Weston ended up sleeping on the couch until dinner time, and after I knew he was asleep I gently got up and tucked the little dog in place of where I was, Weston now cuddling it.
I looked up to catch Lynn smiling as she headed for the kitchen.
"Come, you can help me get dinner ready if you like."
"Of course."
I helped her with supper, or tried, cooking was not my strong point, and met Amanda, the youngest sister.
She breezed into the kitchen and set about making dinner so efficiently I sat down soon after saying hello because it was obvious I was in the way.
"So how did you say you know Weston again?" She asked as she put something in the oven.
"We were neighbors in Florida, ever since he moved in next door to us a couple years ago. He and my dad were friends. "
"Oh...I see. Your parents are just cool with you going on road trips with grown men? Pretty wack." She didn't ask it in a very friendly way, and I immediately felt embarrassed.
"Amanda, she had a trip planned to Colorado at the same time as Weston, so they decided to travel together," Lynne said with a slight warning in her voice.
"Yeah, I um, well my dad is deployed right now, he's in the air force, so it was really nice of him to let me come along since I wouldn't have anyone else to travel with. "
"Mmm. Don't you have brothers or sisters? "
"Yeah, I do but I'm the youngest and they all live in different states. "
She nodded and said nothing else.
" I-I'm gonna go back to the livingroom," I said, excusing myself.
Weston was still sprawled on the couch, sound asleep. I sat on the floor and leaned my head back against the edge of it.
I felt uncomfortable here now. They all thought we had a thing going and were freaking out, his mom because of the age difference probably, and his little sister just seemed territorial.
I knew Weston felt an obligation towards me, he was kind, and he had known me for years, but that was all, I didn't deceive myself into thinking that he felt the same way I did.
I felt a hand on my hair, smoothing it gently, and I twisted around to look at Wes. He gave me a sleepy smile and stroked the side of my neck with his thumb.
"Sleep good?" I whispered, not trusting my voice not to shake.
"Mhmm. I was so tired I don't know why... probably cause I didn't sleep very good last night after I gave you my pillow."
I quirked one eyebrow mockingly. "Are you kidding me? I woke up and you were plastered all over me, very much on the pillow."
"What?" He asked skeptically. "I don't think so. I would have known if I was touching you, and I wouldn't do that. I'm not a fucking creep."
"You were drooling too. In my hair."
"Yeah right." Weston started grinning though, and he put his fingers around my neck and squeezed, mock threateningly.
"Owwww, let me go."
"Take it back."
"No, it's true."
He squeezed tighter.
"Hey we all have our dark secrets. You probably still wet your bed too, I won't shame you. Own that shit. Embrace who you are."
"Take it back."
I looked at his smirking face and gave him a smirk of my own.
"Okay daddy." I whispered.
He let go of my neck immediately and grabbed a couch pillow, whacking me over the head with it.
I jumped up laughing and retreated behind the couch out of his reach.
"I'm telling your father." He glared at me.
"Okay, shall I also tell him about our cozy moment last night?"
"Wow, a guy does one nice thing for you and you blackmail him, should've figured." He flopped back on the couch and covered his face with his arm.
"I'm just kiddinggg Weston, I'm just kidding." I leaned over the back of the couch and put a hand on his shoulder. "I would never."
He ignored me.
"Why don't you show me outside?" I decided to be mature now.
"...Alright." Weston accepted with a sigh and sat up.
He stared at me for a moment with an unreadable expression, and I impulsively leaned forward and gave him a hug. When I pulled away he had his normal, easy smile in place.
"C'mon get your shoes on." He said, and went and slipped into his boots.
I laced up mine and followed him onto the porch, and around the back of the house.
"Nice shirt by the way," he called over his shoulder.
"Oh yeah...sorry. I didn't want to horrify your mom with the shirt I had on...I'll give it back," I said sheepishly.
"You're good. Keep it as long as you want," he winked.
I nodded and looked away quickly before he could see my cheeks redden.
"Ouuuu, you have a barn." I ran a few steps to catch up. The large faded structure stood near the edge of the woods, and had a paddock branching off the edge of it.
"Yep." He heaved open the wooden door and led me down the aisle towards the end. "You like horses right?"
"Of course." I joined him where he stood above a halfdoor to a spacious stall, and there stood the two biggest draft horses I'd ever seen.
