Her eyes snap to mine.
“Do you honestly think I give a shit about your parents? I’ve told you more than once I don’t care about them. I care about you.” I feel defeated, I don’t know what else to say to her to convince her I’m in this. “You think I’ll commit to you, then hit the road and find someone else? If you think I can do better than you, baby, I can promise you, you’re dead fucking wrong. You areeverything, Jessie.”
She swipes at a single tear that escaped. “You say that now, but you don’t understand. Please, don’t do this. Let it go. Let this end as something good.”
Before I can respond, she turns, grabs her purse off the counter, and flees out the back door.
Fuck.
I don’t chase after her. She needs space, and so do I.
I tug my hands through my hair, pulling at the strands. That conversation went so far off the rails, I didn’t expect her to bring up the text messages or Snapchats from girls. I ignored every single one of them. I even deleted the dating app and started blocking numbers, deleting contacts on Snapchat. I haven’t even so much as looked at another woman in months. That was a low fucking blow—and she knows it. She was looking for an escape hatch out of that conversation and that meant denying what’s between us. I’ll give her time to cool off, but this conversation isn’t over.
Chapter 31
Jessie
“Fuck!” I slam my hand against the steering wheel.
Why did he do that? Why did he have to push for more? I drive toward the ranch. Trey and I had an agreement with an end date. He wasn’t supposed to want more. He shouldn’t want more.Ishouldn’t want more.
And I hate that he’s right because I do want a dog.
I drive straight to Kacey’s house, unsure whether she’s even home. Rein greets me on the porch before I walk through her unlocked front door without knocking. Kacey whips around from where she stands at the stove, still in her work clothes, phone held between her ear and shoulder. I calmed myself down on the drive out, but apparently not enough.
“Uh, Knox, I’ll call you back. Jessie just got here.” There is a pause as he responds then, “No, we didn’t. I will. Love you.”
I plop onto a barstool, realizing I’m still in my scrubs from work, as she sets her spoon on the rest. “What’s wrong?”
“Why does something have to be wrong? A girl can’t come see her best friend unannounced?”
“A girl can, but not the girl who has practically dropped off the face of the earth since she got aroommate.” She draws out the wordroommate, lacing it with innuendo and a knowing smirk.
“Unfortunately, I am most definitely still on this planet.”
Kacey turns the burner all the way down. “Seriously, what’s wrong? You’re upset; I can see it all over your face. Did Trey do something?”
“He didn’tdoanything. It’s what he said.”
“Okay, what did he say?”
I pick at my nails, avoiding eye contact. “It’s nothing. How are you doing? Knox been kicking ass?”
“Jessie, stop changing the subject. You always do this. You’re quick to help me through all my shit, but you never let me help with yours. I want to be there for you, but you never let me. Some days it feels like you’re my best friend, but I’m not yours.”
My jaw drops.Is that how she truly feels?
Kacey takes my silence as permission to keep going. “I worry about you, and you never talk to me. I know you work extra to help Gran, but I see how tired you are. Are you in financial trouble? Do you guys need help? I could talk to Dad—”
I shake my head and cut her off. “No. Don’t bring Cody into this. I have it handled. I’m sorry you feel like I don’t talk to you . . . I just . . . I’m used to taking care of myself. And I kept thinking things would get better, but that hasn’t been the case.”
“How bad is it?” Kacey hesitantly asks.
“Not great. Trey’s rent money has helped, but he’s leaving, and I’ll be right back where I was.” I’m as honest as I can be with her. Even if Daryl left me alone, I would still have to watch what I spend and pick up extra shifts here or there. He just makes it a hundred times worse. Daryl keeps asking for more and the bills are piling up. I have no idea what I’ll do when Trey is gone.
“You could rent to someone else. Or maybe he doesn’t have to leave? I mean, he’ll go rodeo, but he could still rent from you. He has to have somewhere to land when he’s not on the road, and you’ll have the extra rent money. It’s not like he can’t afford it, and truthfully, I don’t think Trey wants to live alone.” She says all this as if she just solved the world’s problems.
I wish it were that simple. “No, I don’t want rodeo’s most-eligible bachelor living with me permanently,” I snipe.
