“I heard Susie’s back in town and wants to divorce your ass,” is the first thing Young Mary says to me.
“Makes two of us.” I grunt as I start double-checking the three saddles I’ve just put on.
She sighs, and I hear Amelia mutter three years under her breath as I’m checking her saddle.
“I thought you agreed no Susie and sex talk,” I whisper.
“Sorry,” she whispers back, sending Young Mary a glance who’s still talking even though no one is listening to her.
“But seriously, three years?” she asks, taking a step closer to me.
“Mhm,” I hum.
“You and your hand must be very close,” she whispers, looking at my hands and turning a slight shade of pink.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I wink before telling Mary to get on her horse.
“Sid, meet Amelia. Amelia, meet Sid,” I introduce her to my horse. “He’s the calmest horse here,” I say, scratching behind his ear.
“Put your left foot in here and I’ll help you swing around,” I tell her, tapping the stirrup. Once she’s put her foot in, I grab her hips and help her get up onto Sid.
I lead us through the pastures and down to the creek that runs through the ranch and decide we’ll just follow it for a bit.
“Mary, you go in the front, I’ll go in the back,” I say, letting the two ladies go past me. This way I can keep an eye on both of them, and Mary can’t talk to me.
We ride in peaceful silence for an hour before I get us to turn around and head back.
I start wondering why Susie showed up now. Why after all this time has she decided to come back and demand a divorce? Maybe she’s met someone else and wants to marry him, which she can’t do because she’s married to me.
Maybe she’s going to marry Billy fucking Cole. He seemed to disappear not long after she did.
“Tag!” Mary’s annoying voice breaks me out of my thoughts.
“What was that?” I ask, snapping my eyes to hers. She and Amelia have both stopped and are watching me.
“I asked how much longer until we’re back?” She huffs.
“It’s right there.” I nod, rolling my eyes once she turns her back, and Amelia laughs.
“You weren’t meant to see that,” I tell her.
“I didn’t see a thing.” She winks, turning Sid around and following Mary.
“Thanks, Tag, I had fun.” Mary smiles as I take the saddles off the horses and place them on the wooden fence.
“You’re welcome,” I answer, moving on to the next horse.
“Maybe next time it’ll be just us like usual and we actually talk,” she suggests hopefully.
“We’ll see,” I answer vaguely, hoping she doesn’t ask to go again anytime soon.
“See ya.” She smiles, looking at me like she’s waiting for something.
“See ya later.” I smile when she doesn’t move.
“Bye,” she whispers, biting her bottom lip. I don’t even bother answering, I simply turn around and start unsaddling Sid.
“She’s gone.” Amelia’s voice comes out amused.
“Thank God. Last time she was here she offered to su—” I cut myself off, remembering I’m not talking to one of the boys.
“Suck your dick?” she asks, and I spin around, looking at her shocked. I wasn’t expecting her to say that. “Oh my god, your face.”
She laughs so hard tears are coming out of her eyes. Her laugh is so contagious I can’t help but join in.
“Thanks for today, Luke, it was nice,” she says as I pull the last saddle off.
“Only nice?” I ask, ignoring the weird feeling I get in my stomach.
“I would say fun, but Mary talked about blow jobs the whole time, and you didn’t say a word,” she says with a teasing smile.
“Next time I’ll make sure you have fun.”
“Next time?” Her dark eyebrows shoot up. “Who said I want to go again?” she sasses.
“You will,” I reply, trying to sound as casual as I can.
“You’re right.” She sighs, giving Sid a scratch behind his ears. “All because you are a sweetheart, aren’t you, Sid?” She coos.
“He’s my favorite.” I smile, coming up to his other side.
“I should probably go. I have work tonight.” Amelia sighs, dropping her hand.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” I say, giving Sid one last pat.
As we walk to her old Toyota, I notice a newer Swift parked next to it. I frown, never having seen it before.
