The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls) (10 page)

“I can’t. Don’t ask me to, Sarah.”

“I’m dating Eric Johnson now. He’s not going to like you hanging around.”

Joe felt like his stomach fell out from him. “Dating?”

“Yeah,” Sarah said, smiling. “I’m happy, Joe.”

Joe just stared at her and couldn’t form a sentence if he tried. Sarah, dating—Sarah happy without him.

“Joe?” Sarah asked, looking concerned. “Joe?”

Joe stood up and placed two bills on the counter in front of him. He looked at H
olton and spoke loud enough for Sarah to hear. “There you go, Holton. You were right.”

“What
do you mean?” Holton asked.

“You said that you didn’t want to know the feeling of loving someone and for them to die or for them to leave you. And then you said something about not knowing how to live without them, not knowing what you would do if something happened.”

“Yeah?”

“It feels terrible,” Joe said, and then looked over at Sarah one last time. “
Awful.”

Sarah gasped and put her hand in front of her mouth a
s Holton got off the stool and threw a few bills down.

***

Elena and Jonathon studied at the Write House Café. It was a cute little place in Sunnybrook that sold books from independent authors and cheap java. It was also one of her favorite places in town to study. The internet was really fast.

“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” Jonathon said as he opened his book. “I really don’t know what I am going to do if I fail Jenson’s class.”

Elena huffed. “I know. I’m a mess right now.”

“
Want to talk about it?”

“
No, not really.”

“You know, I do know how it is to be dating someone you really like,”
Jonathon offered.

Elena reddened.

“No, not you. I asked you out because I knew it wouldn’t be serious.”

Elena looked put off. “What?”

“Well, you were always doodling in your notebooks, ‘Elena Dade…Elena and Holton…stuff like that. I knew you were preoccupied.”

“Then why would you want to go out with me?”

“I have a girl back home.”

“That’s sick, Jonathon!” Elena said, standing up reaching for her bag.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I have a girl that I used to date. She broke up with me before college. She said that the distance was too much.”

Elena sat back down. “That’s what Holton said.”

“It’s such a crapshoot, you know?” Jonathon spat. “I love her and she is concerned about mileage.”

Elena nodded, understanding his dilemma. “What happened with you guys?”

“Well, she traveled up here a few times, and I came home every other weekend. It sucked, but damn, it wasn’t totally undoable. And then all of a sudden it was like she couldn’t handle it anymore. I was completely convinced that she was dating someone else. But my brother said that she isn’t, and that she looks absolutely miserable. I know it’s terrible, but I miss hanging out with a girl. I have a lot of guy friends. It’s nice to hang with someone that doesn’t smell like feet.”

Elena laughed. She lifted her arm and sniffed as a joke. “I hope to God I don’t smell like a foot.”

“No, no you don’t. I just didn’t want anything serious. I could tell you had similar issues…Sorry that if I led you on.”

“Jonathon, you are great. We can hang out any time I’m here for as long as I’m here. I usually just go to class and then back to the apartment where I can hear Denny and Cheryl saying sweet nothings to each other.”

“Isn’t that like pure torture? My roommates are in love, too.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Joyce and Derek…Derek is in a band and Joyce is a librarian. It’s like naughty meets nice. It works though. I miss being hot for something. It was like that with me and Elise.”

“I’m sorry, Jonathon. That sucks.”

“It is what it is. Let’s see if we can kick this test’s ass.”

Elena smiled. “I think we need all the help we can get.”

Elena signaled the waitress for a round of drinks and then cracked her book open to study. It was going to be a long night.

***

“Joe!” Holton called as he ran after his buddy. “Hey, man, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, wiping his eyes wi
th his forearm. He looked at Holton and gave him a dark look. “Don’t mention this to anyone.”

“Hey, no…of course. What did she say?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on, she had to have said something.”

“She’s with someone else now,” Joe said, as he walked down the street. “I’m going to take a walk, Holton.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No, just…let me be alone. I have to start sometime.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She doesn’t want to be with me. She doesn’t like me. I’ve wasted a long time on her, man. A long time.”

“Look, don’t do anything stupid, okay. We’re friends; I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Don’t look now, Holton, you are making me feel all warm and fuzzy.”

Ho
lton laughed. “Listen, man. She’ll come around.”

“Yeah, sure she will.”

“Maybe you should take a bit of your own advice. Get to know her.”

“What the hell do you think I’ve been doing? I see her pretty much every day of the week.”

“Yeah, but…listen, let me tell you what Pastor Mike told me.”

“I don’t have
time to do a prayer circle, Holton. I just want to get far away from this bar.”

“I know. Listen, he said get to know her. You can hang out with someone your whole life, like you and Sarah and not really know her. I thought I knew Elena. She felt more like a sister to me…I thought I was too old for her, not
the one for her, but then… well, I’m not talking about that, but it’s safe to say I don’t see her in the sister light anymore.”

“Well, I will thank the Lord above that I have never seen Sarah Marie in that light.”

Holton chuckled, “Well, there’s that. Maybe you should ask her out or something?”

“That’s your genius advice, Holt? Are you kidding? Don’t you think I’ve done that!”

“Well, I don’t know… you looked like you were sinking in there.”

“Of course I was! She is dating some other guy. Eric Johnson! Yeah, like I can compete with that. The guy is loaded and he has the biggest spread in town.”

“Yeah, and he is also engaged to Elise Maynor!” Holton replied. “Dude, she just did the classic dash on you.”

