After a few moments, Josh rolled onto his back so that she lay sprawled on top of him, her hair fanned over his chest, the strong beat of his pounding heart under her ear. He kissed her temple. “That was . . .”
“Yep.” She could lie like this in his arms all night long. Tucking her face into the crook of his neck, she smiled. “It’s never been this good for me with anyone else, Josh. Only you.” She laid a soft kiss on his neck. “But you cheated and didn’t let me have my way all the way with you.”
He slowly ran his big, rough hand up and down her back. “I think we fulfilled the ‘all the way’ part just fine, no matter who had their way with who first.”
“Because that nonsense actually made sense to me, I must be more tired than I know.” She closed her eyes and whispered, “Thank you for still loving me, Josh. Even after what you saw today. That means more to me than anything in the world.”
He brushed another kiss along her temple. “I love you even more for it. And I guess that’s another of your roundabout ways of saying you love me too, so shut off your busy mind and get some rest.”
“’Kay. Night.” Tomorrow was probably going to be one rough day. She’d have to face the whole town at church. And whatever Amber had in mind for retaliation.
She snuggled closer to Josh and smiled. No matter what happened in the morning, it’d be okay. She had Josh in her corner, and that was all she’d need.
Haley’s laughter outside the bedroom window woke Meg. She stretched her arms above her head as sweet memories of the way Josh had made love to her the night before filled her tired mind. But then, the other memories of the Amber debacle at the gym came rushing back, quickly replacing her nice ones.
Humiliation slowly crept into her gut.
Worse, it was Sunday. They had to go to church and face the town all over again. As much as she’d like to lay low at the lodge for a few days, she’d promised the Three Amigos she’d be there. She didn’t need to give them any more reasons to hound her.
Should she cut her losses, sell the house, and move back to Denver? It’d be easier for Josh to go to school there. It wouldn’t matter as long as they were together, right? But she needed to show everyone in Anderson Butte how much she’d changed, that she could stick, and that she could run a lodge and do it well. And then there was that big fat loan she’d need to repay.
There really wasn’t any choice to make. She had to stay. Things would get better eventually. They couldn’t get much worse.
Meg threw the covers back, then got up and tugged on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She needed coffee. And a big dose of antidepressants, aka her chocolate stash, which was in for a serious pillage.
Thankfully Josh had started the coffee for her, so she grabbed a mug and poured it out. Then she found her bag of Dove milk chocolate treats and dug in.
Hearing more happy shrieks outside, Meg moved to the kitchen window as she popped candy into her mouth. It wasn’t the breakfast of champions, but it was hard to be totally depressed with chocolate melting on your tongue.
Josh ran around the yard, Haley on his back, with Captain Jack barking and chasing Josh’s heels.
It almost made her smile.
But the weight of Amber’s verbal beating the night before kept her lips locked in a tight line, only to be interrupted long enough to shove more chocolate inside her mouth.
Eric sat at the end of the dock with his feet dangling over the Jet Ski, his arm around the momma dog, staring out over the lake.
They were going to have to keep that dog too, dammit. She followed Eric everywhere, and the kid obviously loved her. Probably they should give the pooch a name.
Thinking of Eric’s problems quickly slammed Meg’s into perspective. The poor kid had lost his whole family, and his grandmother wasn’t doing well. He’d probably lose her soon too, leaving him with no one in the world who loved him. Just as Josh had been at that age. Even if her dad and half the town didn’t love her, she’d at least always had Casey and her brothers. And Zeke and Grandma, Uncle Brewster, Aunt Gloria, and Pam . . . she needed to get over herself.
Meg slipped out the back door and down to the dock. She sat next to Eric and handed him some chocolate. Giving the dog a pat, she said, “Morning.”
“Hi.” Eric unwrapped his treat. “Thanks.”
“You probably don’t think much of me after last night, huh?”
Eric shrugged and mumbled around his candy. “Some of those pranks sounded pretty awesome.”
Meg grunted while she drained her coffee mug. “I wouldn’t recommend repeating them. I spent most of my high school afternoons in detention.”