What the fuck?

“Well then, how about right now?”

Ari looked stunned, but she agreed. She left to go saddle up a horse she’d been working with the last few months.

***

Scott must have liked the demonstration because he wanted to know how soon he could bring his stud out. The mare Ari rode was obviously in heat. The horse was moody, and I could tell that Ari was working extra hard with her.

While she was taking off the saddle from the mare, I pulled Ari off to the side.

“Ari, why did you ride Rose if you knew she was in heat? She’s already a feisty-ass horse?”

Ari just looked at me, and then she glanced over my shoulder and smiled. I turned around to see Scott walking into the barn. I was ready to fucking hit him square in the nose if he kept looking at Ari the way he was.

“So, how about I bring out Samson? Let’s say Friday?” Scott said as he looked at me. Then, He watched as Ari took care of Rose.

“Sure, Friday sounds great, Scott.” I shook his hand.

Then, he walked up to Ari and shook her hand.

“BY the way, I loved the song choice Ari. I’m sure you keep the horses very entertained.” He winked at Ari and started to laugh.

Fucker.

Ari laughed back and there went that blush across her cheeks. I noticed she kept putting her hand on her stomach. Is she feeling sick again?

***

I took Scott back to his truck and made all the arrangements for Friday. Right as he was driving off, Ari came up to the house in her Jeep.

She walked up to me and smiled. “He sure was nice, and he seemed really interested in working with us.”

Something inside me snapped. “Oh yeah. Especially after he heard you singing about fucking oral sex, he got really interested in a lot more than the horses.”

Ari looked at me, stunned. “What?”

“Ari, I’m not in the mood for your damn games. You knew the guy was attracted to you, and you played it up the best you could. You being jealous of Rebecca and trying to get my attention is starting to get old.” I started to walk into the house, fully expecting her to lash out right back at me. Before I went in, I turned around to look at her.

She was just standing there, staring at me. There was no emotion what-so-ever in her eyes. Her hands were resting on her stomach, she started to shake her head back and forth. She looked down at the ground and then back up at me.

When she started to run up to me, I thought she was going to run into my arms. Instead, she pushed me out of the way and ran into the house.

“Ari…fuck, wait a minute. I didn’t mean to say that…” I stopped talking when I saw her run into the bathroom.

She fell to the floor and started throwing up. Shit!

I walked up behind her and bent down next to her.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take out my frustration on you.”

“Leave me alone Jeff. I really don’t want to see you right now, let alone talk to you.”

I stood back up with tears stinging my eyes. Why do I keep hurting her?

As I turned to walk out the door, she whispered something I couldn’t hear.

“What did you say, Ari?”

“It doesn’t even matter anymore. If you can give me about thirty minutes to get cleaned up, I’d like to head up and meet Gunner’s parents.”

“Um, okay sure.” I turned and headed toward the kitchen.

I could have sworn that she’d said something about how stupid she was to even think of telling me. Telling me what?

***

The moment she walked out of the bedroom in a beautiful sundress and cowboy boots, I just wanted to take her in my arms and kiss her. When I walked up to her, she took a step back.

“Ari, I’m so sorry, baby. You know I didn’t mean what I said. I was frustrated. I think I was looking to pick a fight because that fucker wouldn’t stop looking at you and flirting with you. It drove me nuts.”

She stood up just a little taller and square her shoulders off. “It’s fine, Jeff. Let’s just forget it and move on,” she with absolutely no emotion in her voice.

I took another step toward her, and this time, she took one toward me. Leaning down, I captured her lips with mine.

“I love you, Ari. More than anything in this world, I love you.”

She smiled up at me, but her smile didn’t touch her eyes.

I was slowly losing her, and it was nobody’s fault but my own.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

ARI

I tried really hard to not let what Jeff had said to me back at the house affect me. I knew he was stressed, and Scott was going out of his way to flirt with me right in front of Jeff. I tried to make small talk with him on the way to meet Gunner’s parents.

Ellie had sent me a text, saying things were moving slowly with Gunner and his dad. She said they had barely had said two words to each other since his parents had arrived last night.

Ellie was waiting for me on the porch. She practically came running over to Jeff’s truck. As soon as I got out of the truck, she grabbed me and hugged me.

“How are you feeling?” She whispered in my ear.

“Fine.”

“Lying bitch. Did you tell him?” Ellie asked as she pulled away to look at me.

I shook my head. I could see the look of disappointment on her face.

“Hey, sis. No love for your big brother?” Jeff said as he walked up.

He took Ellie in a big bear hug and spun her around. She started laughing and then told him to put her down.

“How are things with Gun and his dad?” Jeff asked, looking up to the house.

“Well…um…they really need to spend some time alone together, I think.”

Gunner had sent Jeff a text and said that his dad’s old best friend, Drake was so happy to see his dad that he pretty much came and took him to the barn for awhile.

