Page 47 of Give Me Love

“Shut up, Kat.” Lightheartedness webs with displeasure in his voice.

I lean my head back and laugh. “I’m kidding.”

“I’m a very busy man. You shouldn’t take me making time for you lightly. I don’t do it for anyone else,” he says in seriousness.

“Really?” I ask doubtfully.

“Yes, really.”

“What about Jace?”

“Jace likes to do the same shit I do, so we do it together.”

I shrug. “Okay then. Well, I’m grateful you make time for me,” I say with an eyeroll.

“I know you’re rolling your eyes.”

“You do not.”

This time he laughs. The curve in my lips is something I can’t help. That laugh is deep and sounds so delicious. “What are you doing out there on that horse ranch, anyway?”

“Work, woman.”

“You mean you’re getting all dirty and stuff?” I bite my lip and look up at the ceiling, picturing Bryce in work boots and faded blue jeans. What I’d give to see that show.

He chuckles. “Something like that.”

“Get your hand out of there.” The sound of a pop rings on the other end. Bryce laughs.

“Are you stealing food?” I ask, loving hearing him around his family.

“Ow,” he says dramatically. “I was just looking.”

“Looking, my ass. You took a whole piece of beef,” Emily replies. “Who are you on the phone with, anyway?”

My eyes go to my toes as I wonder what his reply will be, and my heart sinks when he says it.

“A friend.” I don’t have a clue why this bothers me, but it does.

“You don’t have friends. Give me that phone.”

“No, ma’am,” Bryce replies, clearly chewing whatever is in his mouth. From the creaking noise of what I think is a screen door, I assume he’s walked back outside.

“You don’t want me to talk to the best woman in the world?” I ask.

“It’s not you I’m worried about. She’s too damn nosy. Look, I gotta get back to work. I’ll see you at seven.”

“Okay.”

“Bye, Kat.”

“Bye.”

After we hang up, I spend the rest of my afternoon sorting through old clothes to give to charity and washing bed sheets and curtains. Once I’m finished, I shower and switch out Chucks for wedges and jeans for a fluted sleeve, black floral romper.

“Hey, whatcha doing?” Claire asks, flopping down onto my bed.

“Going to a movie. What about you?”

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