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Harper pointed to Nash’s face. “Bentley did that?”
Emma winced and nodded, reaching into the beer cooler and taking out two beers. “I know. It’s awful. I told Shep in passing that I hoped one day I could ride Bentley.” She twisted off the caps, tossing them into the garbage. “He got it in his head that I meant, like, now.”
“It’ll happen,” said Nash, his beer halfway to his mouth. “Some horses just put up more of a fight.” He took the long swig he’d been waiting on.
Emma frowned. “It might not happen at all if you’re dead.” She headed off toward the customer waiting for her a few stools down.
“Trust me,” Nash stated, drawing Harper’s attention back to him. “It will happen.”
When Megan returned to Harper, she grabbed three shot glasses then poured tequila into each glass. “I’m a big fan of this horse.”
Nash chuckled, the type of laugh that only a man full of arrogance could possess. “Why? Because you want me dead?”
Megan placed the bottle back onto the wall behind them and then shot Nash a sassy smile. “Because he’s saving me the job of doing it myself.”
He lowered his beer to the bar and arched an eyebrow in her direction. “Ah, but don’t you think the fight would be half the fun?”
The heat that rose to Megan’s gaze was swift and blatantly obvious. Her cheeks flushed pink, and even Harper could see the way her lips parted, indicating the rise in her pulse and need to draw in more air.
Harper pretended to look anywhere but at them as a loud whistle cut through the air.
The live band stopped playing as Brody took over the microphone on the stage. In a slightly belligerent state, he yelled, “Faith and I are getting married on Friday at Chase’s place at eight o’clock. Consider this your welcome to be there.”
The crowd roared with thunderous applause filling the bar.
Once they quieted, Emma stopped next to Harper. “Friday, as in this coming Friday?”
?
?Yup,” Harper replied.
“Talk about a fast wedding.”
Harper nodded. “He wanted me to experience it all, I think, so they’re doing this in hyper speed.”
“River Rock is such a strange place,” said Emma before turning to the register to grab change. “I can’t even imagine how they will pull that off in such a short time. Crazy.”
Farther down the bar, one of Brody’s work buddies held up two fingers. Having served him earlier, Harper grabbed two Foxy Divas then said to Emma, “As long as the important people are there, who cares about anything else. Get some booze, some snacks, and great friends, and you’re all set.”
Emma closed the register, then nodded. “You’re right. That is how it should be.” She paused. Then, “I take it you’re cooking up the snacks for the wedding?”
“You know it.”
Emma smiled. “How about I come over Friday morning and help you?”
“I’d love that.” Harper delivered the beers, taking the guy’s twenty-dollar bill and returning to the cash register right as Megan climbed onto the bar with the help of a stool.
When Harper strode by, Megan snatched her arm. “Get on up here, girl.”
“Oh, no,” Harper grumbled. She used the same stool to climb up on the slab of the bar next to Megan, followed by Emma a moment later.
“Raise your glasses, Kinky Spurs,” Megan called to the crowd before she handed one of the shots of tequila to Harper and the next one to Emma. “Our girl is leaving us. I surely don’t know what I’ll do without her. So, let’s do what we do best. Tonight, we’ll drink, and we’ll party, and we’ll celebrate not only for Brody and Faith, but let’s wish our girl, Harper, well on her move to Sin City.” She raised her shot glass. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, chica. Go and kick some serious ass in Vegas.”
Harper smiled, clinking her glass against Megan’s, then downed the tequila. When she lowered the glass, cringing against the aftertaste, Megan and Emma wrapped their arms around her tight.
In that warmth surrounding her, a confusing coldness struck to her core. Everything in their touch felt honest and real. So why did everything suddenly seem all wrong?
When they stepped back, she glanced at Chase, his gaze locked onto hers. For years she had dreamed of Las Vegas, of all the excitement, of all the recognition she would gain there as a chef. For the past month she had planned her new life. She’d found an apartment to rent. She’d booked her plane ticket. And now, for the first time, she did not feel excited anymore.