“I was hoping maybe you could talk Gunner into heading down there,” Ellie asked Jeff.

“Yeah sure, Ells, I can get him to do that. You okay with that, Ari?”

I smiled, trying to act like I really gave a rat’s ass what he did. At this point, I was so tired and weak that I probably wouldn’t have cared if he said he was going to Rebecca’s.

“Yep, no worries. Y’all have fun catching up.”

Ellie took me by the arm, and then we started to walk into the house.

The first person I saw was Grace.

She smiled and walked over to give me a hug.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Ari and Jeff. I’m so very happy for both of you.”

Jeff and I both said our thanks, and then Jeff was somehow able to talk Gunner into heading down to the barn.

As soon as they left and it was clear they were gone, the attack began.

“Why the hell have you not told him, Ari? You said you were going to tell him this morning!” Ellie yelled.

“Oh, Ari, honey. I have to agree with Ellie. You need to let him know,” Emma said as she wiped her hands on her apron. She walked over to give me a hug.

“Wait…what are we talking about?” Grace asked as she looked between the three of us.

“Well, um…” I had to start laughing. Jesus, everyone was going to know before Jeff. I needed to tell him tonight.

“I’m pregnant. I haven’t actually told Jeff yet, but that’s because some bitch he slept with before we became a couple is now saying she’s pregnant with his baby. It’s really a soap opera that’s not worth watching.”

Grace got up and walked over to me again. She took me in her arms.

Oh shit, here come the waterworks again.

I pulled back some and smiled. I looked over at Emma and Ellie.

“I was going to tell him this morning. I got up early and headed to the barn to clean out the stalls before Mr. Reynolds came. I needed time to think. Y’all know how the horses calm me down. How was I supposed to know that his son was going to be the one coming? Or that his son was going to catch me listening to “WooHoo” and singing out loud about oral sex? Sorry, Emma and Grace. And how was I supposed to know that he would flirt non-stop with me the whole time? Then, to have Jeff accuse me of purposely flirting back with Scott just to make him mad, that was the topper. I swear that I think Jeff wanted to fight with me. So, by the time all that shit happened, sorry again Emma and Grace, I just wasn’t really in the mood to tell Jeff. What would I say? Hey, guess what, dickwad? I’m pregnant. He might have accused me of doing it to steal Rebecca’s goddamn thunder. Sorry, Emma and Grace.”

I looked around at the three women who were just standing there, staring at me. Poor Grace looked even more confused, Emma looked like she was trying to process what I had just spit out, and Ellie, that bitch, was trying to hide the fact that she was laughing. Some best friend she is.

“Okay, well…wow, Ari, honey. Let’s pour some sweet tea and go sit out on the porch. I think we could all use some fresh air right about now,” Emma said as she pulled out four mason jars and filled them with ice and tea.

***

When we were outside, I sat down in the rocking chair and just rocked. Closing my eyes, I pictured holding a baby while rocking her to sleep on this porch. I loved it here so much. I loved the country air, the smells, the sounds, and the dead silence. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I had three women just staring at me. What the hell?

I panicked. “Oh. My. God is there a bug on me?” I said.

Standing up, I started jumping around while Ellie laughed her ass off.

“Ari, for Pete’s sake, sit down girl. There’s no bug on you,” Emma said with a laugh.

***

We talked for a good thirty minutes about me, the baby, Jeff and Rebecca. I was emotionally exhausted and tired of talking about me.

Just then, a BMW pulled up. Emma had a huge smile on her face.

“Looks like Jim, Michelle, and Lynda are here.” Emma got up and started to walk down to greet them.

I glanced over at Ellie, who had a sour look on her face.

“Heather is going to freak. Have you talked to her?” I said.

Ellie shook her head then looked at me. She clearly didn’t want to talk in front of Grace.

Lynda came running up the steps and then hugged Grace. “Aunt Grace! Oh gosh, I’m so happy to see you. Where is Uncle Jack?”

Grace let out a giggle as she returned Lynda’s hug. “He’s with Drake, Gunner, and Jeff down at the barn sweetheart.”

“Is he okay, Aunt Grace?”

Grace smiled and nodded her head. “Excuse me sweetheart. Let me go say hello to your parents.”

Lynda turned and smiled Ellie.

“Ellie! How was the honeymoon? I’m sorry you had to cut it short. I hate that Uncle Jack had a heart attack, but I sure hope this pushes him and Gunner to make up.”

Ellie and Lynda talked for a few more minutes. I tried desperately to tune them out. There was something about Lynda that I didn’t like.

Just then, Josh pulled up in his truck. I tried to see if Heather was with him. He parked and got out alone. Shit.

“Holy hotness. That boy has me drippin’ in my panties every time I see him,” Lynda said as she started to walk toward the steps.

I glanced over at Ellie to see she was at me. Yeah, I really don’t like this bitch at all.