The Wanted Short Stories (2 page)

My mother giggled. “Well, he won’t be out too late. I heard his daddy saying they have to fix the pump outside the well house, so they’re getting started early in the morning.”

I nodded my head. “Yeah, Jeff called earlier to talk to Gunner about that.”

My mother stood and stretched. “Are you okay now, darling? I should head back home before it gets too late. I’d better text Philip.”

I got up and followed my mother to the kitchen. She grabbed her purse, pulled out her phone, and sent Philip, my stepfather, a text.

We walked out to her car, and I leaned in the window to kiss her cheek. “Thanks, Mom, for coming over and helping me. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. I just don’t feel right.”

She smiled and nodded her head. “Ellie, you’re going through a hard time right now. I think you need to get out. Maybe you and Gunner should go away for a few days. You know Phil and I will watch the kids.”

I smiled. “Mom, that would be so amazing. I’d love to get away for a couple of days.”

“Plan a trip. We’ll make it happen.”

I kissed her one more time before saying good-bye. I watched the red taillights fade away as she drove down the driveway. I walked back into the house and picked up the home phone. I dialed Gunner’s phone number. I pulled out my cell and looked at it to see if he sent a text.

“Hello?”

I was stunned at how loud the background noise was. “Gunner? Where are you? Are you still with the client and Bill?”

“Hey, sweetheart. Yeah, I am. I was just getting ready to leave. Bill, Karen, and I were about to walk out of the bar.”

I didn’t know what to be more shocked by—the fact that he was at a bar or that his client’s name was Karen. I’d never even thought to ask for the name. It turned out the client I’d assumed was a
he
was really a
she
.

Karen?

“Did y’all eat at a bar?”

“What? I can’t hear you. It’s loud. Let me walk outside. Hold on.”

I slowly started counting to ten.

One. Two. Three.

I’m so going to kill him.

Four. Five. Six.

Karen. Love how he failed to mention the client he’s been meeting for lunches and dinners is a damn woman.

Seven. Eight. Nine.

“Ells, can you hear me now?”

“Yep. I asked, did you eat at the bar?”

He let out a chuckle. “Nah. Bill wanted to bring Karen to the brewery, so we walked over. I’m on my way.”

“Well, I’m on my way to bed.”

Silence.

“Ellie, are you upset?”

Stupid men.
“Am I upset? Am I upset that you called me hours ago and said you would be late but not too late? Am I upset that you missed baseball and soccer practice—again? Am I upset that I had to shave our son’s hair because
your
daughter decided to dye it with a color Luke had concocted, and then she cut chunks out of it? Am I upset that I had to sit with Colt while he cried for two hours before I put the kids to bed? Am I upset that I had to call my mother because I felt like I was having a nervous breakdown? And guess what? That’s because my fucking husband is
never
home!
Ever!
He’s out having lunch and dinner with
Karen
.”

“I’m going to go ahead and say you’re upset.”

I pulled the phone away and took a deep breath. “I’m going to bed. Be careful driving.”

I hung up and slowly made my way to our bed. I stripped out of my clothes and put on one of Gunner’s T-shirts. I crawled into bed and pulled my pillow next to my body.

Then, I cried until I fell asleep.

I pulled up behind Jeff’s truck and put my truck in park. I dropped my head back against the seat and sat there for a minute.

Ellie had been asleep when I got home, and by the time I’d woken up, she had already been up and out of the house. When I’d walked into the kitchen, I’d seen Sharon sitting at the kitchen table, and I’d panicked. She’d informed me that Ellie had gone into Mason, and she would be home in a few hours.

I closed my eyes and tried to understand why Ellie was so angry.

The knock on the window caused me to quickly open my eyes. Jeff was standing there, staring at me.

I opened the truck door and smiled as I got out and made my way over to Jeff. “Shit, dude. Sorry you and Dad had to fix that pump without me. I got home late last night.”

He nodded his head. “So I hear.”

“What do you mean by that?”

He gave me a funny look and jerked his head slightly. “I mean just what I said.
So I hear.
Ari said Ellie is on a rampage because you’ve been staying out late, and she just found out the client you’ve been meeting with is a girl.”

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

Jeff placed the fence pullers on the bottom wire. He stopped and looked up at me. “Really, Mathews? Telling Ellie that your client is a female didn’t seem important to you?”

I shook my head. “No, it didn’t, and I still don’t think it’s important. I’m designing her home, and that’s it. She’s a very picky person, and I’ve had to meet her a few times to make changes. I’ve told Ellie this.”

“Well, if you don’t see anything wrong with it…”

I walked by him and grabbed the hooks for the fence. “I don’t. I think Ellie is behaving like a spoiled brat.”

He laughed. “Can I please be there when you tell her that? Please!”

I rolled my eyes and began working on the fence.

Jeff didn’t say anything else to me until we were getting ready to head back to the house. He walked up to me, and I could see the concern on his face.

“Gunner, all I’m gonna say is that Ellie stays home with the kids day after day. She works her ass off, helping out with running this cattle ranch and with Ari’s breeding business. When was the last time you took your wife out on a date?”

I shook my head as I felt the anger building inside me. “What are you saying, Jeff? I’m a shitty husband? When was the last time you took your wife out on a date?”

He gave me a shit-eating grin. “Don’t push this back on me, dude. I’m actually taking Ari with me to Kentucky in a few weeks. It’ll be just her and me for five days. I know we both need time to be alone together.”

I let out a sigh and turned to get into my truck.

“Gunner, is everything okay with you and Ellie?”

