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“Seven years!” Cass’s eyes go wide, and she turns back to him. “You must be so patient.”
“You have no idea.” He lifts his glass, taking a sip, and I can barely breathe at the heat simmering in his amber eyes.
Cass seems oblivious, and I glance at Piper, but she’s tapping on her phone. I’m about to ask if Alex is still looking for a nanny when an unwelcome, loud voice interrupts us.
“Speak of the devil!” Maylynn Evers is behind me, and I turn to see her standing beside a not-smiling Keekee Waters. “We were just talking about you, Britt Bailey! I was saying the last time we saw you, you told that funny story about your car stalling out at a gas station… I don’t know where you get your sense of humor.”
Embarrassment heats my chest, and I’m sure it’s up my neck and all over my face. I don’t know how to reply, and Cass jumps in to save me.
“I’m sorry, do we know each other?”
“That’s highly unlikely.” Keekee’s eyebrow arches, and her eyes slide from my friends to me. “You live in this little town now?”
“Eureka’s my home.” I stand straighter, having enough of their mean-girl attitudes. “What’s your excuse?”
Maylynn titters a laugh. “There you go again.Hilarious. I told you, we came to see this incredible facility. It’s been written up in all the major publications.”
“Including mine,” Piper calls, holding up her tumbler.
“The best of them all.” Cass taps her glass against it.
“Are you a journalist?” Keekee’s gaze lands on her.
“I’m actually the publisher of theEureka Gazette.”
“You mean that little rag my cousin’s always talking about? I saw that.” Turning to the bar, she smiles at Alex. “Excuse me, sir, we’d like to sample the special reserve if you don’t mind.”
Alex’s eyes narrow, and our eyes meet. “Are they friends of yours, Britt?”
Hesitating, I’m not sure how to answer. I think about the last time I was with these women, how Maylynn ditched me when Keekee turned her nose up at me. I remember how I sat alone in her well-appointed living room nibbling a bland cucumber sandwich and wishing the ground would open up and swallow me.
“No.” I shake my head. “Not at all.”
His brow arches, and he sets the bottle down, emerging from behind the bar.
“What’s in the water?” Maylynn murmurs to Keekee. “I’ve seen more panty-melters in this little town than anywhere I’ve been.”
“I’m sorry, ladies.” Alex holds out his hand towards the door. “We’re closed tonight for a private tasting. I’m afraid you’ll have to go.”
“What?” Keekee’s eyes flash. “There was no notice of a private tasting. We came all this way to visit this establishment.”
“Well, I’m the owner, and unless you’re friends with my sister-in-law here, you’ll have to leave.”
“What… Why, I…” She flashes her eyes at me before turning on Alex again. “Do you know who I am?”
“I do.” His voice is flat. “You’re the lady who’s leaving my bar.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing!” Keekee bellows like a wet pigeon as Alex clasps her arm and Maylynn’s in a firm grip, escorting them to the door. “This is not the end of this… I’ve never been so insulted in my life!”
Keekee is still going, but Maylynn, looks back shaking her head with a laugh. “I’ve never been thrown out of a bar before!”
My eyes narrow, and while I’m not sure how I feel about Maylynn Evers, I hope I never see Keekee Waters again.
“Were those the bitches from that Greenville Ladies Club?” Cass’s hands are on her hips, and she’s fuming, watching Alex put them outside before closing the door and turning the bolt. “I wasn’t finished with them!”
She starts to follow the way they left, but I grab her arm. “Easy, Champ. Alex handled it.”
“Yeah, he did!” Piper cheers as he returns to us. “Put it here, bro!”
