Page 49 of A Cowboy's Bride
“Forget how I heard it, just tell me everything's okay.”
Screw keeping the fooling around part secret. Although they still hadn’t done the actual deed again, last night Aiden had thoroughly rocked her world by going down on her in the shower before jacking off with her help.
Petra let her grin grow wide. “Everything is better than okay.”
Julia snickered. “As long as it stays that way and you’re having fun, I won't ask for any more details.”
“Auntie Julia.” Sasha spoke louder to get their attention.
“Yes?”
“Jinx needs some new clothes, and Mom said I could go shopping with her. But it's going to have to be tomorrow after supper because we can’t go tonight, and tomorrow I've got a training session with Kelli right after school. Can you take me? Mom won’t be able to because of Tyler. That’s my kid brother,” Sasha reminded Jinx. “He’s only four and he goes to bed really early.”
“If your mom says it's okay, and you don't have lots of homework, I can take you. It is a school night,” Julia pointed out.
Sasha shrugged. “I never have much homework.” She turned to confide in Jinx. “Nothing that I can't do on the ten-minute bus ride home. It’s a nice short trip.”
Jinx’s gaze snapped to Petra's. She swallowed hard, forcing out her question. “You ride a bus?”
Sasha waved a hand. “It's no big deal. We're one of the last picked up in the morning and the first dropped off headed home, and since you live on the next range road over, you’ll have an even shorter ride. It’s not like in the city where buses get separated by age. Here they pick up everybody according to area, including the kindergarten kids, so it's noisy sometimes, but not bad.” Sasha frowned, noticing Jinx’s discomfort. “It’s okay. Haven’t you ever taken a bus?”
Jinx shook her head. “I've always lived close enough to walk.”
Petra didn't have to be a mind reader to know that the idea of the bus wasn’t sitting comfortably with Jinx, but they could cover that one when they were alone.
“Hello, ladies. Welcome to the best café in town,” Tansy announced in a cheerful voice as she brought their order to the table. She took in each of them one after the other with amusement. “Making friends and planning mischief?”
“It’s always good to have mischief afoot,” Petra reminded her.
“My thoughts exactly.” Tansy placed dishes on the table in front of everyone before adding a plate for herself and pulling another chair over to join them. “Which is why I'm here. Hi, Jinx. I’m Tansy. I’m the smart, funny friend to these two.” She poked her thumbs in either direction to indicate Julia and Petra. “So, what are we gossiping about? Who's broken whose heart in school today, Sasha?” She glanced to her left. “You pregnant yet, Julia?”
“Tansy,” Petra scolded in shock. “That’s rude.”
“What?” Tansy threw her hands in the air as a look of understanding crossed her face. “Oh, you missed this part. It’s not rude; it’s a tease. Well, it’s sort of rude, but it’s not my fault. Zach came in here two months ago and ordered peanut butter cookie ice cream sandwiches with pickles. And we all know whatthatmeans.”
Julia let out a long-suffering sigh. “He was supposed to buy the ice cream sandwiches. Then he remembered that he broke the pickle jar the previous day and he didn't want to have to stop at the store for one item, thus the pickle request.” She offered Tansy the evil eye. “Only ever since,thisone uses it at every opportunity.”
“What can I say? When I’m offered a golden ticket, I take it.” Tansy grinned as she picked up her sandwich. “I was serious about heartbreaks at school, Sasha. Is José still trying to convince you to be his sweetie?”
Sasha sighed mightily. “AuntieJulia.”
“What?” Julia echoed in protest this time.
Sasha gave her the evil eye. “You were the only person I talked to about José.”
Julia lifted a hand. “Yes, you told me. But that same day Kelli told me you’d said something about him. Then your mother mentioned him to me. Plus, your Auntie Ginny told me that you told her that Katy said Jason told her that?—”
Petra was laughing so hard at this point her words came out in gasps. “Oh my God. You could just walk into the classroom with the teenage girls,” she told Julia.
“Sweet,” Julia offered, grinning from ear to ear.
While Sasha animatedly shared about José, it was Jinx who held Petra's attention. Her gaze darted back and forth between everyone at the table, her mouth falling open as the teasing continued. When Sasha tossed her hair like a mane to make a point, Jinx snickered, covering her mouth with her hand, but Petra spotted her brief smile.
Both heartwarming and hope filled.
The door to Buns and Roses opened, the welcome bell tinkled, and a broad-shouldered man wearing a cowboy hat marched in. Petra blinked then checked her watch. Why was Jake coming in at this time of day?
She wondered if something had gone wrong and he was trying to track them down. She waved to get his attention. “Jake. Over here.”
