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“It’s not even five.”
“So?”
“So, it’s too early to drink. And shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I’m hourly. I do what I want.”
Merry rolled her eyes. “Funny, my hourly positions have never been that way.”
“All right, Eve let me take the afternoon off. She’s pretty awesome.”
“Obviously,” Merry muttered.
“Come on,” Grace pressed. “Let’s do something fun.”
“I can’t.” Merry slumped and let her face fall into the despair she was feeling. “I have to go to Crystal’s tonight. She’s having some stupid party.”
“Fuck Crystal! Are you kidding me?”
“I’m not kidding. And the worst part is that I told her I was bringing a date. Now I have to show up alone.”
“Well, don’t go!”
“I have to. I already said yes. Plus, this will be my last chance to face her with a respectable job. The next time I see her, I’ll probably be working at the state fair corn dog booth. I need to savor this.”
“No, you don’t.”
But Merry just sighed. She did need to savor this. “Can I take Cole?”
“I’d be happy to lend you Cole. You know that. But he’s out late tonight moving cattle from some valley to some other valley. I think. I was half asleep when he told me.”
“Shit. I don’t want to cancel, Grace. When she finds out I’ve been fired in disgrace, she’ll know that’s why I didn’t show up. I want her to know I didn’t care. That I just kept going. That I…”
Her words dried up, but Grace nodded. “Okay. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but take me.”
“You hate Crystal.”
“I know.”
“You’ll hate her friends.”
“I’m sure. But take me. I’ll be on my best behavior. And I’ll be your designated driver. You can drink as much of her expensive wine as you can pour down your throat. You’re about to be unemployed with no prospects. This might be your last chance to live like those people.”
“What about you?”
“Oh, I had plenty of expensive wine at parties back during my old life in L.A. Now I drink beer and clean manure off my man’s boots.”
Merry laughed, a little shocked that she even had the urge. “Sure. When was the last time you cleaned Cole’s boots?”
Grace shrugged. “Well, I thought about it a couple of nights ago when he was really tired, but then I just stretched out on the couch and told him not to bring those things inside.”
“You’re a regular prairie wife.”
“Yeah. It’s amazing how a good blow job technique can really change a man’s expectations of partnership. Hell, I’ll even wear a sun bonnet and ring the dinner bell while I go down on him, if that’s what it takes to be traditional.”
Merry wasn’t just laughing now. She was choking on it, tears running down her cheeks as she tried to catch her breath. “You’re so damn sick!”
“I know. I think Cole’s ranch hands are a little scared of me. They call me ma’am.”
