***

As we walked back to my truck, I pulled my phone out to see if maybe Heather had called. Nothing. I sent her a quick text message to see if she’d made it to Austin yet.

I wasn’t even in my seat when I got a reply back from her.

Heather: In Austin…out with a friend.

What the fuck does that mean? I knew her friend wasn’t Ellie or Ari. So who the fuck is she with? I looked over at Lynda. She was staring at me…again.

“I um…I need to step outside and make a phone call that’s kind of personal. Do you mind?”

“No, Josh, not at all. Take your time.”

I walked a few feet away from the truck and dialed Heather’s number. I didn’t think she would answer, but she did.

“Is everything okay with Ari?” Heather asked in a panicked voice.

“What? Oh yeah…ah, she’s fine.”

“Okay. Well then, what did you need?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Heather. You were so upset when you left, and you never did tell me why you were crying. I, um…I just wanted to make sure you were okay. That’s all.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that. I’m fine.”

“Who are you with?”

“I don’t think it’s any of your business, do you?”

“Heather, listen, I know you aren’t with Ellie or Ari. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t alone and that you’re okay.”

“I happen to be perfectly fine. I’m on a date. Then, her voice sounded farther away. “I’ll be right there, Jerry, in just one second.”

Jerry? Who the fuck is Jerry?

“You’re really out on a date? You move fast, Heather.” I was so pissed off that I couldn’t even think straight.

“Me? How are you enjoying your dinner with Lynda?”

“We’re about to move onto dessert.” Fuck. The second that came out, I regretted it.

“You’re an asshole.”

I went to apologize, but then I realized she had already hung up. I wanted to scream and just throw my fucking phone. My hands were shaking, and I couldn’t stop seeing Heather dancing with that guy from last night. I turned back to my truck and got in. I looked over at Lynda sitting there, smiling at me.

“Do you want to go back to Austin with me tonight?”

“I thought you would never ask.”

***

I dropped Lynda off, so she could pack up her stuff. I told her I would be back as soon as I could.

When I walked into Jeff and Ari’s place, Jeff was sitting at the kitchen island. He looked like shit.

“Hey, dude, how is Ari feeling?”

“I think she’s feeling better.”

Fuck. “Jeff you need to talk?”

“It’s my fault this happened, Josh. It’s my fucking fault. I walked away from her…the one person I vowed to never walk away from. I just left her while I ran after some damn lying bitch. If I had just given her a few minutes of my time, I don’t think I would have left. I would have stayed, and.”

“Jeff, stop doing this to yourself. You can’t change what happened. It all happened for a reason. I know you want to place the blame on yourself, but, dude, you can’t. You didn’t know Ari was going to tell you she was pregnant, and you didn’t know Rebecca was playing you for a fool.”

Jeff snapped his head up. Oh shit, I should really choose my words more carefully.

“A fool? Is that what everyone thinks I am?”

Motherfucker. I didn’t need this. “No, Jeff, that’s not what I meant. You were torn, and I get it. I would have probably done the same thing, Jeff. How were you supposed to know that she was plotting against you? It’s all going to work out. I know it will. You and Ari are meant for each other, Jeff. Y’all will find a way to fix this shit. I promise.”

Jeff put his head in his hands and let out a sigh. Man, this guy needs to just catch a break.

“Hey, um…I was going to head back to Austin tonight. I figured y’all need your privacy, and with Heather leaving…”

“What the hell is going on with you and Heather, Josh? I feel like I’m looking at an earlier version of Ari and me, dude. Just get it the fuck over with and tell her you love her.”

I started to laugh. “I already told her that I loved her. She seems to think that I’ll never be able to stay true to her. I guess I can’t blame her, but fuck…what does a guy have to do to prove he can change?”

Just then, my cell phone went off with a text. Lynda had texted me with a picture of her in a fucking blue lace bra and matching panties. Fuck me.

“Actually change, Josh.”

“What?” I looked back up at Jeff.

“You want to prove to her that you’ve changed? Then you’ve got to actually change, dude. I’ve seen that look on your face before. You’re gonna hook up with someone tonight, aren’t you?”

“I don’t need a lecture from you, Jeff. Heather’s made it very damn clear that she doesn’t want to be with me. Shit, she’s on a date tonight for Christ’s sake! What I am supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for her? Fuck that. I’ve waited long enough for something I’ll never have.”

“Wait. How do you know she’s on a date? She just left a few hours ago.”

“I called her. I wanted to make sure she got to Austin okay, and she told me she was on a date. I even heard her talk to the guy.”

“You don’t think she might have just been saying that to get you fired up?”

“Why the hell would she do that? Listen, she’s moved on, and now, I am, too. I gotta go, Jeff. Lynda is waiting for me.”

“Oh fuck, dude. You’re gonna sleep with Gunner’s cousin? The man code, bro.”

“It’s his cousin, not his damn sister. Fuck the man code.”

***

I packed up my shit and headed back into the kitchen. Ari was sitting at the table while Jeff was pouring her some tea. I walked over and kissed her on the head.

“How are you doing, babe?”

“Fine, thank you. Why are you leaving? You don’t have to leave, Josh. Please know that.”

“I know, hon. I need to get back to Austin. My dad is making some office furniture for a lawyer’s office, and I really want to help him with it. I can’t waste my whole summer away. Time to get a real job, ya know?”

“Okay, come back this weekend if you want.”

“Thanks, y’all. Take it easy and let me know if you need anything.”

***

By the time I picked up Lynda and we headed into Austin, my head was pounding, and my heart was racing. Lynda was talking away like a nervous Nellie. She didn’t even hesitate when I asked if she wanted to go back to my place.

The sooner I fucked her, the better I would be…..

And the faster I would get over Heather.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

HEATHER

Jerry just kept talking and talking until he finally asked if I was even listening to him.

“Oh yeah, I’m so sorry, Jer. One of my best friends lost her baby yesterday, and I guess I just have her on my mind. I kind of walked out left her. Not the best thing for a friend to do, but.”

“No worries at all, Heather. You’ve seemed a little upset since you took that call. Was that her?”

The moment I ran into Jerry at Starbucks, and he asked if I wanted to grab a late dinner, I knew I was doing the wrong thing. I needed to get Josh out of my head though. Then he called, and I’d just blurted out that I was on a date. I guess having dinner with your cousin’s best friend wasn’t really a date, but Josh didn’t need to know that.

“No, it wasn’t her. It was a guy. A friend who just wanted to make sure I got back to Austin okay.”

“Do you call all your guy friends assholes, Heather?” Jerry asked with a smile.

I let out a laugh and shook my head. Jerry went back to eating his burger while I took a good look at him. He had blond hair and green eyes. They were nothing like Josh’s eyes though. His height was about five-eleven and he was built. He played baseball for UT, and he was dressed in a UT T.shirt and shorts. He was wearing his UT baseball cap backwards. If Ari were here, she would probably say he looked very fuckable. She loved it when guys wore their caps backward. I hated to admit it, but I loved it, too, especially when Josh did it which was damn near all the time.