Cherished (Wanted 4)

Stop. Talking.

“We heard Garrett, and Ari was half-naked, so I pushed her into Big Roy’s stall before Garrett walked in. Roy was obviously in a playful mood, and he nudged Ari. She…well, she…she lost her balance and went into the…”

He’s gonna start laughing! Oh my god. He’s actually going to start laughing again.

Even though he tried to contain it, Jeff let out a small laugh. I didn’t know what to be more pissed about—the fact that he’d just told my father we’d fucked in the barn or that he was laughing because I had fallen in horse shit.

My dad stood there for a second, just staring at Jeff. “Jeff…son…there are some things you just don’t tell the father of your wife. You’ll start to understand this more when Grace grows up, but in the meantime, from now on…let’s just keep you and my daughter’s sexual encounters to yourself, shall we?”

My father turned and walked away. I put my hands on hips and gave Jeff a what-the-fuck look. I shook my head as he shrugged his shoulders.

“What? The man scares me. He’s threatened my life before, so excuse me for panicking. I felt the best thing to do was to come clean, but…” Jeff took a deep breath and quickly let it out. “But I see I was wrong.”

“Ya think? Dickwad.”

I started making my way out of the barn and up toward the house. I walked up to Ellie, who was standing on the porch.

She just looked at me. “What happened?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. Have y’all sung ‘Happy Birthday’ yet?”

Ellie smiled and shook her head. “Why don’t you go take a quick shower and change into something of mine?”

“Oh god, thank you, Ellie. This horse shit stinks. Jeff will need to take a shower, too, and borrow something of Gunner’s.”

“I don’t even want to know,” Ellie said as she looked over at Jeff.

“No, you don’t, but I will say that your brother sure can make me happy one minute and so pissed-off the next.”

Ellie put her fingers up to her ears. “Eww…eww…stop! Yuck!”

I started to walk away when I heard Ellie say to Jeff, “Oh no, you horny ass. You go shower in the guest bathroom. I’ll bring you a pair of sweats and a T-shirt.”

I turned and looked over my shoulder at Jeff.

He smiled and winked at me. Then, he mouthed, Sorry.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Yep. Stupid, romantic dickwad.

I sat on Gunner and Ellie’s back porch and watched Ari run around, chasing Luke. I couldn’t help but smile when Luke would scream every time Ari grabbed him and swung him around. I glanced over and saw Ellie with her hand on her stomach, gently moving it up and down. Gunner was holding a sleeping Alex in his arms as he talked to Brad.

Ellie glanced over and smiled at me. I held up my beer to her, and she winked. She said something to Gunner and Brad, and then she made her way over toward me.

“Have you talked to Mom?” Ellie asked as she sat down next to me.

I smiled and nodded. “I did. I still can’t believe she’s moving to Mason.”

Ellie let out a giggle. “I know. What about being engaged to Philip?”

I smiled as I watched Ellie getting all excited from just thinking about it.

She started shaking her head. “I mean, her life has changed so much, and her dreams are finally coming true. She’s getting a nursing job at Mason Memorial Hospital, and Philip asked her to marry him.” Ellie turned and looked at me. “She’s gonna be here for the birth of the baby! I mean…she’ll be here for everything this time.”

A tear slowly rolled down her cheek. I reached over and wiped it away.

“I know, Ells, I’m excited about it, too. I’m even more excited that she’s going to be here during this pregnancy.”

Ellie nodded and put her head back against the chair. “I think it’s a boy.”