A Bar Song
CASH
SEPTEMBER
Ican’t describe what my heart did when Maverick drew my attention to the fact that Kelsea was talking to Ollie.
It stopped beating. Or was it beating faster?
Maybe both at the same time…if that were even fucking possible.
All I know is that with each thump of my heart, fear pumped and spread within me.
This was bad. Oh, this was very damn bad.
What would Kelsea say? Fuck, what would Ollie do?
Would they fight? While I wasn’t averse to the thought of two women hashing it out over me, there was no doubt about it, Ollie Ravenwood would chew Kelsea up and spit her back out in a heartbeat.
And she’d do it with a smile on her face.
But God knows what she’d do to me after that. And I sure as hell didn’t want to find out.
Shoving down the fear sprouting like a damn weed in my chest, I made my way toward the bar. Time to do damage control.
Kelsea had already turned around and was stomping away by the time I made it to Walker’s side by the bar, but I’d heard the last bit of their fight. Everyone in the direct vicinity had. But all I could fixate on was Ollie’s little tirade at the end.
“See, I can’t do that because of this hat right here. You know what they say? Wear the hat, ride the cowboy. And I can guarantee the ride he’s about to get is better than any you can give him.”
Goddamn, she was so hot. And the mouth on her. I could only imagine the wicked things she could do with a mouth like that.
“That was quite the show, sugar,” I crooned, my lips tugging into a grin. “Can I take that ride now or do I gotta wait ‘til later?”
She whirled on me and her eyes burned like hellfire. Damn she looked good. Better than good.
“Fuck you, Cash.” Her words were sharp as daggers as she shoved past me and stomped back towards the table where my parents and the others were. An odd choice considering she was all fired up and pissed as hell.
I frowned. Well, fuck. With a comment like that to Kelsea, I hadn’t expected her to act quite so poorly to mine. “What’d I do wrong?” I asked Walker, who was still standing at the bar sipping on a soda or something.
“You were born.” She laughed before sobering enough to offer me a shrug. “I think that’s one ride you won’t make the buzzer on so easy, Mooney.” She pushed off her place at the bar and took a step in Ollie’s direction. “You comin’ or what? She looks like she wants to dance with someone.”
I huffed and caught Ollie’s gaze. Her lip curled up into a snarl as she flashed me a sharp, red painted middle finger. “She looks like she wants to stab someone…” Blowing out a low whistle, I raised my hand in the air. “Bartender, dos cervezas, por favor.”
“Just order in English, Cash.” The bartender—Penny, if I remembered correctly—scowled at me even as she popped the caps off two beers. “It’s hard enough tryin’ to figure you out in a language you actually speak.”
I thanked her and took the beers before following Walker across the room.
Ollie was chatting up Ryder and Maverick—well, Ryder mostly.
Maverick didn’t talk much, just dipped his head or offered a twitch of his lips now and then.
Dad was trying to talk to Mama, but she was too busy glaring at Ollie from across the way.
Either Ollie was completely oblivious or impervious to Mama’s ire. Either way, it was damn impressive.
Most grown men wouldn’t dare do that. I sure as fuck didn’t dare.
“Here, I got you a beer,” I said, coming around to plop the bottle on the table in front of Ollie.
Her gaze flicked up and down, the dismissive look in her blue and hazel eyes indifferent at best. Pushing her blonde chunk of hair back off her shoulder, she snapped, “I don’t want beer.”
“I’ll take it.” Dad snatched the bottle off the table before I could stop him and downed half of it. Greedy bastard.
Fuck, why was she acting so cold? What had I done?
I mean, the better question probably was what hadn’t I done…
but still. Was she mad about the Mama situation?
Dad had told me bits and pieces about hers and Mama’s little experience in the box, so maybe it was that.
Or was it the Kelsea situation? If that were the case though, why would she go and basically brag about her intentions on hooking up with me later?
She was hard to read. And one thing I was generally good at was reading women.
I leaned toward her and tried one of my charming smiles. I set the dial to six and let her rip. No need to dazzle her just yet. The night was just gettin’ started. “I’ll buy you a glass of whatever you want then.”
She cocked her head to the side, appraising me for a long moment.
“How about a tall…frosty…ice-cold glass of shut the fuck up?” she replied, voice sugary-sweet and full of venom.
The fake cheerfulness died a moment later as she glanced at Maverick and nodded.
“Come on, you and I are going to dance.”
Well that was one battle of wills she wouldn’t win. Mav danced for no one. Well, he danced for Chey, but even Mama had a hard time getting him to dance just because.
