Page 40 of The Cowboy's Cabaret
“Oh yeah? How do you know about gambling?”
“When Dad leaves all weekend and he comes home, Mommy always yells he’s out gambling. I don’t think he’s very good though, because Mom gets really mad at him. I get mad when I lose at Go Fish with Grandma too.” Ah, of course.
“You don’t gotta gamble to be a big man. You can ride your motorcycle and wear cool sunglasses. No gambling for you, silly goose.” I work on his tummy and he chuckles when the marker gets too close to his belly button. Finally, we’re wrapping up. At one point, Liam climbed up in my lap, so I held him while finishing up. “Check it out.”
“Damn!” Emmett looks at me with wide eyes. “Dang?” He lets out an evil cackle. “I look so cool. Take a picture for Mommy.”
I snap the picture and send it over to Amber before I decide to show Dahlia too.
Wesley
2 hardcore 4 u attachment: 1 photo
Princess
OMG look at those badasses. Who’s the artist? Might need to get some ink done.
Wesley
Oh, just some local guy. Heard he’s dead sexy though. Takes payment in the form of chocolate milk.
Princess
That’s exactly what I need. Sexy artist with a passion for dairy? Hell yeah.
Is she flirting with me?Should I flirt back? What does she mean? She realizes I’m the artist, right? My racing thoughts are cut off when she video calls me.
“Hi.” Her voice comes through the phone like a balm to my heart.
“Hi.” If someone could see how I’m vibrating like a chihuahua right now over a video call, they may suggest Dahlia stay a hundred yards away from me at all times.
“Let me see those tatties, I need inspiration.”
I bring the phone over to Liam and Emmett who proudly show off their new art.
“Is she your girlyfriend? Mom said you have a girlyfriend and you have sleepovers at her house!” The sound of Dahlia’s choked laugh has me grimacing before she swoops in.
“I’m Uncle Wes’ bestie. We have sleepovers because you guys live kinda far from me, so it’s easier to have a slumber party.” I’m somehow relieved she answered for me and also crushed to be relegated to her bestie yet again. We talk a bit longer and before I know it, Amber’s knocking on my door to grab the boys.
“Whoa! Who are these tough guys? Surely, my baby boys aren’t old enough for tattoos.” Liam and Emmett giggle and hug Amber’s legs and it’s like the stress of life melts away when she’s with them. She thanks me for the afternoon and heads home.
That night, Dahlia and I text about the plan for Friday—meeting at her place and driving down to the show. She tells me about her and Daphne’s all day love fest. She says school is still kicking her ass, but she’s trying to get by. I just have to get through two more days and then I’ll be surrounded by good music and my favorite person.
THIRTY
when there’s only two beds at the inn
Wesley
Fina-fucking-lly,it’s Friday. I’ve become somewhat of a Dahlia fiend and I don’t mind one bit. I pull up to her apartment to find her sitting on the steps with a backpack and her favorite iced matcha. She’s wearing an oversized band T-shirt as a dress with fishnets and her favorite black boots, cataloguing all these little details as I watch her move. I hop out and open her door before she can reach it. “Your chariot awaits, Princess.” She rolls her eyes and hops in.
We can’t make it to the hotel before the show to check in, so we head straight to the venue. I’m backing my truck into the spot, when I feel Dahlia’s eyes on me. I look at her, but her eyes are focused on my arm reaching back, hand on her headrest. I swear she licks her lips, but then she meets my eyes and I look away like the little bitch I am.
She touches up her makeup in the mirror. She likes to wear this cherry colored gloss and I’ve fucked my hand anastronomical number imagining the specific gloss staining every part of my body. While she’s distracted, I take my turn to ogle her. I love when she gets all glam—she does this intense eye liner, all pointy and dark. She looks like the coolest woman on earth and so fucking hot. She finishes up and looks at me, smiling. “Ready?”
We have floor tickets,so we head downstairs to show our wristbands before finding a spot to stand amongst the crowd. I grab two overpriced water bottles before the opener comes on.
As I’m walking over, I see Dahlia is already dancing and pause to watch her move. She’s just swaying to the random pop music playing before the show, yet everything she does is magnetic to me. I need to have a real coming to jesus moment with myself, because I can feel myself becoming looser with my affections. This feels like more than friendship. This is the feeling you get when your soulmate is within arm’s reach.
