A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3)(6)

“I did. But an explanation is probably more of what you want.” I scratched my head. This was dicey. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise, but I had to say something. I couldn’t even fabricate, because news of two sluts stealing William’s bull out from under him had him grinding his teeth. Especially since he couldn’t find this elusive ranch anywhere. Mentioning Christmas would have him pairing two sluts, Adam and the bull immediately.

I had to warn Adam!

In a stroke of genius, I said, “I am buying Adam’s car off him.”

“I know. He hasn’t given you a price yet.”

“How’d you know that?”

“It came up in conversation. There isn’t much he does with you that I don’t hear about. Except this.”

He had me there. Crap. Trying to fool a smart guy was a challenge.

I was going to have to go for half-truths to get out of this one. I was such a bad liar that if I tried to spin a web he would see right through it.

“Okay, look. I have a week. I am working with him on something. For you. For Christmas. But...it isn’t working out. Yet. But I have a week.”

William’s pained gaze lingered on me, obviously knowing what I was trying to find. The magical mystery candy filled bull, of course. But he was only half buying it. He was too damn smart for his own good. Or...for my sneaky ways, anyway.

“William, you asked for truth. I am giving you truth. I am not cheating on you. I have never cheated in all my life. The last person I would do that on is the only man I’ve ever really loved. Please...please, just trust me.”

He sighed, worry still eating away at his face. “In a week will these visits stop? Or at least be better explained?”

“You still don’t trust me.”

“I’m sorry, Jessica. I want to. I’m trying to. It’s just... I know you’re hiding something, which is not the search for a bull that I believe is in Colorado with one of my competitors.”

Huh?

“Add to that singular evening visits before I am off work, with an attractive man similar to myself, plus the silence from a longtime friend that is also hiding something, which I get the feeling is pretty important--it's just hard to believe.” He hung his head.

“But, William—“

“But I am going to trust you,” he finished quietly, stopping me. “I have given you the opportunity to be honest in answering my question, and you say you have, so I will trust that. Please Jessica, please...” he was pleading now. This was hurting him deeply. “Please don’t break that trust. It is the root of everything.”

He stood up, pain weeping from his heart like an open wound. I stood with him, reaching up for a hug, to be close, but he evaded. “I have to get my head in order, Jess. I’m sorry. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You don’t want to spend the night?”

“Not tonight.”

I started crying. I nearly just came out and told him. But, deep down, it hurt more that he wasn’t trusting me. That he didn’t believe me.

With a stern face he said good-bye and left. Fred the Doberman came and nudged me with his nose. I bent down and hugged him as the sobs came. I then ran to Gladis’s house, my land lady, but Gladis had gone out. Lady, her helper/maid/assistant, tried to console me by getting me a drink. She had a good heart, but she wasn’t the touchy-feely type.

I called Lump, who was also out. She answered on the third ring. “Hey Jess, what’s up?”

“He thinks I’m cheating.” I sobbed.

“What? Whoa. Are you okay? What’s going on?”

“William thinks I’m cheating!”

“Why? Because you have been going to Adam’s? He found out, then.”

“Not about the bull—he thinks one of his competitors in Colorado has that. Don’t know how he came up with that idea, but he knows I’ve been going over there. To Adam's.”

I could hear Lump exhale. “Okay. Did you already feed and water it for the night?”

“Yeah.”

“When do you go next?”

“Day after tomorrow.”

“No problem. Go as normal. I’ll get off work early and go with. I’ll head to Adam’s now and talk to him. Do you think William is going to go over there?”

“I don’t think so. I think he wanted to sort this out with me first.” I told her what happened and what was said.

“Harsh. This might be a bad week for you. Payoff will hopefully be good, though, if he doesn’t kill Adam before then. Okay, I’ll take care of this. We have a week. Easy. Talk to you later.”

She hung up. It was a testimony to how far she'd come with Adam that she was willing to go to his house alone. It had happened one night when each showed up to happy hour, not realizing the other would be there. Halfway through the night a song had come on that Lump absolutely loved. Adam politely asked if she would like to learn the two-step.

Two songs and a lot of laughing later, the two were talking like old friends, playful and merry. At the end of the song, for a brief moment, they held eye contact. Something unspoken was exchanged, a truce reached, before Lump dropped her eyes and quietly made her way back to her seat. Adam had watched her the whole way back, expression one of contemplation.

Since then we had the old Adam back, around all the time, laughing and carrying on. Lump was the new side kick as well, finding herself a little happier and a little more settled in with each passing day. So now, when I needed my best friend, and William’s, they would easily put their differences aside and help. Thank God!