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Which, of course, was stupid since we were just friends.
Just friends, I reminded myself. Because that’s all you’re capable of.
I cleared my throat. Maybe I needed a buffer there to keep me from being tempted to become more than friends. Again.
“Hey, so… do you want to invite anyone else? Maybe we could make it a group thing?” I offered.
He frowned and looked around. “Everyone’s gone. They went to Kalispell for the rodeo. Dude, where have you been?”
I shook my head, remembering. “No, yes. I remember now. You said you didn’t want to go because you’re not a horse person.” I finished wiring the broken locker closed and then tossed the pliers into the toolbox with a clank. “Which is bullshit, by the way. Jake told me about your love affair with a certain mare named Crumpet.”
As I leaned down to close up the toolbox, I realized he hadn’t answered. I glanced up at him and found him staring at me with a knowing smirk. “You give a shit,” he accused. His eyes sparkled at me and his cheeks pinked. “Admit it. You do listen and you remember stuff about me.”
I rolled my eyes and looked back down at the toolbox. “Whatever. It doesn’t explain why you didn’t go to the rodeo with everyone else.”
There was another pause which caused me to look back up at him again.
“I just…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Ever since my rope broke, I feel like everyone’s watching me… like they’re waiting for me to break down or something. And I can’t stop thinking about that rope and the way it started to fray… It’s stupid, I know.”
I stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He’d put some of my own fears into words, and I kicked myself for not thinking to discuss this with him earlier.
“You think someone messed with the rope on purpose?” I asked softly.
Lucky shrugged. “No, I don’t know. Probably not. But it was still scary as fuck, not gonna lie. And I guess I just wanted a break from the group for a little while.” He looked into my eyes. “You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to. I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I’ll go with you,” I said, making his entire face light up. He did a little hop and fist pump move before beginning his usual chatter about everything.
I hid my smile in the collar of my shirt as I leaned down to grab the toolbox to lock it in the classroom before leaving.
“You have everything you need?” I asked. Lucky was in the middle of describing the fair food and craft beer he hoped I’d sneak him at the festival.
He followed me to the classroom. “Yeah, just need my backpack so I don’t have to come all the way back here later.”
I thought about how spread out everything was in this area. The bunkhouse where the students were staying was a mile to the south whereas the cabin I was staying at was on the way to Nimrod.
“You can always stay at my place if we get back late,” I offered without thinking. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to call them back. Me and Lucky under the same roof? In a place where there’d be no chance of interruption? Visions of lowering myself over Lucky’s body in front of the fireplace began to flash in my mind. Or I could just bend him over the kitchen table… no one would hear his screams of pleasure.
I chanced a glance at Lucky who’d frozen in the act of picking up his backpack. “Um. No, that’s okay. I’d… I’d rather sleep at the bunkhouse if it’s all the same to you.”
I should have been relieved but strangely enough, his rejection stung in a way that I didn’t expect.
I shrugged. “Sure, that’s fine. Let’s get going.” After making sure everything was stowed and locked, I led Lucky to my truck.
The silence was a little awkward, so I found myself desperate to get us past it. “Do you have any recent pictures of the twins?” I asked, hopping in and pulling on my seat belt.
Bingo. His entire face lit up as he reached into his pocket for his phone.
“Absolutely. Xander just sent me some this morning. Oz made them these little lion and tiger outfits, and they’re amazing. Look,” he said with a big grin, holding out his phone. My hand brushed the warm skin of his as I took the phone from him. I did my best to ignore the memory of his bare skin on mine that flashed through me at the touch.
Two chubby-cheeked faces peered out from fuzzy hoodies. I laughed. “My brother-in-law does good work, but that’s awfully different from what he sends down the runway in Milan.”
