That Hot Night

“Well, why not?” Betty asked incredulously. “Are you seeing someone we don’t know about?”

“That’s none of your business. Either of you.” His tone and his expression was serious. Sober, and deadly serious.

“Hmph,” Eddy said with a shrug.

“That means no,” Betty insisted. “So, we’ll have her come down to meet you this weekend. Does Saturday work for you?”

“No,” he said as she turned to Eddy.

“Great! Have her come down Friday just to be sure, Eddy.”

“Perfect,” she enthused and clapped her hands again.

My hands gripped each other tightly under the table at the thought of Rafe meeting someone woman the matchmakers thought was perfect for him. I had no right, of course, I knew that, but it didn’t stop the discomfort in the pit of my stomach.

Rafe stood and stared at both women. “I said I’m not interested. Bring this woman down here and humiliate her if you want, but it’ll be on you. Not me.”

Was it wrong that I felt more attracted to him than ever before, and that it had nothing to do with him not being interested in another woman, but the way he was all strong and commanding as he growled at the meddlers.

“I guess we’ll see about that,” Eddy said, the threat clear in her voice.

When they were gone, Rafe took his seat and smiled at me. “They are relentless, aren’t they?”

I shrugged. “I think they’d call it determined.”

“I call it meddling. Unwanted meddling.”

“If you want to meet her, you don’t owe me anything.” I had to put it out there, just in case he was trying to be a stand up guy and say what was expected of him in this situation.

“The only people I owe anything to Janey, are the men at my firehouse and the citizens of Tulip, who I have sworn to protect. That’s it. Everything else I do, it’s because I want to.”

I swallowed hard around a lump in my throat and nodded. “Okay. Good to know.” We continued to eat and laugh and flirt, the encounter with the matchmakers all but forgotten.

But a small part of me wondered if this, whatever it was between us, was setting me up for heartbreak.

I took another look at Rafe’s smiling face and I couldn’t help but worry.Rafe“It’s been a long time since you guys have had one of these barbecues. Is there a special occasion?”

Bo had inherited a big plot of land where she built a fine looking cabin and a few smaller outbuildings that held everything from spare wood to four wheelers and anything else someone might need.

Jase smiled and looked out over the groups gathered, one big group around the fire and a smaller group near the main grill. “You mean other than Bo having my baby?” His gaze found his best friend, her belly round with their first child. “Bo was getting stir-crazy letting someone else take care of the store, so I did this to give her something to do.” His smile was anything but apologetic. “Spent all morning fishing. Most relaxed she’s been in weeks.”

“Shouldn’t she have had that baby by now?” It seemed like she’d been pregnant forever.

Jase smacked my arm. “Take that back. There’s still too much to do, and Bo hasn’t even picked a nursery theme yet. Or colors. Or furniture.” He continued to rattle off different things a tiny human might need, and I punched his shoulder to keep him from freaking out. “What was that for?”

“You’re spiraling. If you want Bo to make a decision, make it easy for her. Get two themes and let her choose one and then take care of it. She’s cooking your baby after all.”

Jase stared at me like I was a stranger. “How in the hell do you know? Wait, are you and Janey serious?”

I frowned and took a long pull from my beer. Mostly to stall. I had no clue what Janey and I were, but serious wasn’t it. “I know because I know women, even a woman like Bo. Being pregnant sucks. She’s bloated, it’s hard to move around like she used to, and that kid is probably rolling over on her bladder, and you want her to decide monkeys or elves? Come on, man.”

“Shit.” Jase stared at Bo for a long time, his mind whirling with so many thoughts I was sure steam would come out of his ears any moment now. “You’re right. Thanks man, but I gotta go.”

“Go.”

Jase took off, but before he made his way to Bo, Janey beat him there, wrapping arms around a very pregnant Bo, who reluctantly accepted the affectionate greeting. She was unguarded with Bo. Totally free and open, a big genuine smile on her face as they talked and laughed the way women do. Bo whispered something to Janey and glanced my way before she let Jase pull her away.