Page 26 of A Taste of Whiskey
“Sure.” As he turned into the ranch and drove to the main house for dinner, he gave himself hell for being distracted around Gus.
“I’m gonna ask Sasha to do it with us. Do you think she’ll be at dinner tonight?”
He fucking hoped so. In tryingnotto fuck up things for Gus, he’d done exactly that. “I guess we’ll see.”
“I want to find a Ystick. Cowboy said they’re the best for roasting marshmallows because you can roasttwomarshmallows at once. Do you think Cowboy and Sully will want to roast them with us?”
“I don’t know, bud. You can ask them.” He turned into the parking lot in front of the main house, wishing he could be as oblivious as his son was to what had gone down with Sasha.
“Sasha’s here! And so is Sully! Park, Dad!Hurry!”
Ezra’s chest constricted as he parked. Sasha and Sully were talking by the front doors. Sasha looked as gorgeous as ever with her hair loose and a little tousled over the shoulders of her V-neck top, jeans that accentuated her curves, and those flowered cowgirl boots she’d worn on that date with the banker.
“Come on, Dad!” Gus unhooked his booster seat straps and bolted out the door, hollering, “Sugar! Sully!”
Fuck.Ezra climbed out of the Bronco and made his way toward them as Sasha scooped up Gus. His little boy threw his skinny arms around her neck, obviously missing her as much as Ezra did. He’d been going over what he’d done Tuesday night, and no matter how he cut it, he knew he was doing the right thing by backing off to protect Gus. But doing the right thing had never felt so fucking wrong.
“How was camp?” Sasha asked.
“Fun. We went swimming, and guess what?” Gus said excitedly as Sasha set him on his feet.
“What?” Sasha and Sully asked in unison.
“I swim faster than everyone else!” he exclaimed.
“That’s amazing, Gusto,” Sasha said, smiling at Ezra. But it wasn’t the same flirtatious smile she usually graced him with. It was the kind of smile he’d seen her give people she knew but wasn’t close to.
That slayed him. It wasn’t only the special smile he missed. It was what it said about their friendship. Hell, he missed hearing her laugh during meals, listening to his little boy chatter excitedly with her about whatever his five-year-old mind conjured, and the easy way she always made Gus feel special and heard. He didn’t know how it was possible after only two days, but he just fucking missedher.
“Wow, Gus, that’s impressive,” Sully said.
“Guess what else I did.” Gus shoved his hand into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a balled-up piece of paper. “I made you a picture!” He thrust the crumpled paper toward Sully, roasting marshmallows forgotten.
“You made it forme?” Sully asked enthusiastically.
Gus nodded, his curls bouncing over his forehead.
Ezra’s heart took a hit, thinking about the drawings Gus had made Tuesday night with Sasha. He’d drawn two horses, which looked more like fat-legged monsters with spiky hair, with two stick figures on one and one on the other. There was no missing who he’d drawn. Sasha had long yellow hair, and flowers that were too big for the boots he’d drawn on her stick feet. He’d drawn himself sitting in front of her, with curly dark hair, and he’d drawn Ezra on the other horse, with big bumps for biceps and black hair. His little boy still thought he was godlike. But he had a feeling if Gus knew how he’d hurt Sasha, he’d want to kick his ass.
Don’t worry, buddy. Dad’s been kicking his own ass for days.
Sully tucked her shoulder-length golden-blond hair behind her ear as she straightened out the paper.
“Sorry, Sasha,” Gus said. “I didn’t make you a picture.”
Sasha ruffled his hair. “That’s okay. I have a ton of your drawings.”
“On your fridge!” Gus exclaimed.
“That’s right, and in my Gusto box.”
Ezra’s heart was taking a beating tonight. Sasha kept a box of cards and drawings Gus had given her over the years. She and Gus had decorated the box when he was three.
“Oh, Gussy. I love it! Thank you.” Sully hugged Gus. “Look, you guys.” She showed them the adorable drawing of a stick figure riding a bicycle, her stick feet aiming up toward a big yellow sun.
“That’s Sully on her bike,” Gus explained. “When I grow up, I wanna draw like she does.”
“You’re already a great artist,” Sasha said, her gaze fixed on the drawing. “It looks just like Sully.”
