Page 12 of When It Reins
She had said the words with such confidence, so sure of herself that I had almost agreed without thinking it through.
Finally, the word I was looking for came to me. Unfortunately, I am who I am, and I was more blunt than I should have been.
“No.”
Not even a “No, thank you.”
Just…no.
“No?” Juniper scrutinized me like she didn’t believe the words I was saying. “Are you sure?”
I just stared at her, unable to make myself clearer and more unable to take back the word I had already given.
“All right,” Juniper said, giving a shrug to her shoulders. But I saw the light dim in her eyes before she looked away from me, and I felt like shit, nearly reaching out a hand to stop her from leaving before I thought better of it.
“Let me know if you change your mind.”
She’d gotten in her car and driven away.
I thought when I went back to work the next day, she would act cold toward me.
But that isn’t who she is.
She is a saint. She is kind and sweet and thought no bad thoughts about anyone, ever. She sees the best in people and somehow, she saw the best in me when I didn’t deserve it.
Since then, we’ve become close. Well, as close as we can.
There was a moment a year ago when she’d been flirting heavily with a new wrangler who was working over at Three Rivers, the ranch my brothers work at and have been begging me to come work at, and I’d gone to my brother to ask him to stop it.
My brother said no.
Juniper didn’t date him, but six months later, David came to town.
Since then, our friendship has suffered, and I hate it.
I hate it because I don’t even know if she knows what it means to me. How I love watching her grow more and more confident in her music, in herself.
But I never say anything, because I don’t want to be a burden to her. The girl’s been through enough that I just want her to live the best life she possibly can.
Even if I’m not the man living it beside her.
My chest burns and I rub it, wishing all these fucking feelings would leave me alone.
The night dwindles quickly, the evening crowd having eaten up every word sung from Juniper. When I walk her to her car, because I practically stalked her to make sure it would happen, the girl looks like she is on cloud nine.
I look at her, her hands in her pockets and her face tilted up to the sky. I know, after a show, she gets really hot and loves to come outside for the fresh air. “Happy?”
Juniper startles slightly, and I feel like an asshole. Have I really never asked her if she was happy before?
She smiles at me, and I feel something lift off my chest. “Yeah, I’m happy.”
“Good. Your set was great,” I reply, knowing that if nothing else, I can complement her incredible talent.
“Thanks, Mitch,” she says back, her voice husky from the belting she was doing earlier. I love hearing her talk afterward, knowing that it is going to have a slightly gravelly sound to it.
“How come you’re talking to me now?” I ask, throwing out all caution.
Juniper suddenly stops in the middle of the parking lot. She keeps a slight smile on her face, but I don’t know if it’s real or not. “I just don’t like holding grudges.”
