Bray
IF I LOOKED at my phone too often they’d all notice. Nosy bastards. Since I couldn’t check to see if Scarlet had responded to my text I took another bite of the fried pork chop Momma had made for dinner. Asher and Dixie were having their first meal at our house as a married couple. Momma was asking them about their trip. Don’t get me wrong I was happy for my brother. But damn I was sick of listening to their wedding shit.
It was like never-fucking-ending. They got married. Could we move on with life? Talk about anything else? I glanced at Steel. He wasn’t talking much either and I imagined he felt like I did. Enough already with the happily ever after shit. Not all of us were blissfully happy.
“We still gonna paint the kitchen at your apartment this weekend?” Brent asked Asher.
Asher nodded. “Yeah. Dix hasn’t decided on the color yet though.”
“I have it narrowed down to three. I will know for sure by then.”
Asher chuckled and leaned over to kiss her. Jesus, we were eating. Give it a rest.
“You make pecan pie for dessert?” Steel suddenly asked, standing up from the table. He wanted to leave the table possibly more than I did. Everyone’s eyes swung to him but he acted like he didn’t notice and walked toward the counter.
“There’s peanut butter pie in the fridge too,” Momma told him. Normally, getting up like that while we were all still eating would have gotten him a tongue lashing from her. But she knew. Like we all did. Steel was accepting this. He’d given his blessing even. Didn’t mean he stopped having feelings for Dixie.
“I’ll get me some too,” I said, standing up and leaving the table. Steel needed to get out. He didn’t need any damn pie. Whiskey and women. That would help.
“Don’t leave those dishes dirty in my sink,” Momma replied.
“Never do,” I drawled. As if I’d be that stupid. The woman had taught us to load our dishes into the dishwasher when we were old enough to stand in a chair and rinse the plate.
Momma made a humph sound but said nothing more. She knew I was right.
Coming up to stand beside Steel I muttered under my breath. “Let’s go drinking. Out of town.”
Steel cut his eyes at me. He studied me a moment while he made up his mind. Then finally, he nodded. “Yeah. Lets.”
“Hurry with the damn pie. I’m done with this family dinner shit,” I told him.
He smirked. “Not as much as I am.”
I’d give him that. He definitely had more reason to want out of this place. Hell, I wanted out for him. I hoped this wasn’t a regular thing. I’d rather eat at Jack’s and pay for my meal than sit through this again.
Taking that moment away from the table, I took my phone out of my pocket and checked for a reply. Nothing. Damn, Scarlet. I’d had to fucking steal Dallas’s phone while he was working out in the barn yesterday to get this number.
He’d refused to give it to me. Little bastard.
Even after all that, it had done me no good. She wouldn’t answer my calls or text.
“You expecting a text? Thought you were in a snit about Scarlet leaving again. Didn’t think you’d move on that fast.”
“Fucking nosy,” I said, knowing the moment I checked my phone someone would notice. Did these people have nothing better to do than watch my every move. “Eat your damn pie and let’s go.”
He smiled this time. He took a piece of pecan and peanut butter pie, then began eating without going back to the table. He was stalling. Dallas was entertaining everyone with football practice stories. At least it was a more neutral topic. Not Asher and Dixie related.
“Y’all sit back down and eat that!” Momma called back to us without looking to see us standing at the counter still.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“Damn,” Steel echoed.
We made our way back to the table slowly. Asher was watching us. Trying to figure out what was wrong. He was a smart man. One would think he’d have that figured out.
“Hey, y’all been able to get on that mustang yet?” Dallas asked Brent and me.
I cut my eyes at him. I’d already warned him not to get on Satan.
“No. Damn animal is insane. Impossible!” Brent said with obvious frustration in his tone.
I didn’t say anything. No reason to tell them I could ride Satan just fine. They’d all fucking kill themselves trying. They’d never get on him. He was a moody son of a bitch.
“You still refusing to try?” Dallas asked me.
“No reason to get on an animal that wants to be wild,” I said, then stuck some pie in my mouth so I wouldn’t have to say anything else.
“I don’t think he can be broken. Told Norton that but he grins like a fool and says the right person can ride him. He figures if Satan finds a kindred spirit they’ll be able to ride. Damn horse is so mean it’ll take an asshole to ride ‘em if that’s the case.” Brent was amused by this as he said it.
“Then Bray should have no problem riding him,” Dallas said, then laughed at his own joke.
I rolled my eyes, then took my last bite of pie. “I’m heading out. Steel, come with me,” I said as I stood up.
I waited for Momma to argue or ask questions. I should have known she already knew. Glancing at her she kept her lips in a tight line, then gave me a warning look. As if to say, “I know where you’re going. Don’t be stupid.”
With a small nod to let her know I understood her silent words. I took my plate and rinsed it before putting it in the dishwasher. Steel was right behind me.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
“Fuck, I need out of here now.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Life,” I replied simply.
He shrugged and we finished cleaning up our dishes, then said our goodbyes before heading out the door. Once we were at Steel’s truck he sighed in relief. “God, that was annoying.”
“Nothing whiskey can’t fix,” I told him
“How are we gonna get whiskey somewhere other than Jacks?”
It was my turn to smirk. “Watch and learn, brother.”
Steel chuckled and shook his head. “Let’s stay out of jail at least.”
“I make no promises.”