Page 15 of Unbreakable Love

“I know what she’s talking about.”

Miss Pesco this. Miss Pesco that. Miss Pesco sure is pretty. Miss Pesco has the prettiest eyes. And Miss Pesco is young.

“Is that why that vein is bulging on your forehead?”

He reached out to touch my temple and I swatted his hand away. “Knock it off. We were supposed to have fun tonight.”

Bryce let out a laugh that grabbed not only Regina’s attention behind the bar, but the guys on the other side of them. “Bullshit. You haven’t had fun in so long you’ve forgotten what it is.”

“Some of us don’t have the luxury of being able to not think about the consequences of their actions.”

It was a shitty comment, and I regretted it as soon as I said it.

Bryce’s laugh stopped and his lip curled. “That what you think I’m doing too?”

“No.” Shit. Everyone in the family knew our oldest brother took it hardest when Bryce wanted to open his brewery. I think Dalton assumed we’d all work the land with him, follow in our dad’s footsteps. Have some sort of family commune on the property where life never changed. He was constantly doubting Bryce. The rest of us were proud of him. “I didn’t mean it like that, Bryce. I really didn’t, and you know I support you.”

“Right,” he mumbled and drained his beer. He waved the empty bottle in the air and Regina nodded. A few seconds later, a fresh one was in front of him.

“You need anything else?” she asked me.

“Yeah. When you have a minute.”

She took off to help some women at the end of the bar and I turned back to Bryce. “That was shitty of me.”

“Yeah, but not nearly as shitty as I’m being, giving you shit about pretty Miss Pesco who Josie is now so excited is her teacher because she’s young like you and lives near you so when you get married, she won’t have to move far.”

My tequila burned my throat, and I choked it down before I spat it out all over the bar. “Are you serious? That’s what Josie was saying?”

“She wants to wear a purple dress to the wedding. And new purple cowgirl boots.”

“Damn it,” I cursed and squeezed my eyes closed, shaking my head. Obviously, Josie was half in love with her teacher, but I hadn’t realized her imagination had run that far away with her. “She’s known her for a day.”

“Josie thinks she’s special.”

“She’s becoming a special pain in my ass.”

“But is she right?”

“Is who right?”

“Josie. About Miss Pesco. Is she pretty?”

Preternaturally gorgeous was what she was. Pretty was far too common of a word to describe her and at that thought of her, my eyes drifted.

Bryce followed my gaze.

“Damn, brother.” He sighed. I glanced at him to catch his eyes all goofy hazy. “She is… that’s her?”

“That’s her.” I ground my teeth together and turned back to the bar. In one large swallow, I drained my tequila, remaining ice cubes and all.

They did nothing to quench the fire that lit in my veins at the sight of her, or the anger that made my blood boil as Bryce kept checking her out.

“Hey.” I slapped the side of his head and he flinched. “Don’t stare at my daughter’s teacher.”

He brought his beer to his mouth, unable to hide the smirk behind it. “You mean my future sister-in-law?”

It was late, nearing on midnight, and I might have only been close to turning twenty-four, but my back hurt, my bones ached, and if I had another drink, I wouldn’t be able to be a decent parent to Josie tomorrow.

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