AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Thankfully, we talk more about other things, and I’m only having the one drink, so slowly, as we chat about Ashton’s house search in Starlight Canyon, I’m coming down the other side of Dash Mountain.
Logan punches him in the shoulder. “So glad you’re back. You’ll find something.”
“I better,” Ashton says. “The closet in my high school bedroom is only a few sweatshirts wide.”
Jolie has had two drinks now, and it’s evident in her choice of words. “Fucking bitch. She better not ever step a foot in this town or I’ll cram her in that closet. She owes every fucking ounce of her career to you. User, gold-digger…”
She trails off, but I’m pretty sure she calls her a bitch again.
Logan lifts his eyebrows. “Tell us how you really feel.”
“You don’t agree?” she asks.
“You know I do.” He nods.
Ashton shoves his fingers in his eye sockets but wears a smirk in the shadow of his hand. Clearly, Jolie has his corner as much as she does the rest of her friends. Anyway, his ex must be vile if she has Jolie talking about her like that.
I try to keep the conversation flowing without prying too much. “So, your ex is still in LA?”
“Thank God, yeah.” He drinks.
Georgie asks the question I wanted to. “Why did you only just now move back for real? You played last season with the Scorpions and you and Chloe broke up like a year ago?”
Now this is a detail I know because on more than one occasion Jolie complained about how Dane was back hanging on to his old relationship with his ex. She said that was why he wouldn’t move back in spite of playing hockey for the team here. Only this month did she change her tune. To a very quiet one. Though she still speaks of him sometimes now, it’s with discretion, and by the way they are both jittering their legs together, allowing them to occasionally touch, maybe these two are closer than Jolie lets on.
Ashton tips his empty drink to the side. “I’m going to need a lot more of these to get into that. And for the doors to stay open past closing.”
Jolie instinctively rubs his arm in a caring way, like she knows every last detail. Logan darts his eyes to her hand, and she instantly brings it around to Ashton’s back and slaps it more like a guy does when a friend is down in the dumps.
Ashton is saved by the bell when we’re joined at our table by Bobby and a very pretty girl on his arm. Guess it’s my turn for a grilling. Bobby is the smart-ass problem child over at Starlight Ranch. He’s a lot younger than me but walks around the ranch like he has a lifetime of conquests behind him. He makes more mistakes around the stables than any, but his ego yells louder than I ever could. Bobby did mention his desire for the manager position after I arrived, applied and didn’t get it. Unsurprisingly, Dash didn’t hire him either.
Maybe if Bobby had as much tenacity as he does audacity, he would have thought to go to Colt, too. If I’ve pegged Bobby’s type right, he’ll be less than enthusiastic to take directions from me.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Manager herself,” he says like a smiling assassin.
Here we go.
“Hey, Bobby,” I acknowledge him. “You know everyone at the table?”
“Course I do.” He nods at Logan and Ashton then returns his snide gaze to me. “Climbing that Starlight Canyon social ladder one rung at a time.” He delivers his insult with a smile.
I’m not the only one at the table stiff now. All eyes are on Bobby. He has his arm around his blonde date, and she shrivels away from him almost imperceptibly. He is one hot cowboy, but his attitude is ugly, and good for her that she knows it. I hope I don’t see those two leave Sly’s together.
Though he’s just landed a clever insult, spouting venom back isn’t my priority, so I don’t respond at all to his poke. I need to get Bobby on my side at some point. At the end of the day, even though he’s sloppy, he is knowledgeable, and having a baseline of people like Georgie, Bobby, Hank, and a few other residents of the Canyon as permanent staff will help me more than ever when the crowds and inexperienced seasonal ranch hands roll in. I know. I was one of those just a few years ago and learned a lot from people like Bobby who knew how to ride before they walked.
I know it will take time for Bobby to accept me as his manager. I’m not one ofthem.But I never expected his next low blow.
He scoffs. “Shame I don’t have all theskillsyou do.” He trails his judgemental gaze along my body, allowing a brief stop at my breasts. “Guess Dash just doesn’t think I have your assets.”
Jolie stands, and her chair nearly knocks into Bobby’s date. “I think it’s time for you to leave, because I’m a few drinks deep and I think I’m starting to hear things.” She smiles, but it’s more like a sneer.
Ashton chimes in. “Man, don’t make me stand up, too.”
Bobby glances at Ashton and Logan, licks and bites his lip like he’s had enough. I wouldn’t tempt a man to stand who shreds ice and beats bodies into plexiglass for a living. Bobby tips his hat.
“Enjoy the rest of your night.” He ushers his date away to the far end of the bar, but she glances over her shoulder with an apologetic look.
Jolie sits.
