Page 250 of Things Left Unsaid

The guilt that hits me at her words is blindsiding. I didn’t cut her off, but I left. Now Butch Cassidy’s disappearing on her too. God.

I clear my throat. “What about the coffee shop lady?”

“I told you that’s over. I tried it with a girl who plays the viola too, but she sucked at oral.”

“Is that a pun?”

“No. Maybe I can’t orgasm with someone else. I should probably accept that.”

“You can’t accept that. Not at twenty-six.”

For the first time, her gaze flickers at our audience. “I bethewas good at oral.”

“Ignore them, Tee.”

“My replacement’s watching us.”

“Callan’s not your replacement,” I chide.

“I should arm-wrestle him for the title of best friend.”

“Not necessary.”

“I-I think I’m the problem, Zee,” she whispers.

“You’re not the problem.”

“I am. That’s why you’re dumping me for a teenager?—”

“I’m not dumping you for a teenager!” I snag her hands and give her a hard shake. “You rock. If some douche soldier doesn’t realize what he’s missing by cutting you out then that’s on him.”

Dislodging my grip on her, she cups her elbows in a gesture that doesn’t suit my ebullient friend.

A part of me could kill this soldier jackass for making her self-soothe, but instead, I draw her into another hug and decide to distract her. “I’m relying on you, babe.”

“What for?”

“To break the ice. Thanks to your flight being delayed, it already got underway without you, so now, things are awkward.”

“‘Showdown at high noon’ awkward?”

“Something like that. Except Colt’s brothers are more pissed at him than at the prospect of sharing a meal with my family.”

“What did he do?”

“He gave them proof that I didn’t set the fire.”

“You can give me the deets later.” She props her chin on my shoulder. “Cole’s still annoyingly hot.”

I grin because I know she can’t see. “Colt’s hotter.”

“Cody’s the tastiest of them all.”

“As tasty as Beaver Tails?”

“Looks like he has a stick up his ass, so no. He’s a soldier too, isn’t he?”

“Not anymore. He’s back from Saskatoon. He’s doing this basic training thing to be the town’s new marshal.”

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