Page 20 of Dependable Cowboy

“I’d love for you to call them HZ and Gennifer just to get a rise out of them.”

He blinked at her. “Something going on with you guys?”

She did this movement that was part shrug, part head tilt, and part frown. She’d done that as a girl, as well. Usually when unsure about something.

“They didn’t approve of my marrying Wayne. Not sure if you knew about all that. So, the combination of me going against their wishes and moving so far away caused this gap between us that never got bridged. Well, things are a little better now, I suppose. At least between them and Kara. But for them and me, it’s iffy.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Eh, what are you going to do? I was a rebellious kid, and they didn’t like that I rebelled.”

For the first time, Aaron felt like he could say the other man’s name. Mainly because she already had. “So, where is Wayne, anyway?”

But her answer astounded him.

“I wish I knew.”

CHAPTER NINE

She did wish she knew.So much. Yet, since she didn’t, the least she could do was answer Aaron’s questions. Her thoughts waded into the whole mess. The whirlwind first days of their marriage. The setbacks. His serving job and her becoming a stylist. All their combined hopes and when those hopes were dashed. Then, the nitty-gritty.

“But I can’t talk about it. Not now.” She glanced toward the bedroom where her daughter would be settling in. Probably not sleeping yet. Probably listening.

“I get it.” He peered around, saw his plate at the table and started to wash it in the sink.

“You don’t have to do that. You’re a guest.”

“I don’t mind. Besides, I’m more family than guest, anyway, right?”

She nodded, even if she didn’t know how to think of Aaron. Was he a guest? A friend? Family? A love interest?

But he couldn’t be that. Not for her. Not even after all their kisses.

Kisses she both desired tremendously and knew she shouldn’t let happen again. She wiped the table off as Aaron did the dishes. Even at his best, Wayne had never bothered with housework. He’d never done chores of any kind. Looking back, she wasn’t sure why she’d been all right with him saddling her with all the work day in and day out.

Aaron wiped his hands dry with one of her best towels, one that even then was awfully ratty. Good thing he was unlikely to judge her for that.

“Well, I should be going.”

Joy followed him to the door, stepped outside with him. “Thank you for coming over.”

“Thank you for having me.” He leaned in, and it might’ve been for that sweet peck rather than another of those incredible seals of his lips over hers, but she pulled back, anyway.

Aaron didn’t seem upset by this, though. Instead, he opened his arms for a hug. She gave him one, keeping it short.

They continued to text during their lunches the following week, and when he asked her out again for the next Saturday, she agreed. She simply had to put a box around how they were together. As long as it never escalated beyond friendship, she could be with him.

Unlike the rather informal date they had during those first few Saturdays, Joy was shocked to discover that their date this week would be happening at the ritziest of all Rocky Ridge locales, The Aviary.

Once they arrived, she felt uncomfortable. Not due to being underdressed or due to the price of this place—okay, it was a little due to the price of this place—but because of his expectations. The Aviary wasn’t a place a man took a woman he just considered a friend.

It tended to be a restaurant people patronized for special occasions. The kind of eatery where birthdays and anniversaries were celebrated. Where you’d take someone who was graduating or to propose.

And she would never be celebrating any of those events with Aaron.

“Is something wrong?” he asked her once they were seated in such a plush booth it was probably cushier to sleep in than her own bed.

She shook her head no, even went so far as to mumble, “Nothing.”

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