Any issues were usually settled with their fists. But this was different.
“Jesus, don’t go all mushy on me for fuck’s sake,” Tanner grumbled. “If I wanted to talk, it wouldn’t be to you, you dumb gorilla.”
That made him feel better. If Tanner was insulting him, then things were okay.
“Hey, gorillas are actually really smart,” he countered.
“They’re ugly,” Raid said.
“And they fling their own poop,” Tanner added.
“That’s monkeys, idiot,” he replied. “I’m going to get a drink.”
“I’ll have another beer,” Tanner said.
“Go get it yourself.”
The sounds of those two assholes making monkey noises chased him all the way to the bar. Shaking his head, he sat on a stool. He wasn’t sure why he’d come out tonight. He wasn’t feeling it.
Life had felt stagnant lately. Don’t get him wrong, he loved working on the ranch. And he had an awesome family. Well, some of them. The two jerks over in the corner could leap off the closest bridge.
Maybe he was feeling strange because of how many of his brothers had fallen in love lately. Even that idiot, Beau had found a girl crazy enough to love him. Although he shared her with Maddox.
Did he want someone? He hadn’t been interested in a relationship since Nicole left him years ago. But while he’d been upset at the time, he understood why she’d done it now. They’d both been young. There had been no point in her staying when her family moved away.
Maybe it was just that life had been quiet lately. No girl had walked into the bar lately and accused one of his brothers of giving them crabs and knocking them up.
He grinned as he remembered Clem doing that.
Now, that was a woman he could see himself getting attached to. But that lucky bastard, Jaret, had seen her first.
Even though Butch asked her to marry him first.
Fucking rude.
But he was glad Jaret had her. Clem was loyal and fierce and slightly nutty.
And she was exactly what Jaret needed.
The bartender put a bottle of beer in front of him without him even having to ask.
Now, that was service.
Yep, life had been peaceful. But that wasn’t a bad thing. It meant his family was safe. Especially the women and kids.
Someone bumped into him, making him spill his beer all over his hand. He turned with a scowl, ready to blast one of his brothers when he took in the woman leaning against him.
Utter perfection.
Curvy and petite, she had short hair that was a pale lavender color. It was different, but it suited her. Bright green eyes stared up at him in dismay.
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. Did you spill beer on your clothes? Maybe you should take them off. Here, let me help.” She reached for his shirt as though she was going to strip it right off him.
“That’s okay,” he said hastily as he put his beer down, then grabbed her hands. “I didn’t get any beer on my shirt.”
“You didn’t?”
“No.”
“Damn, that’s a shame.” She ran her gaze over him admiringly. “Sorry I banged into you. It’s these stupid heels. I can’t wear them. I’m stumbling all over the place like a baby learning to walk. It’s ridiculous. Why do people wear these things?”
As she spoke, she grabbed hold of his arm with one hand so she could reach down and remove first one shoe then the other. She threw each one over her shoulder, narrowly missing one of the servers.
Butch stared at Amy, the server who was staring at them both in shock. “Sorry, Amy.”
The woman turned, looking over at Amy, then at her shoes in dismay. “Oh no! I’m so sorry. I’m such an idiot. Did I hit you?”
“Ah, no, it’s okay,” Amy replied, putting her tray on a table to pick up the high heels. “Do you know that these are Jimmy Choo’s?”
“Chews is right . . . that’s what it feels like they’ve been doing to my feet—gnawing away at them all night. I just want them far away from me. You want them?”
Butch stared down at the petite woman in shock. Was she seriously offering the waitress her shoes? That was weird, right? People didn’t give away their shoes. And why would Amy want them?
“Well, they are in my size . . .” Amy said. “But I can’t. These are expensive.”
The woman next to him shrugged. “Call them an apology for nearly hitting you with a flying high heel. That would probably hurt, especially if you got one in the eye. Although, I would have preferred that to coming out tonight. Do you think you could throw one back at me but aim for right here?” She pointed at her right eye.
“Uh.”
Jesus, Amy wasn’t considering it, was she? She was certainly looking interested.
“No,” he said firmly. “That’s not happening. No one is throwing things at each other.”
The woman turned, glaring up at him with her hands on her hips. Then she stuck her finger into his chest as she swayed. Just how much had she had to drink?