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Millie couldn’t keep the grin from her face. “There’s no one in here thatyouknow, but I personally am acquainted with at least three of the guys sitting up at that bar. They work at Old Chill Ranch.”
“Including that good-looking one on the end who bought us these beers?”
Millie glanced over. The man was yummy. And tall. And definitely interested. “Nope. That one, I don’t know.”
“Good.” Ivy sat back and grinned. “I have a feeling before the night’s over, we’ll know him real good.” She signaled the waitress. “Can we have a couple of bourbon sours?”
The woman was Abraham’s wife, Darlene. She hitched her shoulders and frowned, eyebrows raised hilariously. “What do you think this is, the Ritz? I can bring you a bourbon but it sure ain’t gonna be sour.”
“On the rocks, then.”
With that, the girls dug into their food, and the drinks kept coming. The jukebox spit out the kind of music that would make anyone dance, and as they downed the cheap bourbon and the boys sidled up to them on the dance floor, Millie felt some of that weight she’d been carrying lift.
She danced and laughed and sang and drank, and then she danced some more. By the time last call rolled around, both she and Ivy were in no shape to drive. In fact, neither of them was in the mood to leave, for that matter. Why would they? Ivy had met a new friend, and while Millie wasn’t keen on any of the men, she sure enjoyed the freedom of the moment.
She slipped more money into the jukebox and picked out a couple of classics, first up, “Goodbye Earl” by The Chicks. She and Ivy and their new pal Nikki, a girlfriend to one of the cowpokes at the bar, danced like fiends, and by the time the last song ended, they were sweaty and Millie had tears in her eyes.
“I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard,” she said, pushing her hair off her neck.
“Probably because it’s been ages since you drank cheap bourbon like it was water.” Ivy was flushed and weaving on her feet. She’d definitely had more than Millie Sue. Her eyes widened, fixed on something across the room, but Millie paid no mind. She was too busy rifling through the pockets of her jeans, looking for more change for the jukebox.
“What am I going to do with you two?” Millie turned as Mike Paul walked up to them, shaking his head. “You’re both crazy, you know that, right? I’ve never seen anyone dance like that before.”
“Sorry we don’t move like ballerinas,” Ivy said. “Don’t be a party pooper.”
“I think Abraham would like to go home, girls,” Mike Paul said.
Millie whipped around, mouth open to beg Abraham for one last song, but her nose came into contact with a hard chest, and if not for two strong arms, she would have landed on her ass.
“Hey, there.” His voice was molten. Hot chocolate over fire.
Cal.
“Hey yourself,” Millie said, chin stuck out in defiance. She had to angle her head a bit in order to see him properly. “Who called you?”
“I did, girlie.” Abraham had their coats. His long, frizzled gray hair was covered by a thick hat, and he was dressed in his winter gear. Darlene stood to the side, glaring at them, as if they hadn’t just dropped a bucket of cash in the joint.
Abraham pointed to the door. “Trust me, you’ll be happy for it in the morning.” With that, he handed over the coats and waited impatiently for the girls to get into them. Ivy nearly fell on the floor, which gave Millie the giggles. By the time she got on her own coat, her sides ached from laughing.
She leaned back against Cal, uncaring that her butt was nestled against his crotch. In fact, she liked it. “Let’s go,” Cal said, gently pushing her in front of him. He shook Abraham’s hand. “Thanks for looking out for them.”
The parking lot was empty, save for several vehicles parked in various spots. Most likely drunks like Millie. She’d have to make the trek back for hers in the morning.
“You got your keys?” Cal asked as he herded Millie toward the truck.
“Wait,” she muttered, searching through her jacket. “You’re driving me home?”
“I sure am.” He took the keys from her. “Mike Paul’s got Ivy. Your truck is better off in your driveway than left here overnight.”
She stared up at him stupidly, processing his words. Somewhere in her brain, there was a voice shouting at her to leave. To be anywhere but next to Cal. Where was Ivy? She should get a ride home with her. That made sense.
But Millie’s feet didn’t move.Shit. Only two nights ago, she’d told herself she would never let herself be this close to him again. Never give him the opportunity to poke holes in a defense that was already weak.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Okay. Get yourself home.
Be smart about this.
