Page 70 of Ocotillo Kisses
“I was just thinking about you,” he said, removing his gloves and flapping them over his shoulder at the barn. “Want to go riding? I’ve got some time.”
“I’m not dressed for it,” she said, gesturing to her shorts and t-shirt. “I came to talk to you. You said you have some time.”
Her tone must have conveyed her intention, because his expression closed. “Talk to me.”
She had rehearsed what she wanted to say in her head in bed last night, this morning, on the drive over, but looking at him, well, she couldn’t remember one word. “I’m going back to Houston tomorrow. Meredith is going to check on Grandma every day until Jenna can get here, probably next weekend.”
Some of the color drained from his face, but the rest of expression didn’t change. “You’re leaving? Already? I thought you were going to stay until Ginny’s birthday party next weekend.”
“I don’t think your friends really want me around all that much anymore.”
His eyebrows slammed together. “What makes you say that?”
She pushed her hair back from her face and squared her shoulders, as if that would give her some courage. “Ah, well, I don’t think they were really fans to begin with, and after last night, well, I know Sofia and Poppy aren’t on my team.”
“Geez.” He dragged a hand down his face as Daisy and Polka darted out of the barn toward Britt, who sidestepped them. “I didn’t think about Poppy.”
“No, neither of us did, but I thought it was important for her to hear about it from me before she heard it from someone else.”
He froze, staring at her. “You told her?”
“Sofia was on her way to tell her when I left, so...she would have found out.” But she was stung by the sharpness of his tone. She’d had her doubts about her decision to tell Poppy, but she thought Con would see her point of view, at least.
He was all restless movement now, taking his gloves out of his pocket, putting them back in, not looking at her. “No one needed to tell her. Why did anyone need to know?”
Yeah, she didn’t like that tone at all. “Like you needed to keep it a secret?”
His face reddened. “It was private, between you and me. Why does anyone else need to know?”
“Because Sofia was going to know anyway when she saw the second room hadn’t been cleaned.”
“We could have asked her not to say anything. We should have.”
Britt folded her arms. His intense need to protect Poppy was grating on her nerves. “I thought you said you didn’t see a future with Poppy.”
He shook his head, his gaze incredulous, and she tried not to wince. She didn’t like that look. She didn’t think she was wrong, but she hated that he was judging.
“I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I want her feelings hurt,” he said. “I know she likes me, you knew she likes me. I guess I don’t understand what was going through your mind when you felt like you had to tell her we spent the night together.”
“Con, this is Broken Wheel. She would have known sooner or later, even if Sofia didn’t say anything.”
“I guess we won’t know.”
Wow, this wasn’t how she thought this conversation was going to go. Maybe she should have talked to him before she said anything to Poppy. She was a little ashamed to admit she hadn’t thought about it. But his reaction did solidify her decision to leave town, sooner rather than later.
“I’m going to go say goodbye to your mom, if you think it’s okay.” At least Alexis would miss her. She assumed.
Con studied her for a long moment, like he expected her to say something else, but apparently she’d already said enough.
“I’ll call her and let her know you’re coming.”
“Um. Okay.” She thought maybe he’d accompany her to the house, but no. He turned back into the barn after telling her Alexis was expecting her.
Well. He’d been mad she’d left without saying goodbye thirteen years ago. Now she had said goodbye and he hadn’t. Payback maybe. She blinked back tears and got into her car to drive up to the house.
Alexis was waiting at the front door, and enveloped Britt in a big hug. Britt leaned into it, some of her anger at Con melting away in the generosity of his mother.
“Thank you for coming by,” Alexis said, drawing her into the house. “I’m sorry to hear you’re leaving so soon. I had really hoped, after last night, well, that meant you were staying.”
