Page 87 of Cowboy's Last Stand
Again, Gabe held back his response.Wade had no proof of misconduct—Billy’s or Gabe’s.This was an informal chat meant to probe and provoke.Gabe knew better than to incriminate himself by talking.
“You smell like booze,” Wade said bluntly.
“I spilled tequila on my shirt.”
“I could haul you in right now.”
Gabe barked out a laugh at the empty threat.“Go for it.”
From the bar, Zelda slanted a curious glance at them.Wade wasn’t going to arrest Gabe for helping himself to the restaurant’s tequila.He could approach Zelda and tell her about his suspicions, but what good would it do?She wasn’t Gabe’s mother.Gabe was a grown man who made his own decisions.
Wade pushed back his chair and stood.“Stay out of trouble, and stay away from Billy.He’s on a crash course with the guy Natalie is dating.It won’t end well.”He nodded at Zelda in polite acknowledgment.She rested her forearms on the bar and smiled back at him dreamily.“Tell your sister I said hi.”
Gabe rose with him.He appeared alarmed by the information Wade had shared.His Adam’s apple bobbed in his skinny throat.“I didn’t follow Natalie.I wouldn’t do that.I wouldn’t threaten her.”
“Would Billy?”
Gabe didn’t answer, but his eyes said it all.
Yes.Of course, Billy would follow Natalie and threaten her with violence.The fact that Wade cared about Natalie and wanted her for himself was not a deterrent for Billy.If anything, it was a cherry on top.
Wade cursed his family name under his breath, tossed a few bills on the surface of the table, and left.
Chapter Eighteen
Natalie spent abusy but mostly uneventful evening at the Night Owl.
Wade dropped by to take a statement from her about the damaged tire.He looked downtrodden and exhausted.When she offered him a beer on the house, he declined.She waitressed tables in a fog, replaying her conversation with Jason.
If I’m going to be your man…
Tell me what you need, and I’ll give it to you.
She had to decide what she wanted.The “ground rules” she’d laid down weren’t working.For one, she couldn’t stick to them.For another, he didn’t need sexy talk or kissing to tempt her.His sincere talk was doing the job just fine.
Did she want him to be her man?
He hadn’t alluded to a permanent arrangement before.He’d been clear on his desire to bed her, but he hadn’t promised to stay.Now, he was suggesting something like a real relationship, and she wondered how he could deliver on it.A man who couldn’t sleep indoors wasn’t the best candidate for a live-in boyfriend.A no-strings fling was out of the question now; feelings were already involved.She wiped down the already-gleaming bar as she weighed the pros and cons.On impulse, she doodled some notes in her receipt book.
The cell phone buzzed in her back pocket, startling her out of her reverie.She glanced at the caller ID– Jason Reed.The sight of his name on the screen triggered a faint memory that she couldn’t put her finger on.Holding a palm over one ear to block out the noise from the jukebox, she answered the call.
“Hello?”
“It’s Jason.”
“What’s up?”
“I think Marcus has the flu.”
“Why?”
“He threw up.Twice.”
She made a sound of alarm.
“I handled it,” he said smoothly.“I’m sure he’ll be fine.I just thought I’d call.”
“I’ll come home.”
