Page 15 of Mountain Pine
Sometimes she invites me and the guys to tag along, but I try to be busy those nights. I can’t bring myself to hang out with the man who’s got my girl. It’s too much for me and I end up acting out and being an asshole.
That’s not fair to either of them.
At least he’s not as bad as Shane. That fool stood Taylor up once and made her cry.
So, I madehimcry.
Fair’s fair.
And then there was Justin before that. They got into a fight at the diner, and she walked home in the rain. If I hadn’t been driving home from work early that day, she would have walked the entire five miles back to her house just out of pure stubbornness. Drenched and hugging herself, she was in a light blue dress with six necklaces on that got all tangled around her neck. Mud had splattered half-way up her calves from her flip-flops, and her mascara ran all the way down to her chin.
It's one of my favorite memories, quite honestly. She was so mad, she hopped into my truck and vented the entire way back to her house. Soaked to the bone and ready to set the world on fire. She threatened to bash his precious car all up, call his mama and tell her how disrespectful her son was, and tell half the town he had a micro peen.
I think I like it when she’s mad because she’s so snarly and squeaky and such a little baddie. I used to push her buttons all the time just to see her get fired up.
Still do, sometimes.
But that’s all gotta stop. I can’t keep holding onto something that isn’t really there.
Halfway through the day, I’m slowing down. Shit, I forgot to pick dandelions!
Oh well. There’s always tomorrow.
Wait. No. I’m not picking those. They’ll just send me back to Taylor and I can’t go there anymore.
This is the end. I mean it this time.
“We’re good,” Dex says, taking off his gloves. “Ready to go?”
I look at the yard, making sure everything is perfect. “Yup. Let’s load the zero turns and hit the next place.”
When we pull up to Larson Landscaping, Russel comes out with concern etched into the deep sun-worn wrinkles on his face.
Oh shit.
“Conner, can you step inside my office real quick?”
My balls tuck and hide. I have no idea what I’ve done wrong, but maybe it’s not me. Shit… did something happen to Taylor?
Calm down. You’re being paranoid.
“Is everything okay, sir?” I follow Russ into his office trailer that sits at the front of a ten-acre stretch of land filled with trees, bushes, and stone pavers.
“Have a seat.”
I take my hat off and twist it between my hands in my lap, wracking my brain to figure out why he sounds so serious and glum.
“If this is about yesterday’s schedule getting a little off track, I—”
“I’m putting you on leave, Conner.”
My heart clunks. “What?”
“Effective immediately.”
I stand up so fast, the chair scrapes the floor. “Sir, I—”
“This isn’t up for discussion. You need to go home and reset your priorities.”
