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Discerning Blake

Page 75

by Lettie V. Jones

“Shit,” Blake grumbles.

He lets me go, and I feel his absence like a hit in the gut. He sits up to look over the side of the truck.

“It’s Henry.”

He looks so annoyed that I can’t help but laugh. “I thought you weren’t stopping until I came.”

He gives me a look so full of heat it could burn.

“This is NOT over.”

My stomach flips, and my core clenches, full of need.

I lower my skirt and straighten out my shirt, and put a hand up to my hair, wondering just how messy I look and if we can pass off pretending that we were just sitting there talking.

Blake hands me my cup of coffee and a donut, apparently having the same plan in mind.

Henry walks up to us, and his dog, Coco, puts her front paws up on the truck to look at us before deciding we aren’t that interesting and running off with Rusty.

“Good morning,” Henry says, giving the graying sky a nervous glance.

“Morning.” Blake raises his cup of coffee as if to cheer, completely ignoring the rain drop that falls on top of the cup.

“Good morning,” I say with a bright smile.

Henry and I know each other well. Since his son was married to my husband’s sister, we would find ourselves at a lot of the same family functions, especially any occasion centering around Penny.

“How’s Ethan?” Henry asks, looking from me to Blake.

“You’ll have to ask his girlfriend,” I answer, all friendliness gone from my voice.

“Right. Scarlett told me about the divorce. It’s a real shame how your generation seems to think marriage is a game to be ended whenever you don’t feel like it anymore.”

“Henry.” Blake’s voice is cold enough to make my arms break out in goosebumps.

But I’m feeling good today, and I’m not going to let a grumpy old man bring me down.

“I agree,” I say. “You should tell Ethan that. He’s the one who ended it the moment he found someone else.”

Henry narrows his eyes at me and probably would keep arguing, but he notices Blake’s death glare and keeps his mouth shut.

“You said I should ask Ethan about the place,” Blake says, his voice only warming a little. “Well, Amelia is taking over the agency, so I’m asking her.”

“And?” Henry asks, pointing his chin at the land around us.

“I think it’s a great idea,” I say, wiping down a raindrop that falls on my face. “We get a lot of tourist groups that would prefer to spend their evenings out here with the privacy and beauty of nature than in a small hotel in the center of town.”

I take out my phone.

“Blake, I have to go. It’s nine thirty already.”

We get off the truck, and Blake calls Rusty.

We say goodbye to Henry just as the rain starts to really pour, and we drive back to town.

“Drop me off at the apartment,” I say. “I want to change.”

He pulls up in the back alley a block away from my apartment and turns toward me.