Page 63 of Cowboy's Last Stand
“After he went to sleep!”
“Never again.No friends, no drugs.”
“OK,” London said, rolling her eyes.“I promise.”
Natalie was glad they understood each other.“You can leave at ten tonight.Jason is working on the upstairs apartment, so he’ll be around.”
“Jason is still there?Like, staying over?”
She nodded.
“Wow,” London said in approval.“I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Natalie knew what she meant.London thought she was too uptight and closed off to date, let alone bring a random man home and keep him.
“He’s majorly hot,” she said.
“I have to go.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not a poacher.I won’t scam on him or anything.”
“I appreciate that.”
“No problem.See you later.”
Shaking her head, Natalie left the girl on her porch.She returned to her house, grabbed her purse, and drove to the Night Owl.The parking lot was already half full.She braced herself for a busy Friday night, and she wasn’t disappointed.Customers came in droves, ordering drinks and food and more drinks.To her relief, Billy and his friends didn’t show.The patrons were friendly, if a bit raucous, and the tips were plentiful.
The college girls from the previous weekend returned.She was glad Billy’s crew hadn’t scared them off.They were young and attractive, so their presence here was a boon.Buster had explained this to Natalie when they’d redecorated with a woman’s touch.When a bar had “quality” female customers, more men came and stayed longer.
Natalie brought the girls a second round of drinks on the double, being extra-friendly.They were all wearing low-cut tops and tight jeans.She overheard their conversation as she set down the tumblers.Three vodka crans with fresh lime garnish.
“The prospects are slim tonight,” the blonde said.
“At least those jerks aren’t here.”
“True.”
“I liked the youngest one.”
The brunette elbowed her friend.“He wasn’t even old enough to drink, you cradle robber.”
“Yeah, but he had weed.”
“Is that what you were doing in the alley with him?It looked more like sucking face than smoking weed.”
They all laughed merrily.
Natalie knew they were talking about Gabe.At twenty, he already had a reputation for indiscriminate hookups and at least one arrest for driving under the influence.He was going nowhere fast.
“Anything else for you ladies?”she asked.“A bite from the kitchen?”
They shook their heads, only interested in alcohol.
“Hey, remember that cowboy from last weekend?”the blonde asked Natalie.She gestured to the space where Jason had been sitting.“Tall, dark, and handsome?”
“I remember him,” Natalie said.
The blonde jerked her thumb at Natalie and said to her friends, “I couldn’t pick him up because he was trying to hit on her.”
