Back Road Chances (Roughneck #2) by Nicole Hart Page B

Pusher telling that new Safety Rep he was taking you to the shit hole tonight for sticking around.” Jase said with a laugh before he walked out the door.
    “Thanks for warning me,” I said. Now I got to look forward to sitting at a bar with a boss I didn’t like. Oh well, at least he was buying me beer. Plus I’m sure the other guys would tag along. I didn’t know them very well, but I did know if you even mention a bar to these fuckers, they made sure they were going. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket to shut it off before I sat down and noticed I had a text from Sam. It was a picture message and my dick twitched before I even opened it. She was lying on her bed, completely naked; with those fuck me eyes staring at me. Then another text came through.
    Sam: Don’t forget about me
    Me: Not even possible.
    Sam: I know ur about to turn ur phone off, just wanted to make sure you were thinking about m e 
    Me: I’m always thinking about you beautiful. Especially now that my dick is hard.
    Sam: Maybe we can fix that tonight.
    Me: Hell yeah. I love you Sam
    Sam: Me too
    I turned my phone off and tried my best to concentrate on work. It wasn’t easy, but I’ve been doing this shit long enough to know I have to turn the outside world off when I’m here, otherwise you fuck shit up. And that’s not something I was prepared to deal with.
    Jase was right about Pusher taking me to the bar. I had been around him off the rig before, and he usually left his attitude there and I was hoping that was the case tonight. I just wanted to have a few beers and relax before I had to start this shit over again tomorrow. All the hands that were already in town met us at the bar. It was a Tuesday night, so other than a few local drunks, we were the only ones there. My phone rang as I was walking to the bathroom to take a piss. It was her.
    “Hey darlin,” I said, as I walked into the nasty ass bathroom.
    “Hey, whatcha doin?” She asked.
    “Pusher wanted to thank me for staying over so he’s buying me beer at the shit hole.”
    “Any rig rats there?” Sam asked with a laugh, but I knew she wasn’t kidding.
    “Just a bunch of hands baby. Besides, you’re the only woman I see.” I said.
    “Good answer,” she said with a real laugh this time.
    “I miss you,” I said. I knew I told her that all the fucking time. But I didn’t care, because it was the truth. I just hoped she didn’t get tired of hearing it.
    “I miss you, too,” she said. “But I’ll let you get back to it. Call me later, ok?”
    “Alright.” I said.
    I wanted to tell her I loved her, but I didn’t. I knew it was hard for her to say it. I didn’t want to make her feel obligated to tell me. I didn’t want to push her away when things were going so good.  So I hung up the phone and shoved it back in my pocket.
    When I walked back to the bar, I noticed John, my pusher, staring down at his hands. I realized he had a wedding ring on. I had a little bit of liquid courage running through me so I asked about it.
    “Looks like you got a woman at home, what the hell are you still doing here, man?” I asked.
    He twisted his ring around his finger with his other hand a few times before he spoke.
    “I don’t think she wants me there.” Ouch. “She wants a divorce.”
    “Oh, sorry to hear that man,” I said, feeling uncomfortable now.
    “I think there’s someone else; she just hasn’t said it yet. She said our kids are grown now, there’s no reason to be together anymore,” he said looking sad. Damn, no wonder the dude was a prick at work; he was going through some shit. But I didn’t know what the hell to say, so I just took a long swig of my beer. I didn’t really enjoy heart-to-hearts with other dudes. Not at all. Fuck. How was I going to get out of this? I scanned the room looking for a way out. I spotted the new safety rep, I couldn’t even remember his name, but I gave him a nod and wave, like we were old friends, hoping he would head this