Page 16 of Wine Whiskey & Lipstick

They threw their shots back.

Cat coughed and fanned herself. “Ugh! Woo . . .”

“Lightweight,” Palmer teased.

Dillyn inhaled and slowly exhaled. The burn of the alcohol as it went down her throat had the effect of thawing the internal chill she’d been carrying around for the past year.Maybe a few more of these, and I won’t feel anything.Dillyn waved to Selah and yelled, “Another round please!”

Both Cat and Palmer were more than a little surprised. Dillyn wasn’t a big drinker, and they practically had to kidnap her just to get her out of the house. One of them would have to keep a keen eye on Dillyn if she were drinking. When she turned her head, Cat and Palmer rock, papered, scissored underneath the table. “Dammit!” Palmer mouthed the words when she lost.

It didn’t take long before Selah returned with their drinks. “Here ya go!”

Palmer glanced around the bar. Looking Selah over, Palmer thought she was young but might have some insight into the dating scene. “What is the dating life like around here?”

Selah lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.“Pickins are slim for people my age, I’m twenty-two, but there are a few guys around town folks consider eligible.” Selah laughed. “You’re going to have to jujitsu through some women to make a good impression. There are way more single ladies than men.”

Palmer took a sip of her drink. “Unfortunately, that’s nothing new.”

Selah continued, “I don’t know, but some of the stunts women do to get noticed by my brothers are ridiculous.”

Cat perked up. “You have brothers?”

Selah nodded proudly. “Yep.Three overprotective and overbearing brothers—Ben, Lucas, and Wyatt Cash.”

“Did you say, Ben Cash?” Dillyn asked.

Selah nodded. “Yeah. He’s the oldest. Women flock to him like he’s some kind of rock star.”

It couldn’t be him. That Ben is married, and I think lives in Chicago.“It must be nice to have brothers looking out for you.” Dillyn couldn’t imagine what that must be like, given she was an only child. Maybe Steven wouldn’t have been such a douche if he knew she had brothers who would beat the shit out of him if he stepped out of line.Then again, probably, not.

“Tuh?!” Selah wrinkled up her nose. “Nice?No way. I started working here on Friday and Saturday nights just so guys could ask me out. Frank’s has become my escape.”

Curious, Palmer joked—sort of. “Did it work? If so, maybe I’ll ask Frank for a job too.”

“At first, it did. Not so much now. Everyone recognizes me as the little sister of the Cash brothers. Not a guy within a hundred miles will ask me out because of them. Thank God for the internet.”

Cat frowned. “I hate online dating.”

Selah agreed. “You do meet a lot of strange folks, but after a few hundred interactions, I think I’ve finally found someone. I can’t wait to meet him.”

A few hundred!Dillyn wanted no parts of that. She sipped her drink, hoping this conversation didn’t kill her vibe.

Dillyn noticed that something had caught Cat’s eye. She had that familiar twinkle when she was interested in something . . . or someone. Dillyn glanced over her shoulder to look in the direction of her gaze.Of course.A bowlegged, tight Levi-clad cowboywas headed their way.

He sauntered up to them, and his southern drawl was strong. “I hope you don’t mind, but I saw a table full of pretty little ladies and thought I’d come by to introduce myself. I’m Paul Winston.”

Palmer over-exaggeratedly batted her lashes while Cat smiled seductively.

Dillyn rolled her eyes. She had just started to loosen up and have fun. This was supposed to be a girl’s night.Men always ruin everything.

He asked, “Can I buy y’all a round?”

Dillyn wasn’t surprised when Palmer spoke for the group.“Of course you can, Paul.” She had thathell, yes, free drinkslook.

Selah widened her smile. “Great! I’ll be right back.”

Mr. Cowboy was one of many guys who sent over drinks during the next couple of hours, keeping Selah busy. Being new in town seemingly had its perks, but Dillyn didn’t like all the attention.

After her third shot, Dillyn was done. She had reached her limit. It seemed like once she stopped drinking, Palmer got going. Even if she wanted another drink, Dillyn was the designated driver, and her friends were getting completely wasted.

---