“That’s not true. I took Cassidy White out last year.”
“That was year before last, and only ‘cause I was seeing her sister, and I set you up.”
“I still took her out, and when I asked to take her to the Fourth of July festival, she said no. So, there you are.”
“You weren’t exactly a ball of fire. She told her sister you hardly said ten words to her all night.”
I shrugged. “We were watching a movie.”
“Naw, I know what it is. You’ve been mooning over Jess Thompkins for so long you never even gave anyone else a chance. How do you know you wouldn’t win yourself a girl? You haven’t tried.”
I swallowed the knot in my throat and folded my hands. “I’m not out to just have fun with any random girl. Jess is the only one I’ve ever wanted.”
“And how many times have you asked her out?”
I lifted my eyes to his. “Almost one.”
“See, now, there’s your problem. You don’t have bad luck. You just ain’t got any try.”
“You’re not exactly helping right now. Isn’t there someone else you can harass?”
“I harass because I care,” he pledged with his right hand over his heart. “Look, what you need is—” He broke off when my phone dinged that a text had arrived.
I reached for it with an apologetic look. “Sorry. It’s probably Cody about tomorrow.” Not that I didn’t look forward to hearing Luke’s lecture, but… I didn’t look forward to hearing Luke’s lecture. I picked up my phone, and heat rushed to my face as I read the message. It was from Austen Conrad, and… my fingers clenched the phone so hard I was surprised I didn’t break it.
“Dude, what happened? Did someone get in a wreck? Are the cattle out?”
I chucked my phone across the bedspread and got up. “Oh, nothing. Just the biggest blow-hard this side of the Rockies, texting to gloat about how wonderful his life is.”
“Lemme see.” Luke sprawled across the bed to grab my phone, and his eyes widened as he read it aloud. “‘Hey, Dusty, something big just came up. Love to talk to you about it. Hope there’s no hard feelings, really need your help with something.’ What the hootin’ blazes is this crap? Does this guy always talk like this?”
“Pretty much. Always when he wants something.”
“Waaalll,” Luke drawled, rubbing his jaw as he read the message again. “I know where I’d tell him to stick it, but you’ve got better manners than I do.”
“Give me that.” I scanned the text one more time. “I know what he wants. I’m sure of it. He wants me to help him figure out wedding or honeymoon stuff, and I’d rather tangle with a nest of rattlers wearing nothing but a Speedo.”
“Perfect. Tell him that.”
I squinted at the phone, then up at Luke. “Well, okay. I’ll tidy it up a bit, but…”
“No, really. I dare you. Type that exactly, let him fester a while. Then you can boogie out of town for a few days, and he can’t do a dratted thing about it.”
I cracked half a grin. “You’re a terrible influence.”
“Thanks for noticing.”
I laughed for the first time all day, but I typed it just like he said. And it felt amazing. My words popped up on the screen, and I drank in a fresh breath of air with a strange sense of satisfaction. “I’ve never told anyone off in my life, you know that?”
“It’s about time, too. Now, shut that thing off and go hit the hay before he can sucker you into a whine fest. He can stew about it till morning.”
I shrugged and shut the phone off, then tossed it on my desk. “He’ll be pissed. Maybe I should just leave that thing here all week!”
“You’ve had worse ideas. I got Cody’s number if I need you.”
“Well, I… really?” I frowned. Could I survive a week without my electronic leash? It would be handy for getting in touch with Cody at the show grounds, but he left the ringer off half the time anyway. And I’d been scrolling on social media way too much lately. The last thing I wanted to come across was Jess posting engagement pictures. I shuddered. I could definitely do without that.
I’d take my journal instead of my phone. It would be good for me to get some things out on paper, spend some quiet non-digital time alone, and refresh my soul. Maybe even throw in my guitar and see if I could remember the chords. The more I thought about it, the more the plan appealed to me.