Page 42 of Huckleberry Hill
“Allowed? Allowed to what? Be an adult and sleep with a guy? Yes. You’re single. He’s single. I don’t see a problem.”
“It hasn’t even been two weeks since Gianni and I split up,” I pointed out. “Doesn’t that make me . . .”
“Make you what?”
“You know.”
“A slut?”
“I was going to say terrible, but thanks,” I drawled.
“I’m not calling you a slut. And you’re not a slut,” she stated. “Why didn’t you call and ask Salem for advice? Or Wyn?”
“Because Salem might be my twin, but Salem and Wyn are feral twins in spirit. Both of them would’ve told me to go for it. You and I though . . .”
She sighed. “Yeah, I get you. We’re kinda prudish.”
“I wouldn’t say prudish.”
“I would. I’m okay with that though. You . . . I think you’re not okay with that. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be calling me asking me for advice.”
“I asked him to go riding with me this afternoon.”
“Riding, huh?”
“Horseback riding,” I clarified. “Jeez. You’re just as bad as Salem.”
“Why are you going horseback riding together?”
“Because I don’t feel comfortable riding alone while there’s a bear so close to home.”
“You could’ve asked your dad to go riding with you. Or your grandmother. She’s still spry at her age. And if I recall, she’s a better shot than your dad, too.”
“No lies there.” I laughed.
“So why did you ask Declan?”
“Because I wanted to.” I paused again. “Poet, there’s something I need to?—”
“Hang on,” she interrupted. “The bathroom door opened. Someone else is in here.”
It was muffled on the other end and then Poet came back on the line. “I’ve got to go. Let me know how your ride goes.”
She hung up before I had a chance to reply.
My screen went dark.
I reluctantly opened my closet door and crawled out.
“Okay,” I said out loud. “You’re going to go on this ride, but you’re not going to do anything to look pretty.”
I had to force myself not to glance in the mirror because there was no doubt that I would’ve primped. Earlier in the morning, I’d braided my hair and it was still intact, so that had to be good enough.
I’d spent the day outside and in the stables, breathing in fresh mountain air. I loved the familiarity and routine of ranch chores.
Maybe I had been deluding myself into thinking I could settle long term in the city. I’d made it work because I followed my sister on her adventures, and then I’d forced myself into a box because of Gianni. But now that I no longer had the tether of a fiancé, the only real draw to return was my sister and my friends.
And those relationships were important to me.