“Tag,” Granny calls out from the porch. “You have a visitor,” she tells me, nodding toward the house.
“I’ll be in, in a minute,” I call back.
“See you around, Luke.” Amelia smiles as she climbs into her car.
“See you around, Amelia,” I repeat with a smile and jog toward the house.
“Sleeping with another woman while you’re still married, Tag? Didn’t think you would be like that,” Susie says the moment I step foot in the front door, making me freeze.
“You’re one to talk,” I answer slowly, turning slightly to the right to face her.
“Just sign the damn papers, Tag,” she snaps, rubbing her forehead.
“I will the second you tell me why you started fucking Billy,” I snap back.
“You don’t need to know.” She hisses.
“As your husband, I think I have the right to know, don’t ya think?” I say sarcastically.
“Look, I want to just move on. You can have the townhouse. I just want a divorce.”
“I ain’t want that piece of crap.” I screw my face up.
“If you don’t sign these papers, I’ll take you for half of everything,” she threatens.
“Go for it. I don’t care.” I shrug. I actually would care if she took my truck and my house; there’s not much else she could take.
“Is it because you’re still in love with me?” She smirks, crossing her arms and pushing up her boobs. I glance at her chest, completely uninterested.
“Honey, I haven’t been in love with you since I caught you,” I answer, rolling my eyes.
“Rumor around town is that you haven’t even looked at another woman since I left.” Her voice drops lower than it usually is.
“Just ’cause you weren’t around doesn’t mean we ain’t still married. Unlike you I meant my vows.”
“I’m not leaving until we’re divorced,” she states matter-of-factly.
I look her from head to toe. I can’t tell if she’s bluffing or not. I used to be able to. I used to know her like the back of my hand.
“Suit yourself.” I shrug before calling out to Granny.
“Yes?” she asks in her fake polite voice. She’s angry and hiding it.
“Susie said she ain’t leaving. I’m going home. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell her with a kiss on the cheek before walking out the door.
God, she’s such a fucking bitch! I want the divorce as much as she does, but I know if I sign those papers, I’ll never know why she cheated, and I have to know.
If I was a shit husband, all she had to say was “Tag, you sucked as a husband. You never took the trash out when I demanded.”
As soon as I step through my door, I jump straight into a scalding shower. I stand under the water for so long it starts turning cold.
Once I’m out and dressed, my phone won’t stop ringing. I groan, hoping like fuck it ain’t Susie. I frown when I see my cousin’s husband’s name.
“Tanner?” I ask, hoping everything is okay with the kids and Sissy.
“Oh, thank fuck. Savannah is losing her damn mind.” He sighs.
“Granny called her?” I sigh back and sit on the edge of my bed.
“Yup. She’s still on the phone to her.”
“Do you want Juddson’s number?” he asks, referring to his fancy lawyer friend.
“I guess that’s probably a good idea,” I mutter. Knowing Susie, she’ll try to snatch up Bugs as fast as she can if she hasn’t already.
“How are you doing?” Tanner asks as I lie back.
“I’m pissed but all right,” I answer him honestly. I’ve only ever told three people what Susie did: Granny, Sissy, and Tanner.
“On the bright side, I heard a pretty young city girl moved to town.” I can hear the smirk on his face.
“Does Granny tell you everything?” I mutter, running my hand down my face.
“Nope. She tells Savannah who tells me.” He laughs.
“She’s quite beautiful and funny,” I blurt out.
“Take her on a date. I dare you,” Tanner teases.
“While my wife’s in town?” I laugh.
“Hell yeah, she’ll be like, ‘Oh, Tag I miss you,’ or you get a new girl. Either way, it’s a win-win.”
“I think you’ve lost your mind.” I chuckle, shaking my head.
“Savannah’s just seen I’m talking to you, she’s stomping over. Talk to you later!” he says quickly before there’s a ruffling noise, and Sissy’s voice comes through.
