Page 26 of Snow in Texas

Colin leaned his head back and spotted several taxidermy armadillos on the wall, a few lassos and old saddles. Damn. He sure wasn’t in N’awlins anymore.

“Hey, fellas,” a brunette waitress in cutoffs and a halter top drawled as she sashayed up to their table. She laid down cocktail coasters with expertise, flashing lots of cleavage in the process. “What can I getcha tonight?”

Candy gave her a wide grin. “Whiskey rocks all around, darlin’.”

She smiled. “You got it.”

She made a show of walking to the bar, twitching her hips all the way.

“Nice girls here,” Candy said, leaning into Colin until their shoulders touched. “You know. If you’re needing to scratch an itch.”

Colin turned a disbelieving look on him.

Candy’s grin widened.

“Yeah…good to know.” Inwardly, he was thinking no flighty waitress could compare to Jenny’s aloof charm. He was also thinking Candy was trying to fuck him over somehow. Was this some kind of test?

The way the circular booth was situated, it was hard to see anyone approach. Suddenly, there were three men standing across from them.

Colin didn’t jump, but he wanted to.

Candy clapped his hands together. “Boys. Welcome.”

Colin darted a glance sideways, couldn’t meet Candy’s eyes and instead locked gazes with Jinx. The bearded member nodded, gaze serious. This was a game. Colin needed to play it cool.

His insides clenched and he nodded back.

All three men were dressed similarly in a casual cowboy getup: Wranglers, flannel shirts, tooled belts. Their boots were low key, with round toes and heavy soles. The one in the center wore a CAT trucker cap.

CAT braced a hand on the table and leaned toward Candy. “I need to talk to you.”

Candy gestured eloquently to all the empty space at their booth. “Take a seat. I got a drink coming and I intend to enjoy it.”

Colin then found himself between Candy and the guy in the blue flannel who stank of old sweat. CAT and the other guy piled in beside Jinx.

“So how you been, Cooper? How’s the little missus?”

“She left me,” CAT – Cooper – said in a flat voice. “For my brother.”

“Ha!” Candy laughed, one of those hearty, explosive laughs big guys could always get away with. “Sorry to hear it,” he said, still chuckling. “That’s women for ya.”

Cooper gave him a dark stare.

The waitress returned, all wiggly and flirty, setting their drinks down with much bending and chest-thrusting.

“How about a round for our friends, sweetheart?” Candy requested.

“You got it.” She gave him a wink and hurried off.

“See you’re still rolling with the same crew,” Candy said, turning back to their visitors. “How’s it feel to have your fearless leader back?”

The man beside Colin shifted; Colin felt his thigh brush up against his own, gritted his teeth and fought the urge to shove the bastard sideways out of the booth.

Cooper’s frown deepened. “Riley’s nobody’s leader.”

Colin’s turn to get tense. Riley, as in Agent Riley who’d been giving Jenny hassle?

“Ah, Coop,” Candy said, grin turning evil, “ain’t nobody alive who believes that shit. You’re Riley’s little organ grinder monkey.”

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