Joe’s eyes
widened. “What?”

“She’s playing you, man!”

“Why the hell would she do that for?”

“My guess is…”

“Joe!” Sarah interrupted as she ran down the street. She had her apron off and her coat on. Her purse was wrapped around her shoulders.

Ho
lton smiled at Joe and placed a hand on his shoulders. “Good luck, man.”

Joe turned toward Sarah and waited for her to come up to him. His eyes were still wet and he looked h
aunted.

“I’m sorry,” Sarah said. She moved her right hand up to his face and he flinched. She wiped his eye and
smoothed his cheek with her hand. “Joe, I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” he said quietly. He stood still, looking at the woman he loved and took a deep breath.

“I thought…I thought you were joking.”

“Joking? How could you think that, Sarah? Hell, we’re 28. The time for joking is pretty much over.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “That’s why I thought… you come in to the bar all the time, spouting off at the mouth.”

Joe looked to his
right irritated. “I come in there to see you damn’t!”

“Okay, fine. You come in there to see me, and then what, Joe? You act like an idiot!”

“Wow, why did you come after me, Sarah, if you were just going to sit here and make fun of me all night? You could have just left me alone. You already told me how you felt. I’ve got nothing left.”

“No, I haven’t told you how I felt!”

“Yes you have. You said you were with Eric! I can’t compete with that, Sarah. I’m not rich, I’m not handsome. I don’t have three cars, I don’t have a great house, I only have me and my little spread. That’s it, Sarah. Not much, but I’ve loved you since we were kids. I’ve told you that a million times, and you’ve turned me down at least that many. I thought I had a chance, but if you are after someone like Eric, I can’t compete with that. Hell, I’m turning into a damn drunk coming to the bar every night to see you. No wonder you don’t want to be with me!”

“That’s not true, Joe.”

Joe froze in his place and looked into her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“It’s not true. You aren’t a drunk.”

Joe rolled his eyes and turned and started walking again. “I’m such a fucking idiot,” he mumbled to himself.

“No, you’re not,” Sarah said, following him.

“Can you just leave me alone, Sarah!” Joe pleaded. “I need you to get away from me right now.”

“Yeah, but I need you around me!”

Joe turned and Sarah nearly melted at the tears in his eyes. “I love you, too, Joe.”

Joe made a gruff sound of relief and took a sharp breath. “You do?”

“Yes. I’m trying to tell you!”

Joe put his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. “You can tell me later,” he said as he brought his face down to hers and kissed her soundly on the lips.

Holton watched from the car. He smiled and brought his cell phone out of his pocket, looking up Elena’s name in his contacts. He stared at her picture and knew that he couldn’t let the situation with him and Elena go on much longer.

Holton got out of the car and walked up to Joe and Sarah, tapping Joe on the shoulder. Joe looked at him with an amused face.

“Yes?”

“Hey, sorry, man, I just wanted to let you know I was going to take a cab home. I think I should call Elena.”

Joe smiled and looked at Sarah and then back to Holton. “Man, you are going to owe me all sorts of favors.”

Holton laughed. “Yeah, probably. Happy for ya, Joe,” Holton said, patting his friend on the back. “Sarah.”

Sarah nodded and Holton walked down the street and signaled for a cab. A few minutes later he was in and on his way back to the ranch.

***

“How did your study date go?” Cheryl asked Elena as she walked in the apartment. She looked concerned and Elena gave her a small smile.

“It was good. Jonathon is so not interested in me.”

“That a good thing?” Cheryl asked.

“Yes, thank God. That’s all I need is for the whole situation to get even more confusing.”

“Why what happened?”

“He’s in the same boat as I am with a girl back home.”

“Oh, that sucks. Why can’t people just figure it out? It’s pretty easy. Boy meets girl, girl talks to boy, they do it, get married and have a whole bunch of little bastards. It’s a circle.”

Elena laughed and Cheryl joined in. “You have such a way with words, Cheryl. Really…
you should start embroidering and put all of your little sayings on pillows and graduation gifts.”

“I could start with you.”

“No, I think I’ll pass. God only knows what you would put on a pillow for me.”

“I have a few ideas,” Cheryl joked. “Penis.”

“Oh! What is your problem!”

“
Don’t let her get to you, Elena,” Denny said as he came into the kitchen and grabbed a carton of orange juice out of the fridge. “She has words that she hates, too.”

Elena looked at Denny curiously and then back to Cheryl. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, she really hates the word panties. She can barely stand to hear it.”

Cheryl flinched. “Oh, Denny, I will get you back for that.”

“Panties?” Elena asked, looking at a grimacing Cheryl.

“It’s so unnatural.”

“Panties, panties, panties!”

“It’s underwear!” Cheryl yelled and ran up the steps laughing into her room.

***

It was late now, and Holton finally gave in. He dialed Elena’s number.

A few seconds later, Elena picked up.

“Hey there.”

“H-Holton?”

“Hey, stranger,” Holton breathed nervously. “How’s school?”

“It’s…it sucks.”

“Yeah, it sucks over here, too.”

Elena let out a small laugh and Holton smiled. “I’m sorry, Elena.”

“Me, too,” she said quietly. “I’m so sorry!”

“Have you been crying?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “You?”

“I shouldn’t admit this, but yes.”

“What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Holton said. He looked out his bedroom window and pictured the scene at the bar. Sarah and Joe were still going at it. Holton smiled at the thought of his friend finally getting the girl. “What can we do?”