I looked around at the three women who were just standing there, staring at me. Poor Grace looked even more confused, Emma looked like she was trying to process what I had just spit out, and Ellie, that bitch, was trying to hide the fact that she was laughing. Some best friend she is.

“Okay, well…wow, Ari, honey. Let’s pour some sweet tea and go sit out on the porch. I think we could all use some fresh air right about now,” Emma said as she pulled out four mason jars and filled them with ice and tea.

***

When we were outside, I sat down in the rocking chair and just rocked. Closing my eyes, I pictured holding a baby while rocking her to sleep on this porch. I loved it here so much. I loved the country air, the smells, the sounds, and the dead silence. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I had three women just staring at me. What the hell?

I panicked. “Oh. My. God is there a bug on me?” I said.

Standing up, I started jumping around while Ellie laughed her ass off.

“Ari, for Pete’s sake, sit down girl. There’s no bug on you,” Emma said with a laugh.

***

We talked for a good thirty minutes about me, the baby, Jeff and Rebecca. I was emotionally exhausted and tired of talking about me.

Just then, a BMW pulled up. Emma had a huge smile on her face.

“Looks like Jim, Michelle, and Lynda are here.” Emma got up and started to walk down to greet them.

I glanced over at Ellie, who had a sour look on her face.

“Heather is going to freak. Have you talked to her?” I said.

Ellie shook her head then looked at me. She clearly didn’t want to talk in front of Grace.

Lynda came running up the steps and then hugged Grace. “Aunt Grace! Oh gosh, I’m so happy to see you. Where is Uncle Jack?”

Grace let out a giggle as she returned Lynda’s hug. “He’s with Drake, Gunner, and Jeff down at the barn sweetheart.”

“Is he okay, Aunt Grace?”

Grace smiled and nodded her head. “Excuse me sweetheart. Let me go say hello to your parents.”

Lynda turned and smiled Ellie.

“Ellie! How was the honeymoon? I’m sorry you had to cut it short. I hate that Uncle Jack had a heart attack, but I sure hope this pushes him and Gunner to make up.”

Ellie and Lynda talked for a few more minutes. I tried desperately to tune them out. There was something about Lynda that I didn’t like.

Just then, Josh pulled up in his truck. I tried to see if Heather was with him. He parked and got out alone. Shit.

“Holy hotness. That boy has me drippin’ in my panties every time I see him,” Lynda said as she started to walk toward the steps.

I glanced over at Ellie to see she was at me. Yeah, I really don’t like this bitch at all.

“Um, you know, Lynda, our friends Heather and Josh are kind of…well….”

Lynda spun around and looked at Ellie. “Kind of what? Are they seeing each other?”

Just then, Heather pulled up. Shit, this is gonna be interesting.

Josh turned and watched as Heather parked. She got out, looked up at Ellie and me, and waved. Her smile faded for a quick second, and then it was replaced by a totally fake-ass smile. I looked over at Josh. He quickly turned away from Heather and said something to Grace. Then, he started to walk down toward the barn.

Oh shit. Ellie and I glanced at each again, and I was pretty sure that Ellie’s face matched mine. What the hell was going on with those two?

“I guess we’re about to find out now. Aren’t we ladies?” Lynda said with a snarky attitude.

“Hey, y’all! Looks like everyone decided to get here at the same time,” Heather said with a laugh.

“Hey there, Heather It’s so good to see you again, especially so soon after the wedding. I’m surprised to see that you didn’t come with Josh,” Lynda said.

Fucking bitch.

Heather looked at Lynda, confused as all hell. “Why would I ride with Josh?”

“Oh, well, your friends here seem to think that y’all are a couple and all. I just thought if you were then you would have driven out here with him.”

Heather actually looked like she was about to throw up. Huh, she looks like how I feel. She quickly peeked at me and then Ellie and then back to me again. I just shrugged my shoulders. Hell if I know what to say to that. Josh and Heather had been going back and forth for so long. When he took her home the other day, I thought for sure they would have moved on, especially when Heather sent a text to me, saying Josh and her were polishing off a bottle of wine.

Heather’s shoulders slumped as she took a deep breath. “No, Lynda, Josh and I are not a couple. We’re just friends.”

Lynda did a little hop as she made a high-pitch sound. Then she started to make her way down the porch steps.

“Uh, Lynda, where are you going?” Ellie called out after her.

“I’m gonna go say hi to a certain cowboy who makes my panties melt. I’ll catch up with y’all later!”

I walked up to Heather slapped her on the head.

“Hey! What the hell did you do that for?”

“Oh. My. God. Heather! You just gave her permission to go after Josh. What’s wrong with you? The last time we texted it sounded like you and Josh were moving past this whole friendship bullshit.”

Heather tried to smile at me as she looked at Ellie and then back at me. The minute I saw the tears, I knew. Grabbing her hand, I pulled her into the house and up the stairs to one of the guest bedrooms. Ellie followed right behind us.

The second the bedroom door shut, Ellie and I both said, “Spill it!”

Heather sat down on the bed and just lost it. I’d never seen her cry like this before. A part of me wondered if it had to do with her parents. She had tried to be so strong, putting up a front for everyone.

Ellie dropped to her knees on the floor in front of Heather while I sat down next to her on the bed.

“Oh, Heather, no. What did that bastard do?” Ellie said rubbing her hand up on Heather’s shoulder.

It took Heather a minute or two to calm down.

“Shit, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to break down like a baby,” Heather said as she looked back and forth between us.

“Heather, what did Josh do? He seemed so sad when you pulled up and got out of the car.”

“Oh. My. God. Ari! I messed up so bad with him, and I don’t think it can ever be fixed.”

I looked at Ellie with a confused look on my face.

“Wait…you messed up? Josh didn’t do anything to you? What in the world could you have possibly done to him?” I asked as I ran my hand up and down her back.

Heather shook her head. She took a deep breath and then slowly let it out.

“The other night, after the whole jail thing, Josh brought me home. It was so wonderful to just spend time together. I mean, we talked, we laughed, and we drank lots of wine. Then, he just stood up, and grabbed me, pushed me up against the wall, and then kissed the living hell out of me.”

Ellie looked up at Heather and smiled.

“And what happened after that?” Ellie asked.

She looked at me and gave me a quick wink.

“I fucked up.”

Wow. For Heather to say that, I knew this was not going to be good.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad sweets. Tell us what happened,” I said as I moved to sit down on the floor next to Ellie, so Heather could look at both of us.

“Well…considering I was totally about to ask him to take me to my bedroom…I felt the need to just blurt out that I’d never been with anyone. I thought it would have scared him off but it did just the opposite. The look in his eyes changed from pure lust to.”

“Pure love?” Ellie asked as she wiggled her eye brows up and down.

“No! I don’t think it was love. Shit, I don’t know what it was. All I can remember is that he called me princess and said he would never do anything I wasn’t ready to do. Then I had a flash-back….”