Maybe.
But I had enough one-night stands to know the difference. Would I lose interest if I actually got her in my bed? I really wasn’t all that sure I’d get the sound of her voice out of my head anytime soon. The mixture of exasperation and capitulation was addictive.
And someone as driven as Mercy would understand the ridiculous demands of my job.
Hell.
A commotion towards the bar, dragged me out of my thoughts. My mother’s worried frown had me craning my neck to get a better look.
When it came to an open bar and my brothers things could get dicey. Especially when most of the Murdock Brothers company was made up of construction guys who got a little heavy handed with their drink.
“I’ll just check it out.”
“Don’t get in a fight, Ripley.”
“I’ll just go see what’s up. Someone probably just overindulged.”
My mother sighed. “All right but be careful.”
I kissed the top of her head and waded into the crush of people around the bar.
“It’s an open bar. You can’t say no!” The rough voice rose, making my radar go on full alert.
“Sir. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to cut you off.”
“Why? I’m fine!” The belligerent tone raised my hackles.
I spotted Cameron and waved him over.
“C’mon, baby. Let’s just go sit down.” A blond tugged at the troublemaker’s arm.
“No. I’m here to have a good time and this asshole thinks I can’t handle my drink.”
With the volume of his voice, I’d say he was at least two drinks past a comfortable limit.
“Is there a problem?” I shifted around one of the guys on the crew. I patted Jonas’s shoulder. “I got this.”
The man looked relieved and made way for me.
“No problem if I can get a whiskey,” the man at the bar said without turning around.
I recognized the girl vaguely but couldn’t place her name. She was trying to get him to step back. “C’mon, baby. People are staring.”
“Let them. I just want a damn drink.”
“I think the bartender was clear.” I kept back a few feet just in case the guy swung on me. I could feel the belligerence in the air. “Let’s keep it fun, huh?”
The guy turned. His eyes were mean and a familiar arctic blue. “It’ll stay fun if the bartender prick refills my whiskey. Mind your business, Rip.”
“I didn’t know you were back in town, Luther.”
“Yeah, well it’s hard to get a job in this town if you aren’t a Murdock. I found work in Saratoga.”
Considering we tried to give him a job in the past, that wasn’t exactly the truth. Problem was the Hart brothers didn’t exactly have their sister’s work ethic. “Why don’t we go over here and talk about it.” I nodded to the bartender. “Can I get a water for my friend?”
The bartender nodded and pulled out a bottle of water from the cooler and set it on the bar. “Here you go.”
Luther knocked it away. “I don’t want any fucking water.”
