Forever Her Cowboy (Always 1)

“Yeah I waited for you.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

I sigh, sitting back getting more excited with each mile we get closer. “You think Daisy and Eric will have kids?” I bite my lip. I’m totally feeling him out.

“One day.”

“With how they get it on? It might be tomorrow.”

Josh smiles, shaking his head. “I think Daisy’s been on birth control for years.”

“And how do you know this?” I laugh.

“She leaves the shit out on the sink. Aren't most girls on the pill?”

My stomach tightens. “Yeah,” I agree. I wasn't. I didn't have that kind of mom. There was no way she would have taken me to get the pill. Even if she was that kind of mom, she would have tried to talk me out of it I’m sure, because it can make you gain weight. Spoiler alert. So does getting knocked up.

The truck goes quiet. My stomach begins to turn each moment the silence continues. I can feel myself starting to freak out. “Do you want kids?”

He doesn't say anything for a long moment. I turn my head from looking out the window to look at him.

“One day,” he finally says, looking uncomfortable. The mood has shifted in the car. What the hell is going on? I thought the whole family thing was what Josh wanted. I know it’s what I want. A real family of my own for once. So different from the one I had growing up.

I look back out the window. What if I got it wrong? So many times I’ve just assumed things about Josh that were dead wrong. The first one being that he wasn’t into me. I was dead wrong on that one. Actually, I think only saying he’s into me is putting it mildly. I have no doubt he wants me.

Then there's his dirty mouth. Never in a million years would I have thought that good ole boy Josh Price would say some of the stuff he says to me in my ear when we’re having sex. I think he could make a sailor blush with that filthy mouth of his. One I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy, by the way.

“You okay? We’re getting close.” No, I’m far from okay. I need a minute. Hell, I need a whole bunch of them to get myself together. He’s not ready for a kid. I’ve been trying to wait to tell him to see if maybe by some small chance he was going to ask me to marry him. Then I’d know for sure it wasn't about the baby. It was a silly idea. Of course he’s not going to ask me this soon, so I tossed that plan out the window. But now I’m beginning to rethink my whole plan to tell him this weekend. I need some distance from him that I know he’s not going to willingly give me. So I say the one thing that I think will buy me some time.

“Actually, I just remembered that I told my mom I’d come by and hang out for a few hours and have dinner.”

“Why?” He gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind.

“She’s my mom. She wants to know how everything is going.” Gah. I’m such a liar.

“All right, we’ll go hang out for a few hours.” Crap. He’s making this hard.

“No.” I push my glasses up my nose. “We’re going to have a girl talk and stuff. She’s going to drop me off later.” Josh’s hands tighten on the steering wheel. His knuckles start to turn white.

“Okay,” he grits out, not looking okay at all. That makes two of us. I go back to staring out the window counting down the mile markers and willing myself to not cry.

I should have known. This was all too perfect to be true, and the other shoe just dropped.11Josh“You want me to make you something to eat?” I look up from my phone to my mom, who is watching my every move as I sit at the island in the kitchen. I didn't want to go back home. Not without Noelle. So I came here instead.

“Why are you being mean to our son, Bunny? He’ll stop coming around here if you keep offering to cook for him.” Mom glares at Dad. He smacks her ass as he walks by. “Want me to make you something?”

“I’ll take a grilled cheese,” Mom says smugly, and I wonder if she ever had plans to cook me anything or she was just getting Dad in here to do it for us.

“You too?”

“I’m good. I’m eating dinner with Noelle. She likes to cook for us.” I’ve already stocked the kitchen for her. I might have gone overboard, but I wanted to make sure I got anything she might need. I wanted her to feel comfortable since it will one day soon be our home together.