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But Carson saw it coming and shifted. “Is that Lane?” he asked, spotting the Prosper brother coming into the bar.
Lane saw him at the same moment and headed in his direction. “You really did come, sis,” he said to Evie.
“Lane Prosper,” Jana said with a coy smile. It seemed her attention had shifted from Carson to Lane, which was fine with him. “You’re looking fine.”
“You are, too, Jana,” Lane said with a generous smile. “Sorry, I’ve gotta steal Carson from you for a moment. Be right back, ladies.”
Carson didn’t have a chance to question where he was being taken before Lane steered him through the bar. He glanced back at Evie, but she seemed to be caught up in another conversation with Barb and Jana. He felt guilty about leaving her with two women she didn’t seem to care for, but this was her town. Or used to be, anyway.
“Everyone, this is Carson Hunt,” Lane declared when they paused in front of two tables that had been shoved together.
The cowboys at the table greeted him, and introductions continued, although Carson knew he probably wouldn’t remember any of their names.
“Have a seat,” Lane said, clapping him on the shoulder, and someone else shifted a chair toward him.
So Carson sat. Another guy scooted a beer toward him from the collection in the middle of the table.
“I’ll go grab another round,” Lane said, taking off toward the bar.
“You’re Mr. Hunt’s grandson?” one guy asked.
“That’s me,” Carson said, glancing over where Evie had been standing. The women had moved, and he scanned the room searching for her.
“How’d ya end up with Evie?” the guy continued.
Carson zeroed in on him. He guessed him to be late twenties. “What’s your name again?”
The guy chuckled. “Douglas, but you can call me Deuce.”
“Okay . . .”
“It’s cause he’s won the grand champion the past two years at the rodeo,” one of the other guys piped up. “After Knox left town, of course.”
Everyone at the table laughed.
Deuce merely nodded, a grin on his face.
“Are you gonna answer the question about Evie?” one of the others asked.
Carson glanced at Lane, but he was still at the bar, ordering more drinks.
“Well?” Deuce prompted.
Carson met the man’s gaze. “We met at school, and I gave her a ride home.”
“Looks like you did more than give her a ride home,” Deuce said with a smirk.
Carson’s neck burned hot. He’d never been in a bar fight, but this guy was pushing him to the edge. “I’ll leave you to your drinks. Nice to meet y’all.” He rose, but before he could step away from the table, Deuce spoke up again.
“Looks like you’re a whipped pansy over the mayor’s daughter,” he drawled. “You think you can bribe the mayor into making changes in Prosper with your grandad’s money?”
Carson spun around, and in an instant, he’d hauled Deuce to his feet by the collar. The guys at the table went silent, but he didn’t care. It was taking all of his willpower to not plow his fist into the guy’s cocky face.
“Don’t talk about what you don’t know,” Carson said. “And always leave a woman out of it.”
Someone whistled, but Carson was focused on Deuce.
The guy didn’t even flinch. In fact, a slow smile lifted his mouth.
