Page 41 of Sweet Whiskey
“You don’t mind?”
A singular eyebrow raises, and her hands rest on her hips. “You came to talk to me, did you not?”
I try to hold back my smile but fail. “I did, yeah.”
Her lips quirk, and she sighs, nodding back over to an empty booth. “Beer?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Kinsey shakes her head. “Cowboys and your manners. Give me five and I’ll meet you for a break.”
I walk over to the empty booth and sit down, glancing over the crowd before nearly jumping out of my skin when two manicured hands slam onto the table.
Brielle leans closer to me, her eyes shifting over my face before pulling back. “Dallas?”
“Are you asking or confirming?” I say, amused.
She shrugs. “Either or. I got a rant lined up for each of you.”
I rest my arm on the back of the padded bench, staring up at the feisty blonde. “While I’m tempted to see what you’d say to my brother, yeah. Dallas.”
Brielle gives me a sickly sweet smile. “Excellent. Now if you hurt Kinsey, I will make you regret the day you were born, and I’m not joking. I’ve watched a lot of Forensic Files, I can get creative with my torture techniques.”
My mouth drops open. “I never want to hurt Kinsey.”
She scoffs. “You hurt her by sending us on a wild goose chase.”
“That wasn’t me, that was Colt. I had no idea she was searching for Levi.”
Her eyes narrow. “Hmmm. That’s your one free pass, but just remember, knives are multi-use tools.”
She tosses her blonde curls over her shoulder and prances away. I watch her in stunned silence. What does that even mean?
I shudder, thinking about how it gave serial killer vibes. Whatever she plans to say to my brother, I no longer have any interest in finding out.
Kinsey comes to the table a minute later, carrying drinks for both of us. “What did Brielle say?” Her exasperated huff says she’s used to her best friend’s antics.
“I think she threatened to skin my balls,” I say, my voice wavering with uncertainty.
Kinsey blinks and then throws her head back and laughs. The gesture warms my chest. “That sounds like her.” Her smile is still on her face as she sits, staring at me wistfully. “It didn’t scare you off?”
A smile pulls on my lips. “Nah, Brielle’s like a fierce kitten, but I’ve wrangled wild stallions.”
Kinsey laughs again, shaking her head. “I think that has to be the most cowboyesque sentence to ever be.”
I chuckle. “Truth be told, it’s the young bucks that are the ones who give the most trouble. But no one wants to admit to being bested by a pony.”
Her eyes glitter with amusement. “Good to know.”
I clear my throat. “How you feeling? Meeting Levi was…probably a lot.”
Her face falls. “Yeah. I’ve stared at that photo for so long, and then seeing him in person, it didn’t seem real. I understand the need for a paternity test, but I still feel a little sad.”
I reach over, grabbing her hand to tangle our fingers. “I’ve known Levi for years. If he had known about you, he would have been there.”
She smiles. “Thanks, Dallas. That means a lot.”
“Plus, Maverick may seem like a growly bear, but he’s really a big softie. I think having him as a big brother is going to be more hassle than anything else.”
