the cool vinyl.
“Mornin’, sunshine. You look awfully cheerful today.” I mock.
“Smartass.” He snaps back at me. “Carly Jo told me I’d find you here.”
Folding the newspaper up, I place it on the side of the table then give Colton a curt nod. “So are you here to get back on her good graces?”
“Man, she’s pissed in the wind at me.”
“Well you didn’t only hit me with a low blow last night. What do ya expect?”
Shruggin’ his shoulders he says, “She said not only was I insensitive towards Savannah’s situation, but I also sliced at healin’ wounds that you needed no reminder of.” He cracks his knuckles, starin’ down at his coal stained hands. “At first I thought she meant y’alls little fling. But when I asked her to explain it to me, she said it wasn’t her story to tell. I realized then she meant somethin’ entirely different.” He looks up searchin’ my face with questionin’ eyes, but I’m not ready to bare my soul to anyone just yet. I was drunk when I told Carly Jo about my family, and although it felt good to release some of the pain I’ve been carryin’, I wish I could take back every word I’d spoke. The look of pity only adds to the guilt I feel. “You know I’m a hot headed son of a bitch, but I shouldn’t have talked down to you the way I did.”
“Damn straight you shouldn’t have.” I cut him off, snappin’ at him angrily. I didn’t expect my tone to be so raw and harsh but my mind is wrecked with emotions right now. Can’t exactly turn it all off.
“I’m sorry. Carly Jo worries herself sick about Savannah. I know you try to do what you can to help, even when it ain’t your place. She’s vulnerable right now and I don’t want to see her get hurt worse.”
“Do you think I don’t understand that, Colton?” He cocks his brow up at me and I can’t tell if he’s gettin’ more pissed at the situation or interested in what I have to say. Don’t matter much, because he’s had his chance to say his peace. Now he needs to zip the lips, open his damn ears and hear me out. “Other than the nights we have supper together, how much time do you and Carly Jo spend with Savannah? How often does Carly call her just to check in on her?”
“Luke, she don’t wanna smother Savannah.” He defends.
“I get that, but even when we’re all together y’all don’t give her any comfort other than tryin’ to lead her in the direction that y’all feel is best. I ain’t heard Carly ask her one time how she really feels. Have you?”
He closes his eyes in defeat and he shakes his head from side to side shamefully.
“I ain’t layin’ blame, Colton. I understand y’all got a lot goin’ on. But don’t you dare scrutinize my relationship with Savannah when you don’t even have the faintest damn clue as to what’s happenin’.”
“Then tell me, Luke. What’s goin’ on?”
Pinchin’ the bridge of my nose, I draw in a shaky breath and I know I have to choose my words carefully. “I’m over-protective of women, Weston. I can’t stand to see one feel any sort of angst, heart ache or physical pain. I tried to protect my momma as a boy, and I tried to take care of and protect Al…” I bite down on my tongue shakin’ that thought from my mind. “Point is, Savannah feels safe with me near. Ain’t no harm in bein’ her friend.”
“I saw the way you looked at her yesterday, Ashton. Are ya sure you ain’t feelin’ a little more than friendly ‘bout her?”
“That’s complicated.” Hell if it ain’t complicated. I’m getting too close…I can feel the attachment to Savannah growin’ stronger with each day and it’s beginnin’ to terrify me. This overwhelmin’ need to protect her, I don’t know what to do with it. I can’t continue to stalk out her porch swing night after night just because I’m worried she can’t sleep or may be frightened.
After Colton’s outburst last night I realize I can’t continue to just hang around.
“Mornin’, sunshine. You look awfully cheerful today.” I mock.
“Smartass.” He snaps back at me. “Carly Jo told me I’d find you here.”
Folding the newspaper up, I place it on the side of the table then give Colton a curt nod. “So are you here to get back on her good graces?”
“Man, she’s pissed in the wind at me.”
“Well you didn’t only hit me with a low blow last night. What do ya expect?”
Shruggin’ his shoulders he says, “She said not only was I insensitive towards Savannah’s situation, but I also sliced at healin’ wounds that you needed no reminder of.” He cracks his knuckles, starin’ down at his coal stained hands. “At first I thought she meant y’alls little fling. But when I asked her to explain it to me, she said it wasn’t her story to tell. I realized then she meant somethin’ entirely different.” He looks up searchin’ my face with questionin’ eyes, but I’m not ready to bare my soul to anyone just yet. I was drunk when I told Carly Jo about my family, and although it felt good to release some of the pain I’ve been carryin’, I wish I could take back every word I’d spoke. The look of pity only adds to the guilt I feel. “You know I’m a hot headed son of a bitch, but I shouldn’t have talked down to you the way I did.”
“Damn straight you shouldn’t have.” I cut him off, snappin’ at him angrily. I didn’t expect my tone to be so raw and harsh but my mind is wrecked with emotions right now. Can’t exactly turn it all off.
“I’m sorry. Carly Jo worries herself sick about Savannah. I know you try to do what you can to help, even when it ain’t your place. She’s vulnerable right now and I don’t want to see her get hurt worse.”
“Do you think I don’t understand that, Colton?” He cocks his brow up at me and I can’t tell if he’s gettin’ more pissed at the situation or interested in what I have to say. Don’t matter much, because he’s had his chance to say his peace. Now he needs to zip the lips, open his damn ears and hear me out. “Other than the nights we have supper together, how much time do you and Carly Jo spend with Savannah? How often does Carly call her just to check in on her?”
“Luke, she don’t wanna smother Savannah.” He defends.
“I get that, but even when we’re all together y’all don’t give her any comfort other than tryin’ to lead her in the direction that y’all feel is best. I ain’t heard Carly ask her one time how she really feels. Have you?”
He closes his eyes in defeat and he shakes his head from side to side shamefully.
“I ain’t layin’ blame, Colton. I understand y’all got a lot goin’ on. But don’t you dare scrutinize my relationship with Savannah when you don’t even have the faintest damn clue as to what’s happenin’.”
“Then tell me, Luke. What’s goin’ on?”
Pinchin’ the bridge of my nose, I draw in a shaky breath and I know I have to choose my words carefully. “I’m over-protective of women, Weston. I can’t stand to see one feel any sort of angst, heart ache or physical pain. I tried to protect my momma as a boy, and I tried to take care of and protect Al…” I bite down on my tongue shakin’ that thought from my mind. “Point is, Savannah feels safe with me near. Ain’t no harm in bein’ her friend.”
“I saw the way you looked at her yesterday, Ashton. Are ya sure you ain’t feelin’ a little more than friendly ‘bout her?”
“That’s complicated.” Hell if it ain’t complicated. I’m getting too close…I can feel the attachment to Savannah growin’ stronger with each day and it’s beginnin’ to terrify me. This overwhelmin’ need to protect her, I don’t know what to do with it. I can’t continue to stalk out her porch swing night after night just because I’m worried she can’t sleep or may be frightened.
After Colton’s outburst last night I realize I can’t continue to just hang around.
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