Page 7 of Cowboy of Convenience
Evelyn offered up a tiny smile. “Have to deal with a lot of barfers yourself?”
He grinned. “You’d be shocked how many cowboys can’t hold their liquor.”
Evelyn’s head fell back on a genuine laugh. One he’d instigated.
“What about you, fake fiancé?” She looked him over. “You decorate any cars after a night at the bar?”
Grady shook his head, fighting not to let the shadows of his life cloud the moment. “Don’t get the opportunity to drink much anymore.”
Evelyn reached out to adjust the curled mic cord stretched at his shoulder. “I don’t either. I’m usually the DD when I go out with the girls, and other than that, I don’t go out.” She fiddled with the item for a second longer. “And it’s not such a bad thing.” Her eyes came back to his. “I’m not the smartest when I’m inebriated.” Her hand dropped to her side.
“None of us are.” Grady tipped his head toward The Creekery. “Probably a good reason we should get over there and see what’s going on.”
Evelyn groaned. “I can only imagine.” She turned toward the road, stepping right out onto the asphalt without looking.
And right into the path of an oncoming car.
Grady grabbed her as the sporty sedan closed in, pulling her back against him and out of harm’s way. The car slowed, cruising past. Sasha sat behind the wheel, eyes fixed on them as he coasted by.
Evelyn inched closer, lacing her fingers between his and holding on tight as the man who seemed to be her ex continued toward the traffic light. “You were right. He did come back.”
Grady grunted. He didn’t want to be right, but it was pretty damn obvious Sasha wasn’t the type to give up easily. “I deal with assholes like him every day. They think they’re smarter than everyone else.” Sasha had ‘pain in the ass’ written all over him, from the top of his perfectly styled head to the tips of his high-end loafers, the man could be in the dictionary under the word prick.
And Evelyn had dated him. Seriously from the sound of it.
It was hard to wrap his head around the possibility that the sweet, kind, considerate woman still holding onto him would ever be close to a man like that.
“Come on.” Grady squeezed her hand, tugging her across the street as she continued to glance in the direction Sasha’s car disappeared. “Let’s go get your friends and get you all home.”
Grady kept Evelyn close, telling himself it was just in case Sasha made a second pass. Just in case they needed to look like what he’d accidentally claimed they were.
When they reached the door to The Creekery, he opened it wide, holding it so Evelyn could pass inside first. She took two steps in and stopped in her tracks.
“Oh shit.”
CHAPTER THREE
EVELYN
SHE SHOULD HAVE expected this. Should have known it wasn't a good idea to leave the girls alone, especially when they were already a few drinks in.
"Hell." Grady was right behind her, his big body staying close as they rushed toward the center of the bar where Muriel stood face-to-face with one of the rodeo cowboys, staring him down, cane gripped tight in her hand.
Before Evelyn could open her mouth and attempt to defuse the situation, Grady stepped between them, keeping his focus on Muriel. "What's going on?" His tone was patient and calm.
Not the approach she would've taken. Not because she didn't want to, but because right now she was feeling anything but patient and calm. Right now she was feeling a little more like maybe it might not be so bad to whack a few men with a cane.
It was a shame Sasha was already on his way out of town, because she would have loved to have given him a couple good whacks.
"That pecker cut in front of me at the bar and then called me a hag." Muriel waved her cane around, coming close to Grady's head.
But he didn't flinch, just kept the same calm composure as always. “Put the cane down, Muriel.”
"I didn't even see her standing there. She's four-foot nothing." The cowboy at Grady's back continued arguing, like he thought it was going to make the situation better.
"I am every bit of five-one. You'd know that if you didn't lie and tell everyone you’re six feet tall." Muriel motioned at his cowboy hat. "You probably tell all the girls on the Tinder that you've got all your hair too, don't you?"
Evelyn almost took a step back at the dig. It was a pretty low blow and made it clear it was time for them to get the hell out of Dodge.
