Page 52 of Bourbon Bliss
George
Curling my hand around my beer, I let the icy cold bite into my palm. I was still recovering from whatever demon concoction the Bodine brothers had let me drink.Made medrink was more like it. I should have known that peach cobbler moonshine was far more potent than it tasted. It had to have been. It had mellowed me out enough that they’d coaxed me into being launched into the lake by a fucking trebuchet. Honestly, who did that?
But it was also kind of awesome. I mean,who did that?Bootleg Springs, that’s who.
I figured they’d done their brand of hazing. I’d not only survived—something I hadn’t been too sure about when I’d been sailing through the air—but I’d earned their approval, too. And I was glad for it. I liked June—a lot—and it was clear these were the sort of people who took care of each other, and didn’t take too kindly to outsiders being untrustworthy with one of their own.
What I hadn’t counted on was getting into an argument with my brand-new girlfriend so soon. Not just an argument. A fight that had her racing off before we could resolve anything.
I blew out a breath, then took a long pull from my beer.
“Rough day?” Nicolette asked. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a t-shirt that saidMy Sarcasm is Thicker Than My Thighs.
“Yeah. Are you the sort of bartender that listens to everyone’s problems?”
She shrugged as she wiped down the bar with a white cloth. “Only if you’re okay with hearing you’re a dumbass.”
“How do you know I’m being a dumbass?”
“If you’re sitting on that stool sucking down a beer after the hangover you must have from Sonny’s peach cobbler ’shine, you were being a dumbass about something.”
“Tough crowd.”
“I own the best bar in a town where I have to call the cops on a bunch of eighty-year-old bingo players on the regular and a bar fight is just some good fun on a Friday night.” She grinned. “You bet I’m a tough crowd.”
I tipped my bottle to her. “Fair point.”
The door swung open and three of the reasons for my hangover strolled inside. Bowie, Jonah, and Gibson Bodine looked every bit the brothers they were. Tall, dark hair, eyes ranging from blue to gray. I knew Jonah had a different mother, but he had enough Bodine in him that there was no mistaking his parentage.
I liked these guys. Even though they could have killed me the other day.
“GT.” Bowie slapped me on the back and hauled himself onto the stool next to me. “Hey, Nicolette. Beers for me and Jonah, when you have a second. Water for Gibs.” He turned to Gibson. “Or could she get you a nice lemonade?”
“Piss off,” Gibson said. “Sweet tea, Nic.”
Jonah sat next to Bowie, and Nicolette handed them their beers. Gibson took his mason jar of sweet tea and plucked out the straw.
“There’s a lot of sugar in that,” Jonah said, gesturing toward Gibson’s drink.
“Beer has carbs,” Gibson said with a scowl.
Jonah seemed to concede his point and took a drink.
“Why are you sitting here drinking alone?” Bowie asked.
I took another pull. “Got in a fight with June.”
Gibson and Jonah shared a look that clearly saidthat poor sucker.
“Already?” Bowie asked. “GT, I thought we made things clear. Do we need to haul your ass back down to the lake? Because I’m telling you, it took a solid week of planning to pull that off and I don’t think we can get away with it again.”
“Now hold up, Bodine,” I said. “We got into a little argument. That sort of thing has to be allowed. Otherwise you must be tossing your sister’s boyfriend into the lake at least once a week. Even I’ve seen them argue.”
Bowie grinned. “We like Dev, but we still have a little fun with him from time to time. But no, you’re right. Couples argue.”
Gibson snorted. “Don’t have to deal with that shit if you stay single.”
“Amen to that,” Jonah said.
