“Ellie, come on, that was so fucking long ago, way before you. This has nothing to do with you and me. ”
“Really, Gunner? If it was so long ago and meant so little to you, why didn’t you tell me about it the minute she started coming on to you yesterday?”
Fuck! I didn’t think Ellie had noticed how Victoria kept flirting with me yesterday. “Ellie, sweetheart, please don’t do this. Please don’t bring up something from my past that is meaningless. You’re my life, Ellie. You and Alex. You know this!”
“Ellie, are you coming with us or not?” Ari asked.
Ellie looked at me and gave me a weak smile. Thank God she’s seeing how silly she’s being.
“I’m gonna stay. Put ice on your hand, sweets,” Ellie said to Ari.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Ari said with a smile before she started to leave with Jeff.
“I love you, Ells. You know how much I love you,” I said.
She smiled and nodded. “Oh shit! I have Jeff’s truck keys. ”
When Ellie turned to go after them, she ran right into Jessie, Drake’s daughter. Aaron, Jenny, and Dewey were following right behind Jessie.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Ellie said.
Jessie started laughing. “No worries, Ellie. How are you?”
Ellie glanced at me and then back at Jessie. “I’m good. Thank you for asking. ”
When Ellie looked back at me, I instantly remembered how jealous Ellie had gotten when she saw me talking to Jessie in the barn.
“Hey, Gunner! Shit, you remember all the good times we had here?” Dewey said with a smile.
“Yeah, good times. ” I smiled at him.
“Fuck…you and Jess had your first kiss here, didn’t y’all?”
Ah shit. Dewey and his big mouth.
Jessie started laughing. “Yep! That’s right. One of a few kisses!” She winked at me and then looked at Ellie. “We were in high school. It was so very long ago. ”
Ellie slowly turned and glared at me.
Oh, son of a bitch. Why is this happening?
“Like a sister…right, Gunner?” Ellie turned and walked off.
“Ellie!”
I followed her out of the dance hall as Jeff was about to walk back in.
Then, he saw Ellie coming out. “Oh, good. You got my keys, Ells?”
“Will you drop me off at Emma and Garrett’s place, please?” She handed him the keys and walked to the truck.
“Ellie! Stop!” I jogged over and grabbed her arm. “Why are you acting like this? All this shit happened years ago, Ellie. Stop being so damn jealous over nothing. ”
“What else have you not told me, Gunner? Any other girls gonna walk in tonight and say how they kissed you or fucked you?”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. This is so stupid. “Ellie, this was so long ago. It was before you and me, and really, the way you’re behaving is stupid and childish. We’re married with a baby for fuck’s sake. ”
The moment I saw the tears forming in her eyes, I felt sick to my stomach. “Wait, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to just say that—”