Page 76 of Midnight Surrounds Us

“I’m just havin’ some fun, talkin’ to this cowboy here, Johnny.” She turned back my way just as Johnny set my beer in front of me. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” She scoffed. “I’m not your fucking mother.”

“I mean no disrespect, but I got me a woman back home. I’m not lookin’ to replace her for the night.”

Thankfully, Johnny had already begun to dial his phone to call her ride.

“Whatever,” Marie said.

She stumbled away on too-high heels to the back of the room where some other guys sat around a high top, drinking cans of Pabst and playing a game of cards, and I nodded my thanks to the bartender while he spoke to Marie’s daughter.

The drive to Oregon had been long and lonely. The whole time, all I could think about was the look on Aubrey’s face when she’d tried to set me free. I tried calling her to what… apologize for my mama? Yeah, and for pushing too hard. And for loving her more than she knew what to do with. I knew this wasn’t easy for her to navigate.

She didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure if leaving had been the right thing to do, but I knew if I’d shown up on her doorstep, shit would’ve gone sideways fast.

She knew how much I wanted her. She knew I loved her. I’d spent the last several weeks drilling home the point. But she needed to figure us out on her own.

And I needed her to choose me.

Yeah, there’d be obstacles. Aubrey’s boys’ disapproval was one hell of a mountain to climb, but if it were up to me, their discontent wouldn’t stop me. I’d lived with Calla Graves far too long to be bothered by a little naysaying.

But that was me. It had always been my style. When I wanted something, I went after it hard, and Aubrey was the only woman I’d wanted for as long as I could remember. But I couldn’t force this. As much as I wanted to, I knew this time I had to be patient and wait for Aubrey to decide.

She’d spent the entirety of her adult life letting men, dead and alive, walk all over her.

If Aubrey didn’t come to terms on her own, whether she chose me or didn’t, she’d never feel secure in the choice.

I wanted that surety for her more than anything. She needed to figure out on her own how to follow her heart again, how to choose something good for her.

With my eyes closed, I held my phone in my hand, trying to will Aubrey to make the right choice. I’d checked my notifications fifty times over the course of the day, hoping to see a missed call or text. I was desperate just to hear her voice, but then, finally, my phone dinged, and when I looked at my screen, relief filled every cell inside my body.

It seemed my Spitfire wanted me too.

SPITFIRE

I miss you.

Goddamn. The way that little text bubble filled me up! Relief flooded my chest and lifted up the hard, empty box my heart had become over the last few days.

SPITFIRE

But the boys have jumbled everything up, and I’m still scared. I don’t know how to be your girlfriend.

You’re not my girlfriend. You’re my everything.

And I’m sorry about my mama. She shouldn’t have said that shit to you.

SPITFIRE

You know?

She told me. I’m not proud to say I cussed her out.

SPITFIRE

Was she right though? Am I getting in your way? You lent me that money. Is it affecting your ability to buy Bax’s land?

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