Page 58 of Double Bucked

Rafe puts his chin on the bar and looks up at her with big moon eyes. “I’d let you tie me to anything you’d like, ma’am.”

He’s got a thing for MILFs.

I fight a grin and jab him with my elbow, a sign to cut it out before Maeby kicks us out on our asses.

We might be grown men, but some friendships never grow up, not really.

“Be good,” Miss Maeby tells me as she hands over the tray.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I take my truck keys out of my pocket and drop them on the bar. Maeby takes them and stashes them by the cashier. That’s our deal. When I’m here to have fun, I leave my keys with Maeby and leave the truck in the parking lot. I’ll come collect it in the morning. I don’t drive with a drop of liquor in me, and Maeby knows that. No exceptions.

I bring the drinks back to the table and hand them out.

“Drinks.” Claire brightens. “Yes.”

I take my spot beside Jade. James tents his fingers around his shot glass. “To Mr. Preacher,” he says.

I tilt my glass. Claire does the same. Her gray eyes meet mine as she puts the rim to her lips.

I don’t know if it’s the whiskey or her stare, but it burns all the way down.

Jade lifts her glass. “Za vashe zdorovie,” she says before knocking her shot back. Her face pinches at the taste, and she shivers as she puts the glass down. “It means to your health in Russian.”

“Are we in Russia now?” I ask.

“I’ve visited,” she says flippantly. “A few times. Very cold.”

Like it’s nothing. I ain’t ever even left Belleflower.

“There’s a Russian superstition,” Jade says suddenly. “It is said that the soul travels.”

“Oh, yeah?” I ask, only half listening. Mostly staring across the table.

“Three days after death, the soul ascends to paradise,” she continues. “On the ninth day, the soul goes to hell. And then, on the fortieth day, it returns to paradise to be with God.”

That gets my attention. “So everyone spends forty days in hell?”

James corrects me with, “Thirty-one.”

“No matter how good you are?” I protest.

She smiles at me, a sly grin. “Everyone has something to repent for.”

“Think I might need more than forty days,” I reply.

“Have a lot to repent for?” Claire asks.

My gaze finds Claire. Her gray eyes find mine right back.

“You know it,” I tell her.

“I think She will find ways to forgive you.” Jade slips her hand over the back of my neck and squeezes. I can feel Claire’s eyes.

“God’s a she now?” I ask.

Jade shrugs. “All the powerful creatures are.”

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