I stopped dead in my tracks. I quickly spun around and stared at him. “Yes. Why would you even ask me that?”

He took a few steps back and gave me a look. “Because the guy who married my sister would never go to the bars and hang out with another woman while missing his kids’ events, and I know for fucking sure, he would never call his wife a spoiled brat.”

I stood there and took in Jeff’s words. The more I thought about it, the more pissed off I got. “Ellie must be filling Ari in on everything.” I wasn’t sure why I’d said that. I was angry with myself more than anyone else.

For Jeff to think something was wrong between Ellie and me must mean that Ellie thought something was wrong.

“You know what? I’m walking away from this conversation, Gunner. For your sake, I really hope you don’t ever do something you will regret. Ellie is my sister, but she is the best fucking thing to ever happen to you. If you hurt her in any way, dude, it’s not going to be a happy ending for any of us.”

He turned and walked to his truck. Before jumping in, he gave me one last look. Then, he peeled off and headed back to the main barn.

“Fuck.” I got into my truck and headed in the same direction.

I watched as Jeff’s truck turned and headed to the barn. I pulled up and parked outside of Gram and Gramp’s house. I got out and made my way up the stairs.

Gramps stepped out the screen door and gave me one look. He shook his head. “Am I going to have to kick your ass?”

I smiled weakly. “No, sir.”

“Let’s go for a walk. I need some fresh air.”

I followed him around the porch and down the steps. We started walking in silence.

Gramps cleared his throat. “What’s going on, Drew? You look like you’ve got a heavy heart, son.”

I pushed both my hands through my hair and let out a sigh. “Besides Jeff just basically accusing me of being a shitty husband and possibly cheating on my wife, I’m not really sure what’s going on, Gramps.”

He nodded his head. “Are you?”

My heart dropped, and I froze in my place. Gramps stopped walking and turned to look at me.

“How can you even ask me that?”

“Drew, I’ve had friends who loved their wives beyond belief, but they got tempted. They did things they later regretted, and most of them didn’t even have an affair. The idea that they even thought about having an affair drove a wedge between them and their wives.”

“I’m not having a fucking affair. I’ve just been busy with work. I’ve never thought about being with another woman—ever. It’s just work.”

“Work?”

I let out a deep breath. “Bill asked me to design a house. I said I’d love to. Gramps, I love designing, and honestly, I missed it.”

“I thought you loved the ranch.”

“I do love the ranch. I just needed a bit of a change. I needed something else to do, I guess.”

Gramps nodded his head and began walking again. “I’m sure the way you were feeling is probably how Ellie feels as well, considering her day is filled with the same exact thing day after day.”

Oh geesh. He’s gonna lecture me about this, too.

Gramps stopped and turned to face me. “Drew, I’m only going to say this because, to be honest with you, I don’t like the person you’ve become in the last month.”

My mouth dropped open. “What?”

He shook his head. “What bothers me the most is that you don’t even see it. You don’t see how unhappy your wife has become. You don’t see that when you miss your kids’ practices or games, you’re never going to be able to make that up. That moment in time is gone—forever.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m not cheating on Ellie. It’s never even crossed my mind, Gramps.”

“Why did you come here today, Drew?”

I tilted my head. “What do you mean? I came here because I needed to talk to someone.”

He gave me a weak smile. “The person you need to talk to isn’t me, son. It’s your wife.”

My cell phone buzzed, scaring me. I never got a signal out here. I pulled it out and read the text message.

Karen: Not happy at all with how the bathroom looks. I’m freaking out. When can you get here? I need this fixed, Drew. Now.

Me: Can it wait until tomorrow? I need to spend some time with my wife.

Karen: If you can’t handle it, I’ll call Bill. He’ll take care of it.

“Fuck!” I dropped my head back and looked up at the sky. I was already tired from being out late with them last night and mending the fence all morning.

Me: I’ll be on my way in a few minutes. I’ve been working on the ranch all day, so I need to get cleaned up first.

Karen: No. Now. I need this fixed. Now.

Me: Leaving now.

I looked at Gramps. “I have to go.”

“To Ellie?”

I shook my head. “No, Karen isn’t happy with something they are doing in the bathroom, and I need to see what’s going on.”

“The construction manager can’t handle that? I mean, all you’re responsible for was drawing up the plans.”

I turned and began walking back to my truck. “No, Gramps, he can’t because nine times out of ten, I’m drawing her a new plan.”

I picked up my pace. I needed to get away from gramps, so I didn’t have to listen to him telling me what a shit-ass husband and father I’d become. I walked up to my truck and opened the door.

I looked over the bed of the truck and smiled at my grandfather. “Thanks for the walk, Gramps.”

He didn’t smile back. He shook his head and walked away from me.

“Gramps, what am I supposed to do? I signed up for this job. I have to do it.”

He turned and looked at me. “If it were me, I’d go home and tell my wife how much I love her. Maybe I’d even attempt to make love to her, and then I’d go and do the job if it were that important. It seems to me though that your wife should be more important.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do that, Gramps. I would if I could, but I can’t. I’ll talk to Ellie tonight.”

I got in my truck and started it. I drove down the driveway, and I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. I stopped the truck and sent Ellie a text message.

Me: Hey, baby. I’m so sorry. I have to run to Fredericksburg. Karen, the client I’ve been working with, isn’t happy with her bathroom. I promise to make it up to you tonight. See if Mom and Dad can watch the kids. I’ll take you to Austin for dinner. I love you.

Ellie replied before I took off driving again.

Ellie: Be careful. We’ll see about tonight when you get home.

That’s it? Shit. She is pissed.