King's Country (Oil Kings #4) - Marie Johnston Page 0,71
wife was a few years younger than me. Shelb was older than all of us, same for his wife. I had no idea who Broden was married to.
Dawson parked along the street. Miller’s looked smaller than it was. The brick two-story building, longer than it was wide, had been around as long as the town. When we walked in, the hardwood floor echoed under Dawson’s boots.
The other guys piled in behind us. The woman behind the bar glanced over, her gaze stopping on Shelb. Her curls bounced as she nodded toward a large round table in the corner. The middle of my back didn’t burn with stares like it had at The Tap. Our group earned perfunctory glances as we passed. A couple of women reclined in front of video gambling machines. Tables with two or three people around them were scattered through the main floor, but for having as many people as The Tap, it was quieter.
My shoulders inched down as I relaxed. Dawson pulled out my seat before he sat in his own.
Shelb’s wife came over and doled out small, square napkins with quick, efficient movements. “I didn’t think you’d last that long,” she said to her husband.
Shelb snorted. “It was going downhill fast. The more beer got poured, the more I worried what would come out of that kid’s mouth.” He shook his head and feathered his fingers over his dark hair. “Cass, have you met Bristol Cartwright?”
I tensed at the intro. The knowing look would be next. Or the loaded “Oh” as my last name registered.
Cass rounded the table and rubbed my back. “Sorry to hear about your dad. What can I get you to drink, hon?”
Her touch catapulted me into the past when Pop would take me to the diner on the corner, the one that’d open at five a.m. to its crowd of regulars with their eyes on caramel rolls the size of their head. One of the older waitresses used to float around me, patting my back and squeezing my shoulder like I’d seen grandmothers do all over town. Cass was probably the same age that waitress had been, and she also didn’t care whether anyone wanted her to mother hen all over them or not.
I managed not to stammer. “A Sprite, please.”
She switched her hand to Dawson’s shoulder. The woman was a toucher. “Been a while, Dawson. How’s it going?”
“Thought I’d keep Shelb out of trouble while you were working.”
Shelb leaned back. “He was going to bail on the bachelor party and walked right into it.”
Jamie and Broden snickered, earning a rueful glare from Dawson.
Cass clucked. “I can’t stand him. I keep telling Shelbie to switch our policy over. If the guy has to recruit his own clients to have a bachelor party, that should say something.”
“Right?” I could’ve fist-bumped her.
Oops. Had I stepped out of line?
Cass winked at me. “Smart minds, hon.”
As she got the rest of the orders, Jamie’s wife, Natalie, showed up. Then Broden’s girlfriend arrived, gushing about how she’d been home in her pajamas. Both women smiled when they were introduced to me. They didn’t handle me like Cass, but I didn’t sense anything other than friendliness.
This was the side of town I’d never seen. Before tonight, it’d felt like an exclusive club that I’d never learn the secret handshake to. Now, Dawson was my invitation.
Dawson
The slap of air-conditioning on my face was welcome after the sun baking me on the sidewalk. I’d had to stop and talk to Samuel about raising the deductible on my pickup. Bristol’s reaction toward how I dealt with him had left a bad taste in my mouth. I’d caught him on the way out to lunch and—shockingly—he hadn’t had time to talk to me. He’d claimed he had to run an errand for his wedding.
I had my doubts.
If I had to make an appointment and push for a lower-priced policy because I didn’t need to be covered to my earlobes when I could easily cover the cost of a higher deductible, then I would. I would just because he was being cagey.
Then I’d walked to the bank for my appointment with Richard Lang. I wouldn’t forget the way he’d treated Bristol at Hogan’s.
The night at Miller’s had turned out better than I’d imagined the night going when we’d first gone out. After what had happened at The Tap, I’d thought I’d lost Bristol for good. That she was done with me, with the town, and with people in general.