And so what if her entire body warmed each time he held her gaze for just a little too long?
Whatever.
She was going to catch someone else’s eye tonight.
Maybe this would be the start of something fun. And if she was lucky, maybe she would find someone special. Hadn’t she come to Rosebud for a change? The city certainly wasn’t giving her what she needed these days.
A smirk spread over her face as she delighted in the idea of Marshall watching her find her own romance. She hoped he enjoyed the show.
CHAPTER 18
So far, her venturing into seeing what the town of Rosebud had to offer for entertainment had paid off. Her beer was crispy, and Colette was having a fantastic time.
Most of the town had shown up to The Dusty Spur Saloon for some Saturday night antics. People were wagering over games of pool, dancing to country music on the dance floor, and settling in for a busy night of blowing off steam after a long work week. Colette enjoyed the vibe of the place. It was cozy and warm under the glow of the neon lights, with patrons laughing and having a good time, but she wouldn’t be surprised if a fight broke out at any moment.
The amount of testosterone in the room was…enticing.
A hockey game played on the television above the bar, and she sat at a table with Simone, enjoying a moment away from Roger and Marshall, who had accompanied them to the bar. Chip and Lachlan had joined them last minute and wandered off somewhere.
“This place is cool,” Colette said, checking out a guy’s butt as he bent over the pool table with a chuckle. “I see some pretty good prospects in here tonight.”
“There you go, time to find a sexy cowboy to warm your bed tonight,” Simone teased with a wink. Knocking back her vodka soda, she swirled the ice cubes in the glass and placed it back on the table. “The Spur is packed. I’m sure we could find you someone. Though… it’ll be hard for you to pick up someone when you’re always looking for at a certain cowboy.”
Colette scoffed. “Am not. I’m open…to whatever happens with whomever.”
No.
Was she really?
Letting Simone in on in her maybe-crush situation with Marshall was probably a bad idea. Her friend was very good at interfering in situations. Ending up with Marshall because he was pushed into it didn’t sit well with her. She turned her gaze toward the object of her thoughts and licked her lips.
“I think you should go for it,” Simone’s whisper brushed against the shell of her ear and Colette shivered. She took a swig of her drink and plunked the empty glass next to Simone’s.
“I don’t think my employer would approve. Wouldn’t Roger be mad?”
“That’s okay, I like Roger mad,” Simone retorted with a smirk.
“Maybe you’re right,” she admitted, her gaze scanning the room, which was hazy with the mingling heat of warm bodies and the scent of beer floating around them. “I came here for a little adventure, didn’t I? But from what I’ve heard from town gossip, Marshall might be otherwise engaged.”
Simone gasped. “You don’t say? Well, Marshall isn’t the only man here, right?” her friend said with a saucy wink.
“Exactly.”
“We work hard all week, now it’s time to play,” Simone said, nudging her shoulder against Colette’s. “Speaking of playing, where is Roger?” The man in question was chuckling loudly andsmacking another man on the back. Simone shook her head with a “hmm”.
“Looks like Marshall and Roger have found Evan.” Simone pointed in their direction at the words. “Evan is really sweet. He’ll be a good friend to have here, if not more.”
Colette rolled her eyes at the way her friend was raising her eyebrows.
Subtle.
Her gaze traveled to the man standing with Marshall and Roger.
He was definitely good looking.
“I wouldn’t say no to a guy like that, that’s for sure,” Colette mused, her interest piqued. Evan was as good a prospect for a romance as any.
Simone gave a knowing grin. “Evan is very passionate about his goal of chasing every skirt in town. But he’s also a great friend to the family. The Thomsons and the Kings go way back. He helps Marshall on the ranch when he needs it, even though he’s busy working on his own family’s place close by,” Simone explained.
