against me. He’s mad, really mad. “Fine, if that’s what you want I’ll back off but we are not done discussing The Lucky Five.”
“Yeah, whatever.” I turn and stalk towards the house. When I get in I check my phone seeing a text from Kenny asking me to call when I had a chance. I press the call button.
“What up?”
“Kenny, you can be such a boy sometimes. Why not ‘hello?’ or even ‘what’s up?’”
“Where’s the fun in that? Anyways, I’m glad you called. Did you leave your bike near some angry teenagers?”
“What? What do you mean?” I sit on the floor, curling up near the fire I’ve just lit.
“Well, someone did a number on your bike. You’re lucky you made it home. You really