Chapter 53 Bad Company
Customers walked by, staring at the giant brown stain on Luke’s shirt, but he didn’t seem to care.
Hallie thought about his question. Of course, she liked the fact that he was wild and unpredictable, but would it kill him to be a little more considerate?
“Do you think you’ll never be faithful to any woman, ever?” she asked in return.
He thought about this for a moment. “I intend to be perfectly faithful to my wife, once I get married. I suppose I owe it to my family not to embroil them in any more scandals. But for now, I’d like to have as much fun as I possibly can.”
Hallie looked down, trying not to show that she didn’t like to think of him getting married to some royal heiress. “Do they have a wife picked out for you already?”
“Sort of.” He rolled his eyes, tossing back a lock of his lustrous hair. “It might be Lady Raphaela. She descends from one of the noble families of Sarkadia.”
“So you have to marry somebody from the nobility?”
“Why, are you thinking of entering the running?” he asked, a wicked smile hovering in his eyes.
“And have a ball and chain like this to drag around the rest of my life?” she joked, gesturing dismissively at him. “I don’t think so.”
***
ROB HEADED BACK TO the station, gripping the wheel tightly as he drove down the highway. He had always had feelings for Hallie, although he knew she would probably never grow to love him.
He sensed that something unusual was going on with Hallie, though he couldn’t figure our what it was.
After finishing his work at the station, he went out again to the Lonesome Cactus to drown his sorrows.
He didn’t want to become one of those people who drank at home all alone, and at least at the Cactus there was a bar tender to talk to.
“Back again so soon?” Maria greeted him from behind the bar as she wiped a glass. As always, she lent her unique style to the Cactus, wearing tight jeans and a corset top, her hair gathered into a high ponytail with a blingy elastic. “Should I be worried about you, Officer Hernandez?”
“Worrying doesn’t do anyone any good,” he replied.
“It’s one of those days, isn’t it?” she said with a sigh. “Let me pour you a bourbon.”
“Thanks, Maria, you’re the best.”
Before he knew it, Rob had one drink after another, and the story of his troubles came pouring out of his mouth.
The alcohol coursing through his blood made him feel more at ease, but also more sad and lonely at the same time.
“Is it pathetic that I still carry a torch for her?” he asked the muscular bar tender.
“I hate to break it to you, but yeah,” she replied.
“At least I can count on you to be honest...” he mumbled.
“That’s the girl who just moved to the city?” Maria asked. “Terry’s sister?”
Rob nodded. “I wouldn’t mind if she settled down with a nice fellow who would treat her well. But every time she chooses some kind of asshole, I can’t stand it!”
“It’s nice that you feel protective about her, but when all’s said and done, she’s got to make her own decisions. There ain’t nothing you can do.”
“It’s easy for you to say,” Rob objected.
“What if it was a good friend of yours? Imagine how helpless you would feel. And that guy she’s with now, what an arrogant jerk!
You know the kind, totally impulsive and crazy, doesn’t care about anyone’s safety or his own. What if she gets into trouble again?”
“What do you mean? What kind of trouble?”
Rob sighed after downing another glass of bourbon. “A few years ago, Hallie had some dark times. It’s lucky I was there because I went easy on her, but she was caught stealing makeup from a store.”
“Are you serious?” a woman beside him exclaimed.
Rob had to do a double-take because he almost thought he saw Hallie. The sisters looked so much alike, although in his mind, Hallie was much prettier.
It was Terry, her coral red lipstick and purple eye shadow gleaming in the bar’s neon glow. She perched casually on the bar stool beside him.
“Did you just say you caught Hallie shoplifting?” she asked.