Page 16 of Ridin' Free
“No. That’s not an option,” I told her, with not an ounce of remorse. “We don’t even live in the same state.”
“That’s what I’m saying, honey. Maybe we could come to Gillette and start over. Lord knows, something’s got to change.”
“No. My answer is no.”
“We have nowhere else to go. I’m your mother, Ali-Mae.”
“Yeah, exactly,” I scoffed. “You’re a grown up. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I had to. I’ve got to go.”
“Ali—”
She didn’t get a chance to finish. I reached for my phone and ended the call as fast as I possibly could. My audiobook began to play, picking up where it left off, and I lowered myself down onto the ground as the words floated through one ear and out the other. I folded my legs underneath me and took a slow sip of my coffee, trying to refocus on the story. I wasn’t surprised when another call interrupted the narration a second time.
I ignored Georgia’s call. And the next one. And the next.
When I was sure she’d given up, I rewound my book a couple of minutes, finished my coffee, and then stood to water the restof my garden. It was after noon by the time I wound the hose and headed inside to prepare something for lunch. I was tossing together a grilled chicken salad when another call interrupted my book.
I swore under my breath as I extracted my phone from my pocket, but my irritation was instantly squelched when I saw it wasWinniecalling.
She didn’t know it, but she was the closest thing I had to a best friend. Being the ol’ lady to the president of the Wild Stallions meant she was on the compound often. She was the first woman I met after I moved here, and she was one of the only women I’d ever admired. We never confided in each other over drinks or spent the afternoon shopping—but, like Mustang, she accepted me for who I was and what little I had to offer. She welcomed me into the fold, and she never got irritated by the way I kept her at arm’s length.
When she called, I knew it was because she needed something.
Unlike with Georgia, I was always more than happy to answer.
“Hello?” I said after accepting the call.
“Hey, Phoenix. How are you?”
“I’m fine, and you?” I replied politely.
“Good. Really good. I’ve got news. Baby Lane was born this morning.”
“Oh, wow. That’s great news.”
I thought back to the wedding and seeing Jenna there. She looked about ready to pop, and something told me she was relieved her baby boy had decided to make his way out into the world.
“Yeah. Jenna’s doin’ great. So is he. A few of us are going to drop by the hospital later, if you have any interest in comin’.”
I knew immediately I didn’t. The invitation was far too intimate. Not to mention, I wasn’t entirely comfortable around babies. Especially newborns.
“I’ve got to be at the bar,” I told her. “I hope you’ll send my best.”
“Of course. Anyway—the reason I called is because I’m organizing a bit of a food train for Maverick and Jenna. Can I count on you to sign up for a meal?”
I smiled as I glanced around my kitchen. Cooking a decent meal was definitely something I could do. “Absolutely. Just tell me what you need and when.”
“How about dinner? I’m hopin’ to fill Saturday or Sunday night.”
“I’m off the clock Saturday. I’ll take that one. What time should I drop by?”
Once we nailed down the necessary logistics, we said our goodbyes. I made a mental note to carve out time for a grocery run before work the following day, and then I got back to my lunch. It was getting late, and I needed to get a move on.
It wasMustang’s nightoff, and I was manning the bar with Buck and Rodeo. Buck was more useful than Wrangler, as far as slinging drinks was concerned, but I wasn’t convinced this was his calling. Mustang officially hired him on part-time a few months ago, but he usually earned his wage at Horsepower Auto-Supply. Rodeo knew the guy wasn’t my favorite, and he was always quick to cover for his brother when he screwed up an order, but Buck was on my short list.
It might have been time to have a conversation with Mustang about hiring in more outside talent. Maybe even a woman, if we could trust her not to turn into some mindless club sheep.
The band that night curbed my impatience. They were our regular Thursday gig, and they were one of my favorites. They played mostly covers, but they were good, and they never had anything on their set list they couldn’t do justice.
