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Then, I thought about hoas going to tell Ellie that ourthat she wanted us to coize Quickly, I pushed that last thought out of

"We better go I’ out of their fuckinge dared to leave theot dressed, juot back on the road Ari talked nonstop, and I just smiled the whole way My baby was happy, and that et her to stop talking about going riding I was scared to death that she would have another accident

"I’onna ride, Jeff, I can’t live my life scared to move, and you shouldn’t want od Ari, if anything ever happened to you or the baby, I would never forgive myself If I could, I’d put your ass in a bubble and lock you away for the next sevento be fine I pro Roy, just stick with hirabbedRoy"

When we pulled up to the house, Heather and Josh were talking, sitting next to each other on the steps That has to be a good sign Heather stood up and gave us a total go-to-hell look Okayn

"Where the hell have you two been?" Heather asked

Ari walked up to her and smiled

"Sorry, y’all Jeff had to make a quick pit stop"

"Yeah, I’m sure he did," Josh said as he punched Jeff in the arod, Josh Really?" Heather said as she started to follow Ari into the house

"Dude, aht?"

I smiled and winked at hiot here though I was running out of stuff to talk to Heather about"

Heather turned around and gave Josh the finger before she walked inside

"Still nothing?" I asked

"No, to be honest, I’ anyet back to being friends with her That’s all It doesn’t have to be aard for any of us, like it was earlier today"

"Josh, hold on a second" I grabbed his ar him aside

"You have to know that Heather is absolutely devastated about what happened From what Ari told me, she only slept with Jerry that one ti you in and then you leaving her like her parents left her"

Josh looked down at the ground and then back up toback tears

"I can’t do it, Jeff When I walked in and saw that guy there, what happened between them hit me hard I knew in that moment that I couldn’t do it any her, but it’s her who leftto trustto cheat or leave her or whatever other fears shemost of the business at row even more I need to concentrate on that, and Heather needs to work on finishing school I think we are on the paths we are meant to be on"

I looked at him and shook my head "Do you really believe that load of shit you just spit out, dude?"

Josh sighed and turned to walk into the house "I have to, Jeff It’s the only way I can get up every day and move on"

Ari and Heather were in the kitchen, laughing, and of course, talking about what to wear to tonight’s barn dance I sainst the counter She looked beautiful Her skin looked like it was glowing, and her s to have to keep her pregnant often because she was evenroo When I looked up,a Longhorn T-shirt, blue jean shorts, and a pair of Longhorn cowboy boots I let my eyes travel up and down her body

Fuck me She’s so damn beautiful

"Those shorts are too short, Ari" I tried to hide my smile when she raised her eyebrows at onna wear the shit out of this stuff until I can’t fit into it anyave me a wink and came over to sit on my lap

I looked into the kitchen and saw Heather getting out a Diet Coke frolanced over at Josh, who must have seen her the same time I did

I almost felt like I should walk over and shut his mouth for him Heather had on a white tank top, blue jean shorts, and a pair of pink cowboy boots Hoo girls can wear just siood was beyond me

"Close your mouth, Josh, unless you want to catch flies," Ari said

Josh snapped his head over to Ari and looked dazed for a moment or two Just then, his cell phone went off Ah, the bitchat Heather

Josh pulled out his phone and looked at it, frowning

There was no way in hell he was happy with Lynda I could tell just by his reaction to her call She was fucking nuts, jealous as hell, and I had a funny feeling she was playing around behind Josh’s back

He got up and walked outside before he answered it I looked at Ari as also frowning She stood up when Heather walked into the living rooo to a barn dance," Heather said as she so I talked to Gunner a little bit ago, and he and Ellie will just ot to the barn dance, Heather and Josh seeh a few times Ari looked over at , and I was a little less optimistic