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Scottie nudges Sup. “Need a beer?” she asks him, standing up. “I’m gonna go and officially meet King’s girlfriend.”

“I don’t even want to know,” Sup answers, his eyes on mine. “And please, I’m not making it through this night without one.”

I lean back in my chair and glance over at Violette mixing up a martini. Her eyes meet mine as Scottie approaches the bar. I swear to Christ, everything moves in slow motion while we look at each other across the room. It’s warm in here so the slight glow of her skin under those neon lights makes me want to hop the bar, press her up against the counter, and make her scream my name. She pulls her eyes from mine as Scottie leans in and whispers something to her. Violette looks at her first in surprise then directly at me with a you’re-a-shit-head kind of grin.

I tip my beer to her and grin. Fuck, I can’t wait to get her alone.

“He said I’d give you special beer?” I say to the pretty woman who’s been tight knit with Cal all night. I’m guessing this is hisgirlfriend I keep hearing about. “And I would do this because I’m hisgirlfriend?” I ask in a higher octave.

She leans in, her light, coppery waves tumble over her shoulders.

“Yep, he said it with quite a bit of confidence too.” She laughs.

“Thing is, I know you’re not his girlfriend, I just thought maybe we could fuck with him a little?” she asks, eyebrow raised. “I’m Scottie, by the way. What’s the girliest drink you’ve got in this place?”

I smile. She has an air of mischief about her. I like this girl already.

“Violette,” I say, extending my hand. “You’re dating Cal, right?”

“Still contemplating.” She winks, and I laugh as I pull out a beer for the regular to her left, crack it, and hand it to him.

“He’s a good guy—Cal.” I nod. “A little hot headed sometimes, but good.” I grin.

She turns and looks back at him. He’s deep in conversation with Rowan. They’re laughing and looks like they’re busting Opp’s balls over something.

“Yeah, he kinda keeps proving that over and over again.” She grins. She has a pretty smile and she seems cool as hell. I can see why Cal is, as Rowan says, “borderline obsessed with her.”

“So, what’s the deal with you two?” Scottie asks, like we’re already old friends, and for some reason I feel like we could be very easily.

I look at Rowan over her shoulder, trying my best not to notice how strong and relaxed he looks. His one arm is slung over the back of the chair next to him and the smile on his face is one that would bring any woman to her knees. He’s easy, cool, confident, and so fucking hot it hurts. His strong upper armsstrain against his gray Carhartt T-shirt and his dark blond waves poke out slightly from that damn backward baseball hat.

“Hmm, if I had to guess, Violette, I’d say you’re contemplating too,” Scottie jokes, her bottom lip between her teeth as she assesses my stare at Rowan.

It breaks my gaze, and I smirk at her and huff out a breath.

“Fucking hotshots.” I giggle.

“Agreed.” She laughs. “Now, you ready to fuck with him?”

I lean in so we can plan their demise accordingly.

“Always.”

“What the fuck is this?” I ask Scottie when she comes back to the table with beer for every guy here except me. In front of me she places Shifty’s in house “No Shoes,” their twenty-four-ounce strawberry cream daiquiri with layers of whipped cream and topped with a twirly pink umbrella and some fresh berries.

“Your special drink. So much booze in it you’ll be losing your shoes and on the dance floor before it’s gone, or so they say,” Scottie yells over the music.

“So I’ve heard.” I chuckle. Everyone in town has had this drink at some point or another. Except me.Until now.

“She said to tell you she knows her man, and her man likes his fruity little drinks,” she adds, taking her seat beside Cal as every guy at my table busts a gut.

Scottie tosses Violette a grin over her shoulder, and I know these two vixens were in on it together.

Fuck it, I bring the sugary liquid to my lips intentionally and take a great big swig. “Delicious,”I mouth to Violette.

She laughs, and I feel like the joke’s on her. I have her attention, her laughter, and even if it was fake, she called me her man.

Seems like a win-win to me.

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