“You searchin’ for someone?” Payton asks, noticing my eyes scanning the room.
“Nah, just seein’ who’s all here.”
His expression tells me he’s not buying it, but he doesn’t press any further.
I had such a good time chatting with Ivy and learning about the things she likes, and I selfishly want to do it again. While we were eating, I wanted to ask her what she was going to say at the hospital, but my nerves got the best of me. Although it’s been bothering me for nearly a month, I chickened out at the last minute.
The way she looks directly into my eyes when I speak drives me absolutely fucking wild. She’s quiet, but I’ve learned those are the ones you have to watch out for.
Ivy’s been a bookworm for as long as I can remember, and I think it’s awesome she still is. A million questions flip through my mind, and I’m intrigued to learn more.
“Did you hear me?” Payton asks as he takes a bite of his macaroni and cheese.
I shake my head. “Sorry, what’d you say?”
Payton slowly shakes his head at me. “I need a day off next week so I can go to my dentist appointment.”
“Should be fine. If you need a tooth extracted or anything, ya know we’ve got some pliers that’ll do the trick.”
“Hard fuckin’ pass. I’d never be desperate enough to let any of you near my mouth with or without tools. I ain’t stupid,” Payton tells me.
“Good answer,” Riley mutters from behind us as he sets his plate down on the table. Of course, his sidekick, Diesel, follows him.
“How’s work goin’?” Riley asks, shoving half a roll in his mouth.
“Busy as hell. But I’m not complaining. I like what I’m doin’ at least,” I tell him.
“Being a ranch hand bitch were the good ole days, though,” Diesel interjects. “We used to get into so much trouble. Honestly, I’m surprised we’re still alive.”
I laugh, thinking about all the shit we used to get into when we weren’t being watched like hawks by our uncles. “Yeah, that’s true. But I don’t have any complaints.”
Ethan walks up to our table, and before he sits, I notice he’s covered from head to toe in dirt.
“Don’t even ask,” he says sternly before anyone can speak.
I lean forward. “You know we’re going to hound you until you tell us.”
“Yeah, well, I ain’t in the mood to talk about it.”
I don’t push him any further, but it doesn’t stop Diesel from asking every few minutes.
“Shut the fuck up,” Ethan snaps, picking up his cornbread and throwing it at Diesel’s head. It bounces off and lands on the floor with a thud. Seconds later, my uncle John comes from around the corner wearing a scowl.
“Do it again, and I’m kickin’ you all out,” he warns, looking directly at me.
“I didn’t do anything,” I explain. “I’m just sitting here tryin’ to peacefully eat my lunch.”
“Then I guess that means you’re guilty by association.” His eyes scan across the table, daring us to push him, but we’re so quiet a needle could drop, and we’d hear it. When my uncle turns his back to return to his office, I see a smirk playing on his lips in the reflection of one of the pictures on the wall.
“You’re chickenshit,” Diesel tells Ethan.
“Better than bein’ a dipshit.”
“Okay, okay,” Payton interrupts. “Can we at least try to get along today?”
All I can do is chuckle. “Why are you always the mediator?”
“Because y’all are a bunch of damn fools with too much testosterone.”
This makes Ethan’s face split into a smile, and we finish eating without arguing. Even Diesel gives him a break.
“You’re gonna tell us, though, right?” Diesel says as we pick up our dirty dishes and put them away.
“Fuck no,” he mutters. Payton and I tell everyone goodbye, then we hop in the truck and head back to the stud farm.
On the way back, Payton cracks up laughing.
“What?” I ask.
“You know what happened to Ethan?”
I shake my head.
“Kaitlyn put boobie traps around his shop, and he has no idea who did it. Apparently, he had a meeting with every single one of his employees today and wanted someone to confess. None of them did.”
“Damn. Unfortunately for him, I know she’s not done.”
“Not in the slightest. They should’ve never put her truck on blocks,” he says.
“You’re right because she will spend the rest of the summer fucking them up.”
We have a good laugh because my sister is just getting started.
The rest of the afternoon goes by so fast, I can barely believe it when Payton’s filling buckets with grain for the evening feeding. Once this is done, we can both leave, so I help out to make it go faster. As I’m walking to the stalls at the end, my phone vibrates in my pocket.
Raelyn: Can you call me when you get home?