“You could be more careful about it. I heard from some other boys at the department you’re not always being smart…”
Sterling makes a face. “What happened to snitches get stitches?”
I chuckle and shake my head. “We care about you Sterling, that’s all.”
He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
I want to ask him what that look is for, but I assume it’s June.
“Hey June bug,” I shout.
She waves and takes a swig of beer.
“So who do you have your eye on tonight?” Sterling asks me.
I ignore him and turn to June, who has scooted a little closer to us, yet still astutely ignoring Sterling. “You’re usually not the one asking to go out on a weeknight, no less,” June says.
“I figured it would be nice to have fun with everyone before Naomi starts school because I really won’t have time,” I tell her.
Her brow rises, and she knows it’s more than that. Mae must have talked to her today. “It’s the end of May. Naomi doesn’t start school for three months.”
Ignoring June, I look around the bar again, and that’s when I spot them. Mae is laughing at something Jacob says, and my hackles rise.
“I didn’t know which Jacob until I saw them talking over there,” June says, gesturing towards the pool table in the corner.
My gaze yanks to June. “You knew she was going on a date?”
June nods and licks her lips like she’s trying to hide her smile.
I force my eyes not to go to Mae, but they can’t help themselves catching her smile at Jacob Dunn.
She looks gorgeous tonight. A dark forest green top that makes her hair pop, and dark jeans that obscure her figure because of the light, but I’m dying to solve the mystery.
I glance at Sterling, expecting him to give me some snide remark, but he’s staring at June with what I can only call pain in his eyes. I’ve always known there was something between them, even back in high school, but I knew back then Ledger and Fletcher would have been pissed, especially since Ledger is Sterling’s best friend. But we’re grown now. Those rules don’t apply anymore.
“Are you going to do something about it?” June asks. “Because if you don’t, I will. Jacob Dunn is bad news, and there are rumors he’s involved in the little drug issue we continue to have here.”
“Is Ledger aware of that?” I ask her.
“I don’t know haven’t talked to him, but I’m sure he is. It doesn’t matter though, Mae is new to Paxton. She doesn’t know to stay away from Kensington Ranch and all of its hands.”
I stare at them as jealousy rises in my chest. I’m aware of the overly protective part of me, not that I have any right to be protective of Mae. But someone has to say something to her.
Jacob grins down at her small figure and slides his hand to her lower back. I bristle again. It’s one thing for a woman to want a man’s touch. It’s another entirely when he takes advantage of it by copping a feel disrespectfully.
Mae reaches behind her and pulls his hand up on her back, away from her ass. Good girl. He hasn’t earned that right.
Not that I have either.
He says something, and I wish I could read lips.
Mae nods, and Jacob takes her hand, leading her onto the dance floor.
“Is she the reason we’re here?” Sterling asks.
I glance at him before returning to Mae and Jacob.
“Wow, dumbass, it took you that long to figure it out?” June mutters.
