Page 34 of Out in the Country

There’d been no notice. One minute I was basking in the postorgasmic bliss of everything related to Hayden and the next it all felt…off. Months had passed since that first night I’d been inside him, and I’d been insatiable every day after.

Hayden hadn’t seemed to mind, and he’d been more than willing, but with a weird distance between us and I’m questioning absolutely everything.

He’s been busy at work and constantly tired, but there’s something else too. I’ve been asking him for almost a week now if he’s all right. I want to help—I want to fix whatever it is, but I can’t if he won’t let me in.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I glance up to see a smug look on my boss’s face. Before I can even pull it out, it buzzes again.

And again.

And so many times that I’m swearing by the time I finally get it in my hand to look at the screen.

HANK: Everett is moping and I can’t take it—somebody fix it

OTTO: Oh no man! Y’all are perfect what happened?

CASE: Y’all looked fine last night at Joe’s

SORREN: Seriously why am I in this again?

OTTO: You give good advice

WAYLON: Otto’s right you totally do which is honestly hilarious considering how broody you are all the time.

SORREN: Stop callin’ me broody

HANK: Can we focus please? I need him to actually fix the car in front of him before I have to explain to Miss Thelma why we couldn’t change her brake pads today

EVERETT: Y’all are assholes

CASE: (gif of a guy doing an exaggerated wink)

OTTO: Good one (laughing emoji)

EVERETT: Remind me to turn in my resignation today

HANK: Quit stallin’

WAYLON: True story. Next step is we all descend on the garage so…

EVERETT: Fuck. Fine. Hayden is acting weird and every time I ask what’s wrong he tells me it’s fine

OTTO: Okay…so I need an example

I look up from my phone and glare at Hank, but he just grins and shrugs. “I gave you fair warning.”

The worst part is he absolutely warned me and I ignored him. So instead of working through this with just him, I now have to break it down for the entire Thayer clan.

EVERETT: He’s being secretive and jumpy and just not himself

CASE: Could he be planning something? Like a surprise for you?

SORREN: That’s my guess

EVERETT: I hate surprises

HANK: Didn’t he get you concert tickets?

I look up from my phone. “I’m standing right here, you know.”

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