That feeling intensifies when I glance through the screen door and see Colt’s black pickup parked out front.
Duke looks at me, brow furrowed. “Colt Wallace? Did you?—”
“Invite him? I didn’t. No clue why he’s here.”
Maybe to give Duke a baby gift? Or maybe he’s here to kill me.
Either way, shit’s about to get real interesting.
Heart throbbing in my ears, I push open the door and head outside, Duke right behind me.
Colt waits for us just beyond the front steps. My knees turn to Jell-O when I see him holding something up.
Immediately my hand goes to my front pocket.
Myemptyfront pocket.
I never, ever forget Dad’s pocketknife. But I forgot to slip it in my jeans today because I was too busy worshipping Billie in bed this morning. Nothing like an orgasm first thing to make your brain flatline.
Fuck, I left it on the bedside table, didn’t I?
Colt has to know I’m shacking up at his sister’s place. I know he’s seen my truck on his family’s property. I know he’s seenmearound, even if he pretends not to.
He has to know that Billie and I are…er, intimate.
But to have that fact shoved in his face this way? That ain’t good. I don’t know why he’d be at Billie’s place. Did he go over there to confront us? Or did he know I was gone, and so he went over there to confront Billie? Maybe try to talk her out of dating me?
My best friend is not that guy. Then again, I don’t recognize the man he’s been over the past several weeks, so who the hell knows what he’s thinking? He’s obviously not in his right mind.
“What are you doing here?” I cross my arms over my chest.
Looking up at me, he squints against the morning sun. I don’t miss how puffy his eyes are. “Care to tell me why I found your pocketknife on my sister’s nightstand this mornin’?”
I hear Duke’s defeated exhale behind me.
“You do know we’re dating, right?” I gotta keep this conversation on an even keel even though I really wanna call Colt out right now for being a total and complete lunatic. “Have been for a while now. So yeah, I was at her place earlier. Forgot my knife. What’s the big deal?”
Colt’s expression wavers, making my chest cramp. He looks at the knife, then tosses it up, catching it in his hand before he holds it out to me.
“Aw, shit.” He chuckles. “This was a bad idea. Billie—she and I thought it might be funny if I messed with you?—”
“Is this a joke?” I stare at him, pulse hammering. “If so, that’s really fucked up.”
Colt blinks. “I’m sorry, Ry. I just—I needed an excuse to come talk to you. I just had a good conversation with Billie, and if you’d let me, I’d like to have one with you too.” He holds up his hands. “You tell me to eat shit, I get it. But I’d like to explain myself if I can have a few minutes of your time.”
I glance over my shoulder at Duke.Are you hearing this right now?
His eyes, the same shade of blue as his daughter’s, are wide.Hell yeah I’m hearing it. You gotta talk to him.
Duke feels our weird twin connection more than I do—he claims he gets this tingly feeling at the base of his skull if something’s up with me.
Right now, though, I’m aware of how easily he and I communicate without needing to say a damn word. Kinda cool, actually.
“Hey, Colt.” Duke raises a hand. “I’ll leave y’all to it.”
A pink flush crawls up Colt’s neck. “I’m sorry to just barge in like this on y’all’s visit. I can wait?—”
“You kiddin’? I got two newborns inside. We’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Y’all take all the time you need. Holler if you need someone to count paces.”
