Page 21 of The Boyfriend Boycott
“It wouldn’t matter anyway, Hud. There’s nothing between Spencer and me. She’s sworn off men anyhow.”I let out animperceptible sigh and close my eyes to feel the afternoon sun on my face.
“Is she thinking of becoming a nun or something?” Hudson asks. “Because that’s the only reason I can think of why she would be so opposed to anything happening between you.”
“No, no. Not a nun.” I chuckle to myself at the thought of Spencer in a nun’s habit. Spencer would be the worst nun alive, I’m pretty sure. The obedience to God part of the job would be her downfall. Spencer clearly doesn’t obey anything or anyone other than her own internal compass. “It’s something to do with family drama, I think. Her dad is getting remarried, and her mother sounds like a bit of a hot mess. So, I highly doubt she’s in the headspace to jump into a relationship.”
“She could still jump into bed with you, though.” When I don’t respond, Hudson’s expression changes, it flattens. “Don’t tell me you’ve already hooked up with her,” he says, finally putting it all together.
“It was just sex,” I say, taking a swig of my beer, the bottle making a pop sound as I pull it away from my lips. “And like I said, never to be repeated.”
“Jesus, Grady. I know you, and if there’s one thing you can’t do, it’s casual flings.”
“Hey, I’m easygoing, laid back. I can do casual if I want to do casual.”
“She mightdo casual,but you don’t. You’re just going to bend over backwards for her. Spencer is a different kind of woman. I’ve seen her type before. She’ll rip your heart out if you let her,” Hudson warns.
“It’s not that simple,” I say, remembering the rules we’ve already broken. I don’t even know how many there were to begin with, but I know we’ve broken two. I felt a rush both times it happened. The night she asked me to work with her, shirking the promise we made to keep our distance, and today when I shareda part of myself that I rarely share with anyone. But it’s the things she shares with me that have me completely captivated by her, the glimpses of her that she lets me see through the cracks. Those beautifully imperfect parts of her make me that much more attracted to her. If Spencer is a tornado, then I want to be that one cow you always see get swept up in the wind in movies.
“What, did you already manage to knock her up?” Hudson asks, and I just about choke on my beer. I collect myself enough to shake my head no.
“She’s helping me out for this town council meeting coming up,” I explain. “I want to oppose Carter’s motion to get rid of the local business law, and I haven’t exactly built myself a reputation in town that people respect, unfortunately. She’s going to help me change that.”
“Suit yourself, Grady. It’s a noble cause, and I agree that you’ll need all the help you can get on that front,” Hudson gives in. He pauses for a beat before adding, “I’ll be here for you when you get your heart trampled on.”
“I know how to control myself. We’re keeping things strictly platonic. It was a one-time thing. Just sex,” I repeat, but even saying that feels robotic, like the words are just syllables that I’ve strung together with no real meaning. It’s the same feeling I get when I’m telling a bold-faced lie.
As if on cue, my phone vibrates on the table again. Then a second time. And a third. And when I look down at the screen, I have three texts from the beautiful rebel herself.
SPENCER
Call me back when you can.
Actually, don’t. I’m at Ally’s and she just came out of the bathroom.
Can you take the day off tomorrow?
I consider Hudson’s warning before responding. He’s right about me. I don’t do casual. I’m not generous with my affection for just anybody, but once I’ve given you a part of me, you’re getting all of me, take it or leave it.
And nothing about my night with Spencer felt casual. Nothing about it felt like I could turn off my emotions. Nothing about it felt like I could compartmentalize. Just the opposite. I let Spencer into a corner of my heart, and now she’s bled over into the rest of it.
Sure. It’s Finn’s day to work the bar anyways.
I may as well accept my fate.
SPENCER
Good. We’re going shopping.
Is it going to take all day?
Maybe. We’ll have to drive into Calgary.
Can’t we go shopping in Heartwood? We have clothing stores here.
The Shirt Shack isn’t going to cut it.
The Shirt Shack has some great finds.
I think we need to go to the Big and Tall. Heartwood doesn’t have a Big and Tall.
