Page 109 of Wylder Ranch
I shrink down into my seat anyway and lace my fingers with Alex for extra protection. He doesn’t break the conversation as he lifts it to his mouth and kisses it.
“Working, I guess. I heard he got another job. Joe fired him from the Old Saloon, but I didn’t hear where.”
“Joe fired him?”
She nods. “Yeah, for being an asshole.” The implication in her tone is clear. Because,obviously, he was being an asshole.
“How did I not know that?”
She shrugs. “I probably forgot to tell you. I try not to think about him. Ever.”
I’m doing everything I can to pretend I don’t see him,and I think I’m almost in the clear when Alex shoots his hand up to call him over. Saylor freezes with a wide smirk on her face and turns her entire body away from what’s about to go down, so it looks like she’s talking to Clemmie when she’s doing anything but.
I don’t have that luxury.
“Pardon me. Would you mind bringing us some bottles of water and another round of beers, please?” Alex’s eyes move from Mike to me, and his hand cups my cheek. “Babe, do you want anything else?” I can feel Mike tracking the movement.
I’m so stiff that I can barely squeak out, “Water is good.”
Alex’s brows flicker in an “are you okay?” way, then turns back to Mike with a smile. “Just the waters and beers, please, mate.”
I don’t look up. Instead, I’m glaring at Saylor, who’s trying her best not to laugh. As soon as Mike leaves, I kick her again.
“You’re such a dick. He’s going to come back now.”
Clemmie’s head swivels between me, Saylor, and Mike’s retreating form. “What’s the tea?”
“That guy,” Saylor begins before I can say a word, thumbing over to the bar, “has the hots for ya girl here. He didn’t take the rejection all too well.”
Clemmie responds with a heavy eye roll. “When do they ever? Absolutely typical man. They can’t take no for an answer.”
“Exactly.”
It’s too much to hope that someone else brings the drinks back instead, and when he does, the bottles are slammed hard enough on the table that they froth overand spill onto Clemmie’s phone.
“Hey, watch it,” she snaps, and for someone who’s usually all sunshine and joy, she looks mighty pissed. I also get the impression it’s not about the phone. “What’s your problem?”
“He’s an asshole,” Saylor replies at regular volume for everyone—including Mike—to hear.
“Kiss my ass, Saylor.”
“No, thank you.”
Mike shakes his head and scoops the tray under his arm. As he does, the leftover beer drips onto Saylor.
“Hey! Watch it.”
“Get over yourself. You think you’re one of them now? You’re not.”
“Why don’t you fuck off?”
By now, the boys have stopped talking, watching the exchange between Saylor and Mike. Alex is still holding my hand, and I’m squeezing it tight enough that I’m hoping it’s giving a warning not to say anything. But Saylor’s words have just enough venom behind them that they tear Miles’s attention away from the field.
“What’s going on?”
But Mike decides to ignore Miles, and his eyes land on me, along with everyone else. “Where’s your kid, Haven? You already ditched it to play happy families with the guy who knocked you up?”
I barely notice my gasp, because in less than a second, Alex is towering over Mike, and the sound of blood thumping through my ears is all I hear. “What did you just say?”
