Page 94 of Ride or Die

Fuck.

I drag a hand over my face, heaving a sigh, but then my phone shudders again.

Clara: I really wanna do it again.

Wait. What? I square my shoulders, reading her reply a few more times to make sure I didn’t misread it, right as another pops up.

Clara: I wish you were still here…

Snapping my head up, I check for anyone around, but it’s just Jagger, his back to me as he grabs a set of clean clothes from his closet.

Me: Oh yeah?

I bite my lip, awaiting her reply.

Clara: Yeah. I’m aching, Cole.

Double fuck. I drop my chin, bowing my head and closing my eyes on a slow, steading breath.

Me: Baby, you fixin to get me fired because I swear to god I’m about five seconds from calling off work, hoppin in my truck and comin straight back there to give you exactly what you need.

Clara: I think I hear Billie up. Raincheck?

Me: You bet your sweet ass.

The day drags. Monotonous and uneventful. It’s always the same the day after the turnout, with everyone hungover or still half-drunk until at least noon. Brady, Wyatt, Levi, Jagger and I drove the cattle down to water. Brady and Wyatt went swimming, frolicking in the dam like a couple o’ kids. Levi snoozed beneath a shade tree, and Jagger sat on guard, scanning the immediate area around us like he was looking out for the enemy. I still don’t have a read on that guy, but he seems nice enough.

By the time we make it back, the sun’s starting to set and as I walk up from the stables, I see Darcy and Bailey sitting in the Adirondack chairs set up around the fire pit outside the bunkhouse like they somehow belong here.

“Y’all work here now?” I sass as I approach.

“Thanks for returnin’ my car, asshole,” Bailey crows, only half-joking. “Darcy had to drive my ass out here to come get it my damn self.”

“Sorry, Bailey Bay. I was about to bring it back to ya.” I lean down giving her a hug, then Darcy.

“Get your filthy paws off my girl, Dawson.” Wyatt shoves me aside, easing himself down to sit on his girlfriend’s lap, even though he’s at least twice her size.

“Was everything okay, yesterday?” Darcy asks, genuinely concerned.

“Yeah.” I nod, tucking my hands in my pockets and rocking on my boots, looking out over the empty pens to the horizon. I realize my mistake a second too late when Bailey sucks in a gasp.

I grit my teeth, anticipating the barrage of questions as she jumps out of her chair like her ass is on fire.

“You stayed the night with her!” she whisper-yells, getting all up in my face, eyes wide and full of that unhinged kind of excitement.

I roll my eyes, adding a shrug my shoulders, choosing not to give her anything.

“He sure did.” Wyatt scoffs. “Dragged his sorry, disheveled ass into the bunkhouse this mornin’ five minutes before chores.”

I shoot him a glower that he ignores.

Bailey is smug as fuck and positively beaming, and probably picking out imaginary China patterns on my behalf if I know her like I think I do. But thankfully, before anyone can try to gouge any more out of me, my phone rings.

“What’s up, Rick?” I answer, noting the call ID as Rick’s Garage.

“Howdy, Cole,” Rick greets in his typical jovial tone. “Hyundai’s all done and ready to go?—”

I turn away from my friends so I can hear him a little better over Brady’s booming voice as he joins the group, talking about some shit.