Read Online Meadowlarks 3 : Endless by Ashley Christine - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ashley Christine
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encore. I can’t believe how close I was.
Are you OK? Riley’s text messages flashes across the screen on my phone that’s in a death grip in my hand.
Nope. Not okay.
Me: I’m fine. Had to go. C U at the airport tomorrow.
I’m a big liar. But, I’m not about to let Riley know how affected I just was.
OK. She sent back.
I sigh, frustrated, and toss the phone on the empty passenger seat.
***
I’m surprised I haven’t drained the hot water tank at the hotel yet. I’ve stood in this shower for well over an hour. Feeling emotions I can’t behind to fathom. Running my fingers through my hair in frustration I decide the shower isn’t helping at all, so I get out and fall completely naked onto the bed.
My cellphone ringing wakes me from my sleep. I drowsily open my eyes and scan the dark room for the light from the screen.
“Hello?” I ask, my throat sore and dry.
“Weston man, what’s up?” Josh’s loud voice barrels through the receiver.
“Nothin’ man, I was just going over from paperwork.” I lie. “What are you up to?”
“Waiting on take-out, I’m stuck at work waiting for a deal to close.”
“Must be a big one if the boss is sticking around.”
“It’s huge. Ten point five mill. Thankfully I’ve got some pretty scenery to stare at, or I’d throw myself out the fucking window.” Josh chuckles.
“Not the puker…”
“No, Chella quit on me. Something about her boyfriend didn’t like her working for me…or whatever. Who cares? Anyway, I’ll send a car to pick you up tomorrow morning, don’t take a cab.”
“Don’t forget I’ll have Riley with me.”
“Oh yes, the infamous Riley. I can’t fucking wait to meet that one.”
“She’s married.”
“You said that before. And you also said it didn’t matter.”
“Josh, I gotta go. See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow. See ya, buddy.”
I hang up and fall back on the bed once more. I should have told him the truth—that I was stark naked. Maybe he would have made the conversation much shorter.
A loud pounding on the door startled me and I shot up. Scrambling to find my boxers, I quickly pull them on and peek through the peephole in the door.
You’ve got to be shitting me .
“Well, I wondered when you’d come to your senses.”
“You know I don’t like vintage,” Elsa says while pushing me out of the way and barging into the room. “I’m here for something else.”
“If you need help finding a nice retirement home, I can ask Bob—”
“West, sit down and stop being an asshole for two seconds.” Elsa sits on a chair beside the dresser.
Wow. No sassy comeback? Something must be wrong.
“What do you want, Elsa?”
She exhales slowly and softens her glare at me. “Will you please explain to me what you’re planning on doing with Riley, and why you’re still in Wyoming?”
I wondered when this conversation was going to take place, if at all. “Well, you know how good she is. And, I happen to like it here.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
“No.”
“Did you try? Did you want to?”
“Yes, and yes.”
Elsa frowns. “I’m sorry.”
I wiggle my ear. “I must have water in my ear…what did you just say?”
“I created a monster. I let you slip away…and look what you’ve turned into.” Elsa motioned her hand up my body and turned her face away from me.
“You couldn’t create what was already there, Elsa. This must have been the real me all along. I guess I tried to change…for you.”
“No, you’re wrong. I saw it in your eyes, all those years ago. You were a good boy, and I ruined you. I pushed you into the bed of all those women…God, I bet I don’t even know how many. I probably don’t want to know.”
“You don’t.” I was being honest. “Something going on with the new guy? What brought this on?”
Elsa leans back and crosses one leg over the other, and cocks her head to the side. “Hunter and I are just fine.”
“What will happen to him when he grows up, Elsa?
Are you OK? Riley’s text messages flashes across the screen on my phone that’s in a death grip in my hand.
Nope. Not okay.
Me: I’m fine. Had to go. C U at the airport tomorrow.
I’m a big liar. But, I’m not about to let Riley know how affected I just was.
OK. She sent back.
I sigh, frustrated, and toss the phone on the empty passenger seat.
***
I’m surprised I haven’t drained the hot water tank at the hotel yet. I’ve stood in this shower for well over an hour. Feeling emotions I can’t behind to fathom. Running my fingers through my hair in frustration I decide the shower isn’t helping at all, so I get out and fall completely naked onto the bed.
My cellphone ringing wakes me from my sleep. I drowsily open my eyes and scan the dark room for the light from the screen.
“Hello?” I ask, my throat sore and dry.
“Weston man, what’s up?” Josh’s loud voice barrels through the receiver.
“Nothin’ man, I was just going over from paperwork.” I lie. “What are you up to?”
“Waiting on take-out, I’m stuck at work waiting for a deal to close.”
“Must be a big one if the boss is sticking around.”
“It’s huge. Ten point five mill. Thankfully I’ve got some pretty scenery to stare at, or I’d throw myself out the fucking window.” Josh chuckles.
“Not the puker…”
“No, Chella quit on me. Something about her boyfriend didn’t like her working for me…or whatever. Who cares? Anyway, I’ll send a car to pick you up tomorrow morning, don’t take a cab.”
“Don’t forget I’ll have Riley with me.”
“Oh yes, the infamous Riley. I can’t fucking wait to meet that one.”
“She’s married.”
“You said that before. And you also said it didn’t matter.”
“Josh, I gotta go. See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow. See ya, buddy.”
I hang up and fall back on the bed once more. I should have told him the truth—that I was stark naked. Maybe he would have made the conversation much shorter.
A loud pounding on the door startled me and I shot up. Scrambling to find my boxers, I quickly pull them on and peek through the peephole in the door.
You’ve got to be shitting me .
“Well, I wondered when you’d come to your senses.”
“You know I don’t like vintage,” Elsa says while pushing me out of the way and barging into the room. “I’m here for something else.”
“If you need help finding a nice retirement home, I can ask Bob—”
“West, sit down and stop being an asshole for two seconds.” Elsa sits on a chair beside the dresser.
Wow. No sassy comeback? Something must be wrong.
“What do you want, Elsa?”
She exhales slowly and softens her glare at me. “Will you please explain to me what you’re planning on doing with Riley, and why you’re still in Wyoming?”
I wondered when this conversation was going to take place, if at all. “Well, you know how good she is. And, I happen to like it here.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
“No.”
“Did you try? Did you want to?”
“Yes, and yes.”
Elsa frowns. “I’m sorry.”
I wiggle my ear. “I must have water in my ear…what did you just say?”
“I created a monster. I let you slip away…and look what you’ve turned into.” Elsa motioned her hand up my body and turned her face away from me.
“You couldn’t create what was already there, Elsa. This must have been the real me all along. I guess I tried to change…for you.”
“No, you’re wrong. I saw it in your eyes, all those years ago. You were a good boy, and I ruined you. I pushed you into the bed of all those women…God, I bet I don’t even know how many. I probably don’t want to know.”
“You don’t.” I was being honest. “Something going on with the new guy? What brought this on?”
Elsa leans back and crosses one leg over the other, and cocks her head to the side. “Hunter and I are just fine.”
“What will happen to him when he grows up, Elsa?
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