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Lucas shot a dark look at his friend. “You really need to cut that out, you know? We’re not in high school anymore.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Taven demanded. “You forget that I’m the one who made you who you are. I think I know a thing or two about what I want and how I plan to get it.”
Lucas shook his head with a groan. “I mean, women aren’t objects. They want things too. And yeah, sure, you’re gonna run into your fair share who want exactly what you do and are willingto spend a night dancing and kissing in the shadows without the need to have any further connection, but you’re also going to find out that there are people out there who want more. They value…” His words died in his throat at Taven’s blank expression. “You know what? Forget it. Go do whatever you want. I’m not going to have any part of it.”
“Come on, Lucas. Don’t be like that. I was just… that’s how we used to talk about girls. I thought it would be funny.”
“Well, it’s not,” Lucas muttered.
“Geez, man. I thought when I came back to town, I’d be able to spend some quality time with my bud and we could go have some fun, but if this is how you act every time a girl breaks up with you, then maybe I’ll steer clear.”
They sat there in silence as Lucas went over everything that was wrong about their conversation. He felt sick to his stomach. There was no doubt about that. There was a part of him that didn’t want anything to do with Taven.
But then there was a softer side of him—one he hadn’t even realized existed. And that side of him wanted to help Taven see that he didn’t have to pretend to be tough or act like he had in high school anymore. Lucas wanted to teach Taven how to be a little better. He just didn’t know how he could go about that.
“You know what?” Lucas said, adjusting in his saddle. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we need to get out there and have some fun.”
Taven let out a loud whoop and his eyes brightened with excitement. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down. I just knew the real Lucas was in there somewhere. So, what’s it gonna be? The country club? That place was awesome the other night.”
Lucas shook his head.
“What? I thought there were a lot of women there who were what we were looking for. Are you sure we shouldn’t just—”
“Have you ever heard the saying don’t poop where you sleep?” Lucas eyed Taven for a moment before he continued. “I still live here. I’ve dated all the local talent who were openly fine with being a fling. There are no other ones around here who would want something like that. We’re gonna have to cross city lines if we want to find what you’re describing.”
Lucas couldn’t believe what he was agreeing to. This had to be one of the worst decisions he’d made in his entire life. There was this slice of discomfort stabbing him whenever he shifted in the saddle.
He forced himself to think about something else. “We’ll go to the next town over, pick up a few women, then bring them over here to the country club on Friday night. Does that sound fair enough to you?”
Taven beamed. “I think that sounds awesome.” He fiddled with the reins in his hands, and Lucas nearly thought he was going to take off down the hill they’d ridden to the top of. But he didn’t. Instead, he showed his cards. His defenses came down, and he offered Lucas a small smile. “I know I’m not the best friend you could have right now. I’m an inconvenience.”
If he knew that about himself, why wasn’t he trying to change it? That was something Lucas had worked to accomplish. He nearly asked Taven that very question, but Taven put a stop to that in a second. He flashed his smile and dug his heels into his horse’s flanks. “Beat you home.”
The ride back did nothing to ease the ache of the guilt that continued to poison Lucas from the inside out. He didn’t want to think about everything he’d done wrong. He didn’t want to try to figure out how to fix it.
All he wanted was to have everything return to normal—to a time before he’d asked Ella out. He wished he could go back to the time before he’d volunteered for the rebuild project.
Shoot, at this point, he would have been thrilled if he’d managed to turn back time and not walk up to Monique that one day.
That was when all this trouble started.
Monique.
Just as Taven was about to cross over the threshold of the barn, Lucas darted past him. The few brothers who were milling around the entrance let out their sounds of disappointment and frustration at the dangerous interruption.
Though Taven hadn’t been first to arrive at the barn, he was the first to climb down from his horse. He gathered the lead rope and guided the horse to Lucas. “I’m sorry I can’t help you brush her down, but my mom needs a little more help with packing up the tools in the barn. See you Friday night at the club?”
Lucas took the reins, forcing himself to bite his tongue over the fact that Taven wasn’t even taking responsibility and leaving him with all the work. Even when Lucas had been younger, he knew better than to make his siblings do the work.
This could very well be the last time he took Taven horseback riding. Taven might need some time away from his childhood home, and spending that time with Lucas had sounded like a good idea in the beginning, but it was proving to be more of a headache than it was worth.
Ella’s arguments about why Lucas needed to stay away from Taven, while valid, still didn’t mean anything. If there was a next time, Lucas would make sure his friend knew the rules about putting the horses away or out to pasture. Taven would follow through. He had to.
Then Lucas could prove once and for all that Ella was wrong about his friend. She’d have to forgive Taven, and they could all be friends.
Lucas snorted as he guided both animals toward their stalls. He was an idiot for even allowing those words to skitter throughhis head. As hard as it was to get Ella to trust him, it would be near impossible to get her to trust Taven.
Taven was her tormentor.
