“I doubt that,” I muttered, dumping sugar into my coffee. “And honestly? I don’t care. I’m not here to make friends with the locals.”
“Just with the sheriff?” Beau asked, a knowing smirk playing at his lips.
I nearly choked on my coffee. “Excuse me?”
“Come on, Xavier.” Lucas glanced at Beau, then back to me. “The way you two look at each other? The tension? It’s pretty obvious something’s going on.”
My heart rate kicked up a notch. Had Marcus told them? No, he wouldn’t. He’d been so adamant about keeping this secret. But maybe we hadn’t been as subtle as I thought.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, trying to sound casual even though my pulse was hammering in my throat. “You know me, the last thing I want to do is get involved with some backwater hick.”
Beau just laughed. “Relax. We’re just teasin’ you.”
I stared at them both, trying to figure out if this was some kind of game for them or a trap. But Lucas’s expression was open and genuine, and Beau looked more amused than anything else. Maybe they were actually just teasing.
“Well now that I’ve got you both sitting down,” I said, changing the subject. “We need to finalize some details for the bachelor parties this weekend.”
I pulled out my phone and opened my notes app, scrolling through the extensive list I’d been compiling. “So, Logan’s handling most of the logistics for Beau’s party, right? The camping trip?”
“Yep,” Beau nodded. “He’s got it all planned out. Me, Dakota, Colt, Brooks, Diego, and Alex are gonna spend three days in the hill country. Fishing, hiking… the whole nine yards.”
“Sounds absolutely riveting,” I said dryly. “Mosquitos, dirt, and sleeping on the ground. What more could a man want?”
Lucas grinned. “You’re not going, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“Thank god for small mercies.” I swiped to another note. “Now, for your party, Lucas. I was thinking we could do something a bit more... civilized. There’s a wine bar in Austinthat does private tastings, or we could rent out a rooftop lounge. Get some actual culture in this godforsaken state.”
“Actually,” Lucas said, looking rather sheepish. “I thought we’d just get a bunch of booze, a stripper, and get white-girl wasted back on the ranch.”
My eyes immediately went to Beau. And to my surprise, he didn’t look the least bit worried or concerned.
“Are you…” I gestured between them. “Are you okay with that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Beau asked, genuinely confused.
“Because there’s going to be a stripper?” I said slowly, like I was explaining basic math to a toddler. “A male stripper. Grinding on your fiancé?”
Beau shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. “It’s a bachelor party. That’s what happens at bachelor parties. Besides, it’s not like Lucas is gonna run off with some random stripper.”
I blinked at him, then looked at Lucas, who was trying very hard not to laugh at my expression.
“You two are disgustingly secure in your relationship,” I muttered. “It’s actually kind of annoying.”
“We trust each other,” Lucas said simply. “And honestly? I’m not even that interested in the stripper. I just want to hang out with my friends and have a good time before the wedding.”
“Well, that’s surprisingly wholesome.” I made a note in my phone. “Okay, so booze and a stripper. I can work with that. Do you have a preference? Twink? Bear? Daddy?”
“Yes,” Lucas said with a grin.
Dolly appeared at our table with a notepad, her expression still sour when she looked at me. “What can I get y’all?”
“I’ll have the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans,” Beau said.
“Same for me,” Lucas added. “But can I get a side salad instead of the green beans?”
Dolly scribbled on her pad, then turned to me with barely concealed disdain. “And you?”
I scanned the menu quickly, looking for anything that wouldn’t give me a heart attack. “Do you have anything that’s not fried or covered in gravy?”
