Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Taking my hand in hers, she said, “Let’s go out. We can dance with guys we don’t know and just have some fun. Call your sister. Tell her she’s going whether she likes it or not. Moreen’s meeting us there.”
“But Caden and Levi went out as well.”
She laughed. “Are they the going-out police?”
I chuckled. “No, but what if we go to the same bar?”
Lilibeth tilted her head and regarded me for a moment. “I don’t want to sound mean, but your brother doesn’t really seem like the type who would go to Billy’s Honky-Tonk. He seems more like the kind of guy who’d go to…what’s the name of that bar outside of town? The one where all the old timers go and hang out.”
I burst out laughing. “You mean the dive bar?”
“Yes, the one right on the edge of town.”
“Billy’s.”
“No, not the honky-tonk.”
“No, I know what you mean, it’s Billy’s. Billy Junior owns the honky-tonk.”
Lilibeth frowned. “Why would he name his bar the same as his father’s?”
“To be fair, he added honky-tonk after it.”
She laughed. “Call your sister, tell her she’s going out. I’ve got to change, so should I swing by the ranch to pick you both up?”
Taking my perfume bottle, I grabbed my purse. “Sure, that’s perfect. See you in about an hour?”
“See you then.”
I started to head toward the door, Lilibeth behind me. As I stepped out and headed to my car, she yelled out, “Wear something sexy!”
Levi
“Nothing’s changed, has it?” Gatlin asked as he slid a beer my way.
I chuckled. “Except you’re bartending at the local honky-tonk.”
He glanced around. “It’s a nice change from being on the ranch all day. Gives me something to do instead of playing poker with the ranch hands every weekend.”
“You don’t enjoy ranching?”
His head pulled back. “Hell yes, I do. But why go home and sit alone when I can come and work here? I get to people watch, get all the gossip in town, and make some extra money.”
When he lifted his bottle, I tapped it with mine. “And drink on the job.”
Leaning forward so he could lower his voice, he said, “It’s water. I have a few back here already filled, so when someone wants to buy me a drink, I’m not offending anyone. Kyle over there,” he pointed to the other bartender, “he’s only been working here two days. He’s about two beers away from getting shit-faced. I told him my trick, but he insisted he could handle it.”
I glanced down the bar, and the poor kid could barely stand up straight. “I think he’s already hit the limit.”
Gatlin followed my gaze. “Nah. He’s still making drinks and pouring shots. Give him time.”
Focusing back on Caden’s younger brother, I laughed. “You’re enjoying this?”
He nodded. “I sure as shit am. I told the little punk he wasn’t going to be able to drink on the job, and he claimed he could handle his alcohol.”
Taking another drink of my beer, I searched for Caden. It didn’t take long to find him leaning his hand on a wall, a pretty girl staring up at him.
“How’s your brother doing?”
Gatlin shrugged. “He doesn’t really talk much about anything other than the ranch. This is the first time I’ve seen him here in a while. When he does come, he usually leaves with a Granby tourist who came to River Falls to Instagram her stop at a small-town honky-tonk. They’re usually from New York City, Atlanta, or some other big city. We’re the only honky-tonk around, so we get a lot of visitors.”
I nodded. “Who’s the girl he’s talking to?”
Glancing in the same direction as me, Gatlin replied, “No clue. She’s not from here. Like I said, those are the kind Caden goes for.”
Taking a drink of my beer, I watched as the girl and Caden walked over to one of the three pool tables. He put some money down, then sat at the small table we’d gotten when we arrived.
“Is there a reason you’re watching my brother?”
Turning, I smiled when I saw Ensley standing beside me. She was a sight for sore eyes. Her dark blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and those Wilde blue eyes sparkled. I swore the woman never aged.
“Ensley Wilde. How in the hell have you been?” I asked, pulling her into a hug and lifting her off the ground for a quick second.
She hit my back. “Put me down, Levi!”
I did, and we both laughed.
“I’m doing good. My damn baby sister dragged me out tonight.”
I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “How are you doing…today?”
With a one-shoulder shrug, she glanced around the bar. “I hate this day.”
Taking her hand in mine, I gave it a little squeeze. “I know. So do I. I think I try to block it out as much as possible.”
“Did Caden do something already?” she asked.