Read Online Meadowlarks by Ashley Christine - Free Book Online

I we've finished the six-pack and are two cans into the next set.
                  Gwen tells us about the new plans her brother Jesse has for The Wolfbarrow, how he wants to expand to another town in Wyoming and possibly have her manage the new location.               “I don't know if I want to leave home, though.” She smiles at the both of us and looks at me intently. “I'll miss everyone.”
                  Around 9:30, I feel my phone vibrating. I quickly pull it out of my jeans and see it's a message from Addison. Blaine, I'm so sorry. I had to go to Big Horn. I won't be able to make it tonight. I'll make              it up to you ;)
                  Relieved she is okay, but disappointed I won't see her or spend the night with her, I type a response. :( How will you make it up to me? What's in Big Horn?
                  Jeremiah and Gwen are talking amongst themselves about what I think is her unrealistic choice of footwear. She's wearing strappy heels, not something you'd see on a farm, and he picks up her left foot to check out the shoe closer. She's laughing at him, and I look back at my phone, anticipating a salacious reply.
                  You'll just have to wait and see...My brother was there, I had to pick him up.
                  Can't wait ;)               I hit send, lean back in my chair and grin up at the starry sky, then over to my tipsy company.
                  There is no way I am letting these two drive home in their condition. Their condition? My condition, too. I'm drunk.
                  After Addison's texts I hammer back five more cans of beer, making my personal count ten…maybe eleven...or twelve; I can't remember.
                  Gwen passed out over half an hour ago, and Jer looks like's ready to follow suit.
                  “You guys are staying, bud,” I manage to say without slurring.               I have four bedrooms, and these two are definitely not driving anywhere tonight.
                  “Yep. We are. Thanks, man.” He reaches over to Gwen's arm and shakes her hand. “Hey, baby. Let's get you in bed.”
                  I give him a raised eyebrow, and he shrugs his shoulders at my silent accusation. “What?”
                  Gwen doesn't wake up, and so he leans down to lift her into his arms.
    I laugh at him as he can't even stand on his own two feet.               “Let me.” I push him aside, and he falls back into his lawn chair laughing. Gwen smells like lavender and Budweiser. She's softly snoring, and I try not to drop her as I step up onto the porch.
                  Upstairs I put her in one of the spare bedrooms, cover her with a blanket and close the door behind me when I leave. Jeremiah is making his way up the stairs, holding on to the banister, and slowly placing one foot in front of the other.
                  “Where is she?” he asks me, looking down the hallway at each door.
                  “In there, but you're not going in, bro. Try to be a gentleman.” I point to the closed wooden door and then back at him.
                  “Okay, dad . Thanks for a good night. We gotta do this again.”               He leans down to take off his shoes and stumbles in to the adjacent bedroom, leaving the door open. I see him fall onto the creaky wrought-iron bed and sigh loudly—then burp even louder.
                  “Night, sunshine,” I call back to him as I walk down the hall.
                  He laughs.
                  I make my way to my own bedroom, and take my clothes off. I set my phone on the night stand. No new texts. I curl my lip and pull on my pajama bottoms. My bed feels amazing. It must be the alcohol making my sense of touch more deep;