Page 23 of Love Unbound
Jodi nodded and stepped back. “Good night, Dad. Thank you.” She slid into the driver’s seat in the Jeep as Levi ambled over to his pickup truck and climbed in. They waved to each other as they both pulled out of the parking lot, driving in opposite directions.
Falling into bed without even washing her face, Jodi was asleep minutes after her head hit the pillow.
Chapter 14
“You didwhat?”
Free grimaced. “Don’t make me repeat it, Red.”
“You’re an idiot!” Roxy exclaimed heatedly from the other end of the phone. “Why would you do that? She probably thinks you hate her now!”
“Of course I don’t hate her,” Free snapped, scrubbing one hand down his face before raking those same fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his eyes. “I don’t know what happened. I panicked.”
“You panicked.”
“Yeah,” Free sighed heavily. “I panicked.”
Roxy was silent on the other end of the line for long moments, and her silence made him sweat bullets. “Ummm…dude. I know you’re not like, real good with relationships and all, butdaaaamn. You’ve got some serious damage control to do. A really good apology and areallybig bouquet of flowers is going to be your best bet.”
Free groaned and flopped backward onto the bed. “I’ve wanted Jodi for so long, I didn’t want it to just be over.”
“So… rejecting her yet again seemed like a good life choice?” Roxy quipped dryly.
“I didn’t reject her, I just…didn’t want that to be it. She deserves better than getting drunk fucked on the kitchen counter,” Free mumbled sullenly.
“You might not see it as a rejection, but I guarantee she does,” Roxy said quietly. “Free, you are my best friend. And I’m tellingyou, you’re going to lose your chance with her if you don’t quit being a jackass. It’s great that you’re trying to be a gentleman, really. It’s one of the things I love most about you. But it sounds to me like she’s a grown woman who knows what she wants; she wants you, and she maybe kinda likes you, too.”
“What would I do without your wise words and expertise, Red?” Free chuckled.
“You’d probably die a lonely ol’ cowboy,” Roxy muttered dryly.
“Any word on Neal?” he asked.
Roxy sighed through the phone. “No, they served him with the restraining order papers, I haven’t seen or heard from him. Hopefully it stays that way.”
“Keep me posted if anything changes, okay? I mean it. I’m worried about you. Bobby knows to check in every few days while I’m gone.”
Roxy scoffed. “I’ll be fine, worry about your own damn self. I don’t need Bobby checking in on me. I’m a big girl.”
Free rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, humor me, please.”
“Yeah, yeah,” the redhead mumbled stonily. “I’ll talk to you later, Free. Do me a favor and quit being a dumbass?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Free parroted with a chuckle. “Later, Red.”
“Bye, you big dummy.”
Tossing the phone beside him on the bed, Free stacked his hands beneath his head and gazed up at the ceiling. He hadn’t talked to Jodi since Monday night when he’d left her alone in the dark. He was being a coward and he knew it. He’d heard her crying before the door had closed completely, and it had hurt him more than he’d expected it to. Climbing into his truck that night, he’d slammed his hands into the steering wheel, calling himself all the worst names he could think of. He had wanted her so bad; he’d ached with it. He hated himself for leaving her hurting.
Checking the time, he rolled to a sitting position on the edgeof the bed. Standing and crossing the room, he pulled his boots on, grabbed his wallet, stuffed the baseball cap on his head, and was out the door minutes later. He drove into town, stopping at a local flower shop on his way in.
“What’s the occasion?” Short and plump, the florist ambled around the tiny floral shop, Free right behind her.
“Uhh… I made an ass of myself, and I need to apologize,” Free mumbled honestly, dropping his gaze guiltily.
“Ahh,” the middle-aged woman said kindly, her eyes knowing. “I’ve got just what you need, dear boy.”
Chapter 15
