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“Luke, it ain’t that easy.”
“It is. Just try.” He kisses my forehead, and says goodbye.
He’s right. I need to stop pushing Colton away, but how do I open myself up to him, after I have betrayed him. We weren’t together when I slept with Luke, but my heart still belongs to him. So I still harbor a freight train full of guilt for sleeping with someone other than him. I shouldn’t have had another man in my bed. No. I should have been at the hospital, comforting and caring for my man. I don’t even know how to look at him now, after what I did.
Just as my thoughts are taking over, there is a knock at the door that distracts my emotions.
Colton
Screwed over, that’s what I get for tryin’ to be a good guy. In the process, I get injured, nearly losin’ my arm, and I’m sure I’ve lost the love of my life. I never dreamed Carly Jo would react so hasty, but she did. Now all I’m left with is a mangled arm, and an empty heart.
After bein’ laid up in the hospital for three agonizin’ days, the doctor finally released me to go home. I’d been home the day after my surgery, but my blood pressure was through the roof. The doctor told me they could control my blood pressure easier if I’d just take my pain medication, but there ain’t no damn way in hell I’m puttin’ that poison in my body.
Givin’ up on the debate, he gives me aftercare instructions for my arm, a follow up appointment and the number to the physical therapist I’ll be seein’ soon. Momma assures him that she’ll see to it that my home care is up to his standards. Great, now I get my momma breathin’ down my damn neck while I’m not only sufferin’ physically, but emotionally too. Eh well, Heidi Jo will be tickled to get to spend all of Christmas break with her old man, and not cooped up at her mamaw’s house.
When I get home, I see that everything is just as Carly Jo left it. Her car is still in the driveway, her ratty UK sweats are crumpled on the floor at the end of my bed, and her makeup is scattered all across the bathroom vanity. Damn woman ain’t even here and she’s crushin’ my heart more and more. I just leave it. I can’t bring myself to cleanin’ it up, because then, I’ll be acceptin’ that it’s over. And I can tell ya now, it’s far from over.
I’ve called her cell phone time after time, but it goes straight to voicemail. I call the office, but Shelly tells me that she ain’t takin’ any calls. I’ll be damned. Well, I need to get my truck from the mines anyways, so I’ll just pay her a little visit.
Grabbin’ her car keys and purse, I head out the door. I slide in the car and start the engine, the rowdy V-8 engine rumblin’ loudly. My girl always had the finest taste in cars and trucks. Thank God it’s a Chevrolet. This is gonna be one hell of a drive. Reachin’ across my body, I grip the gearshift with my left hand, and slide it from PARK to REVERSE, before backin’ up and pullin’ out of the driveway.
When I get to the mines, Shelly tells me that Carly Jo has a visitor and that I’ll need to wait. So I tell her to just call me in my office when she’s done. I walk down the hallway, meetin’ Mack before I reach my office.
“Damn son of a bitch, I knew they couldn’t keep your ass away from the frickin’ mines. How ya feelin’? He chuckles, slappin’ me across my shoulder.
“I’m good. Just need to get my truck, and check in with Carly Jo.”
“Son, you better be kissin’ ass, hard. She wants you pushed back underground and she wants you sent to one of the other mines. I’m tryin’ to talk her out of it, but she’s a stubborn girl, I tell ya. By the way, I need to give ya your leave paperwork. Come on to my office and let me get ‘em, I got ‘em ready for ya.”
“Don’t need ‘em. I’ll be back after shut down. Don’t worry with Carly Jo. She’s just pissed at me, and I don’t blame her, but she’ll calm her sweet ass down soon enough.”
“Alright son, if you’re sure you know what you’re doin’.” Mack chuckles, as he walks to his office.
I walk back towards the lobby to ask Shelly if Carly Jo is still busy, and just as I reach her desk, the door to her office swings open and out walks that damn bastard, Luke Ashton. I immediately tense up as rage boils deep through my blood. Luke’s head is dropped, his chin in his chest as he approaches me. When he sees me, he nods, “Weston.”
“Ashton.” I nod back, spittin’ his name between gritted teeth.
“Listen, you got a second?”
You gotta be frickin’ kiddin’ me. This dick’s been makin’ sly moves on my woman for God knows how long, and here he is, in her frickin’ office, and he wants me to give him the time of day? Stupid ass. I just peer at him through slit eyes.
“Weston, I ain’t startin’ shit with ya. But you need to hear me out.
Just give me a minute of your time, and I’ll leave it at that.” He pleads. I nod my head and turn back towards my office. I fall back into the leather chair, proppin’ my legs up on the desk. Luke stands with his hands shoved in his pockets by the door.
“Listen man, I know what you think. Yeah, I think Carly is gorgeous and would love to have the chance to make her happy. But I’m not the man for her and I know it. I ain’t got no business tellin’ you what to do with her, but you gotta fight for her. Regardless of how hard she fights back, fight for her, Weston. She loves you, she’s just scared to let you in.”
Takin’ a deep breath, I pull in the rage that’s teeterin’ on the edge of my already stripped nerves. “Ashton, I don’t know what pisses me off more. The fact that you think you know my woman, or the fact that you think you even stood a chance.”
“I know Carly better than you wanna know, I can promise ya that.”
“Ashton, I may have my damn arm pinned up, but I’ll still beat your ass talkin’ ‘bout my woman like that.
So you best keep your tongue in check.”
“Man, I didn’t come in here to fight with ya, but I’ll promise ya this. You may have beat my ass in high school, more than I ever deserved, and I’d never fight with a disabled man. But if you hurt her, any more than you already have, havin’ damn pins in your arm will be the last of your frickin’ worries.”
Luke spits, then stalks out of my office leavin’ me dazed. Little shit actually had the balls to stand up to me. I think about what he said, and wonder just how close is he and Carly Jo? She told me they had lunch from time to time, but Carly Jo doesn’t even open up to me, so why the hell would she open up to him. He don’t know her like I do. Ain’t no damn body does.
