The Stable Boy (9 page)

             
“You noticed it, too?” Alison said. “He does not seem to take his eyes off of her, kind of like now.”

             
We all looked over at Josh and Doctor Russell and started to laugh. They saw us and waved.

             
“You know they know we are talking about them,” said Angelica.

             
“That is okay,” said Alison. “Let them wonder what it is about.”

             
“I agree,” Angelica said. “A little mystery never hurt.”

             
“You two are horrible. You are so much alike,” I said, shaking my head. They both laughed as the two gentlemen we were talking about walked up.

             
“Angelica, meet Josh,” said Doctor Russell. “His grandparents were our neighbors. I have known Josh since he came to live with them when he was eight.”

             
“Nice to meet you, Josh,” said Angelica as she put out her hand.

             
“It is nice to meet you, too, ma’am.”

             
“Please call me Angelica.”

             
“He has a hard time with that,” joked Alison. “He doesn’t like to call people by their first names.”

             
“He is just showing his manners,” said Doctor Russell as Josh smiled, face reddening.

             
“While I appreciate your manners, I insist you call me by my first name.”

             
“I will do my best.”

             
“That is all one can ask for,” Angelica said, slipping her arm into her fiancé’s. Bob came over with beers in his hand for everyone.

             
“Thanks,” we all said in unison.

             
“You’re welcome.”

             
“Let me help you out, Bob, since your wife is picking on me.”

             
“Thank God she is picking on someone other than me,” he said with a laugh.

             
“You are next mister, so I would tread lightly.”

             
“Oh man, hurry, Josh, before it gets any worse,” Bob said. They went over to the grill. I watched them walk away.

             
“I saw that,” Angelica said in a sing song tone.

             
“Saw what?” asked Doctor Russell.

             
“Nothing, honey, it is girls stuff,” she said with a roll of her eyes. Alison and I laughed. Susie and Mike pulled in just as Stacie and Nick did. The kids were the first out of the cars. They ran to the other kids. “I didn’t know that you knew Stacie and Susie.”

             
“Yes, we have been friends for a long time. You know them?” said Alison.

             
“Yes, we do a girls night out once a month. We are going out next Saturday, are you ladies doing anything? You should come with us.”

             
“We have our own girls’ night taking place on the night with Vanessa.”

             
“I love her, she is hilarious. We should all go together. I heard that in the next town over there is free concert going on. “

             
“Really, where and who is going to be playing?” asked Alison.

             
“Over at Wilshire’s Pub. Christian Kane is going to be there.”

             
“We love his CD. We play it every time we go out.”

             
“Great, then it is settled, we will all go together,” Angelica said as Susie and Stacie walked up.

             
“What is settled?” asked Susie hugging Alison and I.

             
“I just told them about the Christian Kane concert.”

             
“Are you guys going to go? I saw Vanessa earlier and she said you three were going to go out next weekend and she said she would talk to you about it.”

             
“Well, if Vanessa is up for it, I am game,” said Alison.

             
“So am I,” I said.

             
“I am going on record now,” said Stacie. “It will be the best night ever.”

             
“I am going to agree,” said Angelica. “Now, I really can’t wait. We always have a blast on girls’ night, but adding you three to the mix is going to make it even better.”

             
“Looks like Vanessa got off of work,” I said as she pulled up.

             
“Great, now we can see if she wants to go,” said Alison.

             
“Hello all of my lovely ladies,” said Vanessa.

             
“Hey, Vanessa,” we all said.

             
“Susie said she told you about the Christian Kane concert.”

             
“Yes, she did,” she said. “Are we going or what?”

             
“We were just going to ask you if you wanted to go. We said if you were down for it, we were,” I said.

             
“I say let’s do it.”

             
“Awesome,” said Angelica as Josh approached us.

             
“Excuse me, ladies, but may I steal Claire away for a couple of minutes?”

             
“Why should we let you, Joshy?” asked Vanessa.

             
“Hey, Vanessa, I didn’t see you pull up. How are you?” he asked, hugging her.

             
“I am fine. How are you?”

             
“Good.”

             
“Always good to hear, now answer my question,” she said.

             
“I just need to speak to her for a minute about the farm.”

             
“Oh, is he working for you, now?”

             
“Yes, for about a week.”

             
“That is great. At least, you now have help,” said Vanessa.

             
“Yes, he has been a big help.”

             
“I am sure. When Richard and I used to live next door to his grandparents, we would always see him out there working the farm with his grandfather. Josh have you been formerly introduced to my future sister in law, Angelica?”

