glanced around looking for Joel.
He stood at the back of the line frowning. What kind of game were they playing?
She
returned to her place at the table, setting her plate down first before she
retrieved a glass of lemonade and a dessert. Jason slid his hand along her
shoulder as he took the seat next to her. Now she knew why the cologne was
different, he wasn’t Joel. Why was Joel giving her the cold shoulder? What did
they plan?
The
conversation around the table focused on the day’s labors. They’d moved cattle
from the south pasture to the north pasture. Several of the cattle had dropped
their calves already making everyone worry it might be too late in the season
and they would suffer without extra feed. She could hear many of the tourists
talking about their ride on the horses that day and she mentally planned to do
some riding of her own tomorrow. Horseback riding was one of her favorite past
times. She wanted to explore the ranch more with Joel, though. Not on a strict
trail ride.
“Would
you like to go riding tomorrow?” Jason asked.
“Um,
yes I would.”
“Great.
I’ll saddle a couple of horses. I can meet you at the stable around nine in the
morning.”
“Okay.” What the hell? This whole thing stinks.
They
finished dinner in silence while the rest of the family talked about different
topics. The moment she finished, Jason grabbed her plate to deposit it into the
dirty dish bin.
“Walk
with me.”
“All
right,” she answered, deciding to see where this whole thing might be leading.
Did Joel push her off on his brother because he didn’t want to hurt her
feelings by saying he wasn’t attracted to her? Did Jason think she wanted him?
She
let Jason take her hand and walk her out the front door of the main lodge to
the chairs lining the porch. Even though the full moon happened the night
before, it still shone bright enough to see the walkway.
“You
look beautiful in the moonlight.”
“Thank
you.”
“You
know, the kiss we shared last night blew my socks off. I wish you hadn’t made
me leave.”
Frowning,
she opened her mouth to tell him she knew he wasn’t Joel, but he bent his head
and kissed her full on the mouth. She quickly stepped back and smacked him
across the face. “How dare you.”
“What?”
“Do
you think I’m stupid? Do both of you think I wouldn’t know the difference
between you, Jason?”
“You
knew I wasn’t Joel?”
“Hell
yes! Even if I hadn’t figured it out at dinner, I would have known from the
kiss.”
“Most
people can’t tell the difference between us.”
“Joel
has an abrasion near the left side of his mouth from where he got in a fight
with Joshua at the bar last night.”
“Damn.”
“What
the hell is going on here? Why the ruse?”
“I’ll
tell you, Mesa,” Joel said, coming around the side of the house. “I was pissed
off at myself this morning because of what happened last night. Our kiss, I
mean.”
“Well
you know what? Fuck both of you! You want to play these sillyassed games, you can play them on some other unsuspecting
woman. I’m not doin’ it.”
“Mesa,
listen,” Joel implored, holding out his hand to touch her arm.
She
jerked back and slapped at him. “No. This is childish. I can’t believe you two!
I thought I might have meant a little more to you than this, Joel, but
apparently not. What we shared last night was special to me, but not to you.
I’m just another girl to you.”
“No,
you’re not, Mesa.”
“Yeah,
whatever.” She spun around to head back into the house. Maybe it was time to
go. Head back to Los Angeles and lick her wounds.
“Mesa,
please.”
“What
Joel?” She turned back around.
“Let’s
talk about this.”
“What
the hell is there to talk about? You and your brother were playing me for the
fool. How many times have you three switched places on a girl, huh? I bet a
lot.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
During her discussion with Joel, Jason had disappeared either back into the
house
He stood at the back of the line frowning. What kind of game were they playing?
She
returned to her place at the table, setting her plate down first before she
retrieved a glass of lemonade and a dessert. Jason slid his hand along her
shoulder as he took the seat next to her. Now she knew why the cologne was
different, he wasn’t Joel. Why was Joel giving her the cold shoulder? What did
they plan?
The
conversation around the table focused on the day’s labors. They’d moved cattle
from the south pasture to the north pasture. Several of the cattle had dropped
their calves already making everyone worry it might be too late in the season
and they would suffer without extra feed. She could hear many of the tourists
talking about their ride on the horses that day and she mentally planned to do
some riding of her own tomorrow. Horseback riding was one of her favorite past
times. She wanted to explore the ranch more with Joel, though. Not on a strict
trail ride.
“Would
you like to go riding tomorrow?” Jason asked.
“Um,
yes I would.”
“Great.
I’ll saddle a couple of horses. I can meet you at the stable around nine in the
morning.”
“Okay.” What the hell? This whole thing stinks.
They
finished dinner in silence while the rest of the family talked about different
topics. The moment she finished, Jason grabbed her plate to deposit it into the
dirty dish bin.
“Walk
with me.”
“All
right,” she answered, deciding to see where this whole thing might be leading.
Did Joel push her off on his brother because he didn’t want to hurt her
feelings by saying he wasn’t attracted to her? Did Jason think she wanted him?
She
let Jason take her hand and walk her out the front door of the main lodge to
the chairs lining the porch. Even though the full moon happened the night
before, it still shone bright enough to see the walkway.
“You
look beautiful in the moonlight.”
“Thank
you.”
“You
know, the kiss we shared last night blew my socks off. I wish you hadn’t made
me leave.”
Frowning,
she opened her mouth to tell him she knew he wasn’t Joel, but he bent his head
and kissed her full on the mouth. She quickly stepped back and smacked him
across the face. “How dare you.”
“What?”
“Do
you think I’m stupid? Do both of you think I wouldn’t know the difference
between you, Jason?”
“You
knew I wasn’t Joel?”
“Hell
yes! Even if I hadn’t figured it out at dinner, I would have known from the
kiss.”
“Most
people can’t tell the difference between us.”
“Joel
has an abrasion near the left side of his mouth from where he got in a fight
with Joshua at the bar last night.”
“Damn.”
“What
the hell is going on here? Why the ruse?”
“I’ll
tell you, Mesa,” Joel said, coming around the side of the house. “I was pissed
off at myself this morning because of what happened last night. Our kiss, I
mean.”
“Well
you know what? Fuck both of you! You want to play these sillyassed games, you can play them on some other unsuspecting
woman. I’m not doin’ it.”
“Mesa,
listen,” Joel implored, holding out his hand to touch her arm.
She
jerked back and slapped at him. “No. This is childish. I can’t believe you two!
I thought I might have meant a little more to you than this, Joel, but
apparently not. What we shared last night was special to me, but not to you.
I’m just another girl to you.”
“No,
you’re not, Mesa.”
“Yeah,
whatever.” She spun around to head back into the house. Maybe it was time to
go. Head back to Los Angeles and lick her wounds.
“Mesa,
please.”
“What
Joel?” She turned back around.
“Let’s
talk about this.”
“What
the hell is there to talk about? You and your brother were playing me for the
fool. How many times have you three switched places on a girl, huh? I bet a
lot.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
During her discussion with Joel, Jason had disappeared either back into the
house
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