Borrowing Trouble(17)

The rest of the night went fairly smooth. Mitch and Brittany regaled Jay with stories of Landon’s misspent youth, which made Landon’s parents squirm in their seats. Bastards.

The night wound down, his parents leaving not long after dinner and a couple of roasted marshmallows. Everyone got a little more tipsy while Landon worked to clean up. Mitch and Brittany were staying at Landon’s that night, so he decided to let them enjoy themselves.

He was pretty surprised Jay hadn’t left yet, but Jay probably needed to sober up before driving the few miles home. Country roads around there didn’t have traffic often, but they were curvy and narrow, so drunk driving down them was not recommended.

“That bitch,” Mitch grumbled, following Landon in the house.

“What?” Landon dropped the tray he’d been carrying into the dishwasher, then took the plated Mitch held. Mitch looked out the sliding glass door toward the bonfire.

“Damn straight girl comes all the way to the country on a Saturday night and still ends up getting laid.”

Landon’s heart stopped. He jerked his head up from where he’d been watching water push scraps down the disposal. “Say what now?”

Mitch held his hand out toward the doors and Landon followed Mitch’s gaze. Brittany and Jay weren’t touching, but they stood very close. Very. And Landon would recognize Brittany’s I’m getting lucky posture as she listened raptly to whatever Jay said. He was playing the simple country man out there with his beer and his charming smile.

Landon wanted to vomit.

“He’s not really the one night stand type,” Landon said, mostly trying to convince himself. Last time Jay had the offer, he’d not exactly taken it up.

“Why shouldn’t he?” Mitch asked. “She’s hot. And she’s got a soft spot for the wounded country boy routine he’s got going on.”

Landon scowled down at the sink, rinsing off the last of the silverware before placing it in the dishwasher.

“She always did have a thing for divorcees.”

“Ooh,” Mitch said, the sound almost a laugh. “Look at you being a nasty bitch.”

Landon scowled again, then tossed over his shoulder, “No. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Mmhmm,” Mitch hummed.

“Were there any more dishes out there?”

“No. That’s it.”

Landon dropped a detergent pod into the dishwasher, closed it up and pressed the start button. “Awesome. That’s done.” Be cool. He went for a beer. Tonight was definitely not the night for hard liquor. No way, no how.

He leaned back against the counter in time for Mitch to grab his beer and take a drink from it. “So. You’ve got a thing for the straight boy, huh?”

“No.” Landon yanked his beer back. “He’s just an employee. We hang out sometimes, but I know he’s straight.” He actually managed to get the words out with some conviction behind them.

Mitch leaned against the counter beside him, surreptitiously glancing out toward the bonfire, a feat Landon couldn’t bring himself to do. “Doesn’t mean you can’t have a crush on him.”

God, I wish it was just a crush. Jay was the kind of guy Landon could fall for. He paused with his beer bottle to his lips. It was obviously time to switch to soda, because that unbidden thought made his blood pressure hit stroke level in less than two seconds.

Landon passed his beer to Mitch and went for a soda. “Nah, he’s just from around. He grew up here. Moved back after his divorce and started working for daddy.”

“So you said.”

“You guys staying on in the morning or do you have to get back?”

Mitch studied Landon, but he must have implored with his expression enough to drop it that Mitch took pity on him. “I think we are heading out early. I wanted to stay until lunch, but she’s got some project at work tomorrow tonight.” Mitch gave Brittany the hairy-eyeball through the wall. “Which she would tell you herself if she wasn’t making us both jealous whores right now.”

Landon laughed, which was nice. He just… he knew Jay was straight, and he felt certain Jay wouldn’t screw Brittany, but the situation still sucked really, really bad.

“Would it be rude of me to head to bed?” Landon asked.

“Fuck no. I’m turning in soon, myself. I smell like burned wood and grease and I drove two hours today.” Mitch’s sympathetic expression was more than Landon could take right then. He patted the hand Mitch’d placed on Landon’s shoulder.

Landon shored himself up and went to the back door, sliding it open, but not focusing on the couple outside. “Just wanted to say goodnight to you guys. Had an early start so I’m headed to bed. Don’t forget to put dirt on the fire and put it out, please.”

“We won’t,” Brittany said sweetly. He was not going to be angry at his friend for this. She didn’t know. But he could be pissed at Jay.

He didn’t say any more, just shut the door and walked back through the kitchen. “Way to be the bigger woman, hon,” Mitch said sincerely.

Landon smiled tiredly and shrugged. “Can’t get mad at the straight people for… being straight.”

Mitch made an inelegant noise in his throat. “You most certainly can. But you’ve got manners.”