Page 5 of Sweet Whiskey
A frown dips on her lips. “Oh, that’s a bummer. I would have liked to see that.”
Why do I have the sudden urge to track down George and force him to put everything up just to give this beauty a night at the fair? I press my tongue against my molars for a second, trying to talk myself out of offering just that.
“The rodeo comes by in a few weeks. Have you ever been to one of those?” I ask instead.
Her eyes brighten. “No. I’ve always wanted to go too, but we never left the city much.”
City girl. That doesn’t surprise me. I wasn’t getting the buckle bunny vibes from her. Still, it didn’t make sense why she was asking about Levi. It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask, but she sips at her straw and the loud empty gurgles echo around us. Her cheeks blush.
“So what brings you to Brackenridge?” I ask.
Her hand shakes as she shifts to the side, pulling something out of her back pocket and showing it to me. “I’m looking for someone. I figured I’d start here.”
She slides the photograph toward me, but I don’t pick it up as I glance down, recognizing a younger Levi standing in front of the bar we’re sitting in with his arms wrapped around an unfamiliar woman.
She clears her throat. “Do you recognize him?”
I shrug. “Hard to tell. Lots of faces come through.” The lie tastes like ash on my tongue.
She groans, putting the photo away. “Yeah, I figured it wouldn’t be that easy.”
My heart pangs at her defeated tone. “How about that other drink?” I say with a forced twist of my lips to resemble some kind of smile.
She nods. “Okay, thank you.”
I hold out my hand to grab the glass, but she stays at my side on the walk back to the bar top. Itsurprises me, but it doesn’t at the same time. Being an omega in this world comes with more dangers than just being a woman in general. My mom had explained some of the horrors when I had been a horny teenager growing into my alpha designation.
Tracy is setting a new drink with a beer for me just as we sit at the empty stools on the far right side. She looks between us and laughs under her breath.
The woman at my side watches her and then turns to me. “What was that?”
It’s my turn to blush. “I think that was more about me. Usually after work, I come here and don’t talk to a soul. It probably surprised Tracy to see us together.”
“Oh,” she says shyly, grabbing the drink to gulp at it greedily.
The need to ask if that’s okay rises. I want to know if she’s just as interested in me as I am in her, but bells ring out in the bar and I lean back on my stool, my eyes moving to Tracy, who isalready watching me with raised eyebrows. I guess she’s ready to test if the newbie has what it takes to work here.
I turn to the beauty at my side and slide off my seat. “You may want to move back.”
She frowns, moving out of the way with me as the men start to crowd the bar top and the waitresses climb onto it.
“What is going on?” she asks. The shake in her voice wavers her confidence from earlier.
“What Sweet Whiskey is known for,” I say.
Her blonde friend saddles up to her side. Their hands tangle together, so they must be close. Both of their mouths drop open when the music blares, and the girls start dancing and the men hoot and holler in return.
“Kinsey, I think you brought us to a strip club,” the blondie whispers loudly.
Kinsey. My heart flutters at knowing her name, having forgotten to ask her earlier. It’s pretty, unique, just like her.
Marley rolls her eyes with a smile, helping the last waitress, Tara, on top of the counter before leaning back to watch the show with crossed arms.
Tara grabs a water pitcher to pour down herself. It’s her last shift before leaving for the summer, so they usually go a little wilder than normal. Kinsey’s mouth drops open. Her friend’s eyes widen before she bluntly asks, “Is this a strip club?”
I snort. “No, just a bit of fun. It helps drive the tips though.”
Kinsey smiles. “It’s brilliant. I can see why my mom was drawn to it.”
