Page 59 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“Shots, shots, shots!” The chant went up.

Nancy, the owner of the Circle Left, who had unnaturally blond hair and wore red lipstick and powder on her lined face, said from behind the bar, “Yeah, yeah, you all cool your jets.”

She placed glasses in a row and poured whiskey into them. JD got off his stool to offer it up to another. Hands pressed him back down into the seat.

“You deserve the first shot. You just stay there, JD,” Nancy said.

They had never really accepted him. They frequented his business and tolerated him, but not much else. He felt in this moment they were giving him more, and all because he’d hurt Beau Keller. There was something a bit screwed up about that, but right then, he didn’t care.

“Teams in behind!” Nancy called.

Sydney Jane sat to his right.

“Hi, JD,” she purred in a breathy voice.

He nodded. Her Leaders shirt had buttons down the front, and most of them were open, showing off her lacy lavender bra. “You played real well today.” She whispered the words into his ear. “Maybe you could show me some other moves later.”

“Thanks for saying I played well, Sydney Jane” was the only reply he was giving her.

“For pity’s sake, SJ, the man has said no in so many ways, I’ve lost count. Take a hint, girl!” Nina said from behind her.

JD swallowed his smile as Sydney Jane pouted.

“Three, two, one, and go!” Nancy called.

“Drink, don’t sniff,” a deep voice said over his shoulder, so JD did as he was told, and the firewater burned down his throat. He put the glass on his head like Bart, who was next to him, and then slapped it on the bar. JD then got off the stool and moved down the line.

“Nice hit on Beau Keller,” Dr. Hannah said when he passed her.

“You people are weird,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Looking around, he told himself he wasn’t searching for Zoe, but of course he was. He saw her sitting with her feet on a chair, talking to her friend Lil. He moved that way before he could stop himself.

“Your brother wants to know if you need any drinks and sent me over to ask.” It was a good excuse, seeing as she had four brothers.

“Sure. Tell them I want top-shelf, as they’re paying,” Zoe said.

“Sit, JD. You’re the hero, so I’ll get the drinks,” Lil said, rising.

“He’s not a hero,” Zoe said.

“Harsh. I took out the man who hurt you.”

Zoe waited until Lil left and glared at him. “You’ve just made an enemy of Beau Keller.”

“I can handle Keller.”

She scoffed, which pissed him off.

“I can,” he said, sounding like a schoolkid. She made him react in ways he never usually did. Normally he didn’t care what people thought of him.

“You’re a city boy. Kellers are like my brothers, mean and hardened.”

He leaned down and put his face inches from hers. “You want me to prove how tough I am? Need me to arm wrestle or something?”

“Stop it,” she hissed.

“Then stop insulting me,” he said.

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