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“Maybe he’s working,” Weston says.
“Nope. He just finished a shift. He should be off the next two days. I ran into Susanna’s mother at the gas station, and she was on her way to pick Susanna up. Apparently, she’s got her panties in a wad about something. Again. So, he’s on his own for the evening,” Langford tells him.
“Are you fucking kidding me? She’s always pitching a fit about something. Damn, he just came off shift. He hasn’t had time to do anything to piss her off,” Weston gripes.
“Women like her don’t need a reason to pitch a fit, just an audience,” I interject as I place the frosted mugs on their coasters.
“You got that right,” Weston agrees.
“How do you know Susanna?” Langford asks.
I shrug. “I don’t really. I just know women like her. That little stunt she pulled at Ansley’s engagement party, tossing the wine on your brother and causing a scene? That was because she wanted the attention on her. She didn’t like being a spectator for Ansley and Garrett’s big day. Trust me, I know the type.”
“Yep, that’s Susanna,” Langford agrees.
“What I don’t get is why he puts up with it,” I say.
Corbin Tuttle is the town’s fire chief. He’s highly respected, and like his brothers, he’s a handsome devil. Any woman in Balsam Ridge would love the opportunity to keep him warm at night.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Weston says before taking a sip from his mug.
“He’s blinded by love. We’ve all been there,” Langford answers.
“Not me. I’ll never fall prey to the L-word,” Weston scoffs.
“Sure you will, brother. Just like I did. I didn’t see my ex’s true colors until after Tucker was born. I thought maybe that baby boy would settle her down, but the opposite happened instead.
“That happens. Good people always think that the assholes they fall in love with will change one day. But they never do,” I mutter.
Weston’s eyes go wide. “I do believe you’re as cynical as I am, Maxi.”
“Cynical? Nah, I’m a realist. Love is for suckers.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Weston agrees.
“Whatever. I can’t wait until the day some woman flips you inside out,” Langford jabs.
“Never, brother. I’m a lover of women. Plural. Not a lover of one. It’d be selfish of me to hitch my wagon to a single female and forsake all the others.”
“So generous of you,” I deadpan.
He winks. “I’m a giver.”
Langford rolls his eyes, causing me to laugh.
“Just call him the Balsam Ridge Casanova.”
Weston takes another shot that Reed placed in front of him and then slaps his hand down on the wood. “Call Corbin again and tell him to get his ass down here. We need to have a brotherly powwow to set him straight once and for all.”
“Yeah, because all the other times have worked so well,” Langford mumbles.
Corbin
Iwake up on the couch. The empty whiskey glass is sitting on top of a slip of paper on the coffee table, and the television is off.
There is no longer sunlight coming in the window, so I sit up and blink at the clock. Eight o’clock.
I stand to stretch my back and shoulders and find that the pounding headache has returned.
