Bend Read Online Free Page B
any time now. “Maybe?”
Chance’s bland expression made Josh babble. “Yes? But I didn’t mean anything bad, just that it’s not a place a guy goes to find anything more than a quick—uh, unless he gets lucky, like you two did, and chances of that happening again aren’t good, so—”
Bo walked over with Max at his side. “Josh has a point. I spent years in places like that and never found anyone interested in more than a one-off. Course, now I have Max, and he was sure worth waiting for.”
Max blushed a deeper red than Josh ever had, but his eyes gleamed with happiness and his lips curled up in a sweet smile. “Bo…”
“You know it’s true, sweet man,” Bo crooned, kissing Max noisily. “I have to brag about what a great guy I have, don’t I?”
Annabelle made a gagging noise as she sat upright. “Okay, all this mushy shit is getting a bit nauseating for us poor singles. I think me and Joshie are going to get out of here for a bit. Come on, let’s leave before they start doing something gross like having a big gay orgy or singing and doing the Macarena.”
Laughing, and a little worried about what plans Annabelle might be coming up with, Josh said his goodbyes quickly but sincerely and followed Annabelle inside.
BEND
Bailey Bradford
22
Chapter Four
Annabelle pulled up in front of Josh’s apartment at nine o’clock sharp. She checked the parking lot carefully, looking for any signs of danger. There was only one flickering streetlight in the vicinity, and the neighbourhood was run-down. All in all, the place was more than a little creepy. Maybe now that he’d been hired at the hospital, Josh could move to a nicer place once the lease here was up. Annabelle had been inside his apartment exactly one time before and while he kept the place immaculate, it was still a total, complete dump.
She toyed with the idea of asking Chance to let Josh live in the bunkhouse with her, Max and Bo. Josh could pay rent since he wouldn’t be working at the ranch and Annabelle wouldn’t have to worry about someone murdering her best friend while he slept. Chance would probably go for the idea if for no other reason than to shut her up, and Rory, Max and Bo all seemed to like Josh. It was hard not to when he was such a charming mix of bravado and humility. Being so cute didn’t hurt any, either. But, getting Josh to agree might prove difficult as he also had a stubborn streak in him and a need to prove himself, although Annabelle hadn’t managed to pry that story out of him. Yet.
After a last slow check of the area, Annabelle shut off the engine and got out of her truck. She grabbed her cell phone from where it’d fallen under her seat. A glance at the screen showed half a dozen missed calls, all from Josh. Annabelle felt worry coil in her gut as she locked her door and slammed it shut. Maybe Josh had only been calling for clothing advice—six missed calls didn’t have to mean there was anything horribly wrong.
“Fuck it.” Annabelle shoved the phone in her back pocket and ran across the street to the apartments, cursing the fact that the place had such a miniscule parking lot as each renter was only assigned one slot. The few dozen unassigned ones had already been taken by the time she’d arrived.
Annabelle took the stairs two at a time, not giving a shit if her boots pounding on the cement steps shook the whole building. No one in their right mind should be asleep this early on a Saturday night anyway. She bounded up the last two steps and took a right, running the ten feet to Josh’s door. Raising her hand to knock, she heard voices in the apartment, angry tones though she couldn’t make out the words. Whoever was in there with BEND
Bailey Bradford
23
Josh was obviously pissed off about something, and her imagination began tossing out all sorts of violent scenarios. Annabelle pounded on the door three times and kicked it once for good measure when she heard Josh’s voice, the anger in
Chance’s bland expression made Josh babble. “Yes? But I didn’t mean anything bad, just that it’s not a place a guy goes to find anything more than a quick—uh, unless he gets lucky, like you two did, and chances of that happening again aren’t good, so—”
Bo walked over with Max at his side. “Josh has a point. I spent years in places like that and never found anyone interested in more than a one-off. Course, now I have Max, and he was sure worth waiting for.”
Max blushed a deeper red than Josh ever had, but his eyes gleamed with happiness and his lips curled up in a sweet smile. “Bo…”
“You know it’s true, sweet man,” Bo crooned, kissing Max noisily. “I have to brag about what a great guy I have, don’t I?”
Annabelle made a gagging noise as she sat upright. “Okay, all this mushy shit is getting a bit nauseating for us poor singles. I think me and Joshie are going to get out of here for a bit. Come on, let’s leave before they start doing something gross like having a big gay orgy or singing and doing the Macarena.”
Laughing, and a little worried about what plans Annabelle might be coming up with, Josh said his goodbyes quickly but sincerely and followed Annabelle inside.
BEND
Bailey Bradford
22
Chapter Four
Annabelle pulled up in front of Josh’s apartment at nine o’clock sharp. She checked the parking lot carefully, looking for any signs of danger. There was only one flickering streetlight in the vicinity, and the neighbourhood was run-down. All in all, the place was more than a little creepy. Maybe now that he’d been hired at the hospital, Josh could move to a nicer place once the lease here was up. Annabelle had been inside his apartment exactly one time before and while he kept the place immaculate, it was still a total, complete dump.
She toyed with the idea of asking Chance to let Josh live in the bunkhouse with her, Max and Bo. Josh could pay rent since he wouldn’t be working at the ranch and Annabelle wouldn’t have to worry about someone murdering her best friend while he slept. Chance would probably go for the idea if for no other reason than to shut her up, and Rory, Max and Bo all seemed to like Josh. It was hard not to when he was such a charming mix of bravado and humility. Being so cute didn’t hurt any, either. But, getting Josh to agree might prove difficult as he also had a stubborn streak in him and a need to prove himself, although Annabelle hadn’t managed to pry that story out of him. Yet.
After a last slow check of the area, Annabelle shut off the engine and got out of her truck. She grabbed her cell phone from where it’d fallen under her seat. A glance at the screen showed half a dozen missed calls, all from Josh. Annabelle felt worry coil in her gut as she locked her door and slammed it shut. Maybe Josh had only been calling for clothing advice—six missed calls didn’t have to mean there was anything horribly wrong.
“Fuck it.” Annabelle shoved the phone in her back pocket and ran across the street to the apartments, cursing the fact that the place had such a miniscule parking lot as each renter was only assigned one slot. The few dozen unassigned ones had already been taken by the time she’d arrived.
Annabelle took the stairs two at a time, not giving a shit if her boots pounding on the cement steps shook the whole building. No one in their right mind should be asleep this early on a Saturday night anyway. She bounded up the last two steps and took a right, running the ten feet to Josh’s door. Raising her hand to knock, she heard voices in the apartment, angry tones though she couldn’t make out the words. Whoever was in there with BEND
Bailey Bradford
23
Josh was obviously pissed off about something, and her imagination began tossing out all sorts of violent scenarios. Annabelle pounded on the door three times and kicked it once for good measure when she heard Josh’s voice, the anger in