Page 40 of Hard to Hold
“Is Rhys going with us?” I wasn’t sure why I asked that, but the words had stumbled right out of my mouth before I could think about it.
“Do you want him to?”
I was pretty sure there was some serious interest in Wolfe’s eyes. “Sure. Why not? He’s your friend, right?”
“He’s my friend.”
“Then invite him. It’ll be three friends going for a swim.”
If I wasn’t mistaken, Wolfe’s heavy sigh wasn’t exactly laced with disappointment.
Wolfe
I knew I was reading too much into it when Amy asked about Rhys. Taking her at face value was the smartest thing to do, but there was a deep, dark, underlying desire that had me holding out hope for something I knew would never happen.
Still, I called Rhys.
“’Sup?” the sheriff greeted, his voice a rough rasp in my ear.
“Amy and I are headin’ to the lake.” I glanced over at Amy. “She wants to know if you wanna join us.”
She smiled back at me.
“She wants to know?” He sounded skeptical.
“Actually, yes,” I assured him.
“When?”
“Right now.”
Rhys yawned. Apparently, I had woken him up.
“Yeah. I’ll meet y’all there. I assume you’re takin’ her to your lake?”
“Yep.”
“Cool.” Another yawn. “See you in an hour.”
“We won’t wait on you.” I chuckled. “And we’ve got donuts. You’ll be lucky if there’re any left. Amy’s eyein’ them right this minute. Later.” I hung up and set my phone in the center console. “He’ll meet us in an hour.”
“How long have you known Rhys?” Amy asked, pulling one of the glazed donuts from the box.
“Since elementary school. Maybe before that.” I cut a quick glance her way. “We’re both from Embers Ridge.”
“Are y’all … close?”
I chuckled, my thoughts drifting back to last night on my front porch when Rhys had jacked me off. Couldn’t get much closer than that, but still, I said, “Not really, no. He’s five years older than I am. Our families aren’t exactly on good terms.”
“No?”
“No.” I laughed. “It’s a redneck thing, I guess. A lot of glares and grumbles. Although it’s calmed significantly over the past few decades.” Even more so since Rhys’s old man died. People said Rhys’s grandfather was an ornery old shit. His old man had made the guy look like a fucking teddy bear.
“Is there a reason for it?”
I shrugged and turned off the main road. “Probably. If I had to guess, someone stole someone’s girl or gun, or land. That’s the way it usually goes.”
Amy laughed softly. “It must’ve been fun growing up in a small town.”
