Cowboys & Horses

Chapter 33

I hated myself right then. I wanted to claw my own eyes out. The pain that flashed across his face broke my heart all over again. He gave me a simple nod before walking out of the door as quiet as a mouse. I had to listen to my head now though, despite my heart being torn into pieces. The mess I had to deal with back home was just too much to think about, let alone with a new relationship on top. It wouldn't be fair on either of us for something to start when I would be going home as soon as the doctor cleared me to fly.

Crawling into bed, I numbed my mind with cheesy movies for the next couple of hours. Just as I debated taking my sleeping pills for some decent respite, a sharp knock sounded on my door.

I sprang from my bed, hoping it was Brady. I wanted his arms around me, his lips on me, his body against mine.

The surprise I got instead though was just as good.

"Oh my God!" Tears of joy flooded me in an instant as Zoe stood smiling at me.

"Hey, chick." She threw her luggage on the floor and leapt at me, knocking us both to the floor. "You dozy mare. What the hell have you been doing?"

With that beaming smile of hers, she stood up, helping me up with her. She stood back and looked at me, pursing her lips.

"You've lost weight, Sophie. It doesn't look good."

I laughed. "Thanks. You look awful, too."

Her freckled face creased into a soft edge. "I've missed you."

I nodded. "Ditto."

She turned around, stalking back to her luggage in one stride. She'd always had incredible long legs. Combined with her auburn hair, an hourglass figure, and an outrageous personality, it was no surprise she'd already been married for two years. Her husband, Taylor, would have been insane to not put a ring on her finger.

"Ta dah!"

Turning around, I giggled at her gift of two bottles of vodka. I pointed to my medication and pouted.

"Oh, come on, Soph. A couple of glasses isn't going to hurt."

I needed no further encouragement. As if nothing had ever happened between us, we sat on the bed, catching up on everything, giggling away as the alcohol slowly seeped through our veins. By the time she was pouring glass number three, I was already a little past tipsy.

"I'm so sorry, Zoe. I feel like such a fool. I don't know why I didn't believe you."

She pushed my shoulder in a joking manner. "Stop being so soppy. It's not your fault. I should have told you in a better way than in the middle of an argument."

I grinned. "Over Haribo."

Vodka sprayed everywhere as she spluttered with laughter. She was already on glass number four.

"I'm sorry, Soph. I never meant for it to come out like that. It's felt like an eternity of hell without you."

"Same," I said. My smile creased my water filled eyes, spilling my tears. "Never again."

Clinking her glass against mine, she nodded. "Never again."

Both of us loved Haribo sweets to the point it bordered on a sheer obsession. On a girly weekend away, Zoe had eaten all of hers during the drive there. When we settled later in the evening with a bottle of wine, I had my huge bag all to myself. Trying to be funny, Zoe had grabbed the packet from me, but I'd kept hold of it, resulting in the bag splitting and Haribo sweets raining down on the ground in abundance.

I'd lost my temper and shouted at her, telling her she didn't share her sweets so why the hell should I share mine? Her venom laced reply had been 'Well you share your fiancé so what's a few sweets?'