Page 19 of Brooke's Bliss
It was late, almost closing time.The last time he’d gone tothe restroom, he’d taken a tour of the parking lot and the only cars remainingwere Sawyer’s Jeep, their truck, and that tiny Fiat that wouldn’t fit more thanfour people.
The Farley brothers weren’t allowed out after ten, sinceapparently that was when the devil showed up, so Brooke was going to need aride.
Was she thinking she would get one from Cleo?Or was sheplanning to call her brothers at almost two in the morning?Did she think theywere so bad for her she wouldn’t even accept a ride from them?
He intended to correct that impression tonight.By being agentleman.He intended to show her how good they could be for her.
And how are you going to do that?His inner voicekept creeping in.What good are you going to do her?You got no real money.You don’t have a house.You barely have a car, and you can’t even considergoing after her yourself because you learned long ago that you’re half a manand always will be.
He took the last sip of beer, the one he’d been saving.Hewasn’t listening to that crap tonight.
“Hey, guys.It’s last call,” Sawyer announced from the barin a booming voice.“I close in twenty, and I mean to be up that mountain abouttwo minutes after.You don’t have to go home but you…”
Shane knew the next words.“Can’t stay here.”
How many nights had he and Bay stayed at the bar until theyheard those words because it was better than wherever they happened to bestaying?His rodeo days had definitely been spent that way.Cheap motel room.Closest dive bar.Rinse.Repeat.
How many women had they gone home with?Oh, he’d toldhimself it was for sex, but it was also to stay out of that room they shared.Whether it was a motel or a bunkhouse, he was constantly reminded that therewas no home for him.
No one wants you.Your father only took you in becausehis pastor knew about you and it would make us look bad if we let you go intothe system.
Sometimes he wished she had.
But then that would have left Bay alone with her.Hesuspected if he hadn’t been his stepmother’s whipping boy, she would haveturned all that anger and regret on her son.In some ways, he thought havinghim around had spared Bay a lot of pain.
Sawyer walked up and grabbed their empty glasses with afrown.“You two are disappointments.”
Not anything he hadn’t heard before.“Yeah, we get that alot.”
“You’ve been here for hours and you’ve nursed two wholebeers.I don’t do this for my health.I need serious drinkers, and that’s notthe two of you.”Sawyer glanced back at the only other table left.“You stayfor her?”
Was this the moment when Sawyer took away their big chancewith her?“We thought we should hang around.She’s going to need a ride.Unlessyou think they can strap one of them to the top of a Fiat.I suppose she couldcall someone, but I thought we should make sure she gets home okay.”
“So you kept the drinking to a minimum.”Sawyer stared athim as though he could see through to his damn soul.Or he was deciding how tokill him in the cleanest fashion.He’d heard the big guy didn’t like a mess.Hefinally nodded.“Okay.I need you to know that I’m watching you.If she doesn’tget home all right or if you take advantage of her, I’ll kill you.Deal?”
“Could we talk about the word advantage?”Bay asked.“Itcould mean different things to different people.”
“How much has she had to drink?”Shane got right to thepoint.“I saw her drink two glasses of wine and some water.”
“She had a glass of champagne about an hour ago, but sinceshe’s been drinking club soda, and she split a BLT with Cleo, who is alsosober,” Sawyer explained.“I can’t say the same for the rest.They look wasted,but then they’re actors, so I’m not surprised.I think the only class ofemployed people who can drink actors under the table are teachers, but Itotally don’t blame them.I’ve seen what those kids can do.”He looked over andCleo and the group were walking up.“Can you handle them okay?I can get Wyattto come down and drive some of you home while I close.”
Cleo held a hand up.“I am a director, Sawyer.I am used tocorralling a bunch of artists and getting them where they need to be.Besides,we’re all staying out at the Movie Motel.Val is in my room, and the boys havethe one next to us.”
Brooke winced.“Are you still driving the Fiat?”
Cleo nodded.“Yeah, but Val can sit on Dave’s lap.We cansqueeze in.”
Bay held up a hand.“Uhm, be careful about that.The sheriffis on a rampage, and by rampage I mean he’s writing tickets right and leftbecause he needs a new chair and he wants one of those massagers.The last onebroke, and I do not want to know how.I got a ticket for jaywalking, whichapparently is a real thing, and I got a lecture on protecting my vertebraebecause they go bad or something.”
Shane had never been happier to report a sighting of a lawenforcement professional.“One of the deputies is parked at the base of themountain.”
Cleo sighed.“Maybe we’re going to need that ride, Sawyer.”
“I am not making Wyatt come down here and drive me home.He’s probably already in bed.”Brooke looked to Sawyer.“Can they drive safelyor should I take their truck and run?”
And that was why they’d sat here nursing beers when theyshould have been getting drunk off their asses and proving what cowboys theywere.
He didn’t want to be a cowboy tonight.He wanted to serveher in some way.
