“Ahh . . .” He nods and smiles, as if I’ve said something important.

“Ahh, what?”

“One of those million-dollar condos?”

Now I know what he’s getting at. He’s also met the kind of women I normally go after, and he’s had plenty of comments to make about them. “Yeah, her family has money. So?”

“I’m just messing with you, man. She seems different. Nice.”

“She is,” I argue. “Both.”

“Is Priscilla willing to share?”

Mention of Priscilla brings me back to thoughts of last week, to how relieved I was that Rain believed me, and forgave me. “I think I’m done with Pris.”

Jesse smiles at me. A big, non-Jesse smile.

And I wait for it. I know it’s coming. “So, Luke Boone is finally hooked.”

“It’s only been a few weeks, if that.”

He shrugs. “Sometimes it only takes a few seconds.”

“We’re taking it slow.”

“And yet you brought her all the way out here, to meet us? To meet Alex?” He folds his arms across his chest, turning to face me. Of all the guys I’ve ever met, Jesse’s never been afraid to call me on my shit, to chew me out for being an idiot.

“It’s a long drive out to the middle of fucking nowhere. I needed the company.” To tell the truth, the long car ride flew by, and we talked about nothing.

“Isn’t that why you always bring Licks with you?”

“Yeah, well, Rain drools less than Licks does.”

Jesse bursts out laughing, something he never did when we lived together. Pre-Alex.

“You sound happy, man.” I slap his shoulder. “I’m glad.”

“And you? Everything’s good?” A shadow passes across his face. “How’s Rust?”

I shrug. “He’s fine. It’s all fine. You know.” He doesn’t know. He suspects, just like I once suspected before being brought into the fold. But I’ll never come out and tell him. That’ll just drag him into the mix and I won’t do that to him.

Never again.

“Boone . . . Fuck. Why are you even hanging around those people? Didn’t we go through enough last year?”

“This isn’t tied to that. Viktor’s gone, out of the picture.”

He shakes his head. “I keep hoping that you’re going to get your wake-up call, like I did. You’ll be scared out of your mind, and you’ll regret even thinking that life was appealing, and you’re going to just get the hell away from it.” He looks ready to continue his tirade, but he finally relents with, “Alex doesn’t want to be sending birthday cards to the state pen.” He pauses, his jaw clenching. “Or a graveyard.”

“Don’t worry. Rust has it covered. He’s smart. And a graveyard? Seriously? These guys aren’t like that. They’re assholes, but they don’t just off people for the hell of it. Come on.” Alex and Rain trot past side-by-side, Rain letting out a giddy burst of laughter now that she’s gotten the hang of it. “How’s Alex doing?”

At the mention of Alex, Jesse’s eyes locate her and soften. I’ve never seen a guy so balls-in-a-purse whipped by a woman. “She’s great. I mean, she’s remembering things, here and there, but she’s handling it all really well.”

I hesitate before I ask what I’ve been waiting to talk to Jesse about for days now. “So, how hard was it to be with her after what he did to her? I mean, did it take a while for her to let you . . .?”

Jesse gives me a “what the fuck are you asking and why?” scowl, forcing me to elaborate. “Rain’s ex . . . I don’t know what exactly he did to her but, he did something. We’re taking it slow.” Excruciatingly slow. A-long-shower-a-day-keeps-blue-balls-away slow.

Instant understanding passes over Jesse’s face, and a mutter of “shit” slips out. “Well, it was a bit different with Alex, you know that. With her memory and all.”

“Right.” I guess their situation is too unusual. That’s not going to help. I heave a sigh. “I just don’t want to make any asshole moves and scare her off.”

“Well then don’t be yourself.” I raise my eyebrows. “Okay, okay. I’m kidding. You should actually be yourself. The version who isn’t so wrapped up with all this shit.” He flicks my watch to make a point. “She doesn’t really seem like the type. And . . .” He watches the two women for a moment, in deep thought. “Just follow her lead. She’ll let you know when she’s ready.”

“And what if her lead is holding hands and watching reruns of Friends for the next year?”

“Then your hand’s finally going to be useful for more than one thing.” He gives me a swift but soft punch to my stomach as he stands.

“You’re a really shitty friend, you know that?”

“And yet you won’t go away and leave me in peace,” he says, chuckling as he lowers the hood on my engine.

Rain’s laughter fills the quiet again, followed by the sound of water splashing. We’re drawn to the fence line to watch the horse she’s riding pick up speed and tear through the stream, sending water spraying everywhere. She seems to have figured out the right posture and stance quickly, her thigh muscles tensed as she holds herself just shy of the saddle, moving up and down with the rhythm. Giving me a fantastic view of her ass.