Eli wasn't sure why Ryan's response about Tal felt so strange. Something just felt...off. He knew she was hurting about Alec but...this was...different. Yet he couldn't put his finger on it.
Her question made him sigh and shake his head. "No...no, things aren't okay with Scarlet and me." He forced a wry grin. "Guess maybe it's our first fight. Could be worse, though." He shrugged. "I'll get it sorted out one way or the other." This whole thing bothered him a lot more than he let on - Scarlet was a major part of his life now, and having her leave like that...it hurt. But he knew he could fix it. He had to, and he would. It was just a matter of time, and a question of whether or not Scarlet would understand and be satisfied. Eli had confidence that they would be okay...he just wasn't sure about when.
Seeing Ryan was so preoccupied with her phone brought Eli's mind back around to the other bothersome subject. He cocked his head in curiosity. He wasn't usually one to pry but...
"Man, looks like somebody can't get enough of you tonight," he teased. "Is that Tal, texting to say he misses you?"
Justin shrugged, still contemplating the entire thing. "I'm not sure what I see. That's what's so hard. It's like what I want to say - what my gut's analysis would be - doesn't match what reality has proven."
He twirls his fork around the long pasta, knowing he was bothered more than he should be. That was his downfall with most cases. But he wanted to figure this out. This was a dangerous situation and if anyone got hurt because he hadn't spoken up, he'd have a rough time dealing with that.
"This person...he's dangerous, and I know that. Yet I'm not afraid of him. It's like...like a rattlesnake. As long as you don't scare or threaten him, there's nothing to be afraid of. And one could make him afraid to get results...but why taunt a rattlesnake? You'll either get bitten, or he'll wind up broken." Justin's eyes drop. This was where his heart truly was. "And you know I can't stand to see broken souls. This one is broken enough without me helping make it worse." Maybe that's what it was. Maybe he was seeing beyond the threat to the man underneath, and he could see Garret's broken soul.
Justin glanced back up at Beth and gave her a little smile. "I just don't like withholding information and I feel like I did that today, whether my gut said to or not."
Eric returned Stacy's hug, embracing her tightly. "Mm..." He chuckled. "Yeah, I promise not to run over my phone." Pulling back a little, he cocked his head to plant a tender kiss on her lips. "Keep a light on for me. I'll be back before you know it."
One last squeeze, and he parted, even though he could stand there all day with her. Making his way over to Ashlee, he smiled as he looked down at her. "Thanks for getting up to see me off." He tapped her under her chin with a finger. "Behave yourself, alright? And keep riding, so you'll be ready for an all-day trail ride." He gave her a wink. "'Cause I promise...I will be back."
Seeing Karla, Kip's smile grew. "You're not crashing the party. You're always invited." He finally stood up and gave her a warm hug and kiss on the forehead. "Besides, Quinn's getting bored of me anyway and already looking for his girlfriend."
Quinn looked up and smirked. "Yeah well you're a poor replacement in that area."
Kip rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as a compliment." He threw Karla a sidelong glance. "Ready for a walk? 'Cause my bones have been sitting still for far too long."
Smiling to himself, Quin quietly finished gathering up the musical items for the evening and threw their pop cans away. Many a person thought his life was strange, if not downright crazy, but...he was happy. And until he ever had a family to support...if that ever happened...he was quite content to live day by day.
