Tate glared at the guy in the odd-for-a-honkytonk-bar tie, button-down shirt, and slacks and took a step closer. But the guy stood his ground and didn’t move out of Tate’s way.
Liz slipped off the stool, linked her fingers with the guy’s, and leaned into him. “Clint, it’s okay. Tate’s an old friend.”
One of Uptight Dude’s eyebrows shot up at that. Liz looked a little sheepish.
Tate refocused on Clint. “I’m her best friend.”
Clint’s stance relaxed even if he didn’t back down. “Ah. She told me about you.” Whatever Liz told him obviously didn’t impress the guy.
Tate couldn’t care less. “Then you’ll excuse us while I have a word with her.”
Liz spoke before Clint said anything. “I said what I wanted to say the last time we talked.”
“And you haven’t said anything since,” he pointed out, his gut tight. Obviously, he’d missed something big. From the sound of things, it just might cost him the person who knew him better than anyone and who had always been there for him.
“It’s not like you called or came to see me in the last six weeks.”
“It hasn’t been that long.” They never went more than a few days without talking or seeing each other. Maybe it had been a couple weeks this time, but not six. Right?
“You’re busy doing your thing. It’s time I did mine. If you’ll excuse us, we’d like to get back to our date.”
What the fuck?
Liz dismissed him and turned to take her seat again.
Tate couldn’t let things go on this way. They definitely didn’t end this way. “Wait.”
Clint put his hand on Tate’s chest to stop him from touching Liz’s shoulder.
Tate went still and pointedly looked at that hand on him. “You want to keep it, you’ll take it back. Now.”
They locked eyes and the energy around them became charged with animosity.
Clint dropped his hand but still didn’t get the hell out of Tate’s way. “You didn’t want a shot with her, so I took it. Back off. She wants to be with me.”
Like she didn’t want to be Tate’s friend anymore. What the fuck was going on?
Tate felt Declan come up behind him before Declan’s hand settled on his shoulder. “Come on, bro, let’s get a beer and leave Liz and her date alone to enjoy their evening.”
Tate glared at the back of Liz’s head. She sat there not saying a word. She wouldn’t even look at him.
“We’ll talk later, Lizard.”
Clint shook his head. “She hates that silly nickname.”
No she didn’t. Though she’d never admit it. It had become a thing between them. It didn’t have anything to do with Clint. “What the hell do you know?”
“From what I’ve heard, I know a hell of a lot more about her than you do.”
Declan grabbed Tate’s arm and pulled him back a step before he decked the guy. “Let’s go.”
Tate had known Liz practically his whole damn life. “You don’t know anything about me and Liz.”
“I know she wants a man who appreciates her and doesn’t take her for granted.”
Tate took a step closer, not liking Clint’s smug smile or the way he puffed up his chest.
Liz jumped in between them and planted both hands on Tate’s shoulders and shoved him back into Declan. “Don’t you dare ruin this for me!”
He had no idea what she meant.
She held up her hand. “Just go.” The plea in her eyes killed him.
His gut constricted and his heart had trouble beating against the tightness around his chest. “Liz?”
Her lips tilted in a half frown. “Go get a beer with Declan. Flirt with the waitresses, pick up one of the dozen women staring at you right now. Do what you do and let me be.”
That almost sounded like goodbye.
It couldn’t be.
But Liz turned her back on him again.
Clint took her hand, pulled her close, then walked her to the dance floor where he took Liz in his arms and swayed to the slow song with her head resting on his shoulder.
Declan smacked his hand on Tate’s shoulder. “It was only a matter of time.”
Tate couldn’t take his eyes off Liz in that asshole’s arms. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“She’s a beautiful woman. You had to know that at some point she’d want a serious relationship with someone who wants to make her his wife and have a family. He seems decent enough.”
Tate turned on Declan. “You don’t know anything about him.”
“He’d have to be a good guy for Liz to like him so much.”