“So you said no?” Phoebe prompted.
“Were you tempted?” Eva wondered.
“Can I have more cake?” Aurora asked, tugging on Gia’s sleeve.
The questions flew fast and loud. Joey sipped her very good margarita and watched. Hostessing wasn’t so hard, she decided. Scrub a toilet, make some sugary treats, add alcohol, hide the conspicuous roses and candied bacon from Jax that arrived that afternoon and viola, everyone entertains themselves.
“So, Joey,” Eva began, dropping down on the ottoman next to Joey’s chair. “What’s it like running stables?”
“Exhausting and dirty, why?”
Phoebe snorted. “Don’t let her fool you, Eva. Joey was born to do what she does. She loves it.”
“Did you always know you’d want to stay around here?” Eva asked.
It’s home,” she shrugged. And it was. Blue Moon Bend, Pierce Acres, the stables. It was where she belonged.
Eva smiled sweetly. “You don’t like me asking all these questions, do you?”
“Not particularly.”
Eva laughed. “I just like to know what makes people tick. You know, peel back the layers.”
“My layers are fine where they are.”
“Consider it research for a freelance assignment. I think it’s fascinating, seeing women who aren’t afraid to go out and follow their dreams. You know? Someone who believes in building exactly the kind of life they want and then going out and getting dirty and making it happen.”
That’s what she had done, wasn’t it? She wanted a quiet life with her horses and her privacy and that’s exactly what she’d built. Fences and walls.
“I think it’s brave for a woman to carve out an unconventional life,” Eva continued.
Joey didn’t feel brave. She felt safe. And that was a distinct difference.
“Does anyone know what the guys are up to tonight?” Gia asked, checking the clock on the mantel. Beckett’s supposed to be picking up Rora five minutes ago.”
Summer frowned. “They were awfully cagey about it. All I got from Carter was ‘I’m helping Jax.’”
“Hmm,” Phoebe said, her eyes darting to Joey. “Hmm,” she said again.
“What?”
“Maybe it’s a surprise for you?” Gia ventured. “Rumor has it two dozen roses were delivered here yesterday.”
“You know, I did hear Phyllis at the post office talking about Joey’s new meat of the month club,” Phoebe mentioned.
Shit.Now she was going to have to share. And she hated sharing.
“Come on, Joey,” Summer wiggled her eyebrows. “He kissed the bejeezus out of you in the office. It’s a miracle Gia and I didn’t end up with second-degree burns from the sparks you two threw off.”
“Why do I feel like I opened my door to a bunch of Anthony Berkowiczes?” Joey groaned.
She wilted under the weight of their expectant stares.
“No, we are not together. We can’t even have a conversation without it turning into a fight.”
“Sometimes a good fight just means there’s strong feelings,” Emma offered.
“Yeah, and sometimes a fight just means you don’t like each other. Not all of us are so forgiving.”
