18
It was a little strange to be around his dad and the other men. For as long as he’d been with his adopted parents, Reed and Kaylee, Josh had been relegated to the kids’ table at get-togethers.
Not tonight.
He was right there with the men, discussing the campaign and how bad the weather was. Dare had even offered him a cigar which he’d found that he didn’t like at all. It made him cough and it stunk to high heaven. His father had smiled and told him that he didn’t have to smoke it. No one would think any worse of him. Ben wasn’t smoking a cigar either, but Colt was making a big deal about smoking his, blowing smoke rings and just generally being loud and brash.
Eventually, Josh had gone inside to get a fresh soda and some unpolluted air. He was still thinking about what had happened this afternoon. He didn’t even know how it had happened. He only knew that it had. Was everything ruined? Did Amanda hate him?
“Maddie’s going to kick all of our asses tomorrow,” his dad said, joining him in the kitchen. “She hates the smell of cigars. Tanner’s going to spend hours getting this smell out.”
“It won’t be too bad,” Josh replied. “He’s making everybody smoke outside”
The men were gathered on the back patio.
“She’ll smell it,” his father declared. “I guarantee it. Your mom is going to take one whiff and tell us to strip in the garage. Trust me on this one.”
“If the women are all going to be mad, why are we smoking them?”
“Because we like them. Sometimes. I’m not really in the mood for it tonight.” Reed reached into the cooler on the floor and pulled out two sodas. “And they won’t be mad. They’ll just be disgusted, although Logan swears up and down that Ava likes the smell.”
“Do you think he’s lying?”
“No, but he might be delusional. So tell me how the job is going. I haven’t talked to you much this last week. Are you and Amanda getting along?”
It was an innocent question. His dad didn’t have a clue as to what he was asking, but Josh’s expression must have given something away. He didn’t have much of a poker face.
“Are you and Amanda fighting? Is she hard to work with? You can talk to Brian about that, you know. He might be able to assign you different work.”
Josh shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Amanda is great to work with. We haven’t had any issues.”
His dad’s eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp. He didn’t miss much.
“You sure had a funny look on your face when I mentioned her.”
Rubbing at the back of his neck, Josh sighed in defeat. He might as well just say it. He was going to tell his dad eventually. They talked about everything and anything. They were best friends.
“I…might have…kissed Amanda.”
His father’s brows shot up and then a smile bloomed on his face.
“You have excellent taste in women. She’s as amazing as her mother.” His dad leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. “Did she kiss you back?”
“Yes, she did,” he admitted. “But I’m not sure we should have done it. Now everything is going to be different. I don’t know how I can face her tomorrow.”
How could Josh look Amanda in the eye when he could still feel her lips on his? The feeling was burned forever in his mind. He’d be thinking about it when he was an old man. He’d kissed his share of girls in the past few years, but nothing had prepared him for kissing Amanda Marks.
“It seems like you might have feelings for Amanda,” his father said, placing his hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Is that the case?”
Feelings… Such a wishy-washy word for what he’d experienced this afternoon.
“I do,” he admitted. “But I don’t have any idea if she feels the same. She might think I’m creepy or she might even be mad.”
“Did she slap you after the kiss?”
“No.”
“Did she yell or tell you not to do it again?”