"Nice." I was in awe.
"They're my sisters."
"Wow." Clicking my tongue, I motioned for the horses to come over.
The big mare turned in a circle and came over and nuzzled my hands.
"You want to ride her?" Weston asked.
My mouth fell open and I nodded.
"I would love to."
"C'mon in then." He held open the stall door and I slipped in behind him.
"Well I mean, just sit on her technically."
"That's fine," I said, grinning.
Wes stroked the mares neck and motioned me over.
"Shall I get a stool or something?" I asked.
The mare was at least eighteen hands high.
"Naw, just come here."
I stood next to him and he bent and cupped his hands. "Step here."
I reached up and grabbed some mane, stepped into his hand and he launched me up on her back, steadying me with one hand on my thigh as I positioned myself better.
I couldn't imagine taking a horse like this on a trail ride, she was a moving mountain.
"Oh my gosh, this is crazy, I'm used to my little Arabian. "
"That tiny horse you used to have? "
"Yeah." My horse had been sold along with most anything else of value when my dad couldn't pay the bills anymore. He wouldn't allow me to quit school at the time and get a job either, and although I planned to buy her back, I knew it would take me a while to save up the several grand she had went for.
"What's her name?"
"Sugar."
"Aww." I swung my leg over and slid back down after a minute or two, and Weston gripped my waist and eased my descent.
"Thanks," I smiled up at him," That was really cool."
"Yes ma'am," he said, giving my side a squeeze. And there went my heart again.
A loud truck roared up the driveway, and Weston rolled his eyes.
"That would be Davie."
We headed back to the house and were greeted by three young men, two sitting on a tailgate who jumped up to give Weston a hug, and another who came out of the house.
"Who's this?" The one with grease all over his hands and clothes asked.
"This is-" Weston began before he was interrupted by the youngest looking of them all.
"Ayyyyy man, just saying she's way cuter than the last one, but she looks twelve." He grinned at me as he said it.
I looked at Weston to see what he would say.
"Shut up Derek, she's not my girlfriend. "
"She better not be," he shot back, causing all the men to laugh.
"Avery, this is Matt, Davie and Derek. They're a bunch of idiots. Guys, this is Avery."
"Nice to meet you," Matt said, sticking out his hand and giving a charming smile.
My face lit up in a smile when I realized who it was. "Oh I remember you, you came to visit Wes in Florida, and me and my dad came over for a barbecue."
"Is that right? I do remember you, you just look different now." Matt glanced up and down briefly.
"Yeah, you brought that really pretty German Shepherd along."
"Oh yeah, that was a couple years ago."
"Hey everyone, supper is ready if you want to come inside," Lynne called from the screen door.
We all headed in the house, and I found myself sticking close to Weston, suddenly shy with the whole family around and looking at me.
A big man with a beard came out of the kitchen and grinned at me.
"Hello, welcome, I'm George."
Weston guided me to the dining room table and seated me on his left. I was suddenly aware of how he was making such an effort to make me comfortable, and I was overwhelmed at how kind he'd been to me so far. I was just the neighbor girl pretty much, and yet he and his family were treating me like a fellow family member.
Most of them anyway. Amanda had an unsmiling face and ignored me.
The boys were very talkative however and soon had us all laughing.
After supper they decided to watch an Andy Griffith episode, so we all settled in the living room with popcorn on our laps and cracked up over Barney Fife.
I thought that very wholesome of them.
I think I fell asleep towards the end because I was gently shaken awake by Weston, whose shoulder I was drooling on. I tried to wipe it away before he noticed.
"Hey honey, where do you want to sleep? You can either sleep with Amanda in her room or on the couch, we don't have a guest room, I'm
Sorry."
Everyone else was gathering their empty bowls and heading to bed.
"Oh the couch is fine, I like the couch."
"Okay, here's a blanket and there's a pillow over there, and I'll just get you one of my t shirts to sleep in if you want, so you don't have to get your stuff from the car."
" M'kay, sure, thanks," I mumbled sleepily.
He went down the hall and came back with a big t-shirt. I took it and stood up to go to the bathroom to change.
Before I turned away though Weston reached out and drew me to him in a firm hug.
"Goodnight," I whispered.
"Goodnight, sleep good," he said.
He gave my back a gentle rub before he let me go.
I gave up reasoning with my heart at that point.