I talk to her for almost an hour before I head to the kitchen to try to find something for dinner. I’m fucking starving. As I’m looking in the fridge for anything to eat, my phone rings again, making me groan.
“What?” I snap, not bothering to look at the caller ID.
“Your Granny just called me and told me I have to come pick you up, get you good and drunk, and she doesn’t expect to see you until lunch tomorrow,” James says.
“I’m good.” I huff, slamming the fridge closed and opening the freezer. Nothing.
“We can grab dinner, then,” he counters.
“Fine. But only ’cause I’m fucking hungry,” I say before hanging up.
My phone buzzes with a text.
I smile at my best friend. He’s one guy that I can always count on.
True to his word, he is outside my house honking exactly five minutes later.
“Calm your tits.” I laugh, climbing into his truck as he starts making little songs with the horn.
“Don’t you like my music?” He gasps.
“It’s fucking beautiful,” I reply sarcastically.
“How was ridin’?” he asks as he drives toward town.
“Apparently, Mary talked about blow jobs the whole time.” I snicker.
“Apparently? You weren’t listening?”
“Naw, I was thinkin’.” I shrug.
“About Amelia’s ass?” he blurts out before giving me a sheepish look.
“Susie.” I sigh, shaking my head. “But she does have a fine ass,” I mumble as he slams on the brakes as he pulls into the parking lot.
“What? She does.” I shrug, undoing my belt and jumping out.
“I ain’t heard you talk about another woman since before you married Susie,” he says, jogging after me.
“And?” I ask, pushing open the diner door.
“Nothin’.” He shrugs as we sit in the middle. “Just be careful with her. She’s really skittish around men,” he says quietly.
We eat together as James tells me about the renovation plans he has for the diner and bar, and never once does he ask about Susie, which I’m thankful for.
“Come on, let’s get a beer,” he says, nodding toward next door.
“I ain’t getting drunk,” I warn before I stand up.
“I know.” He smirks.
“Do you ever have a day off?” I ask Will, who’s leaning against the bar looking bored.
“Tomorrow.” He sighs, popping open two beers and putting them in front of us.
“Keep ’em comin’.” James smiles, grabbing both beers and heading toward the pool tables and dart boards. “Y’all wanna talk about it?” he asks, shoving three darts into my hands.
“Not really.” I sigh. I’m tired and want to go home to sleep.
“Suit yourself.” He shrugs, throwing his first dart.
We play darts, talk shit, and drink beer for a while, and before I know it, I’m drunk, again. Nowhere near as bad as the other night but still drunk.
“Come on, I’ll take everyone home.” Will sighs when James starts hiccuping. “I’ll grab Amelia, then we are going. No more beer,” he orders before disappearing out the back.
“Did he just say Amelia?” I groan, she’s going to think I’m a drunk.
“He takes her every night. I reckon they’re hooking up,” James slurs, leaning his head on my shoulder.
I’m surprised at how jealous I feel at the thought of them hooking up. But it’s probably good, then I won’t be tempted.
“Come on, you two drunks.” Will smiles, coming back in with Amelia following closely.
“I ain’t a drunk. James is taking advantage of me,” I defend myself.
“I’m just following Missy’s orders,” he says, holding his hands up.
“And why the hell would Missy want Tag drunk?” Will snorts, locking the front door.
“Because the she-devil showed up today,” he whispers loudly. “That was the first time I heard Missy say fuck and bitch,” he adds with another hiccup.
“In the back, you two,” Will orders, opening the back door of his truck, and both James and I quickly jump in.
James is dropped off first, then Will asks me if I want to go to Granny’s, making me snort. “I want to go home,” I mutter, and he sends me a questioning look through the mirror.
“Since when did you want to go home and not to Missy’s?” he asks.
“Susie said she’s not leaving until I sign the papers.” I yawn.
“Why don’t you want to sign the papers?” Amelia asks as I lean my head on the window.
“I want to. I just wanna know why she fucked him,” I mumble before falling asleep.
