Page 133 of Forever To Me

“…Okay, but what if I wasn’t?”

She smirks. “Were you?”

I groan. “Just take a damn goat, Jolene.”

“Pass.”

“Cash will give you free beer for a week.”

Cash looks up. “No, I won’t.”

I glare at him. “Not helping.”

He grins. “Not trying to.”

I move down the bar and lock eyes with Earl, an old rancher who hasn’t said a word since I walked in.

“Earl,” I say, using my most serious rancher voice. “You need a goat.”

Earl squints at me. “The hell I do.”

“Earl,” I say again, slower this time. “You need a goat.”

“…Do I?”

I nod.

He sighs. “Fine. One.”

“Two,” I correct. "It's a bogo thing."

Earl grumbles but holds up two fingers. “Fine.”

Two more down. I drag a hand down my face, exhausted. “Anyone else?”

Silence.

Then, from the corner booth, a cowboy I don’t even know raises a hand. “You got any of them fainting goats?”

I squint at him. “Why?”

He grins. “They’re funny as hell.”

I have no idea if any of my goats faint, but at this point, I’ll say whatever it takes. “Sure do.”

“Hot damn. I’ll take three.”

I slap the bar in triumph. “Hell yes, that’s the spirit. Now they’re bogo, so that means you get four.”

Cash shakes his head. “You’re a mess.”

“I’m a desperate man.” I yawn again, stretching. “Now, if y’all excuse me, I’m gonna head home before Mack tries to get these goats registered as emotional support animals.”

Cash chuckles as I stand up. “Good luck with that, Goat King.”

I glare at him. “I hate you.”

He grins. “No, you don’t.”

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