             
“Rich just introduced us a little bit ago.”

             
“Good, do you know these other two ladies?”

             
“I can’t say that I have had the pleasure.”

             
“This is Susie and Stacie. They are married to those two gentlemen over there.”

             
“I just met Nick and Mike. It is nice to meet you, ladies.”

             
“It is nice to meet you, too,” said Stacie shaking Josh’s hand.

             
“Nice to meet you,” said Susie.

             
“Now that you have met everyone, I will allow you to take Claire away.”

             
“Thanks, ‘Nessa,” said Josh.

             
“You’re welcome, but don’t keep her away too long.”

             
“I promise it will only be a couple of minutes,” he said as we started to walk away. He opened the door. As we went into the house, I could feel the eyes on us. He grabbed my hand and led me to the back of the house. He stopped by the back door. He turned around to face me. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed me. I let go of his hand and wrapped my arms around his neck. He hugged me closer to his hard body. My tongue danced with his until we heard the front door open. We pulled away and snuck out the back. We did not know who walked in or if we were seen.

             
“The girls have noticed how you look at me,” I said to him, standing on the back porch.

             
“I don’t care if they notice,” he said. “I look at you because I can’t stop looking at you.”

             
“Angelica already suspects something is going on,” I said.

             
“Let her,” he said.

             
“Josh,” I said, smiling. “You don’t care if everyone knows, do you?”

             
“No, I don’t,” he said. “I like you, Claire, a lot. I am falling hard for you and will tell the world if you let me.”

             
“I am not ready for that, yet.”

             
“I know, that is why I snuck you away to kiss you,” he said, leaning in and kissing me again. “We better get back before suspicions rise even higher.”

             
“Okay,” I said as we walked back through the house. Alison was in the kitchen. “You okay?”

             
“Yes,” she said. “We forgot to bring out the paper plates.”

             
“I’ll take those out for you,” said Josh holding out his hand.

             
“Thank you,” Alison said with a smile.

             
“No problem,” he said returning her smile. He walked out with a huge stack of paper plates.

             
“So, did he just sneak you away for no reason?”

             
“He wanted a kiss,” I said.

             
“I figured as much,” she said.

             
“He said he wants to tell everyone. He doesn’t care who knows.”

             
“What did you say?” she asked.

             
“That I am not ready for that to happen. Alison, what am I going to do?”

             
“About what, he likes you, which is very obvious to everyone, you like him, which only seems to be obvious to me at the moment.”

             
“I know, but I don’t know if I am ready for this.”

             
“Take it slow and see where it leads.”

             
“I don’t know if slow is an option with him,” I said, laughing.

             
“That good, huh,” she said hardily laughing. I could not help but to laugh along with her. Bob heard us and came in, leaving Josh to man the grill.

             
“Everything okay in here?” asked Bob.

             
“Everything is great, honey. It is just girls stuff,” Alison said wiping the tears from her eyes.

             
“That again,” Bob said with a roll of his eyes, walking back out the door. We laughed again.

             
“That poor guy,” I said. “He must think we are crazy.”

             
“He knows I am crazy. He just thinks you like coming along for the ride,” Alison said. We laughed again and walked back out to the party. The girls were standing in line waiting for Josh to put their hamburger or hotdog on their plates. “Look at them all ogling Josh.”

             
“Can you blame them?” I said.

             
“Can’t say that I can,” she said and then whispered, winking at me, “You are one lucky lady.”

             
“I know,” I whispered back. We walked over to the big table and grabbed our plates. I grabbed an extra one for Josh. We got in line with the rest of the people. “I’ll take a hamburger and here is a plate for you.”

             
“Thank you,” he said as he began to lean in for a kiss then pulled away quickly. “Sorry.”

             
“It’s okay,” I said, smiling.

             
“I forgot where we where for a minute. You don’t think any one saw, do you?”

             
“I don’t know. We will find out soon enough I guess.”

             
“Shit, I don’t want you to worry about this.”

             
“It’s okay,” I said. “Now, about that hamburger.”

             
“Here you are, ma’am,” he said.

             
“Thank you, sir,” I said. “Put what you want on your plate. What side items do you want?”

             
“I’ll take some of your pasta salad, baked beans, and some potato salad if it will all fit on there.”

             
“I will make sure it does. I can either bring it back here to you or you can tell me where you want to sit.”

             
“Um, place me next to Bob, I guess.”