“Well, uh, I’m sure I’ll see you sooner than later.”
“Kinda how it goes with horses.”
She shoves her feet in her shoes and hurries out the door. I close and lock it behind her and let out a frustrated sigh before I go back into the kitchen.
“What the hell was that?” I ask Rory.
“I could say the same to you,” she retorts.
“Really? I wasn’t the one who invited a random person over for dinner.”
Rory cocks an eyebrow and looks at Quinn. “That didn’t look very random to us. The way she looked at you—the way you looked at her. There’s obviously something going on between you two.”
“Yeah, I’m a vet and take care of her animals.”
“And walking her dog?” Rory goes on and Dean reaches forward for Rory’s arm. “You don’t just walk people’s dogs for no reason.”
“I’m a vet. I walk a lot of dogs.”
“Babe,” he starts. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Meddling.”
Rory makes a face, shaking her head. “All I did was invite her for dinner. I was being polite.”
“Fine,” I relent, knowing there’s no arguing with Rory when she gets like this, especially when she’s with her sister-in-law, Quinn. “You were being polite but be thankful she didn’t join us.”
“Why?” Rory hands Adam to Dean and grabs a bottle of chilled white wine from the fridge.
“We just…we butt heads. She inherited her aunt’s horse rescue when she died and is in way over her head but refuses to accept help. And Pongo is a horse, not a dog.”
“Oh.” Rory twists the cap off the wine. “Isn’t that the dog from the 101 Dalmatians movie?”
“He is,” Quinn answers, nodding her head.
“The horse is black and white,” I reply.
“Oh, makes sense.” Rory takes the wine to the table and pours a glass for her and Quinn. “Sorry I meddled, but guys—” She looks at everyone at the table. “You have to admit you thought there was something too.”
“Nope,” Dean and Archer say at the same time.
“Why does it feel like I just had this conversation?” I grumble. “Oh, wait, I did. With Mason.”
“Ah-hah!” Rory exclaims so loudly she startles her son. “She said she met Mason!”
“Yeah. She did. Mason and I went to La Cantina and Josie was there with a friend—who Mason went home with, of fucking course. Oh, shit, sorry, Adam.”
“You got a little longer before they pick up on things,” Archer says.
“Tell that to our twins who sat with you and Dean while you two played video games and now they still say cocksucker,” Quinn says through gritted teeth.
“You’re reading into this too much,” I press right as Dad comes up from the family room in the basement.
“Reading into what?” He opens the warming drawer and takes a casserole dish out. I can tell right away it’s what Dad refers to as his famous chicken.
“Jacob knows the woman who was here getting a dress altered. She’s a total hottie and he got mad I invited her for dinner.”
Dad gives Rory a what the fuck look. “Jacob knows anyone in town who takes their pets to the vet.”
“Exactly,” I point out.
“But she is single, right? I’d hope so by the vibe I was getting from her.”
“Was she hitting on you?” Dad questions, brow furrowing even more.
“Not on me,” Rory goes on, “but I could tell she wanted you, Jacob.”
“Why did I ever think I wanted a little sister?” I huff, looking right at Rory, who makes a face. Her phone chimes as a text comes through and she laughs at whatever she reads.
“Ohh, I got some juicy details from Mason,” she chides.
“About Josie?” I can’t help but ask.
“Maybe. Do you want to know?”
I’m certain there’s nothing about Josie that Mason could know which I don’t…unless Poppy said something while they were—stop it. I don’t care. It’s none of my business.
“You can spare the details for later,” Dad goes on. “It’s time to eat. Wash your hands and grab a plate.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
JOSIE
I don’t know how the hell I’m going to pull this off.
Stepping on the gas, I check the review mirror, making sure there aren’t any cops behind me. I’m on my way home from the feed store with three hundred pounds of horse feed in the back of the truck. I have three hours before I need to leave for the gala, and I still need to shower, dry my hair, and then get dressed.
I already picked up the dress from Mrs. Harris this morning and have been on the go ever since. I want to blame Louisa, who insisted we go out for breakfast after the horses were fed and turned out, but, really, there’s just not enough hours in the day.
Gunther took off again this morning, and Riley stood by the gate waiting for him to come back all day. I took him with me to the feed store, hoping to perk him up so he doesn’t get depressed again.