Page 18 of Brett and Rowdy
“Hey, y’all.”
“We’re just letting Barney be a dog for a second before he has to go in and be nice.” Ashley grinned over at him. “It’s funny, when he’s not in his harness, he is the biggest goofball you’ve ever met. I can’t believe how they all have such different personalities.”
“Have you had a lot?”Did you go through them at a quick pace or something?
Rowdy’s hat brim dipped. “I’ve had Fred, Wilma, and Barney. Then when he retires, I’m sure there’ll be a Betty. They stay with me when they’re not working anymore. I adopt them until their end of life, you know? But they get to be just dogs at the ranch and have a ball, run around like idiots. Play with each other. They’ve worked, they’ve done their job, so I do mine.”
Okay. That was really cool. How did he fuss about something like that? “Rock on, man. That’ll do you?—”
“All right, let’s get this over with. I’ve put it off enough.”
Ashley stared at Rowdy like he could see her. “I’m nervous.”
“Remember, we are heads high, and we’re the coolest cats in the world.”
Ashley was scared. It was written in her entire body, but Rowdy took her arm and held on. “Breathe, Momma, we got this. Our girl just graduated with honors from Clemson. Our baby girl just graduated fromcollege. She’s amazing. So these people can just go fuck themselves.”
Now that was the Rowdy he knew right there—prideful and burning with just this hint ofI’m going to kick your ass.
And it was as hot now as it ever was when they were in high school.
Ashley straightened up, and they headed right into the bar.
The place was friggin’ packed, and he watched Ashley play block. So he did the same thing for Rowdy on the other side, just making sure nobody slammed into him, stepped on the dog, or was an asshole. Crystal took up the rear and they managed to walk right up to the bar where Mose was, pulling beers and making cocktails.
They waited for a few minutes, not saying much of anything in the crowd.
Finally, Mose got up to them. “What can I get you?”
“Whatever you got that’s amber and doesn’t taste like horse piss. And then whatever anybody else wants. This round’s on me.”
Ash nodded. “I’d like a margarita on the rocks with salt.”
“Me too, me too,” Crystal called, and Brett nodded.
“IPA for me.”
“Amber, IPA, two margaritas on the rocks, with salt. I got it.” He took the card Rowdy offered and headed off to start a tab.
“Thanks for the beer,” he said to Rowdy.
“No problem. So are we going to find a place to sit, or stand? I don’t remember anything about this.”
Ashley snorted. “Well, that’s because you were eighteen when you left here, and you weren’t drinking legally, remember?”
“I’ve visited!”
Her laughter drew some glances. Rowdy drew more. “There are some tall tables. It’s pretty crowded, but I bet we can whine and get a seat for you at the bar, even.”
“I’d rather not sit at the bar with Barney. If there’s tables, that would be the best, because I can just let him slide underneath and not be in the way. I’m not too proud to ask someone to move.”
“Oh, let’s see who we can ask. There’s got to be somebody asking is going to piss off.” Ashley’s little smile was vicious.
“Atta girl.” Brett looked around. “Deidre’s sitting over there with a bunch of her friends.”
“Oh, that’s perfect. God does love me. I mean, I never really doubted, but every so often it’s so nice to know that it’s true.” Ashley gave him her best real estate smile and good Lord and butter, there was sheer evil behind those eyes.
They got their drinks, Brett carrying the beers, and carefully wound their way over to the table where Deidre and a few middle-aged women were sitting and drinking.
