AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, we were next,” Rafe said. Then he turned and saw Duane. Shaking his head, he said, “I should have known.”
“This is our place. It’s not for the likes of you,” Duane snarled.
Did Duane really intend to pick a fight here? In front of everyone? Rafe knew the guy was a jerk. And now, it seemed, Duane was about to show everyone just how big a dick he really was. Rafe studied his nemesis, looking for weaknesses. Just one punch in the right place….
Suddenly a whistle pierced the air, and the room instantly became silent. “Hey, y’all,” Russell said into the quiet. “We have a celebrity in the house. Rafe Carrera, a new resident, and now one of our own, is here. He’s the current world bull-riding champion!”
The place erupted in cheers, and Rafe took a step away from Duane, then took off his hat and gave the room a smile. He didn’t need to look at Duane to know he would be seething. And obviously that was exactly why Russell had done it.
“Assholes,” Duane snarled from behind them. “You couldn’t do it again if you tried.”
Rafe had had enough of this bullshit and was ready to leave. Russell, on the other hand, had other ideas. “Look who’s talking—the sore loser of the century.” He said it loudly enough for others to hear.
“Russell… just let it go.”
“Yeah, walk away,” Duane added. “This is my hangout. Find yourself another one. There’s a ballet school down the way. Why don’t you go there, Twinkletoes.” Duane was full of clichés.
Rafe drew himself up to his full height. “I’ve had it with you.”
“No fighting in the bar.” One of the bouncers, dressed in black, stepped in front of Duane.
Rafe nodded. “Nope, no fighting. But I’ll play you.” He looked down at the table. “The loser goes on down to the ballet studio, as you put it.” He stepped closer to Duane.
“You’re on,” Duane snarled. “I’m going to wipe the floor with you.”
Russell racked up the balls as Duane went down to the end to break. Russell growled, but Rafe shook his head. “Most balls sunk,” Duane said before snapping the cue to take the first shot. One ball fell. Then Duane took a second shot and failed to sink the seven.
“Are you sure about this?” Russell asked, taking Rafe’s arm. “Half the damned town is watching.”
“I know,” Rafe told him. “I’m tired of this asshole. He dogged me the entire tour, and now he and his father are trying to run me out of town. I don’t know what Duane’s game is, but I didn’t take his crap on the circuit, and I’m not going to now.”
“But can you beat him?” Russell asked.
“Are you two going to do each other’s nails or are we going to play pool?” Duane snapped.
A ring formed around the table as Rafe lined up his shot. He shot lightly and sank the one and then the fifteen before moving on to the eight and the eleven.
“Lucky shit,” Duane groused, color rising in his cheeks.
“No luck involved.” Rafe grinned, winking at Russell before sinking the next two balls with ease. They lined right up on the table, and he sank the seven before finishing off Duane with the nine. “That’s it.” He lifted his gaze from the green felt. “Do you want me to run the rest of the table, or do you give up?” He rested the cue on the floor as Duane stalked off. “You’ll look good in a tutu,” Rafe called after him. Folks laughed, which probably rankled Duane even more.
“Where did you learn to play like that?” Russell asked as the crowd around the table began to drift away.
“I’d hustle pool some nights after I was done with the rodeo. I learned to make money any way I could,” he answered softly as some of the guys slapped him on the shoulder. He stepped back from the table and handed the cue to one of the other men starting a new game.
“What’s his deal? What does he have against you?” Russell asked once they returned to their table. The dishes had been cleared, and Elliott sat with a smile and a half-eaten piece of cheesecake. Russell growled at his dad. “You know you’re not supposed to have things like that.”
“It’s once a week,” he said flatly before taking another bite. “I’m old, not dead.” He set down his fork. “Nicely done, by the way. Mendeltom junior has always been a bullying pain in the ass. I’m glad someone put him in his place.”
Rafe shrugged. “The guy already hated me for beating him in the championship.” He wondered what he was going to do next. Duane Mendeltom was not someone to let things go, and tonight he’d been embarrassed in the place he called home. Rafe looked around the room and saw Duane as he headed for the door, expression downright murderous. Rafe wanted to smile and wave, but Duane Mendeltom wasn’t even worth that amount of effort, so he turned away and grinned at Russell. “Who would have thought that pool hustling could be so rewarding? And there wasn’t even any money involved.”
“Damn, kid, is there anything you haven’t done?” Elliott asked.
Rafe met his gaze. “Elliott, a guy will do just about anything in order to eat.” Thank God those days were over now.
Music started and folks got up to dance. Rafe watched the couples move together and purposely didn’t look at Russell. He loved to dance and was damned good at it, but he figured the town wasn’t ready to see him and Russell cut a rug. Still, he caught Russell’s gaze and moved closer to him. As they stood there, watching the dancing, Russell’s hand rested lightly against his leg.
Elliott ordered another beer, but Rafe switched to soda. He still had to drive, and the weather would make that tricky enough. Russell seemed content just sitting and watching the others. “My ex and I used to go dancing sometimes,” Russell commented.
