And the only thing on my mind was Axe.
Maybe my mother was right after all.
Absence could make the heart grow fonder.
CHAPTER 15
Kenzie
The crowd was insane, so many vehicles in the parking lot that I was shocked we’d found a parking spot.
“Come on,” Char said loudly over the din of the crowd as soon as we walked in. It was technically still dinnertime, yet customers already seemed rowdy. I took a deep breath, some of the heightened tension beginning to ease. “How about a seat at the bar?”
“Sounds fine.” While there were a few happening spots in Billings, David had never enjoyed going to bars or nightclubs, so I’d learned to become a homebody. I’d been missing out.
The building was huge, one side a traditional restaurant serving what some considered the best food in town, the other side a traditional bar complete with a stage for performers.
Neon signs were everywhere, many depicting brands of beer while others highlighted the reason people came to Missoula.The outdoors. The rivers and lakes, the mountains and peaks. And the lush forests.
Char found two barstools and was already busy flirting with a couple of guys hanging out near us.
My bestie shook her head as she settled in. She’d turned into more of a wild child in both her dress and attitude. Tonight she was a stunner in the skimpiest red dress I’d ever seen. In comparison, I felt frumpy around her, but jeans and boots had always been my go-to comfort wear. As soon as I arrived home, the suit would come off and I’d slip into my comfy jeans and a baggy sweater or sweatshirt.
“What are you drinking tonight?”
“Just wine.” It had been a difficult twenty-four hours, one huge blur.
She pulled a face. “I thought you had a rough meeting with your father.”
I sighed as I sat down. It was good to be away from the ranch for a little while. “Gah. I hate that man. The meeting was exactly as I expected. My father blowing smoke in my face. Telling me half the story and then expecting that I’d cave into his demands, which are to get him out of hot water.” I’d done a cursory check on the various contracts. From what I’d been able to tell, most appeared perfectly legal. However, he’d gone way over budget, had missed both construction and city deadlines, and it would appear my brother’s assessment had been correct.
Balloon payments were due.
What I didn’t know at this point was how broken the relationship was with the city council or how that would affectthe project. In situations of this nature, there were still several ‘old boy’ methods of doing business where promises were made and deals agreed upon with a handshake.
And a slip of a few thousand bucks here and there.
After blowing strands of hair from my face, I continued. “Then he proceeded to tell me Axe wasn’t good enough for me after he saved my fucking life!” I hadn’t realized my voice had increased by several decibels until the bartender’s eyes opened wide. “Bastard,” I muttered to finish.
“Wow. You need hard liquor. Hey, Mark, a couple dirty vodka martinis over here,” she commanded to the cute-looking man bartender who was thinking I was a lunatic.
“A dirty martini?” I was more than thankful to get away from the situation and try to relax. Especially since what my mother had told me remained in the forefront of my mind. The anger I’d experienced the afternoon before lingered as well. Why the fuck did my father hate Axe so much? Why?
“Have you ever had one?” Char pressed.
“Well, no, but I’m not much of vodka drinker.”
My bestie winked. “Don’t knock it until you try it, baby. Live a little. We haven’t gotten together in almost two years. Time to party down.”
“We’re not twenty-one any longer, but you’re driving.” At least for now. Thankfully, I’d been able to borrow one of the work trucks my father owned. Poor Bertha had already been found by the sheriff’s department. Insurance would total it, but obtaining the money would take a couple of weeks if not longer. At least I’d managed to grab my suitcases from the cab. My waterloggedcomputer would need to be replaced and like my truck, my laptop had been with me since my days in college.
“Don’t worry, sugar. I’ll get you home and we’re not that much older. Still in our prime. Although did you beg Daddy to let you stay over?” She used her cutesy voice from the past, which brought a smile.
“My father is far too busy to notice that I’m missing.” No, I wasn’t twenty-one any longer, now old enough to know when my father was likely running a scam. “Plus, I’m staying at the ranch house.”
“What? Don’t your parents own a huge house?”
“Yeah, but the last thing I need is to constantly run into my father. He can be far too oppressive.”