And yet, a simple command from the devil herself, and he obeyed like a little minion. I watched, dumbfounded, baffled, completely damn flabbergasted as my stoic, ever grumpy cousin led Ollie out onto the dancefloor and started up a two-step to the song bouncing out of the speakers.
She might look like a devil but she floated like a damn angel across the floor. And even though I knew Maverick was in love with Chey. Even though I knew this was all to get back at me for pissing her off somehow, some way, something tight and foreign stirred in my chest, rearing its ugly head.
Jealousy.
Something or someone nudged my side and I glanced over at Walker. Favoring me with a pitying smile, she shrugged and said, “She was drinkin’ a double shot of Casamigos.”
“Why are you helpin’ me?” I asked, aware of Mama, Dad, and Ryder pretending like they weren’t eavesdropping on our conversation.
She took a sip of her drink and grinned. “Just my nature, I guess. When I see someone drownin’, I usually throw ‘em a life ring, or somethin’.”
“Ha ha.” I shook my head, not ready to accept defeat. Not even close. I was in it for the long haul. For the win. And I wasn’t winning til I got that fiery little devil into my arms tonight. “I’m only gettin’ started, Miss Walker.”
Walker chuckled, one of her eyebrows raising slightly. “Don’t over play your hand, cowboy.”
“Hey, she’s here ain’t she?” I smirked. “She can play mad all she wants. She’s here. She can’t be that mad.”
The realization boosted my spirits a bit. She might play tough to get, but at the end of the day, Big Daddy always won. And stealing hearts was practically an olympic sport for me.
“I…” She paused before shaking her head and laughing. “I cannot find a single fault with your logic, sir.” Clapping me on the back, she made to move closer to my mom and dad. “Best of luck to you.”
“Hey, will you do me another favor?” I asked, digging a wad of cash out of my pocket. “Will you go over there and order four double shots of Casablancas and bring ‘em back?”
“Casamigos?” she corrected. “And no, Cash, I'm underage. If I could order four shots of anythin’ they’d be gone by the time I got back here. You’re gonna have to put your own leg work in.”
“Cash doesn’t do that,” Ryder added, ever helpful and finally butting into our conversation.
I held the cash out to him. “Would you?”
His dark eyes glinted with mirth, and the dim shadows of the room accentuated the scar on his face as he grinned. “Yeah, drop dead, Cash. I already helped dress you tonight…” He took a sip of his beer. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“Fuck.” I sighed, glancing out at her once more.
She spun and sashayed and dipped across the dancefloor in Maverick’s arms, a smile etched into her face.
A smile that I wanted nothing more than to be aimed my way.
I needed to get out there, but I also said I’d get her a drink, and I couldn’t be in two places at once.
“Mama, would y—” My words died on my lips as I glanced over at her.
She was too busy swirling the ice in her long island iced tea while simultaneously trying to melt Ollie with her eyes.
A useless endeavor, though I applauded her efforts.
I met my dad’s gaze, but the old bastard just flipped me off.
“Fine!” I grumbled. “No one ever does anythin’ for me.”
I could feel a flock of finger birds flying after me as I pushed my way back to the bar.
“Hey Penny!” I hollered, praying that was indeed her name. Damn, I didn’t need another problem tonight.
I let out a sigh of relief as her amused gaze met mine and she asked, “More cervezas?"
At least some things were still going in my favor. I flashed her a cheeky grin. “No ma’am. I need four double shots of… caza…blanca?” I struggled.
What had Walker called it?
Penny nodded toward the dance floor. “Are you tryin’ to make it with that tattooed chick with the feisty attitude?”
“Look, Pen…” I offered, pressing a hand to my chest. We’d only hooked up once…maybe twice. I don’t know, but I didn’t want things to escalate and turn sour right now when Ollie was still pissed as hell at me. “ I don’t mean to hurt yer feelins’, but—”
“Ha!” She set out four shot glasses and grabbed a bottle, a mischievous smirk on her lips. “No, this’ll be worth it. And it’s Casamigos, idiot.”
I nodded, dropping the whole wad of cash on the bar. “Thank ya much.”
Her smirk widened. “Thank me after you deliver your drinks. You might not be in such a good mood.”
“Pen…” I winked. “Nothin’ could put me in a bad mood tonight.”
But that was a lie. Because every minute without Ollie in my arms was a damper on my mood.
She smiled and nodded before moving off to deal with another patron. I scooped up the drinks and turned to head back. My blood froze, turning to ice in my veins.
Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me?
Ollie was walking onto the dancefloor with Bodi fucking Johnson.