Page 60 of Sunrise & Serenity

Allie surveys the bar with a smile. “Thanks. My father opened it forty years ago. It hasn’t changed much since. So,” she slaps the bar, “what can I get you girls?”

“I’ll have a mojito,” Taryn says.

I turn to stare at her. “You’re underage.”

She only laughs.

Allie shakes her head. “Don’t worry. She knows she’ll get the virgin variety.”

“Nothing wrong with virgins,” Taryn says archly. “Who needs alcohol to have fun, anyway?”

“While I absolutely agree with you,” I say. “I might have a non-virgin one this time.”

Allie nods, then eyes Quinn, who’s stepped up next to me. “How about you?”

“Are we committing to cocktails tonight, or is that just for you two?” he asks us.

One of his sister’s dark brows curves up. “When have you ever done commitment?”

Gasping, he slaps a hand to his chest. “You wound me.” His lips tip into a grin. “But you’re right.”

He turns his attention to Allie. “Chance and Knox would never forgive me if I got them cocktails, so I’ll take three bottles of the IPA.”

She chuckles. “I don’t know, Cowboys and Cocktails has a ring to it.”

The smile he gives her is full of easy charm. For a moment, I let myself imagine what Holden would look like if he smiled like that. He’d probably be even more irresistible to women than he already is.

Maybe it’s better if he doesn’t.

I shut down that thought quickly. As long as I can resist him, why would it matter to me if other women can’t?

Once Allie moves off to get our drinks, Quinn turns back to us, propping an arm on the bar. “Chance and Knox are here. They found an open couch by the dance floor.”

“Who is Knox, anyway?” I ask. “I don’t think I’ve met him yet.”

“He’s a friend of Chance’s. Trains horses for competition, so he’s gone most of the time, but he stops in between gigs or when he’s training somewhere nearby.”

“He’s really good,” Taryn says.

Is it just the lighting in here, or is she blushing a little? If so, she quickly changes the topic. “I wish Holden had come tonight. He doesn’t get out enough.”

“You know what it’s like when he comes out,” Quinn says. “He doesn’t like all the attention.”

She sighs heavily. “Still, I think it would do him good.”

Allie returns, setting a mojito in front of Taryn. “Virgin,” she says with a wink.

She hands me a second one, then retrieves three beer bottles from beneath the bar, popping the caps with a practiced twist of her wrist.

Quinn picks one up and tips it at her. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Come on,” Taryn says, “let’s go find Chance and Knox.” She leads the way toward the dance floor and the couches set up near the back of the room, where her brother, another man, and Riley are sitting.

When we reach them, Riley jumps up and hugs us both.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she says. “I want to dance tonight, and you know your brothers are hopeless.”

“Hey,” Quinn protests. “Have you forgotten about my mean two-step skills?”