Page 28 of Make Her Mine
“Ah, the Baker twins,” she said with a smile. “They’re as different as night and day. The one behind the bar is actually very good. Her sister though, well, she’s far from it. Your brother better watch out for her. Betty Sue has been known to impersonate her sister on more than one occasion. It’s gotten her into trouble at times.”
She was good. “How do you know that’s my brother?”
“Are you kidding?” The waitress brought our drinks and placed them in front of us. “Thank you, Sarah.”
“You know everyone, don’t you?” I asked.
She nodded. “Born and raised here. And you were born and raised in Dallas. Your father left town with Lila Stevens, whom he’d eloped with before coming back to tell his father to screw off.”
“What do you know about Ella Finley?” Since the town gossip was sitting with me, I might as well find out everything about Ella.
“Ella Finley works as a maid at Whisper Ranch. She recently turned twenty-one. She’s never been spotted with any man—or woman—so one can’t assume she’s a lesbian. She is quiet and keeps to herself.” Felicity leaned forward to whisper the next part. “She’s never had a friend in her life, Brandon. Ella’s tough to get along with.”
“I know.” I finished my beer, then went to work on the new one. “Something about her intrigues me.”
Shrugging, she got up. “I’m meeting someone. I better get to my own table, so he doesn’t get pissed. If you want to let me in on your story, you can find me at the publishing company most workdays. Just stop by.”
“Don’t hold your breath. It was nice meeting you, Felicity.” I nodded as she left. Clayton came back, taking his seat again. “Did you two reconnect?”
“Kind of, not nearly enough.” Clayton looked over his shoulder as Tiffany went out the door. “I noticed Felicity came to talk to you. She’s prying for our story. Dyllan and I both told her it’s not quite the story she thinks. Plus, we don’t want to be front page news in our new town.”
“Me, neither.” I watched the door open again, and some hot brunette came walking in, swaying her hips. “Who’s that?”
Clayton turned to see who I was talking about and did a double take. “Naw. It can’t be.”
“She almost looks like…” I squinted to try to see better.
“Ella,” Clayton said in a hushed whisper. “It’s Ella, Brandon.”
“No way.” Getting up, I made my way to where she’d taken a seat at the bar but stopped when I saw Dyllan talking to her. When he looked back at me, but she kept looking ahead, it was in his eyes. It was Ella!”
“What in the hell?” I went back to sit down with Clayton. “What is she doing?”
Clayton moved his chair around so he could observe. “This ought to be interesting. Ella Finley at a local dive.”
The barmaid put a shot glass in front of her and filled it with whiskey. “She isn’t going to drink that. It’ll come right back out of her mouth.”
Dyllan looked back at us as Ella picked the glass up and took it all at once. He looked as stunned as I when she put the empty glass down on the bar, then nodded. The glass was filled again, and I shook my head at Dyllan who merely shrugged as Ella downed that one, too.
“She’s old enough to drink, Brandon,” Clayton alleged as he put his beer mug to his lips.
“But she’s not a drinker, Clayton. She’s making rookie mistakes right there.” My eyes went to the door as some guy walked in, and his eyes went right to Ella. He walked over and took the empty barstool next to her.
He uttered something to her, and she seemed to be talking back. Then he held up two fingers, and the barmaid put two beers in front of them both. He extended his arm, which Ella accepted, then they took their drinks and went to sit at a small table, sitting so close their legs touched.
Clayton looked at me with a grin. “Would you look at that?”
I could barely see through the fury that filled my vision. “What the hell does she think she’s doing?”
“It looks like she’s trying to act ordinary for a change.” Clayton took another drink as he turned his chair around. “Boring.”
Watching Ella was anything but boring! I was infuriated! She’d been so mean to me, and here she was talking it up with some strange dude! And she was all dolled up, too. She even knew how to put on makeup and curl her hair!
“She’s got work tomorrow; maybe I should go over and remind her?” I picked up my beer and started to get up when Ella stood and went back to the bar alone. “Or, I’ll sit back and see if she’s going to do the right thing on her own.” I watched her take the seat she’d left, and she ordered another shot. “That’s way too much for her.”
Clayton laughed. “Relax, Brandon. We’re right here. We won’t let her drive home drunk. Maybe she took a cab?”
Taking advantage of her back to me, I got up to go out to see if she drove one of the cars to the bar. Peeking out the window, the yellow Corvette was parked right up front. When I went back to sit down with Clayton, I let him in on the scoop, “Seems she took the Corvette.”
