“I am sorry,” he said.Apologizing was not in his DNA.
Astrid paused in her movements and glanced up.
“You’re not a convenience.Not at all.”
She took a deep breath and went back to assembling his food.She’d grabbed the large tortillas, and he hadn’t even seen the jar of salsa she had picked up.She opened it, spreading it along the bottom, and then the rice, with some scrambled egg, bacon and cheese, along with more salsa.She built up the layers, until she was able to roll it into a nice large burrito, but she wasn’t done.Around the outside, she added a little oil, and then it was back into the frying pan to get all nice and crispy.
“Astrid, I’m sorry.”
“And you think ‘I’m sorry’ is going to make it okay?I know what I heard, and it was your friend you were talking with.You hated that you picked me.I get it.You were worried that I might be pregnant, but I’m not.You’re free and clear to do whatever the hell you want.”
She put the burrito in a piece of aluminum foil, wrapped it up, and handed it to him.
“I don’t expect anything from you.Now, I need to get these dishes done.Enjoy your breakfast.”
Lord was stumped.Blake had advised that he apologize and with sincerity.He had done that, and it had fucking sucked.Astrid didn’t believe him.
Leaving the ranch, he didn’t go looking for a job, he went to Blake, who, of course, was fixing more fence.That was a never-ending job.
“How did it go?”Blake asked.
“It fucking sucked.Your advice didn’t work.”
“Did you even try and apologize?”Blake asked.
“I apologized, and don’t even start with me, I was real about it, and she didn’t give a shit,” he said.
The burrito smelled good, and he was not going to let it go cold.Pulling down the back of his truck, he climbed in and opened the aluminum foil to take a large bite.It was still hot on the inside, but that salsa was perfection.
“You’re just going to sit there?”Blake asked.
“I’m eating my breakfast.”
Blake rolled his eyes.“Clearly, you upset her more than you realized, and that means if it really matters to you, you’re going to have to keep making it up to her.”
“How do I do that?”Lord asked.“She won’t give me the time of day.She won’t give me a chance.”
“You got to talk to her today.”
“Because I missed out on breakfast.I made myself so hungry and missed it so I could catch her.”
“Then that is what you’re going to have to keep doing.Besides, if you’re right about this snowstorm, you two could be trapped here for a couple of days,” Blake said.“Neither of you will be able to leave.”
Lord was hoping for that.He was freaking praying for that.
“What do you do?With your wife, when you’ve said something stupid?”
Blake burst out laughing.“I don’t say stupid stuff to my wife.I’m not a fucking idiot.I love my wife and she knows it constantly and consistently.I don’t do stupid shit that will hurt her.”
He wanted to throw his burrito at him, but instead he took another large bite.There had to be a way to win Astrid over.He needed her, badly.
His stupid mouth.Back at the old pack, many of the elder wolves had said his mouth would get him in trouble, he just couldn’t believe it had happened.
What were the fucking odds, especially as it mattered more now?
