Page 15 of Perfect Alpha

The Moose is a typical small-town US of A sports bar with, you guessed it, moose and game heads all over the walls, a black and red checkered floor with matching chipped Formica tables, and a mechanical bull that has provided rowdy entertainment on many drunken nights.

The torn leather booths are repaired with duct tape, but hey, beers are only five bucks and the grilled comfort food reminds me of happy times from my childhood.

Juke boxes and old-school arcade games create an ambiance that caters to the typical clientele of male ranchers. It’s the perfect place to find a cowboy for the night if the ladies are so inclined – and most guys come hoping they are.

The stupid monstrous television screens are why I’m here instead of gawking at Victory.

“I know, she told me,” Bobby returns. Victory is one of his closest friends, and he grins at the mention of her name. “But she wants nothing to do with you. I could invite her along, though, and I’m sure she’d be down to party withthe man.”

I chuckle. “That about sums it up, yeah.”

“Hey, I have a novel suggestion that you’re too obtuse to think of on your own,” Gavin says. “You could just tell Victory that you’re still in love with her.”

He’s always been the logical one in our triad, but in this case, he’s also wrong.

“Or, I could drive my truck into the closest body of water and hope I drown,” I reply.

Gavin rolls his eyes. “One day, she’s going to marry some bigshot she meets in New York, and then what are you going to do, knucklehead? Did you ever think about that?”

Oh, only every single fucking day.

“That won’t happen,” I reply, with an affable grin that doesn’t betray my inner turmoil. “She loves me back.”

Bobby snorts. “Right. What does Britt think about that love triangle? Or is it Kelly? Maybe Stacey? Wasn’t there a Kim in there, too?”

“Oh, please,” I scoff. “You win the award for the most one-night rodeos. Plus, you’re doing it all over the United States!”

Gavin understands the concept of love, whereas Bobby wouldn’t recognize it if cupid whacked him over the head. The twins are both fiercely loyal to their friends and family, but one day Gavin will settle down with a wife and maybe even have kids.

Bobby?Never.

Sometimes, I wonder how they were ever the same egg.

Bobby shrugs, a sardonic grin playing at the corner of his lips. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint any of the ladies waiting for some love from the man, even though itdoesget tiring. I should bring Gavin along because then I could be in two places at once.”

“You guys are seriously the worst humans,” I groan. “You realize this fact, right?”

“Hey, it’s not like I’d agree to that harebrained idea,” Gavin quips. “I’m already worried enough this guy is going to fuck up my reputation in town. I can’t have it proceed me everywhere I go.”

“No matter where I am, if things don’t go well, I say that I’m you,” Bobby deadpans, and Gavin punches his shoulder.

“Anyway,” Gavin says. “Victory? Wifey material, man. I don’t know what the actual fuck is the matter with you.”

I wonder the same thing, but patterns aren’t easy to break. Sometimes, you’re too far down a new path to go backward, but imagining Victory moving forward with anyone else is painful enough to drop me to my knees.

But if you can’t go forward or backward, that leaves you stuck in your circumstances.

“Wife?” Bobby scoffs. “Cade isn’t even thirty! Why the hell would he want a wife? Jesus, you’ve lost your fucking mind.”

“How old should you be then?” Gavin asks patiently.

“Whenever you’re done getting laid by all the hottest girls in the world,” Bobby says without missing a beat. “So never. Viagra can get it up, I can still play.”

I shake my head and try to hide a smile. “How do you even get laid?”

Bobby flexes and grins at me. “Oh, you know. Chicks dig athletes.”

“Your ego is the size of Texas,” I complain.

---