tried talking to them again, you guys could work out some kind of deal.”
“I already talked to Mama; there is no deal.”
He sighed but said nothing else. Taking his silence as an end to the conversation, I peeled away from the ranch. My mind was still racing as the highway unfolded in front of me. It wasn’t by accident that I’d taken the longer route back to my ranch. I wanted to stop at the bar and have a drink before making my way across the state.
Granted, my land still bordered Walkers, but my ranch house was situated at the center of my property. You could drive for a hundred miles and still not see another car or person. It was a beautiful sight to see in the early morning hours. I’d be home long before then. Unless my night suddenly took a turn for the better. In which case, I wouldn’t mind the drive one bit.
The bar’s neon sign illuminated the road as I slowed to a crawl. There were only a few trucks in the lot, but I could hear the rowdy crowd as soon as I shut off my engine. I jabbed my elbow into the door, remembering how it stuck the last time. The music and smoke hit me like a ton of bricks as a few heads turned to see if they knew the newcomer. I wasn’t surprised when no one recognized me.
My heart raced when I saw Hailey’s back turned to me as she chatted with patrons on the other side of the bar. I quickly took a seat at the opposite end with a few seats between the next man and me. He nodded, his Stetson covered in a thick layer of dust. Watching Hailey as she worked, the blood pounded in my ears. I fought to keep my cheeks from flushing red when she turned to see where her new customer was seated.
Instantly her alabaster cheeks flamed to red as her eyes narrowed in on me. I felt a twinge of regret, wondering if she’d even serve me. It was impossible not to let my eyes travel down her body as her hips swayed. She sauntered in my direction, hands firmly placed on her hips as she cocked one to the side, stopping just a few feet from me.
“You again,” she grumbled. “Didn’t get enough praise last time? Should we let these boys know what a hero you are?”
My jaw clenched. “Can’t a man stop and have a drink without getting harassed around here?”
“There’s plenty of other bars. I’m sure you could find one without an audience.”
“Maybe I wanted to come back here to see you.”
Next to me, the rough man in the Stetson raised his brows as Hailey’s cheeks flushed again. She glared at me, shooting little daggers into my soul as I struggled not to smile at her frustration. It was apparent that she somewhat knew the man to my left. He chuckled and swiveled on his stool, jumping down to mingle with the group on the other end of the bar.
I was grateful for the relative privacy as Hailey rolled her eyes. “Are you going to order a drink or just sit there making puppy-dog eyes at me all night?”
I swallowed. “Whiskey, on the rocks.”
She grabbed a bottle from the top shelf, the most expensive the bar had. I didn’t mind; I was enjoying our banter. She set the drink on the bar and grinned. “Twenty-three dollars.”
I almost choked. “Seriously? For a shot of whiskey? Jesus, was it brought over on the Mayflower?”
“Nope, brought over from the liquor store down the road, aged a solid six weeks before getting bottled too. No, honey, you’re paying the annoyance fee.” She grinned.
I licked my lips, taking another swig of the hard liquid. It was worth maybe three bucks for the shot, but I wasn’t about to let Hailey have the upper hand. I may have had millions, but my father raised me to watch every penny. I could be sure that he’d never imagined a time like this, though.
Tugging my billfold from my vest, I popped it open, laying a crisp hundred-dollar bill on the bar. Her eyebrow arched, but otherwise, she maintained the bored look that had graced me since my arrival. I wanted to get her fired up again, knowing that was when I got to see the real Hailey and not the tough outer shell that she wore for everyone else.
“Keep the change,” I said.
This time, she didn’t