Chapter 6 #2
The side of me that was out more often than not was covered in hay, mud, and sweat from working all day, but I’ll be the first to admit I loved being able to causally doll up.
When I was in pageants, I hated it. I hated the flashiness that came with it.
The teasing of my hair and the constant jewels that weighed me down—but this I liked.
I could have my own simple style that made me feel gorgeous, even if I still smelled a little like a barn. Simple. Elegant.
Me.
“Okay.” Kyla, Rhett’s wife, twisted in her seat to look at me as I buckled the seat belt. “You’re adorable.”
I blushed. “Thanks.” I held back my smile and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Normally I’m a little grungy, so I took the chance to dress up.”
“Hey.” Abi caught my gaze from the rearview mirror. “We have shit under our fingernails, and we live by it.” Raising a hand, she wiggled her fingers.
I glanced at my nails and sure enough, there was a thin line of dirt. I scrunched my nose. “Remind me to scrub my hands when we get to The Steel.”
“You’re flawless,” Kyla complimented again, turning back to face the front. “This is a girls’ night, though, so I hope you’re not expecting to pick up any guys.”
“Oh no…no no.” I waved my hand in the air. “Girls’ night. One hundred percent. How’s Baby Poppy.”
Kyla let out a groan. “I love being a mom,” she started, and I noticed Abi giving her a side eye. “But she’s teething, and her sleep schedule is all messed up, and my boobs”—she reached up and grabbed her chest—“hurt so bad. I won’t even let Rhett touch them.”
“Welcome to motherhood.” Abi chuckled. “Cash and I have started talking about adoption. He wants a baby, but we haven’t been together that long—”
“He’s adopting Stetson, right?” I asked, leaning forward in my seat, noticing the lights from The Steel coming into view.
Abi nodded, turning into the parking lot. “Yeah, after the wedding, we’ll make it official, but we still want to build our family. Cash is dead set on a girl. Poppy has done a number on him.”
Kyla leaned her head back on the seat. “Anytime he wants her, he can have her.”
“You don’t mean that.” Abi popped the truck in park, gave herself one last glance in the visor mirror, and at the same time, we all undid our seat belts.
“No, I don’t. But man…I love these nights.” Kyla jumped from the car. “Come on, girls, first drinks, then pool.” With a skip in her step, she bounded towards the entrance.
I followed Abi and Kyla, the loud country music hitting my ears the moment the doors flew open.
The smell hit me next—stale beer and wings were a clear sign that I was at The Steel, the local hangout spot for anyone in Alpine Ridge.
I had been a few times the previous year, mainly with Cash or Abi, but had yet to venture in since becoming a ‘local.’ My nights lately had been consisting of me lounging on my new couch, watching the same season of Once Upon a Time again, and eating the same salad for dinner.
Tonight, it was going to be wings, and that stale beer, and I was thrilled.
The place was packed, laughter and pool balls breaking filling every inch of the space, even carrying over the music. My bet was that everyone in Alpine Ridge was here tonight. I saw a few of the ranch hands from Hartwell Hills, my next-door neighbor, with her boyfriend. And…
Wyatt sat at the bar with another man, both drinking from pint glasses, both laughing at the top of their lungs.
He had his ball cap on backwards, his blond hair sticking out of the bottom under the lip in all directions, and even with the dim light of the bar, his bright blue eyes could be seen from any distance.
“Oh!” Abi touched my shoulder, giving me a squeeze. “Wyatt’s here! Excuse me while I go torture him.”
Abi left Kyla and me standing near the opposite end of the bar as she went and wrapped her arm around Wyatt’s shoulder. He flinched, but his face lit up when he saw Abi, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“Yeah, that’s torture.” I chuckled, pulling my attention from the siblings to Jason, the bartender, trying to grab his attention.
“Hey Jason!” Kyla shouted, waving her arm in the air. Jason glanced our way, and he beamed as he gave us a quick nod.
“Rum and Dr Pepper coming right up!” He waved at us. “And for your friend?”
“You know me so well,” Kyla cooed, leaning forward on the bar top. “And Quinn…” she looked over at me, narrowing her eyes. “I’m guessing a lager.”
“Ooo, yes please.” I wiggled in anticipation, winking over at Jason.
Jason wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll get Abi’s up, too. Spiked Arnold Palmer, I’m assuming.”
“That would be correct.” Kyla did a little dance with her hips once her Dr Pepper was in front of her, taking a sip.
“Perfection.” She said hoarsely, raising her glass.
“Cheers.” We clinked our glasses together, each of us taking a long drink.
Kyla turned back to Jason, and my gaze—completely disobeying what I wanted it to do—glanced down at the bar top to Wyatt.
“Hey,” I began after taking a long swig from my drink. “Who’s with Wyatt?”
Kyla’s eyes went from me to him. “Sam, I think. He’s one of Wyatt’s rodeo friends. He got here last night. I guarantee he’s trying to convince Wyatt to get back on the road.”
I furrowed my brow. I knew Wyatt hadn’t been to any rodeos recently, but a part of me figured it was from the season ending, taking a break just like I was before he ramped up his schedule, every weekend filled with rodeos.
“Why would he need convincing to get back on the road?” I asked, surprised to find I really wanted to know the answer.
“He’s just—”
“Thank you, Jason!” Abi shouted as she came up in-between Kyla and me, interrupting Kyla and totally pulling us away from the conversation. “You guys up for a round of pool? Guys versus girls? Us against Wyatt and Sam.”
“Two against three? That’s hardly fair.” I looked down the bar top at the two men, Sam talking into Wyatt’s ear as he met my gaze. Wyatt twisted in his chair, and he hit me with the same cocky grin he would in the stables.
“Wyatt’s actually really good at pool, and Kyla’s the master, so it’s a fair match, seeing as I suck at pool.” Abi looked from me to Kyla. “It’ll be fun.”
Kyla glowed. “I’m down.”
Glancing down at Wyatt again, I felt a small tingle in my stomach. I came out tonight to have some fun, to let loose a little. What better way to start than to beat Wyatt Hartwell’s ass at pool?
“I’m game.”