“Ladies,” I put an arm around each of their shoulders as soon as their hug broke up. “We know that the boys will be boys, but I’m thinking we’ll have one last fabulous bachelorette blow-out tomorrow night to celebrate our girl here. How does that sound to y’all?”
Charlie looked surprised. “But there’s no bachelorette party on the itinerary.”
“That’s cause I only made that thing for your mom. No offense,” I made a face as I leaned in with a whisper, “but she’s not invited. And tomorrow’s perfect since it’s a day before the day before the wedding, so you won’t be hungover on your actual wedding day. See, I think of everything.” I winked at Charlie, then turned to Mel. “Plus, there’s no better way for our new friend to get to know the local wildlife.” I waggled my eyebrows at her, then did an in-place salsa. “A little dancing. A little pitcher of margaritas. Or three. We’ll stop counting as the night goes on.”
Mel laughed. “You must be Ruth?” she asked and I nodded.
“I always knew I was gonna like you girls if we ever met.”
“Hell, yeah,” I held out my fist. She bumped it and we both grinned.
12
Buck
He sat at the corner of the bar nursing a Bud Lite and watching the women pour in, chattering like magpies. He dropped his face toward his beer but he didn’t need to. They were all wrapped up in themselves without a glance to anything or anyone around them.
Yup, that tracked. Ruth Harshbarger always stomped through this world as if it was all hers for the taking, no matter who she fucked over on the way.
He upended the stein of beer in front of him and then signaled for another. He might as well while he had the tab open.
Wasn’t like he could afford to close it after his run of shit luck at the card tables over in Austin last night. He’d been so sure his ace high was enough to close that goddamned hand. How the fuck was he supposed to have guessed that the fucker beside him was going to pull out pocket kings at the last minute? That was some bullshit, but no one would listen when he bellowed that the guy was cheating, and he’d been the one they’d thrown out.
He shook his head and took the full stein that was replaced in front of him. He might as well enjoy this last night out before they cut up his damn Visa.
He took a long swig and glared across the bar at the bitch who was the cause of his every misfortune.
If not for her, he’d be a rich man right now.
He’d be wealthy, a man of stature. A man no one would ever toss out like yesterday’s trash. No, instead they’d be shitting themselves to get out of his way, to roll out the red carpet for him. That was the life he’d deserved.
And the scales had been out of balance for long enough. Things should be fair. She didn’t just get to ride off into the sunset when he— When everything was—
He took another long swallow of beer. He’d stopped tasting it a long time ago. And damn, he had to fuckin’ piss.
But after that—after that he was gonna give that bitch what was comin’ to her. It was her fault it had come to this, not his. A man could only be pushed so far. A man could only be pushed so far.
13
Ruth
“A toast!” I called out, loud enough to be heard above the pumping country music, lifting my beer up. The four of us—Charlie, our other best friend Olivia, and Mel were all seated at a table off to the side of the dance floor, as far away from the speakers as we could get. “To Charlie. Olivia and I will always be your best friends, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, amen!”
Olivia giggled. “Those are wedding vows, not a toast.”
“Friendships are more important than marriages, everybody knows that.”
Charlie thought about it for a moment, then nodded and lifted her glass of vodka soda to clink my beer bottle.
I grinned and turned to Melody. “And to new friends. Welcome to the posse.”
“The pussy posse!” Olivia sputtered out a huge laugh, and then covered her mouth. “Oh shit,” she giggled. “I think I’m drunk.”
“Since when do you outdrink me?” I asked. “And clank your damn bottle so I can put my arm down.”
She lifted her bottle and finished the toast, “To friends near and far.”
“To friends near and far,” we all intoned and then tipped our heads back and took swigs of our various drinks.
“Okay, so what’s the scoop?” Charlie asked, patting her hand on the table in Melody’s direction. “What were Reece and Jeremiah like back when they lived at your ranch?”